Cnoc Vecto & Sawyer Squeeze Water System

My Price: $20.99

Manufacturer: Cnoc Outdoors

Made In: China

Availability: Cnoc Outdoors Website

Amazon Affiliate Link: Cnoc Vecto

Weight: 2.6oz/75g

Season use: 4 season but can freeze in winter if not kept warm.

In 2013 a brief google search led me to a backpacker.com article about the top water filters. I don’t recall what all was on the list but I do remember that the “best” one was the MSR MiniWorks EX pump style water filter. Since I wanted to have the best stuff so I would hopefully enjoy backpacking as much as possible I saved up the $80 and placed my order.

               My first trials were in a stream flowing off of Mt. Hood in Oregon. I was car camping with friends and they were all amazed at how this small unit could filter water fairly quickly. Satisfied that this filter would do the trick it quickly found its way into my bag for a trip on the lower Deschutes River with my good friend Dura. I was excited to show him how quick this filter could fill up our Nalgene bottles and cook pots when we got to camp along the river. Once camp was set we headed to the water access and I tossed the hose with the prefilter into the river. I was a bit annoyed at how the river’s current kept pushing the intake close to the shore. None the less I began to pump away and very slowly filled my bottle. It took nearly ten minutes and 3 cleanings of the filter to fill up two 32oz water bottles. I was heartbroken that I had spent so much money on something that weighed more than a pound and could not handle the silt and sand of the rivers which I frequented.

               When I returned home from the Deschutes I began my research into other methods. I had recently purchased a book on ultralight backpacking which talked about chemical water treatments. These seemed incredibly light so I ordered a pack of Aquamira. Once I read the directions about mixing A with B and ensuring proper time was spent I decided maybe this wasn’t the best option for me. Thankfully I soon came across the Sawyer filters on YouTube. After some quick research and having recently read about ultralight backpacking I quickly ordered the least expensive and lightest weight filter, the Sawyer Mini. Two trips later I was back on Amazon as I hated how long the Mini took to filter water and the bags hurt my hands and were difficult to fill.

               An order was placed for a Sawyer Squeeze which was a bit heavier but seemed to have a much better flow rate. A Google search was done for alternative water bags. To my surprise a company in my own back yard was making a water bag called the Vecto. I loved how it packed down small and had a large mouth to fill with. I placed my order and eagerly awaited it to arrive. As I waited I began to see some reviews come in on YouTube about the Cnoc Vecto. They were not glowing. Some complained of pinhole leaks. Others griped about the slide closure not holding. I was a bit disheartened but figured it couldn’t be worse than the stock Sawyer bags.

               My first trip with my 2 liter Cnoc Vecto and Sawyer Squeeze was to Opal Creek and Cedar Flats. My first night I was camped along the trail and I had to fill my water bag from a small waterfall. It was November and frost was already everywhere. I was incredibly happy that I could use the large opening to catch the water as it fell without getting my hands full. Sadly I didn’t put the slide closure on correctly and it popped loose spraying me with water as I attempted to filter into my Smart Water bottle. I was heartbroken. The YouTubers were right, this water bag was no good. The next morning I made my way back to the waterfall to gather water. As I slid the closure back on I realized I had flipped the flap the wrong way. With the bag properly secured I was able to squeeze water through my filter without issue.

               I have now had my Cnoc Vecto for a number of years. I have not had the slider pop off ever again (newer units actually have verbiage on them saying which way to close it). I have carried full bags of water atop my pack in dryer stretches of Oregon’s PCT without a drop leaked. On my PCT sections I noticed a lot of the PCTers were simply screwing their Sawyer Squeezes onto their Smart Water bottles and drinking directly from the filter. I tried this for a day but despite the Squeezes good flow rate I did not like how long it took to drink. Apparently I like to chug water. I also like to be able to apply pressure to the water bag to be able to more quickly filter the water into a pot for cooking. With the added benefit of extra capacity I decided I will always keep a Vecto with me.

               In 2019 I decided to order the Sawyer Micro Squeeze which promised the flow rate of the regular Squeeze with the weight of the Mini. Because I was going to use this on a 120 mile section of the PCT and my buddy Dura was going to use my 2 liter Vecto and Saywer Squeeze filter I decided to order a larger 3 liter Cnoc Vecto bag to use with the new filter. Sadly the Sawyer Micro Squeeze had the weight of the regular and the flow of the Mini. But I was very happy with my 3 liter Vecto. It was nice to be able to fill one bag and have enough water to cook breakfast and fill up our water bottles every morning.

               In the fall of 2020 after seeing numerous people sing the praises of the Katadyn BeFree water filter, but not liking the soft 1 liter bottle that came with them, I received an email from Cnoc Outdoors showing off their new 2 liter Cnoc Vecto water bag and BeFree filter combo. I ordered one immediately and it got its first use on the lower Deschutes. Unlike my first MSR filter all those years ago this one kept its flow rate. Hung from a tree branch it made a great gravity filter and when the pressure was applied it would only take a minute or two to fill up our 1 liter water bottles.

               Although I know the water bags may add a couple of ounces of weight, to me that is worth it. Taking 5 minutes to stop and fill your water bottles is often a welcome break. Being able to guzzle as much clean water as I want without stopping seems to be my preference plus I have the added benefit of at least an additional 2 liters of capacity for those dry stretches. If you have the need for a water bag of some type I recommend the Cnoc Outdoors Vecto.

My Rating: Buy! I love having an easy-to-use water carry bag for longer water carries or an easy way to fill up a clean water bottle.

Rating scale:

-Bypass: This isn’t worth the money.

-Borrow: Handy but may or may not be worth your money.

-Buy: Get one. You’ll love it!

May the miles you hike be filled with wonder and the glasses you raise be filled with whiskey.

Cheers!