So, I was reading the responses in my "Sorry Sawyer..." thread. I read that Ragged just flips the hose/filter around and lets water run from the bag through the filter to backflush. Basically reversing the flow with the same source.
Is this what everyone does? I was about to start my quest for a big plastic syringe thing in order to backflush.
What do you all do? Which do you think works best?

Thanks and happy/safe paddling!

I just flip the MSR gravity filter and run the other way.. A syringe would work...personally I don't see the need for it. You would still have to flip the bag for it to work well.

But like an IV bag you could presumably backflush with the tube in a bucket of water and drop the bag below the bucket level.

Jeff, I flip the bags around not the filter, clean bag full of water on top running the entire system backward then I dump the yucky dirty bag, the Platypus and Sawyer kits have 2 bags, not one like the Base Camp.

Ah, got it. Thanks Will. That is true, there are two bags with those systems and I didn't go with the entire system, just the filters. So I will either have to disconnet the bag and put on the other end or use a syringe as I have seen others do.

So a gravity flush works just fine then?

Just to be overly clear. However you do it, back flush with clean water. Otherwise you are putting dirty water on the usual output end of your filter and when you go back to filtering those contaminants will go into your supposedly clean water to drink.

quote andym: "Just to be overly clear. However you do it, back flush with clean water. Otherwise you are putting dirty water on the usual output end of your filter and when you go back to filtering those contaminants will go into your supposedly clean water to drink. "

a VERY important point. thanks for reinforcing it.

quote kanoes: "

quote andym: "Just to be overly clear. However you do it, back flush with clean water. Otherwise you are putting dirty water on the usual output end of your filter and when you go back to filtering those contaminants will go into your supposedly clean water to drink. "

a VERY important point. thanks for reinforcing it."

Yes that is a very important point. This I did know but I am sure there are others reading this that don't. Thanks for bringing it up.

quote fitgers1: "So a gravity flush works just fine then?"

Gravity flush can work, but sometimes you need a little more oomph to blast out the crud. Syringe seems like a handy way to solve the problem, but I've always been able to get good pressure by squeezing an MSR Dromedary. Don't know if I'd trust all bladders with squeezing like that.

quote fitgers1: "

quote kanoes: "

quote andym: "Just to be overly clear. However you do it, back flush with clean water. Otherwise you are putting dirty water on the usual output end of your filter and when you go back to filtering those contaminants will go into your supposedly clean water to drink. "

a VERY important point. thanks for reinforcing it."

Yes that is a very important point. This I did know but I am sure there are others reading this that don't. Thanks for bringing it up."

Agreed. But if you don't have clean water to back flush, don't sweat it. Just back flush with unfiltered ware, return to normal filtration, and let the first liter of filtered water purge the system. You should be golden. You probably swallow more nasties going for a swim.