That $40 water filter I bought for the John Muir Trail ended up being a total scam

I dropped $40 on a Sawyer Mini from a random gear store in Bishop right before hitting the JMT last summer. Turned out the o-ring was missing and it leaked all over my pack, soaking my whole food bag on day two. Ended up having to drink untreated stream water and got sick near Tuolumne Meadows. Has anyone else had bad luck with knockoff gear from those little shops near trailheads?

2 comments

2 Comments

theabennett2d ago

That's rough... missing o-ring is a classic failure point on those things, especially if you didn't check it before leaving town. Those Bishop shops can be hit or miss honestly, they're mostly catering to thru-hikers in a rush so gear gets passed around and maybe not checked as well. I've heard of people picking up a Quickdraw from a trailhead store and having the bag seal pop on the first squeeze too. Maybe it's worth dropping by a proper REI or a place like Nomad Ventures next time where they actually test the stuff before selling it... or just stick with a trusted brand you know works.

barbara_moore732d ago

Forget the o-ring, check the bite valve too. I've seen those fail more often than the bag itself, especially if it sat in a hot car.