What is the best way to fill a 64 ounce Sawyer bag prior to filtering when at a lake? On one trip I brought a small Aquafina bottle just for this and on the last trip I forgot it and it was a PITA. Does anyone have a secret?

Smartwater bottle in place of their bags.

I use a cut Platypus or similar bladder as a scoop. I scoop water with this (can also be used as a small "sink" if you are washing up), pour it into the sawyer bladder (easy to do), then squeeze the filter directly into a Smartwater bottle. The cap of the Sawyer fits snugly into the opening of the bottle. No tubes needed.

I have an old Platypus bladder that I cut at an angle, but recently cut a Nalgene cantene bladder straight across; either way its easy to pour.

No problem in a lake, but you might get wet feet :)

+1 on a cut Platypus for a scoop in shallow water. Scoop and pour with your cook pot or mug is another.

Sounds like something is always going to get contaminated. Was hoping there was a way around this. At least with the scoop you can use it as a sink. I hate to have to bring something extra just to get water into one of their bags.

I'In response to John Shannon's reply: ll have to look at the Smart Water bottles. Are they squeezable? Takes quite a bit of pressure to squeeze the water through that filter.

Edited by fastnlight on 08/14/2012 21:58:04 MDT.

I use my Sea to Summit folding bucket. It's not ultralight, but it comes in handy for all sorts of things and I always bring it along anyway, so I may as well put it to good use filling the Sawyer bags. Plus, it saves on trips to the lake to just scoop up a whole bucketful at a time. I just stand the Sawyer bags against a rock and fill them to the top with the bucket... since it's foldable, it makes a nice spout when you pour so you don't get water all over your camp site.

Edited by mahgnillig on 08/14/2012 19:57:49 MDT.

I use the bottom half of a roasted peanut bottle. it is light and durable and the filter fits inside. it also works for shallow springs and streams. I've found that it takes a pretty fast flow to fill the bottle alone so I use the cup most of the time.

When filling up a fast moving stream will force water into the bag.

In still water simulate the steam with a sweeping motion moving the bag accross the water fast, this will fill it up.

It took me a while to figure it out so I thought id share.

I use a 1 pint soda bottle for drinking water.

I also use it to fill Sawyer bag (with untreated water)

Then I vigorously shake out the untreated water. Filter a little clean water into it, swirl it around, and shake this out vigorously

Like Roger said in his article, you can have a bit of untreated water getting into your treated water

(Besides, this is all magic. You don't really need to treat water. It's just a scam by filter manufacturers. Maybe 90% kidding and 10% serious)

All fine and good if you have space to do any of that. Problem is that in some places all you get are a tiny little pool in a trickling stream or a little puddle of a spring. It was a super dry year on the Long Trail and a lot of sources were pretty slim. being able to dip a small cup and fill the bag without stirring up tons of silt was pretty useful.

On the trail, if I come to a small puddle and need to fill up then I grab a gallon size Ziploc bag that I keep in an outer pocket. I just lay the Ziploc in the water and then pull it out, then pour it into the Squeeze bag. Of course the size of the puddle will determine how long this will take... Also, if it stirs up some silt, or dirt and it gets in the Ziploc bag, I found that if I pour slow, then most of the dirt will sit in the bottom of the Ziploc just until the Ziploc is almost empty. When this happens I can just stop pouring into the Squeeze bag and then start over...

If I am at camp I simply use my cook pot. It is easier to use because it is rigid, but again, depending on the size of the puddle, it can still be a challenge.

That being said, I myself still prefer the Squeeze over any other water filter system. It is lighter than just about all others and I have found it to be simple enough to use (even at puddles). My next choice would be chemicals...