Sawyer Mini vs. PointOne Water Filter
Kevin Felts 08.25.17
When it comes to camping adventures, having a clean water source is a necessity. But, sometimes carrying around a case of water just isn’t possible. This is when having a portable water filtration system comes in handy.
Sawyer International offers a deep lineup of water filtration products. We decided to test out two of them: the Sawyer Mini and the Sawyer PointONE.
The Sawyer Mini is incredibly lightweight and can produce up to 100,000 gallons of clean water, while the Sawyer PointONE is slightly larger and can produce up to 1,000,000 gallons of clean water.
When it comes to the life expectancy of a water filter, the ratings are dependent on the quality of the source water. The cleaner the source water, the longer the filter will last. Just because Sawyer says the PointOne will filter one million gallons of water, does not mean it will filter one million gallons of muddy water.
The Mini in the video was my second one to purchase. The first filter had several gallons through it. I did not think it would be fair to compare a new filter to a used filter. The PointOne only had about two liters through it before this test.
Sawyer Mini Specifications
- Weight: 2.10 ounces, after usage.
- Length: 5 3/8 inches.
- Filter size: 0.1 microns absolute hollow fiber.
The Mini has built in connectors on each end that allow it to be connected to a hose.
Sawyer PointOne Specifications
- Weight: 3.95 ounces, after usage.
- Length: 5 inches, with no attachments.
- Filter size: 0.1 microns absolute hollow fiber.
To connect the PointOne to a hose, you have to purchase a separate inline kit.
Both filters fit on the end of a standard over the counter one liter water bottle.
Flow Rate
A Platypus big mouth bag was filled from a creek and was suspended from a tree. Both filters took turns filtering about 3/4 liter of water.
Sawyer Mini took about 1 minute and 30 seconds.
Sawyer PointOne took about 1 minute and 10 seconds. Here is a more indepth article about using the PointOne as a gravity filter.
Final Thoughts
If you are an ultra-light hiker and are counting ounces, the Mini may be the way to go. It weighs almost two ounces less than the PointOne and has a pretty good flow rate when used as a gravity filter.
If you are at a camping site and are using the filter for a group of people, maybe the PointOne is the way to go.
On a personal note, I have used the Sawyer Mini with the squeeze bag and was not impressed. It took a lot of effort to push the water through the filter. On the other hand, it worked great as a gravity filter.
