Sawyer Mini Water Filter SP128 Orange

The Sawyer Mini Water Filter SP128 is a hollow-fibre filter weighing 40 g with an absolute pore size of 0.1 micron, removing more than 99.99% of bacteria and protozoa — enough for backcountry water sources without needing a separate purifier for those two threats. Rated flow is 1.35 l/min, and the cartridge is rated for 378,000 litres over its lifetime if properly maintained. It works three ways: screwed onto a standard water bottle for squeeze filtering, as a straw for drinking directly from a source, or inline with a hydration bladder. Cleaning is by backflushing with the included syringe, which needs doing regularly to keep the flow rate up as the hollow fibres clog with sediment. The filter is not freeze resistant, so any water left inside will crack the fibres if it freezes — on cold trips it needs to be kept in a pocket or sleeping bag overnight rather than left in the pack. At 40 g it suits solo or lightweight group filtering rather than a high-volume basecamp setup.