Hi everybody,

I plan on building my own Sawyer gravity filtration system using a 3 liter platy and need some tips on constructing it. It seems to me to be fairly simple, using the Sawyer 3 in 1 filter with all the adapters and stuff included. I want the total weight to be under 6 ounces. The Sawyer Inline filter weighs 9 ounces. Thanks.

This is one of the better threads on doing this.

http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/reviews/display_reviews?forum_thread_id=5536&cat=Hydration%20-%20Water%20Treatment&cid=55

replacing the tubing with some 1/32" wall tubing saves quite a bit of weight and is a lot more flexible than the stock platy tubing.

http://www.usplastic.com/catalog/item.aspx?itemid=23093

Hi Roleigh and Brendan,

Thanks for the feedback, I will check out the thread on BPl and will check out the tubing option on usplastic.com.

I used this last year on 800 miles of the PCT. I really liked the set up, though the flow does tend to decrease with use even with back flushing. It never failed me in any way. I spliced the filter right into the drinking hose so I could just filter as I drank. This did get difficult after awhile but I didnt mind much. At camp if I had enough time I would string it from a tree, remove the mouth piece and use it as a gravity filter into my water bottles. I recomend you use the quick release filter instead of the one with the metal hose clamps and place the filter nearer to the bladder instead of in the middle like I did so that if fits neatly in your pack. Also of note the platypus hose screws nicely onto 2 liter soda bottles which is nice in the desert where the plants are all out to get you.

Hi josh,

I plan to use the new Sawyer 3 in one filter with all the included quick release fittings and back flush device. On another site a guy who made his own gravity device located his Sawyer filter 2 inches under the platy hoser and had about 3 1/2 feet of hose fitted to a platy bottle, he said it worked fine and got approximately 1 liter per minute.