Hollow-Fiber Squeeze Filter & Backwash Syringe Kit

Turn stream water into drinking water, and keep your filter working all season.

Beginner

4 min

HOLLOW-FIBER SQUEEZE FILTER & BACKWASH SYRINGE KIT
[ ] 0.1 Micron Squeeze Filter
[ ] Dirty Bladder
[ ] Backwash Syringe
[ ] Aquamira

0.1 Micron Squeeze Filter: the owner's spec. Check the maker's label for what it removes and what it does not.
Backwash Syringe: used to flush clogs from a filter. Use as the maker directs.
Aquamira: a brand named in the owner's list. Follow the product label for use and wait times.

Keep dirty and clean apart. Label or color-code the bladder and bottle. Why it matters: mixing them can put contaminated water back into your clean supply.
Know what your filter does not do. A filter with a rated pore size removes some things and not others. Many squeeze filters do not remove viruses, so read the maker's specs and use treatment where the risk calls for it. See cdc.gov for current guidance.
Never use a damaged or frozen filter. If you think it froze or cracked, switch to treatment or boiling and replace it.

Gear types only.

Hollow-fiber squeeze filter
Collapsible dirty-water bladder
Backwash syringe
Chemical treatment as a backup
Wild Dirt clothing for layers on a cold water run (clothing category)

Water access, camping near water and treatment advice vary by park, forest or area. Check current local rules and local advice before relying on any source. Start with nps.gov, fs.usda.gov, blm.gov or your state park site, and for water treatment guidance, cdc.gov and epa.gov.

Good water starts with a clean routine. Collect, filter, protect. Built by explorers, for the trail.

Filter kit

0.1 Micron Squeeze Filter, clean and with the cap on
Dirty Bladder for collecting water
Backwash Syringe packed with the filter
Aquamira treatment packed as a backup
Clean bottle or bladder for filtered water, kept apart from the dirty one

Before you leave

Run clean water through the filter at home to test the flow
Check the filter for cracks or damage
Read the maker's manual for freeze, storage and cleaning
Know the filter's rated life

At the source

Pick clear, moving water when you can
Scoop from above the bottom so you do not stir up silt
Look upstream for camps, animals or trails
Filter into a clean container, and keep clean and dirty gear apart

Maintenance

Backwash the filter when the flow slows
Use clean water for backwashing
Dry the filter as the maker directs before storage

Cold weather

Keep the filter warm, in a pocket or sleeping bag, when it is near freezing
Do not use a filter that may have frozen
Know the maker's guidance on what to do after a freeze

Filter kit

0.1 Micron Squeeze Filter, clean and with the cap on
Dirty Bladder for collecting water
Backwash Syringe packed with the filter
Aquamira treatment packed as a backup
Clean bottle or bladder for filtered water, kept apart from the dirty one

Before you leave

Run clean water through the filter at home to test the flow
Check the filter for cracks or damage
Read the maker's manual for freeze, storage and cleaning
Know the filter's rated life

At the source

Pick clear, moving water when you can
Scoop from above the bottom so you do not stir up silt
Look upstream for camps, animals or trails
Filter into a clean container, and keep clean and dirty gear apart

Maintenance

Backwash the filter when the flow slows
Use clean water for backwashing
Dry the filter as the maker directs before storage

Cold weather

Keep the filter warm, in a pocket or sleeping bag, when it is near freezing
Do not use a filter that may have frozen
Know the maker's guidance on what to do after a freeze