Originally Posted By Bill Kennedy
That's interesting. I've never felt the need for the charcoal filter, but I'd like to have a prefilter. Up until now I've only used the PUR (Katahdin) hiker, which has both carbon and two prefilters, but is heavy at 12oz. I have the mini now but haven't used it in the field, and after hearing stories of how easily it clogs, I'm thinking a prefilter is a good idea. I'm wondering if the silicone sealer will adhere well enough to PET plastic, as it normally requires special adhesives.

Let us know how this works.


I will. I went ahead and filled the filter body, as I mentioned before, and it's actually still a fraction lighter than the Mini (5g lighter in fact...33g vs 38g) ), but after I fit the Sawyer thread adapter and the cotton balls and charcoal inside get wet for the first time it will of course weight several grams more than the Mini. I purposely made it the same length as the Mini so can be kept in small storage bag with it. I have also had an idea about trying to get rid of the undignified need to kneel in the mud on a riverbank in order to dunk the Sawyer dirty water bag by hand...By using an aquarium syphon pump, to sort of mimic the Katadyn, but for a lot less money and weight. An Aquarium syphon pump is only about £3 (about $4) on ebay, so if it works it will cost a mere fraction of what a Katadyn costs. Here is a pic of my prototype ACF/pre filter for the Sawyer Mini: [img]https://flic.kr/p/GLVndD[/img] and here it is attached to the Mini: [img]https://flic.kr/p/23F11vq[/img]


Edited by Alf (04/22/18 03:58 PM)