Isle Royale Forums

Thanks for the welcome, JerryB.

I am a total noobie at Backpacking, and probably a novice-level camper, so having a site like this to reference when getting involved in Backpacking is a real Godsend!

I think I would be using the Sawyer as a primary filtration system on solor adventures. The boiling of water would be my backup. In a group, a gravity filter would be handy, as you suggest. Those are very expensive from what I have seen. In particular I considerd the 4 liter Platypus system, but it is $120! That is probably worth it for a group where nobody has a filtration system of their own. I may be going on such an adventure next year, if I can get my friends to agree to it. I will look at the Platypus at that time.

I have heard of people modifying the Sawyer squeeze to a gravity system. Do you have any experience or knowledge of that?

MikeT: Love the idea of the Platypus, but it is pricey!

We took two Sawyer Squeeze with us (group of 6) for 9 days. We also brought 4 milk jugs (2 to get dirty water and two to catch the filtered water). This worked well for us. We would just let gravity do the work unless we wanted the water "now" and then we would just squeeze it into where we needed it.

I do recommend that you use the Sawyer before leaving. At the start it runs slow until it is fully wet inside and then it goes faster.

Awesome, sgatz! I was really wondering if you had to squeeze the Squeeze, or if you could just hang it and let it drip.

How long did it take to filter 1 dirty bag using gravity?

killendino wrote:How long did it take to filter 1 dirty bag using gravity?

The large bag took about 10-15 minutes to filter the first half of the bag and 20-30 for the 2nd half (less pressure).
But when we needed water quickly we just squeezed it out in a few minutes, which was just as fast as the people we saw pumping water through their filters. We learned to start the water as soon as we decided on a camp site so by the time our tents were set up, we would have water ready with no squeezing. Then we just made sure there was always filtered water in the "blue jugs". If it started to get low, we would get someone to hold the dirty water bag upright while we poured more dirty water in it. One thing we also learned was not to over-tighten the filter to the bag. If it was too tight, the rubber gasket would be pushed up and into the plastic opening to the bag and would leak. It was easy to fix, but we had to re-filter a jug of water after dirty water had leaked into it.

Midwest Ed wrote:Park recommendations are either:
1) Rolling boil for 1 minute
OR
2) Minimum of 0.4 micron filtering AND treatment for viruses.

Only boiling or filtering will remove Tapeworm eggs (and most bacteria).
Only boiling or chemical/UV treatment will kill viruses.

At the orientation Sept. 9 at Windigo they said "rolling boil for 2 minutes" which is what they used to say some years ago and still said on their website under the canoeing thread.

LeftOvers wrote:

Midwest Ed wrote:Park recommendations are either:
1) Rolling boil for 1 minute
OR
2) Minimum of 0.4 micron filtering AND treatment for viruses.

Only boiling or filtering will remove Tapeworm eggs (and most bacteria).
Only boiling or chemical/UV treatment will kill viruses.

At the orientation Sept. 9 at Windigo they said "rolling boil for 2 minutes" which is what they used to say some years ago and still said on their website under the canoeing thread.

I took my quote directly from "The Greenstone", the annual park newsletter. I was able to double check it just now since I downloaded a copy. Unfortunately they are under orders to turn off all government website data even though it is static. If I remember correctly from 40 years ago the recommendation was 5 minutes. I carried a lot of fuel back then. Anyway, longer is certainly better and I always went longer.

When things come back online I'll send them an email pointing out the discrepancies.

The Greenstone does, incorrectly, say 1 minute. I pointed out the mistake to them but it seems the correction didn't get into the 2013 Greenstone though it made it into my orientation.

Has anyone ever heard of anyone getting tapeworm cysts from Isle Royale? They'd appear in your lungs some while (years?) later.

LeftOvers wrote:Has anyone ever heard of anyone getting tapeworm cysts from Isle Royale? They'd appear in your lungs some while (years?) later.

On page 1 on this thread (in my same post referencing 1 minute) there are a couple of videos showing actual contaminations. I do not know of any occurring in Isle Royale visitors and I'm sure the chances are much much lower than in 3rd world locations where dogs and sheep cohabitate in uncontrolled conditions. Even with probable lower risk areas, of course no one is going to (or should) down play any warnings. The contaminations can occur in the liver, lungs, brain or any organ where the capillaries can trap the eggs.

Thank goodness for water filters. Hatchet Lake Leech Tea masquerading as drinking water is no picnic beverage.

Midwest Ed wrote:The contaminations can occur in the liver, lungs, brain or any organ where the capillaries can trap the eggs.

Didn't know that, thanks.
I agree no one should take a chance, but I've seen a number of careless and even uninformed people on my trips.

I see mention of the platy gravity works, I just bought one myself.how long have u been using yours, inland or in gitchegumee, any quirks to be aware of.i have used a katadyn vario for years. We had a lot of issues with it for desor plugged it good .i found the platty for a steel, 65 bucks for the 2 liter.just looking for an assesment.probably should have started a new post but i saw it mentioned, just thought i would ask.it is hard to replace an old friend .thanks

tree rattt wrote:I see mention of the platy gravity works, I just bought one myself.how long have u been using yours, inland or in gitchegumee, any quirks to be aware of.

It starts slow until you flush the air bubbles out. Once there's a little bit in the clean bag, hold it up above the dirty bag to backflush and clear any air from the line (no bubbles). Put it back down and it goes like a champ. When the filter slows down from clogging, just backflush a whole bag--it clears up nice. I've had mine a couple years with moderate use.

We have used the platy for a few years, like Ingo said you need to get the air out, the other thing to watch for is dont hang it too high or you can kink the hose... it dosent flow too well with it kinked for some reason

I can third Ingo and Lucky. We have used ours on 5 trips @30-40 days without an issue. The key thing (like they both said) is to flush the air out and to back flush occasionally. Not so much if you are on the big lake, but on inland lakes, this should be done every other day or so. We bring a spare one when we are paddling as they are very small and light. Just in case we drop it or, something goes terribly wrong.

Thanks alot,good piece of mind for the platy.how is the taste? I bought the add - on carbon filter for it. The vario uses a carbon wash and other than color it tastes better than at home! I hope the same for the platty.it just seem like so much more of a strait forward system

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you wont find better tasting water than in the backcountry.... wherever you are! I dont think the carbon is necessary (opinion) fresh wild water tastes good just the way it is!