Background
I really enjoy backpacking in the wilderness. Backpackers frequently rely on natural water sources for hydrating while on a hike. Unfortunately, these water sources may be contaminated with human or animal waste which can make you very sick.
Lucky for us there are a variety of water treatment and filtration options on the market today. I currently use a Sawyer Squeeze filter. It is very lightweight, reliable (no moving parts!), and easy to use. I switched to it after a pump based solution I had been using failed in the middle of a hike, leaving me stuck with chemical purification or boiling.
My setup is a little be different from the configuration recommended by Sawyer or used by other hikers. Most people end up installing the filter inline with their water bladder or attaching it to the top of a durable plastic water bottle (Smartwater bottles are popular). I prefer to use a bladder but I dislike having to suck water through a filter.
I am writing this post today as a reference for people who would like a similar setup.
Description
The simplest way to describe my setup is that I added a quick disconnect between my hydration bladder and the mouthpiece, very close to the mouthpiece end of the hose. The following image shows how this works (Full Drawing)
Now we have two attachments for the hydration system that can be quickly swapped without opening the backpack:
- Mouthpiece attachment: Used for drinking.
- Filter attachment: Replaces mouthpiece when filling the bladder.
If you have a hydration bladder with a quick disconnect drink tube then all you need to complete the build is the Sawyer Fast Fill Adapters. I did not try using the tubing supplied in the Accessory Pack, I just cut excess tubing from my existing hose.
This setup allows me to fill my hydration bladder with filtered water without removing it from the backpack.
Usage
When I'm ready to fill up with water I just do the following.
- Fill the squeeze bag with water from the water source.
- Attach the filter with filter adaptor to the squeeze bag.
- Remove mouthpiece and plug in the filter attachment.
- Fill the hydration bladder in my pack by squeezing water through the filter.
- Swap the mouthpiece back in and stow the filter gear.
If I am making camp for the night I will frequently fill up a water bottle as well. In that case I usually just leave the filter adaptor on the filter but it can be removed. When I need extra water (due to lack of water sources on my route) I can store unfiltered water in the squeeze bag(s) that I am carrying.
Caveats
If there is a standard for the quick disconnect water fittings I don't know what it is. In my experience different brands of hydration systems all seem to be compatible. For the record I am currently using a Camelbak bladder, but I am sure other brands would work too.
Thats it! Hope this inspires others to optimize their water filter setups.