Almost got stranded on the JMT because of a bad water filter

Last week I was on the John Muir Trail near Tuolumne Meadows when my Sawyer filter completely clogged after just 3 days. I thought I cleaned it right back home but it slowed to a trickle and I was stuck with no backup. Had to boil water from a creek using my emergency stove, which added an extra 2 hours each stop. Anyone else ever had a filter fail mid-trip without a spare?

2 comments

2 Comments

loganm521d ago

Did you try backflushing it with the little syringe thing they give you? I had a Sawyer do the same thing on a trip in the Sierra once and I was about ready to chuck it in a lake, but then I realized the backflushing really needs to be done hard and fast a few times, not just a gentle push. I also started carrying a small piece of pantyhose to wrap around the intake as a pre-filter, which helps keep the big junk out before it even gets to the filter. After that trip I learned to always check the flow rate before I leave and pack a few aquatabs as a backup just in case, they weigh nothing and save your butt.

robert2481d ago

Adding a pre-filter like pantyhose is smart but I always bring a backup stove just for boiling as a fail-safe.