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Matt, I just discovered and joined your channel last night , man I love your teaching methodology; spent hours binging your videos. I love the way you take time to show close ups, demonstrating techniques slowly (knots tying), and provide good explanations. I’ve been away from backpacking (and bike touring) for awhile, but at age 74 you’ve inspired to get back in the woods, after our Nebraska winter passes. Next spring, summer and fall, I’m planning several overnights at some of our local state parks to "revisit" map and compass work, and some of the bush crafting techniques you’ve shown in your videos. Keep up the great work Matt! I'm actually feeling a little blessed by watching your channel, thanks.

There’s a difference between filtering and purifying. Filtering removes bacteria, etc while purifying also removes chemicals, etc. Generally, purifiers utilize activated charcoal which binds small molecules like chemicals. Filtration uses size exclusion to prevent flow-through of bacteria, etc (kind of like a colander). There’s a difference.

Sawyer squeeze+smart water bottle is a great combo. Add a cgnoc bag instead of the stock sawyer bags and you've cut your weight (no need for a cup) and made the process considerably easier

I’ve watched this video multiple times, Matt. Very helpful and one of my favorites.

Thank you for this VERY good video. I own 2 of these in emergency bags; in-house, and vehicle. But, as yet, have not taken them out to use them. BAD practice, I know. I recorded this video, and have it in my Survival vid library on my 4 Terra-byte HDD. Thank you for your efforts and work in producing your videos. Stay safe, and keep breathin'.

I've carried and used the Sawyer filter for eight years. Couldn't say how many gallons it has run through, but it is still plugging along.

Hi, Matt. It's Sean from last week's Bushcraft 101 class in Ohio. Thanks for the great video. I've owned the Sawyer Mini for a few weeks now but haven't had a chance to use it. Your video will make it easy to get started. -Sean

Awesome, thanks for this, Matt! Just tried it with my mini and a Dr Pepper bottle - it leaked all over the place :-( Solution: y'know that ring on the bottle's neck that breaks when you open the bottle - get rid of it! (Use your multi-tool!). It helps the filter get a proper grip on the bottle's threads and no-more-leaky-leaky! Thanks again, God bless!

Hey friend🙂 Really great video! I’m going to try out your pedi later method. It looks loads easier and faster than my way. Try the squeeze! It’s so much better. Higher flow rate and you don’t have to back flush it so quickly. Even the ultralight guys are moving up to it. I bought a Grayl Geopress. I was really excited. Then I flipped it over and there was the infamous “made in China” . I sold it without one use. I was convinced they were made in Seattle.

Well explained Matt .

Fit a tank connector to a small dry bag. You can carry your filter and some tubing fitted with a valve in this bag. Simply connect the tube to the bag, fill the dry bag in your water source, connect the filter to the tube, hang it up above your container and let gravity do the job. The bag is very easy to fill and it serves as a carry bag for your kit. All the best.

Great video Matt. Never thought of using a funnel. So that's why we watch videos of people in the know. Outstanding.....................

Good stuff. As usual. I have had problems with the cheap plastic water bottles not connecting to the Sawyer Mini Filter. I added a bottle that would to my kit. Most all 2 Liter bottles will fit. I keep my Sawyer Kit in a hard plastic case. Along with a bottle of Iodine tablets. Also in there is a signal mirror, an additional lighter, one of those cheap wire saws and a bandanna that is only used for filtering water. I will look into adding the electrolyte packs. I was taught many years ago to try to only get water from the land at a point where the water is moving. To help cool your water in camp. Put your water bottle in a canvas bag. Wet the bag down and hang it up in the shade and whatever breeze you got. Evaporation will cool you water. ' This is the way a US Army Lister bag works.

I just switched to the sawyer squeeze from the mini for the increased flow rate. I like to backflush when I get home with white vinegar and hot water. Let soak in the vinegar and hot water for an hour before backflushing. For longer storage backflush with a bleach water solution to kill germs. I normally use the one gallon gravity bag and hang it from a tree less filling and the gravity does the work. Walmart sells one litre collapsible pouches for under $3 with a sports flip lid and a carabiner. Always use a bandana to pre-filter your water keeps the flow rate up. Also you can take out that rubber washer and replace it with one that has a screen built in. They are made for garden hoses but work great for a pre-filter do keep debris out.Thanks for the video.

Thank you for showing how to use the sawyer filter. I also like how you have it stored in that little kit. Great idea that i need to copy.

Thank you for the information!!

I have 3 of these, in the car, camping pack and a second bag... never needed them so I'd be fumbling! Now I can save time and look like a pro, thanks! 🙂

great stuff !!!!!!!

Solid video. Great content for the community. Excellent period of instruction

Very informative thanks for sharing

Thanks Matt. Great essential content and instruction. Sharing with my son to share with my grandchildren.♡☆

I have a lifestraw universal kit for water bottles. But it's limited in fit to certain water bottles that may cost equal or more than the kit. Now that I have seen the Mini Sawyer in action, I am inclined to it because if its versatility and lower cost. I like your presentation of a fabric pre-filter, it's an old but effective technique people need to be reminded of. I also like the add-ons to your kit: the funnel and electrolytes. Thanks and Rich Blessings from South Texas

Timely video for me as I was just getting ready to order a mini Sawyer. Great job as usual.

Just turned 65 a few days ago, as a child if water had living fish in it , id drink it , now I pre-filter it before I filter it through the big grayl . I carried my hunting and fishing stuff in prince Albert tobacco cans and tins , used tin buckets and cans for cooking and eating, id carry dry veggies and gather wild eatibles kill and catch wild foods . Had friends and kin id stop by and carry off their cold biscuits and cornbread , those airtight 1 pound tobacco cans came in handy for that .had a homemade shoulder bag I carried everything in , except my sleeping roll . I never knew what a sleeping bag and backpack was till I went to ft Benning. There wasn't nothing I couldn't kill with a 22 long rifle , whitetails was the biggest wild game here then , Oklahoma started getting bear and elk imported in here before I came home

Thanks for taking the time to make and share. I have a sawyer in my kit and but never used it.

Thank you for the video.

Hey Matt the CNOC bags will match the thread and open on the bottom of bag so super fast filling no need for the funnel but excellent idea btw I'm a huge Sawyer fan they are awesome but don't let it freeze!!(=

The funnel is a great idea,thanks. 👍

Very informative, appreciate it, thanks!

Warm water is why I hate the camel backs. Thanks for the video

Thank you

Thanks Matt - clear and useful content as usual

Very informative thnxs 👍🇺🇸

I'm a sawyer mini user myself....just with the larger bags as you mentioned. I've never had a problem with it. Enjoyed.

Great idea with the funnel Matt. Those bags can be quite difficult to fill otherwise.

Good info I recently purchased the sawyer squeeze which is larger and a little more price wise. Thanks for sharing.

Good Job Matt... See you in September bud...

Nice film fella. Good advice to carry the electrolytes 👍

Wet the cotton cloth or use a soaked sock around the steel bottle. Leave in sun for 20or so minutes for colder water. Sure you know that, but good tip to pass on if situation permits.

Some people use the funnel shaped coffee filters (melita) cut to size in the funnel as a pre filter. Nice vid.

I enjoyed your video Matt, using a funnel and cotton to fill and filter water into a Sawyer bottle is a great idea. Just for your information as an over night setting I also add a Platypus GravityWorks Carbon filter to eliminate bad odor / tasting water. When you add this to your system, even swamp water will taste good!

I have the mini as well. It's never let me down. Only complaint would be the flow rate is not ideal. Other than that it's a rockstar!

First time watching and I enjoyed your video. If you reduce the Sawyer claim by 70% to 30,000 gallons. That still means you would have to filter approx 8.2 gallons a day for 365 days a year for 10 yrs to get there. To me that's value. And as you know, 2 drops of bleach/quart from an eye dropper will take care of any virus worries.

Love my Sawyer mini thanks for video.

Great vid bro, the funnel was a big thumbs up, thx for the vid

Matt, you always present helpful and well thought out videos. I have the Grayl water filtration system and the Life Straw personal water filtration system (have you used it?) as a back up, as well as iodine and water purification tablets. Do you think the Life Straw personal water filtration is as good as the Sawyer mini, not as good, or better? I also appreciate the information about electrolyte tablets. Maintaining a proper electrolyte balance is especially important for the weak, infirm or elderly. My husband was hospitalized once because he sat out in the sun for too long on a hot day and did not drink enough water. Dehydration really knocked him through a loop! Thank goodness the emergency medical technicians I called recognized what his problem was that time.

I have a sawyer mini system in my pack along with a life straw. I also have one of the Sawyer water bottles with a sawyer filter in it. Almost rupture your jaws trying to drink through that. The Sawyer mini I carry in my pack has a good flow rate. I don't know what's wrong with the one in the bottle. Under visual inspection it looks fine. I use a 40 oz clean canteen with an 18 Oz stainless steel cup and I also carry a two cup cooking system with a lid.

Also. Sawyer makes several filters. They do have filters that will filter viruses

As much as i enjoy the Sawyer product, i prefer the hydroblu versa flow just because of the versatility of it in comparison to the mini. No back flushing syringe needed and no extra parts needed for a gravity system

I have a funnel that came with screen , it would still allow sediments into filter. I keep a bandana in the kit with the mini.

Great tutorial brother.

The city was doing some dirt work in one of our city parks n they ruptured a 20" sewer main which free flowed into the lake 50 yards away. Needless to say the park is shut down indefinitely, too bad cause quite a few people went to that park for recreation and the lake to fish.

Good video .. Its a funnel not a filter until u put the cloth in ..either way great advice man thanks

One more thing you can do to clear even viruses from the water after the filter - 5 drops iodine per liter. The combination of your filter and iodine is pretty much equivalent to boiling. The problem I have with all these systems, including boiling, they don't clean chemicals. And traveling around urban environments in Europe, you can be never sure what kind of agricultural chemicals like nitrates or pesticides or herbicides you may encounter in some stream.

Very informative.

👍👍

I carry the Sawyer kit too. My preference is just to hold a simple cloth pre-filter over the Sawyer bag and submerge it in the water source. One step less to deal with, bur for your illustration purposes, OK.

I am a 30 yr plumber and filters cannot be guaranteed to a capacity as the filer is limited by the trash it removes...not the water that passes thru e.g.it will not remove 100,000 shovels full of dirt from 100,000 gallons of water...but if it were only used with pre-filtered water it might easily do 1 million gallons

Good vid. Have you tried the sawyer squeeze? A lot of people prefer it to the mini. Also the steripen is popular. Ever try it?

Thats what I use camping.

Always wondered if, after, you filter water through the filter, then boil it, after that, would it be even better as far as disinfecting? Thank you for sharing this. Very valuable 411. ✝️🇺🇲💦

Camelbacks really helps with drinking a little but more frequently

Do chlorine dioxide purifying tablets have a shelf life?

Pleasure to watch Mat, unfortunately the Sawyer suppliers in Europe have shot themselves in the foot by price gouging, double and even triple prices now. Great shame on them. Thanks for sharing, take care😃👍

I do have a question. When do you back flush? Right after you run the water through the filter and use some of that to back flush, or after you get home where you are assured a good water source to do that?

Are the Gatorade electrolyte packs waterproof, or should they be kept in a Ziploc bag?

What do you think about the life straw I have both the sawyer and life straw I’ve just used the sawyer not the life straw

Wow. That's a gallon of water per day for over 273 years. I'd better get two if them.

Drinking warm water will help you poop! :-)

It is a great filter but at 100$ it just a no go. An I think its grossly over priced.

It's a funnel not a filter, just sayin'.

I think a lot of bushcraft people are tired of drinking hot water from only boiling to disinfection lol. I'm starting to see water filters catch on. I've been doing this because I'm a backpacker as well though lol