Review: We Sawed a Sawyer Squeeze Water Filter in Half!

Many long-distance backpackers use the Sawyer Squeeze water filter. This is because it is ease to use, lightweight and durable.

We wanted to get an INSIDE look at the Sawyer Squeeze to see how it really works. So we cut one open and took a close look with a microscope.

Read our series of Sawyer filter reviews:

Review: the new Sawyer Micro Squeeze

Sawyer Squeeze and Micro Squeeze Flow Rate Tests

Should I Carry the Sawyer Syringe?

Ryan filtering water into his water bottle using the Sawyer Squeeze.

We filled the Sawyer filter bag with some murky pond water.

Then we forced pond water through the Sawyer Squeeze into a water bottle.

Next we backflushed the Sawyer Squeeze with clean water.

Filtering pond water into a water bottle.

We drilled out the locking points on the side of the filter.

Here is a view of the water intake side of the filter.  This is the side that the dirty water flows into.

Then we unscrewed the filter and removed the internal filter.

And here is a view of the outflow side of the filter.  This is where the clean water flows out of the filter.

Clean Side of Filter

Focusing the microscope on the outflow or clean end of the water filter.

Outflow Tubes

The microscope reveals the small outflow tubes, where the clean water comes out.  A solid resin keeps water from flowing around the tubes.

Microscopic View

Here, we set up a microscopic view of the long filter loops where the water flows into the filter.  Notice some dark particulate matter stuck to the sides of the loops.  Backflushing the filter removes these contaminants.

Now you can see the long filter loops (some tubes were damaged during the disassembly process).  Each long filter loop is secured to the outtake section (clean part) of the filter. This is the portion covered by protective tissue in the photo.

The microscope reveals contaminants stuck to the side of the long filter loops.