- Specialty
- Hollow-fibre water filters (Squeeze, MINI, Micro, gravity and tap), permethrin and picaridin repellents, first aid and sunscreen
- Category
- Water Filtration & Outdoor Protection
- Website
- sawyer.com →
Our verdict
Sawyer is the company that made hollow-fibre water filtration ordinary. Its Squeeze and MINI filters are what a huge share of backcountry hikers and hunters carry, its gravity and tap filters are used in homes and relief work around the world, and every filter is triple-tested before it ships. The filters are tiny, simple and, kept from freezing and dried before storage, last for decades. They are filters rather than purifiers, so they do not remove viruses, and they must not freeze once wet — but for the bacteria and protozoa that make North American backcountry water dangerous, Sawyer is the brand we would start with.
Background
Sawyer traces its roots to 1984, when its Extractor Pump Kit launched in the United States. It added first aid kits in 1985, sunscreen and repellents in 1988, and permethrin in 1991. In 2005 it introduced its proprietary hollow-fibre water filters, followed by the MINI in 2013 and a Tap Filter in 2020. Sawyer ships from its headquarters in Safety Harbor, Florida.
Alongside the outdoor market, Sawyer filters are used in clean-water and disaster-relief work. The company reports more than 120,000 filters sent to Haiti in 2010, over 200,000 to Puerto Rico after two hurricanes in 2017, and 137,000 to Liberia in 2020, and says it supports charities in more than 80 countries.
How we use Sawyer
Our first Sawyer review is the Squeeze Water Filtration System with the Cnoc Premium 2-litre bladder — the 0.1-micron Squeeze filter on Cnoc’s wide-mouth TPU bladder, 5.9 oz, US$64.99. It scored 4.7 out of 5. Because we have not yet carried it on a hunt, the review explains the system in depth with interactive animations of squeezing, gravity filtering and backflushing, a microscope slider showing what a 0.1-micron filter stops, and a lifetime calculator. Field use follows this season.
What sets Sawyer apart
Hollow fibre, done well. Thousands of tiny tubes with 0.1-micron walls give a lot of surface area in a filter that fits in a hand, and thick fibre walls let it be backflushed hard to restore flow.
Longevity. A Squeeze is rated to 100,000 gallons — compared with 1,000 gallons for the LifeStraw Personal we reviewed.
Flexibility. One filter can be a squeeze filter, a gravity filter, a bottle filter or an inline filter on a hydration pack.
What to know before buying
Sawyer’s hollow-fibre filters remove bacteria, protozoa and microplastics — not viruses or chemicals. Where viruses are a real risk, add chemical or UV treatment. Never let a wet filter freeze, and backflush regularly to keep the flow up.
Bottom line
Sawyer earns its place here for making safe water small, light and cheap enough to carry everywhere. The Squeeze with the Cnoc 2L is the one we would put in any pack or emergency kit first.
Why we recommend them
The hollow-fibre filter, perfected. A 0.1-micron absolute membrane that Sawyer rates to remove 99.99999% of bacteria, 99.9999% of protozoa and 100% of microplastics.
Built to last. The Squeeze is rated to 100,000 gallons with backflushing, and Sawyer backs it with a lifetime limited warranty.
Triple-tested. Sawyer says every filter is tested three times before it leaves the factory.
A system, not a gadget. Squeeze, gravity, bottle, inline and tap configurations, with adapters, bags and the Cnoc bladders.
Proven in disasters. Sawyer reports more than 120,000 filters sent to Haiti after the 2010 earthquake and over 200,000 to Puerto Rico after the 2017 hurricanes.
Product lines
What they make.
Squeeze & MINI filters
The Squeeze, MINI and Micro Squeeze hollow-fibre filters, alone or in kits — including the Sawyer × Cnoc bladder systems we reviewed.
Gravity, bottle & tap filters
Gravity systems for camps and homes, filter bottles, and the Tap Filter for household faucets.
Insect repellents
Permethrin clothing and gear treatment, picaridin and DEET repellents — a hunter's tick defence.
First aid & sun care
First aid kits and sunscreen, part of the range since the 1980s.