Question about Life Straw?

[rg_1111@yahoo.com]

About two year's ago i bought a couple life straws. They have been lost in my good junk pile. Do they have a expiration date on them. I'm sure they only last for a while once used.
I bought a mini sawyer and it's way smaller than the Life straws.
Says it will do 100.000 gallons of clean water.
Can't find a expiration date on it. I'll never drink that much water.
Anybody have a sawyer?

[Nor Cal Scot]

As long as it hasn’t been frozen with the filter wet, should he good for a free years. We use the sawyer squeeze.

[CWL]

I think the portable straws are just filled with activated charcoal. As long as the packaging hasn't been opened, or you've tried it out before putting away, charcoal should last indefinitely.

[lordmorgul]

I would expect Lifestraw to be good until the plastic is out gassing from age and as dangerous go drink as unfiltered water. Maybe 15 years.


Andrew - Lancaster, CA
NRA Life Member, CRPA member, Calguns.net contributor, CGF / SAF / FPC / CCRKBA / GOA / NAGR / NRA-ILA contributor, USCCA member - Support your defenders!

[rg_1111@yahoo.com]

Thanks guys.
None have been opened.
Also have to re up the treatment pill i have.
Have plenty of water because river in front yard and Snodgrass Slough on the back of the property.

[gcvt]

Here's an interesting look inside both the Lifestraw and Sawyer Mini...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8y7y2LqYiuQ

[rg_1111@yahoo.com]

Thanks gcvt for video.

[CWL]

Really interesting vid. I didn't know they'd be all floss material.

Now I wonder if there is an expiry date on the synthetic floss material as I have a whole bunch of those straws tucked away everywhere.

[jben]

Lifestraw's FAQ says they have no expiration.

[Corbin Dallas]

After watching that video, I'm glad I bought the lifestraw.

[TheChief]

Comparison

For those looking to compare the LifeStraw to the Sawyer Mini, here are two sites that did exactly that:

https://www.primalsurvivor.net/sawyer-mini-vs-lifestraw/

https://thehikingadventure.com/sawyer-mini-vs-lifestraw

I am more a fan of the Sawyer mini as it allows me to store my filtered water where as the LifeStraw does not.

What I found interesting from the video is even though the LifeStraw had more of the hollow tubes, the Sawyer has a considerably longer lifespan and a filter capability that is twice as small as the LifeStraw at 0.01 microns absolute versus LifeStraw's 0.02 that gives you more protection.

[Jeepergeo]

For those looking to compare the LifeStraw to the Sawyer Mini, here are two sites that did exactly that:

https://www.primalsurvivor.net/sawyer-mini-vs-lifestraw/

https://thehikingadventure.com/sawyer-mini-vs-lifestraw

I am more a fan of the Sawyer mini as it allows me to store my filtered water where as the LifeStraw does not.

What I found interesting from the video is even though the LifeStraw had more of the hollow tubes, the Sawyer has a considerably longer lifespan and a filter capability that is twice as small as the LifeStraw at 0.01 microns absolute versus LifeStraw's 0.02 that gives you more protection.

Filter makers for years have been known to overstate filter capacity.

Filter plugging is generally a function of filter surface area, filter pore size, and filter design, with filter area and pore size havingbthe most impact.

For a given level of water quality going into the filter, the filter's life will be longer with more surface area and larger pore size, and the filter life will be shorter with less surface area and smalker pores.

A filter that plugs up is plugging up with things being carried into the filter by the influent water....the plugging means the filter is doing its job.

Imagine, a window screen vs a jail cell door. The window screen won't allow mosquitos to pass and it will reduce air flow. With enough mosquitos, the screen will get completely blocked, so more surface area extends the screens effective life.

By contrast, the bars on a jail cell let mosquitos come and go, and even with minimal area, the wide spaced bars will allow numerous mosquitos to pass

[TheChief]

Filter makers for years have been known to overstate filter capacity.

Filter plugging is generally a function of filter surface area, filter pore size, and filter design, with filter area and pore size havingbthe most impact.

For a given level of water quality going into the filter, the filter's life will be longer with more surface area and larger pore size, and the filter life will be shorter with less surface area and smalker pores.

A filter that plugs up is plugging up with things being carried into the filter by the influent water....the plugging means the filter is doing its job.

Imagine, a window screen vs a jail cell door. The window screen won't allow mosquitos to pass and it will reduce air flow. With enough mosquitos, the screen will get completely blocked, so more surface area extends the screens effective life.

By contrast, the bars on a jail cell let mosquitos come and go, and even with minimal area, the wide spaced bars will allow numerous mosquitos to pass

So in your example the mosquitoes are the bad bacteria, the window screens are the 0.01 pores in the Sawyer Mini and the jail bars the 0.02 pores of the LifeStraw? I.e. the smaller pore size prevents the bad bacteria from coming and going into your mouth while you drink the filtered water? If so...thanks for the clarification???

Filter plugging does occur with any filter. That's why you back wash them.

I wont disregard the filter capacity of a company like Sawyer because someone on the interwebs said so. If you have any references to Sawyers stated capacity being overblown or over stated, please post them for us all to review.