If you are like me, then the game of lowering your backpack weight is just as important as increasing your fitness level. Yet, you don’t want to sacrifice the functionality and effectiveness of your equipment at the same time. That leaves you with a nagging question, what is the best backcountry water filter?
I have tried them all at one point or another. Steripens were too expensive, electronic, and sensitive. After that failed, I went to the MSR EX Backcountry Water Filter, which was big, bulky, heavy, and always seemed to get air in the lines. It caused more headaches and was expensive. I thought that I was resigned to using iodine tablets or rolling the dice on the water I was drinking.
Finally, in preparation for a trip down the Red River, a Sawyer Squeeze was suggested to me. At first, I didn’t trust my buddy’s hype in the slightest. Too many times in the past has gear been pushed onto me only for me to find it wanting. However, I needed a water filtration system and the Squeeze was really inexpensive. $25 later I was filling up a bag on the River and squirting clean water into my Nalgene.
The Squeeze uses reverse osmosis to physically remove particulates and sickness-causing bacteria from the water that you are drinking. It is actually a EPA approved method of filtration. I will say that after over two weeks of using it as my primary source of clean water, I haven’t gotten sick. From the rolling Red River of South Arkansas to the stagnant mud puddles of the Cascade mountains, the Squeeze has served me faithfully.
It is extremely easy to use. You simply fill a bag up with unclean water, put the filter on the nozzle, then squeeze the water into your Nalgene. However, the bag system needs work. They have the advantage of being light and packable, but mine did bust a seam the last day I was using it. This ran the risk of contaminated water getting into my Nalgene and causing me to get sick. However, I was able to aim the drip away so it didn’t get into my bottle.
I have a friend that also uses them and he managed to come up with a way to avoid this problem. He uses a Smartwater bottle to gather his unclean water. The Squeeze easily screws onto the bottle and can take the place of the bag. Another bottle is somewhat awkward to pack and takes up alot of space inside your ruck. However, for the purpose of purifying water, it is a much better option than the squeeze bags that the filter comes with.
After years of military, hunting, camping, and floating experience all over the world, I highly endorse the Sawyer Squeeze. Rumor has it that it is now available in all the major retail stores. However, I just ordered mine online and found that it was cheaper and more convenient. The Squeeze will be in my ruck from now on and I find it hard to believe that it will be replaced by anything in the future.