Sawyer Products SP129 Squeeze Water Filtration System Bundle with Coghlan's Backpacker's Trowel

I had been using the smaller filter and found that filtering water while backpacking was always a dreaded, tedious task. Using this filter, albeit slightly heavier, made it so much better. Especially when you are having to filter cold water in the morning where your hands don't want to work correctly. Well worth the minor weight increase.

I used this filter when travelling to El Salvador, Botswana, and Kenya. After filtering water I use Aquamira water treatment drops. I'm trying to avoid all parasites, viruses and bacteria (I have lots of experience with the parasites!).While the system works and fits easily in my luggage, I find it hard to set up in a hotel small bathroom and keep bad water from dripping on the clean stuff. You fill a bag with tap water, screw on the filter, then dry it all off. Stand up the clear bag without it falling over (remember if has a crease from being bent in your luggage). Now hold the bad water upside down without that bag flopping over while it slowly dribbles into the clean bag, which also wants to flop over. It does help if you use a regular water bottle that stands up. Depending on the bag size it can can a long time. Then do the Aquamira drops and wait 15 minutes.I've not gotten sick after using this filter. But the rubber thing that creates a seal between the filter and bag has deteriorated and gets pushed into the filter, so I have to use my finger to get it out...I had to buy the replacements.I think it was easier to us a filter I in previously had that you pumped by hand. Fill the sink of whatever with water, stick it in and pump into a clean bottle.