Friday, January 18, 2013

Sawyer Squeeze Mods and Accessories

     If forum chatter is any indication the Sawyer Squeeze water filter took the market by storm. One thing I've noticed is that everyone wants to Squeeze differently. There are many modifications to the Squeeze. I am attempting to compile a complete and up to date list of modifications and accessories available to make this innovative filter even better.
     The main issue seems to be with Sawyer's water bag. The durability of the bag is lacking for such a vital piece of equipment. I've personally destroyed two of three bags that came with my filter. Both separated at the seam while squeezing. The other issue is with narrow opening of the bag. This small opening is hard to fill. Other smal gripes are that the filter also lacks a carbon element and pre-filter.
Dirty bag replacements or modifications:
Jet Flow Adapter
     Allows you to attach your Squeeze filter virtually to any container. (See list of compatible bottles) I've used it with the Nalgene Cantene successfully.
DIY Nalgene Cantene Adapter
     Allows you to replace the narrow mouth Sawyer bag with a wide mouth Nalgene bag. Similar to the larger Jet Flow adapter.
Evernew Water Bags*
     Said to be a more durable direct replacement for the factory bags.
DIY Gravity system
     Just by adding a standard water bottle cap (I like the Smart water cap) to the bottom of a dry bag you get effortless gravity feed filtration. Perfect for larger groups.
Dirty Bag Accessories:
Scoop Bag
     By cutting the top off of one of the smaller Squeeze bags you are able to use it as a scoop, making filling of the narrow mouth easier.
Tornado Funnel:
     Using the Tornado Tube (below) or a DIY version (also below), you add a built in funnel to your dirty bag.
Filter modifications and accessories:
Tornado Tube*
     Basic female to female adapter. Attaches to the out end of your filter allowing it to directly thread to a standard water or soda bottle. Add this to the Jet Flow adapter above and you can attach to Gatorade or Nalgene bottles, too!
DIY Tornado Tube
     Same as above, just a DIY version.
Frontier Pro Pre-Filter *
     Adds a pre-filter to the dirty water side of the squeeze. (May limit flow rate)
SmartWater Carbon Element*
     By using some activated charcoal from the aquarium supply store and some Smart Water bottle caps you can add a small carbon element to help remove unwanted tastes.
Sawyer Inline Adapter*
     Adds barbs to one or both ends of the Squeeze to attach a hose. Allows you to add the filter inline on a water bladder or add just the clean hose and water bag for an easier to use gravity system.
Modification or accessory FAILS!:
Platypus bottles
     Uses a slightly different thread. Will not form a complete seal with the filter, leaking dirty water down the side of the filter possibly contaminating the clean water. Older style bottles may work, but its a gamble.
* Denotes items not tried, but reported on various message boards

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