Sawyer filter backflush syringe

[ATaBoy]

I've done my share of backpacking-mostly Colorado and Wyoming. Shorter type trips don cha know. 2185 is a lot of miles and a lot of filter use ultimately.How compelling is it to bring along the back flush syringe on the ole AT(1.2 oz and 1.25 x 6 inches)????

[gbolt]

Some will say yes and some no. I myself am a "no" because of the total hydration system used. I use the Smart Water Bottles to carry and drink out of. They come with a "sports top" drinking cap. This fits the Sawyer filter clean flow end perfectly. So once a day, I will reverse squirt water back out of the filter into the water source. Sometimes up to 1/4 of the smart bottle and then I will reattach and squeeze till full. Prior to the smart bottle, I used a tornado connector and flushed it with a regular plastic Mt Dew bottle. Doing this has work for me enough to that I have never carried the flush on trips and actually still have it in the box but have never really used it. Others will agree and some will disagree but it may be worth a try.

[ocourse]

I've done my share of backpacking-mostly Colorado and Wyoming. Shorter type trips don cha know. 2185 is a lot of miles and a lot of filter use ultimately.How compelling is it to bring along the back flush syringe on the ole AT(1.2 oz and 1.25 x 6 inches)????

I don't carry the syringe. I back-flush using the clean water container. Also, I haven't found it to be necessary very often.

[egilbe]

I dont believe the pressure of a squeezed bottle is strong enough to actually backflush the filter. I'd use the syringe. Im sure the Sawyer engineers thought of using the container, but still included a syringe for a very good reason.

and i was wrong. Sawyer makes a coupling/adapter so you can backflush with a plastic bottle.

[HooKooDooKu]

The Sawyer website warns that very forceful back flushing is required. A weak back flush opens up just a partial path through the filter were all the backflush will follow.

[scrabbler]

The less you backflush the harder you might be inclined to squeeze the bag. Take your pick. Bags fail.

[Derf]

My syringe stays in my bounce box, you will be surprised how many you find in a hiker box.

[coach lou]

Since I've owned it, I back flush when I get home. The longest I've been out since was 5 days, it did not get that bad. I was using the bag after each use for the last 2 days.

[squeezebox]

You might be able to save 1/2 oz by getting a 10 cc. syringe.

[capehiker]

I used to only carry a Smart Water bottle cap to use to backflush. Now I keep that cap in my ditty bag and also carry the syringe. The syringe can really get a lot of gunk out.

[Turk6177]

I don't see what you lose by bringing it. It weighs very little. You could probably also use it to irrigate a wound if you needed to.

[Comet Omega]

Used the small filter and carried syringe. Some sources were more sketchy and slowed the flow so using the syringe often was necessary later in the hike (Vt -Me) for me. Started with Aqua Mira and used that until the freeze potential was over. Started with a new filter. Carried the remainder AM as a backup and used it a couple of times when source was real sketchy in addition to the filter. Also loaned some AM to other hikers who had water issues. The small filter was slower than the larger one and gets you more mosquito bites while filtering at water sources!

[colorado_rob]

For trips where I regularly have a town stop, like the AT, I find the syringe unnecessary. I backflush by holding the Squeeze tightly (backwards, of course) against a sink faucet, works great. Yeah, you'll probably get a bit of spray on yourself, no biggie. Hold it tighter!

This all being said, I didn't even take my SS on the AT, I used Aqua Mira. the water quality (clarity) is excellent on the AT, much better than out here in the west, where I do use the Sawyer on virtually all trips, most of the time without the syringe. I know you (the OP) didn't ask about Aqua Mira, but the last post mentioned it, so I am.