Sawyer developing a new filter

[oldwetherman]

https://sawyer.com/foam-filters/

[Puddlefish]

I'll be interested in how many gallons it filters before disposal.

[HooKooDooKu]

https://sawyer.com/foam-filters/
Apparently Old New
https://sectionhiker.com/outdoor-retailer-2016-new-backpacking-and-hiking-gear-roundup/

[David Miller]

Sawyer may be leading the way in filters but personally find that the squeeze bag approach is a pain to use in the field. I wish they would work on a light weight pump to integrate into their system. I am still using an MSR Water Works a much heavier system due to the ceramic filter but I love the function and speed of the pump.

Paddlefish makes a good point about how long the filter will last before clogging up but if the weight adds up I would be willing to carry a back up filter.

[Starchild]

The foam appears to be part of the bag, not the filter.

[DownEaster]

I'll be interested in how many gallons it filters before disposal.
The bottle looks like a regular SmartWater bottle (700 ml), with some of that space taken up by the foam. If it's a pint, then "1600 uses" would filter 200 gallons.

[4eyes]

I like the fact that is also removes chemicals

[Odd Man Out]

I wonder if it is similar to this filter. I don't recall seeing this one discussed before.
http://www.aquamira.com/product/frontier-series-ii-red-line-replacement-filter/

[JeffreyH]

And I like that it is easy to use.

This filter will be suitable not only for newbie hikers but pro ones too.

[nsherry61]

I'm guessing that Sawyer is probably deactivating, not filtering viruses with these foam "filters". The foam is surely a chemical matrix that works like a portable water treatment system chemically binding heavy metals and organic compounds into the chemically treated foam matrix before pushing the now treated water through the filter at the mouth to remove particulates like bacteria and protozoa. Since viruses are to small to easily filter, and they are pretty easy to chemically inactivate, and the chemically treated foam matrix is already there, it would make sense to have some kind of chemical added to the foam to inactivate the viruses as well.

These might be pretty cool if somewhat slow, and, absolutely awesome for front-country emergency water treatment in 3rd world countries and/or disaster areas. I expect they may also be a bit pricey with the chemically treated foam, but then, there is nothing else quite like them in such portable form that I am aware of. It will be great to see how they work out.

[grubbster]

They mention that these will be coming out "soon". Anybody with any info? I don't do facebook.

[HooKooDooKu]

They mention that these will be coming out "soon". Anybody with any info? I don't do facebook.
I don't see any mention of the foam filters on their Facebook Posts since they announced back in March they would be available in May.

Don't hold your breath waiting for them to be available "soon". The Sawyer Website's most recent comment was that they would be "Launching this summer"... Well they've got 15 days to meet that deadline.

[HooKooDooKu]

I'll be interested in how many gallons it filters before disposal.
The instructions imply the "Max Fill Line" is located at the bottom of the neck of the bottle.
Based on measuring the bottle from the screen shots, I come up with a bottle volume of about 1 liter (not sure how much of that the foam takes up).


The dimensions of the bottle appear to be:
Bottle Cap Diameter: 30 pixels
Bottle Diameter: 87 pixels
Bottle Height: 287 pixels (excludes the height of the neck)

Found some online specifications that indicate the bottle cap should be about 25mm in diameter. So using 25mm/30pixels:
Bottle Diameter: 72mm
Bottle Height: 240mm
Volume: 977,000 cubic mm ~= 977 cc ~= 1 liter

[HooKooDooKu]

The bottle looks like a regular SmartWater bottle (700 ml), with some of that space taken up by the foam. If it's a pint, then "1600 uses" would filter 200 gallons.
Here's screen shots of the S1 Foam Filter with a 700 ml SmartWater bottle scaled to match diameters.

BTW: It looks like you pretty much nailed the fact the diameter of the S1 Foam Filter Bottle is the same as the SmartWater bottles. After I scaled a picture of a SmartWater bottle to match the width of the S1 Foam Filter Bottle, the width of bottle caps (i.e. where a bottle cap screws on) was a perfect match (measuring the widths in pixels).

[grubbster]

Is it assumed these would have the same freezing Achilles heel as the other squeeze filters?

[HooKooDooKu]

Is it assumed these would have the same freezing Achilles heel as the other squeeze filters?
My gut feeling is that the bottle, with it's foam filter inside, won't be harmed by freezing.
But everything points to the fact that the thing screwed on top of the bottle is simply a modified Sawyer Squeeze filter that you must protect from freezing.
The description explicitly indicates that they are combining a foam membrane with "Sawyer's signature 0.1 micron absolute Hollow Fiber Membrane filter".
I'm guessing the only real difference between a Sawyer Squeeze and the new filter screwed on top of the bottle is that this new filter will have an exterior that will not be as robust as the Squeeze. After all, the Mini is quoted as being able to filter up to 100,000 gallons and the Squeeze comes with a Life Time Warranty (i.e. no limit to the number of gallons it can filter). But these new filters don't even have to last for 500 gallons before the foam filter has exceeded its # of Uses.

[perrymk]

Sawyer ... I wish they would work on a light weight pump to integrate into their system.

I adapted a Coghlan's Camping Water Filter (https://www.amazon.com/Coghlans-8800-Camping-Water-Filter/dp/B0000AUSFN/ref=sr_1_44?ie=UTF8&qid=1505315506&sr=8-44&keywords=water+filter+camping)to a sawyer filter. By adapted I mean I slipped off the Coghlan's filter and slipped on the Sawyer. I've got a photo of it somewhere I can dig up if its important to you. Although it feels kind of flimsy (it is light) I've used it in the field and it works fine.

[Venchka]

BeFree filter.
2 liter Hydrapak.
2 liters. 2 minutes.
Done.
Wayne


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[HooKooDooKu]

BeFree filter.
2 liter Hydrapak.
2 liters. 2 minutes.
Done.
Wayne


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I don't under why BeFree is being mentioned in a thread talking about Sawyer developing a filter that deals with chemicals, viruses, and heavy metals. Because if I understand the BeFree website (https://www.katadyn.com/us/us/14946-8019639-katadyn-beefree-0.6L_usa), it's just the same 0.1 micro technology used in the Sawyer Squeeze and Sawyer Mini. Am I missing something?

[scrabbler]

Am I missing something?

You're missing that this is WhiteBlaze, this is how all threads devolve into something else. ;-)

[Venchka]

Post #17. Adaptation of Sawyer filter.
Post #18. Further adaptation of Sawyer filter.
While Y'all were speculating on Vaporware, I was using the BeFree. Although, to be honest, I used it because I was carrying it and wanted some experience in the field. I didn't "need" to filter the water I was drinking.
You may return to your speculating.
Wayne


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[Cobra317]

I don't under why BeFree is being mentioned in a thread talking about Sawyer developing a filter that deals with chemicals, viruses, and heavy metals. Because if I understand the BeFree website (https://www.katadyn.com/us/us/14946-8019639-katadyn-beefree-0.6L_usa), it's just the same 0.1 micro technology used in the Sawyer Squeeze and Sawyer Mini. Am I missing something?
All Hail to the Sawyer Gods!

[Venchka]

All Hail to the Sawyer Gods!

Y'all wish.
So. Is this rumored Sawyer Wonder Filter going head to head with the MSR Guardian?
http://guardianpurifier.com
For $29.99 @ Wally World?
Maybe the Shadow knows.
Don't melt the Yellow Snow!
Wayne


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[Venchka]

"Good grief, Charley Brown."
If this is the crud that Sawyer is trying to get rid of, Y'all are hiking in the wrong places.
"This is a foam filter that removes heavy chemicals, fertilizer, and heavy metals from your water in order to augment the biological filtration provided by their existing filter products."
Will an inline charcoal filter do the same thing?
Wayne


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[HooKooDooKu]

This is a foam filter that removes heavy chemicals, fertilizer, and heavy metals from your water in order to augment the biological filtration provided by their existing filter products.
Will an inline charcoal filter do the same thing?
That's probably all the S1 is... activated charcoal in the foam filter so that toxins and chemicals will simply bind themselves to the foam filter.
The reason for the limited life span (compared to other Sawyer Filters) is that the foam will only be able to bind to so much 'stuff' before it can't bind to anything more.

The S2 likely adds iodine or something similar to kill viruses.

The S3 likely adds something else (I don't know enough to suggest what else) so that heavy metals also bind themselves to the foam filter.

[Venchka]

Thank you. I will buy a new charcoal refill and call it good. While avoiding industrial waste dumps. There are a few isolated old mining sites in the Weminuche area to avoid as well. Easy to spot and get water farther upstream.
Wayne



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