I'm on season 2 with the Sawyer filters and I'll recommend 1. using the bleach solution and drying the cartridge as best you can before storing it for the winter and 2. backflushing and testing flow at the season's start.

I took the gravity system on a hike in May and it took a day to get the flow above a trickle, when normal is nearly a liter a minute. I'd done everything except bleach treatment before storing and clearly it had clogged with bacteria &/or mold (no smell, so I'm guessing bacteria).

I'd also do the bleach treatment after any trip filtering obviously stagnant water.

FWIW the backflush faucet adapter works much better than the syringe that ships with the Squeeze. I can't get that to stay on.

Cheers,

well im gonna pick up some bleach and give it a good cleaning. and clean and dry it after every use from now on. Thanx for all the advice.

According to the instructions, the capful of bleach was for the plastic bags. The clean water through the filter by backflushing is just design to push dirt out. When you use it in normal sense, all the crap gets stop by a filter. When you backflush it, it goes backwards and out. Least that way I interpret it. I'm just an accountant, my knowledge on bacteria and all is limited. I'm just using the instructions on the plastic bags the filter came with. I didn't use a single bleach for my previous filter. (Katadyn) I would take it a apart and use the scrubber it came with to scrub off excess crap that the filter has caught.

Edit: I forgot to clarify, if you backflush the filter after each use with, I think you will discourage any bacteria growth..Again, I'm just an accountant. I also figure even if there is bacteria in the filter the filter still suppose to stop it from getting in your drinking water.

I read that when i got home last night. So i cleaned the bags and back flushed the heck put of the filter as i was a little leary in bleaching it. I than filtered some tap water and it had no after taste or anything. But im hitting some trails tomorrow and will put it to the test then.

after a good cleaning i took it out and filtered some good ole creek water. Tasted great and no problems. Thanx for all the advice.

Instead of filling the container directly, I use a ziploc bag. I put my filter inside a quart size ziploc for storage. I fill up the ziploc from the stream, then pour that into the container. The ziploc fills instantly, even from a shallow water source.

Doh! Why didn't I think of that? I carry mine in a ziploc, too - and always stuck the ziploc in my pocket.

(The only downside I can think of is possible contamination of the outlet when you put it back into the wet ziploc - but the plastic cap over the push-pull cap might be enough to prevent that.)

I went and bought one of those cheap gas syphoning tools that you just hand pump. They are like a dollar at the dollar store or a couple of bucks at AutoZone. They weigh almost nothing, haven’t actually weighed it, but that fills the bag up quite quickly.

I also made a cap for the fill side of the filter using an old 2 liter cap and the end of the 2 liter. That’s so no contaminated water leaks out when im just carrying it around. As i keep it in a zip lock baggie also.

Ill have to try the baggies as the scoop method.

A piece of tubing is always handy but what is wrong with excavating a small depression so you can get more of your bottle in the water or just use a small cup? Heck I bet a half trimmed soda/beer can would make a nice fill device and weigh ZIP.

Digging works as Long as the creek bottom isn't a single shelf of limestone, with about 2inches of water flowing over it - which is a not-uncommon situation where I hike.

From my use, it appears the bag doesnt flush the air out well enough as the water enters, thus creating a barrier. Have to try the hole idea so you can get the air out of the bag.