Besides packing up a wet tent, filtering water has always been my least favorite backpacking chore. Ever since my days of using a bulky pump filter in the Boy Scouts, I’ve been searching for a way to turn nasty water into yummy water with as little effort as possible. That journey brought me to the Sawyer Squeeze ahead of my 2015 PCT thru-hike. That little filter chugged along for four months, keeping me hydrated and safe from microscopic boogymen. However, at hikes conclusion, I hid my Squeeze away, vowing, “never again.” At the cost of half a pound, I moved to a gravity filter system and looked forward to living the good life. That is, until this summer, when Platypus introduced a new contender in the squeeze filter category. Enter the Quickdraw. The allure of dropping 6 ounces from my base weight ahead of the Sierra High Route was too much to push aside. Worth it? Many gallons later, I think I have my answer.