View Full Version : Sawyer vs sawyer mini
firemanjohn
10-09-2014, 21:18
Need help deciding on what one to get? Thoughts?
Tuckahoe
10-09-2014, 21:23
Having had both, I find they are pretty similar. I would go with the mini for its smaller size.
What part of Chesapeake? I grew up in Great Bridge.
firemanjohn
10-09-2014, 21:28
Western Branch
12trysomething
10-09-2014, 21:29
Mini is lighter and filters a tad slower. Regular is heavier and goes quicker. I use my mini when in my DIY gravity setup and my regular when squeezing.
Can't go wrong either way.
Mini is lighter and filters a tad slower. Regular is heavier and goes quicker. I use my mini when in my DIY gravity setup and my regular when squeezing.
Can't go wrong either way.
Thats bout right, you really can't go wrong here. I have had a couple issues in so many years, thread fracture (no abuse) and complete blockage after approx 500 miles (did reg backflush). Even with these issues it is still my go to, considering the options. Dollar wise, if you hike year round and have to replace annually, not really a significant expense/to work ratio.
I also have both. I use the mini when solo, the full sized when hiking with one of my sons.
lonehiker
10-09-2014, 22:40
I have ran into more people that have been dissatisfied with the mini than the full-sized filter.
hikeandbike5
10-09-2014, 22:58
I had poor results with the mini this summer. Filtered very very slowly after 10 days of hiking, just about useless after 24 days. Even with daily backflushing. And the squeeze pouch (for dirty water) burst at the neck where the screw fitting was bonded to the bag.
HooKooDooKu
10-10-2014, 00:17
I love the mini. I use it in a gravity feed situation using 2L bags (Evernew bag for dirty water, Platypus Hoser for clean water). With no priming or squeezing, the 2L is filtered in about 4 minutes in camp while I'm busy doing other things.
Turk6177
10-10-2014, 16:06
Make sure you take a back up dirty water bladder. While the new models have stronger bags, they are not indestructible. Mine started to leak at the end of the JMT. I am glad I had a back up.
rocketsocks
10-10-2014, 17:49
There is only one reason a bag breaks, excessive force applied. If your filter is producing slow results, it means you have to backwash,or go slower...it's all about "Speed and Feed" most things are, something has to give.
rocketsocks
10-10-2014, 17:49
oh, and I like the mini sawyer.
I have both and like them both. I do not use the Sawyer bags, I take the Evernew 1.5L bladders, their threads are compatible with the Sawyer squeeze filters, and they are much stronger than the Sawyer bags, never had one break. I hike solo and primarily use the Sawyer Mini, and for most hiking it's fine, but after my last section hike thinking of going back to the Sawyer Point One. Reason was on this last hike the springs and some of the creeks were all very low, and even scooping water using a small PowerAde bottle I was getting a lot of crud, and the Mini was very slow and would pretty much get clogged after filtering about 2L of water. It was taking too long to filter the dirty water, so I think I'll try going back to the Sawyer Point One next hike. The nice thing about the Mini is you can just keep it screwed on top of a Smartwater bottle or Aqua Fina bottle and drink straight, I see a lot of hikers doing that. Which ever one you use, you will have to backflush them periodically to clean them.
I have a couple of issues with my Mini, (1) it leaks around the seal when it's connected to a bottle. (2) it clogs a lot, sometimes on a daily basis. (3) very slow. with that being said I would suggest you either use the Regular sawyer or get a pump style filter ( I use a Hiker-Pro ).
mdbamabrad
10-15-2014, 12:47
Sawyer Mini