Water purification for canoe trip (review)

[Rawmeat]

Last week I went on a four day canoe trip on a river through the badlands in ND. We used an MSR trail shot, Sawyer Squeeze, and a Steripen Quantum for water purification. The water was pretty dirty so we wanted to filter it regardless, but we used the steripen anyway, to test and just because.

Here is how they worked out best to worst.

1. Sawyer Squeeze
Didn't know much about it, but my partner brought it along. It is a bit of a pain to fill the bag, but if you have something like a titanium stove pot or something other than your drinking bottle it should work well. We did about 10 liters a day and back flushed once a day. It was fast and easy, and could work as a gravity filter, but we just squeezed it. A few more pieces and parts than might be necessary for other trips, but worked well for a dirty river canoe trip.

2. MSR Trailshot
I used it the first day and it filled 3 liters pretty quickly. The filter become clogged and it slowed way down. No amount of shaking and flushing was helping much. I was crouching by the river pumping over 100 times for a few minutes to fill a liter. I put it away for the rest of the trip.

3. Steripen Quantum
I had a set of rechargeable batteries in it at the start. I had messed around with it a bit at home a week before to make sure it worked. It was not working when I went to use it in the field. Ok, maybe the batteries weren't fully charged for some reason. I put a brand new set of alkaline in (yes, I know lithium are better). In 2 1/2 days we treated 13 liters and it stopped working. Apparently because of weak batteries. Maybe mine was defective or maybe it just eats batteries. Either way it failed. I am not going to bring a sack of batteries to use this item. I still like the idea of the steripen. Maybe I will try the ultra that has the rechargable battery because I always have a battery for charging electronics anyway.

So for a dirty river canoe trip it was the Sawyer Squeeze all the way. Although I am sure any gravity type system that is easy to flush would have worked well.

The MSR Trailshot would be great for somewhere with small clean water sources. It is light and could be quick and easy.

I still think a Steripen would be the best solution for clean water or with some sort of prefilter if the water is dirty, But the Quantum version failed me and it might just be because it is very hard on batteries.


If anyone else has any experience or anything to add please do.

 

[Bl704]

Last week I went on a four day canoe trip on a river through the badlands in ND. We used an MSR trail shot, Sawyer Squeeze, and a Steripen Quantum for water purification. The water was pretty dirty so we wanted to filter it regardless, but we used the steripen anyway, to test and just because.

Here is how they worked out best to worst.

1. Sawyer Squeeze
Didn't know much about it, but my partner brought it along. It is a bit of a pain to fill the bag, but if you have something like a titanium stove pot or something other than your drinking bottle it should work well. We did about 10 liters a day and back flushed once a day. It was fast and easy, and could work as a gravity filter, but we just squeezed it. A few more pieces and parts than might be necessary for other trips, but worked well for a dirty river canoe trip.

2. MSR Trailshot
I used it the first day and it filled 3 liters pretty quickly. The filter become clogged and it slowed way down. No amount of shaking and flushing was helping much. I was crouching by the river pumping over 100 times for a few minutes to fill a liter. I put it away for the rest of the trip.

3. Steripen Quantum
I had a set of rechargeable batteries in it at the start. I had messed around with it a bit at home a week before to make sure it worked. It was not working when I went to use it in the field. Ok, maybe the batteries weren't fully charged for some reason. I put a brand new set of alkaline in (yes, I know lithium are better). In 2 1/2 days we treated 13 liters and it stopped working. Apparently because of weak batteries. Maybe mine was defective or maybe it just eats batteries. Either way it failed. I am not going to bring a sack of batteries to use this item. I still like the idea of the steripen. Maybe I will try the ultra that has the rechargable battery because I always have a battery for charging electronics anyway.

So for a dirty river canoe trip it was the Sawyer Squeeze all the way. Although I am sure any gravity type system that is easy to flush would have worked well.

The MSR Trailshot would be great for somewhere with small clean water sources. It is light and could be quick and easy.

I still think a Steripen would be the best solution for clean water or with some sort of prefilter if the water is dirty, But the Quantum version failed me and it might just be because it is very hard on batteries.


If anyone else has any experience or anything to add please do.

There are several filters on the market, Sawyers products usually fare well. Just be careful if you're in freezing weather-the water (or remainder) can freeze and restore the filter. I usually try to blow/shake them out and throw them in the sleeping bag with me.

 

[GotDraw?]

I believe @Bl704 meant to say freezing weather can "Destroy" your filter, not "restore" it.

BTW- I use a Sawyer gravity filter and love it... but don't let if freeze. Shake it out good after use and keep it in your bag at night (in a ziplock) and your jacket during the day if it is below freezing.

Best,
JL

There are several filters on the market, Sawyers products usually fare well. Just be careful if you're in freezing weather-the water (or remainder) can freeze and restore the filter. I usually try to blow/shake them out and throw them in the sleeping bag with me.

 

[Bl704]

Yes. Damn phone.

 

[PantherCity]

Love the sawyer squeeze.

I think lots of folks conflate the Mini with the squeeze. In my opinion the Squeeze is much better than the mini. The Squeeze is an awesome gravity filter and I don't think there is a better set up than a set of QDs in your drink tube and the male QD on the end of the sawer.

 

[Rawmeat]

Love the sawyer squeeze.

I think lots of folks conflate the Mini with the squeeze. In my opinion the Squeeze is much better than the mini. The Squeeze is an awesome gravity filter and I don't think there is a better set up than a set of QDs in your drink tube and the male QD on the end of the sawer.

Could you explain your setup further? Are you saying you attach the Sawyer bag with QD's and drink from it like a bladder?

 

[JDZ]

Thanks for the review.

I'm a little interested in your trip. Did you canoe the Little Missouri? From where to where?

 

[gumbl3]

Amazon.com : Sawyer Products Fast Fill Adapters for Hydration Packs : Camping Water Filters : Sports & Outdoors

 

[Rawmeat]

Thanks for the review.

I'm a little interested in your trip. Did you canoe the Little Missouri? From where to where?

We did canoe the Little Missouri. Started at Vvv crossing 20 mi south of Sentinel Butte and went to Medora. About 84 mi of river covered with maybe 18 hours of paddling.

Used an old very beat up 17 ft aluminum canoe I bought this spring. Weather was great and only on the last day did we fight a headwind.

Planned our route to camp on National Grassland each night. After making camp each evening my partner caught catfish with chicken livers while I hiked and took photos. Then we made a fire, floured the cat fillets and pan fried them in butter. It was a lot of fun!

Only pulled a dozen or so ticks off. I was turkey hunting a couple days before in a different area and pulled over 60 ticks off before noon. No exaggeration.

 

[PantherCity]

Could you explain your setup further? Are you saying you attach the Sawyer bag with QD's and drink from it like a bladder?

You install a QD set near the drinking end in the tube of a camel back style water bladder with the kit Gumbl3 posted. Female in the bag end, male on the mouth end. The other piece with the 2nd male end stays screwed onto the filter. When you want to refill your bladder in your back pack you don't need to remove it from you pack. Just lay it on the ground and hook the hose up to the filter that is installed on the "dirty bag" hanging on a tree. Gravity will filter it and flow into the "clean bag" in your pack.

I like the Platypus 3l hoser bladder.

I wouldn't want to have to suck my drinking water through the filter, I know some folks do this but its not for me.

 

[JMF]

I use a platy gravity filter set up with the QD's and really like it so far. That sounds like a fun trip, something I've been meaning to do for awhile. Was the water high enough so you didn't have to portage much? I'm more familiar with the section from west of grassy butte to the lake. I know in that section if you don't go early enough you're going to have shallow water in a lot of areas.

 

[Rawmeat]

I use a platy gravity filter set up with the QD's and really like it so far. That sounds like a fun trip, something I've been meaning to do for awhile. Was the water high enough so you didn't have to portage much? I'm more familiar with the section from west of grassy butte to the lake. I know in that section if you don't go early enough you're going to have shallow water in a lot of areas.

Did not have to portage, but needed to push off a sand bar or rocks every few miles on average. I am sure this is very dependent on the year. This was our first time.