Katadyn BeFree 500 Mile Review

[@jonmorgan5725]

What I really like about your gear reviews. 1. You call a spade a spade, no punches are held. 2. Your research on the gear, you take what the manufacturer states and use your field experience and overall gear knowledge to rate it. Keep’em coming.

[@bmcquiston1]

1000 liters is more than sufficient for a thru-hike. Sawyer claiming 1 million liters is so ridiculous it's hardly worth mentioning. That would amount to filtering 7 gallons of water every single day for 100 years whereas the reality is you'll be lucky to have the same Sawyer filter you started with at the end of your thru-hike.

[@djdnl]

Good point. Befree could claim 400000-liter water by using it in the perfect conditions. But the whole system is so valuable if you don't focus on the claims. You can get clean water in the middle of nowhere for 4.5 cents a litre. I bought 2 of the 1 liters and there are more bags from different brands that fits

[@thexitto]

but it shows well the superior performance of the Sawyer vs katadyn.

[@djdnl]

thexitto yes, I used both and I now have 2 Befree 1liters that are great to fill up my nalgenes and cooking pots.

[@thexitto]

Daniel Beerens yeah, me too!

[@chappy48]

@@thexitto or it shows Katedyns lawyers protecting the company from litigation while sawyer knows nobody will ever come close to using their filters that long since they tend to clog up or break well before then.

[@gt5228z]

cnoc makes a bag for this, so does hydrapak.

[@TJackSurvival]

Just did a 50 mile 4 day run with one of these through the canyons of Escalante. Heald up to serious abuse, I drank out of nasty nasy NASTY pools of water and feel great at the moment. It has been long enough that I would be sick had it not done its job. I'm impressed.

[@michaelsantiago7934]

Great review. I love mine. I did buy a HydraPak Seeker that has the same thread size as the filter itself. Good back up or upgrade for the bag. Keep them coming Darwin

[@JasonHelmandollar]

I’ve had the befree for about 6-7 months and I really love this filter. I also own the sawyers but prefer the katadyn. I purchased the 2l seeker bag also for this filter and got a hole in it and hydrapak replaced it for free.

[@humbertoheredia6734]

Jason Helmandollar thanks for the info playa pimp

[@louiselavigne5085]

How many times do you need to replace teh filter? Or change it? Or do u just need to clean it by shaking and that?

[@doctorfeelgood4819]

The Katadyn Befree also fits any of the Hydrapak Seeker bladders 1,2,3,&4 liters. Another note, if the befree stops pushing water its typically because the minerals that have accumulated in the filter dried out in storage. Soak the filter for a few hours in a glass of water and you're back in business.

[@heathersorko]

Doctor Feelgood Thanks for the tip about the other bladder it fits. I will pick one up as a back up.

[@philwestmoreland9319]

This system has been the best for foreign travel since it is a complete system. I am cautious about the bag breaking on a hike, but it seems pretty strong and leaks at the seams sounds like they are pretty rare. Thanks for giving us your thoughts on this filter. The flow rate is the BOMB!

[@BWorldadventure]

Heard so much about this filter... Brought it with me to use in Nepal for Everest Base Camp, Annapurna Circuit, and Annapurna Base Camp 2019. It filtered & flowed well during my first 500km journey thru the Hymalayias. Crystal clear mountain water no problem... However, it didn't hold up during my journey thru Southeast Asia, especially in the jungles of Cambodia. When I needed it most to filter murky water , it struggled to trickled and dropped even after repeated washing of the filter. Wasn't expecting this foresure from such a hype Katadyn award winning Befree water filter.

[@aalleexx1997]

You maybe shouldve "pre filtered" it in cambodia. But yeah, theres a reason why there are Filters that cost 10x the price

[@aalleexx1997]

@Nature Taco nah, katadyn is in fact better. With 10x the price i meant the MSR Guardian for example. I dont think that u really understood my comment but there are many Filters on the Market in a wide price range. btw from your answer i know that you definitely are a young white American Republican 😅

[@gingerthetrailpup7223]

I used the sawyer mini for 2017 & 2018. I have switched to the katadine befree and really like it. The ease to get water and go as well as flow rate sold me. The filter should last me a year before buying a replacement. My REI dividends should easily cover the cost of buying a replacement filter!

[@taylorbrawner2052]

I also found that this filter fits on the ultimate direction soft flasks (also made by hydrapak) and works great. 1k Liters isn’t what the sawyer can do, but that’s still a lot of filtered water. 2 liters of water a day for nearly a year and a half. That’s a long hike.

[@aalleexx1997]

definitely, and its super cheap, there are 400$ Filters who can filter qbout 1k too

[@zu_1455]

How old is your UD flask? I've got the Anton Kupricka from a couple years ago and this filter doesn't fit the bottles that came with it.

[@rumidude]

The Hydrapak Seeker has the same size and thread to work with the BeFree filter. I just bout the filter and bag separately and love it.

[@FISHFANATIC95]

Dude, what a great recommendation. Thank you

[@cooperodell3392]

I love you

[@nickg7845]

its because hydrapak own Katadyn

[@nathanc777]

Replacement filters are $25 which works out to around 10 cents a gallon. Not bad, especially if you pick them up during a 20%-25% off sale like nearly every outdoor retailer has multiple times a year. Also Hydrapak makes the bladders for Katadyn and you can use various Hydrapak containers instead. I brought mine with me on a 4 night rim to rim this summer and lo and behold a water pipe broke leaving a bunch of hikers without water and it ended up being a lifesaver.

[@backpacker3421]

True, unless you compare them to any other hollow fiber filter on the market. At $35 retail (not on sale) and rated for 1,000,000 gallons, a Sawyer costs 3.5 one hundredths of a penny per gallon. Put another way, you can filter 300 gallons for the same cost as filtering one gallon with Katadyn.

[@MeAMuse]

Glad it's working out for you. You obviously love it! It works out at 2.5c per L compared to about 0.0025c on the sawyer. That's 1000% more expensive which just makes it a bit harder to swallow. To me the important part is not how many actual L it can do, it's more about how confident I am that I am not going to get sick. The faster flow rate has to come from somewhere, and I am definitely going to be more comfortable with one that is rated at 1000x more. Love the portability, and how easy it is to clean though. Maybe the next Gen will be more up my alley. But for now, I think I will stick with the sawyer.

[@brameldm]

@@backpacker3421 It only costs 3.5 one hundredths of a penny per gallon if you actually filter 1,000,000 gallons, though.

[@vangorn1483]

Nathan, what am I missing here? Are you saying that the other hikers were not carrying a water filter or any water at all? What if you were out of water and planning to refill at the pipe that broke. Wouldn't you then be out of water also, filter or not? How did a water filter save you if there was no water to filter? OR are you saying you were carrying, in your Katadyn, enough filtered water for yourself and everyone else when you got to the broke down water source?

[@joeso8114]

@@vangorn1483 I'm guessing what he is saying, based on that I did the rim to rim a few months ago and there was also an issue with the water. They have drinking water at a lot of the rest huts on the main trail in the grand canyon, including at phantom ranch at the base of the canyon. "if" all the water in turned on you do not need to filter water, just refill at the rest huts. I went with 6 people on our permit for 4 days, 4 of us had water filters. When we heard there was problems with a pipe that broke we knew where there was and was not drinkable water. We just filtered along the way at the rivers and streams and carried a little more then we would have had to if all the drinking water been available. I personally don't know why anyone doing a 4 day would not bring a filter or chemical water treatment in the event the drinking water was not available, but that I guess is everyone's own choice.

[@tsgetty]

I was looking for a review on this for backpacking, and I knew you'd have one! Thanks @Darwin !!

[@doctorfeelgood4819]

I talked with Katadyn about the 1000 gallons. The filter is good for far longer especially with care. Katadyn just claims 1000liters for liability purposes. Sawyer, Katadyn, and MSR buy the filter element from the same manufacturer.

[@paulsmart5199]

Nice, fair review. I'll stick with my Sawyer though.

[@brianaddonizio9266]

BIG HELPER to get rid of plastic taste out of any collapse-able bottle/bladder i.e. hydrapack or Befree bladder--- Baking Soda and Lemon or Lime Juice Combine several tablespoons of baking soda in some cups of water and pour it into the hydration bladder. Next, add the same amount of lime juice or lemon juice. You will notice some bubbling. Let it sit for 30 minutes or overnight and then thoroughly rinse with warm water.

[@iamrachelolsen]

Thank you for this. I bought a Katadyn a few years ago after my local outdoor shop suggested this to me. Way before I got interested in backpacking. Just wanted something to filter water while camping if I got into a pinch. After watching a ton of backpacking videos over the past year or so, I felt like you basically had to have a Sawyer Squeeze to be legit. Glad to see it on trail. I’m definitely using it until I get to that 1000 L but may switch to the Sawyer Squeeze after for $$ savings.

[@GustoStCool]

Mmmm...Giardia. I love their chocolate!

[@heathersorko]

Have used mine for a full season of multi day wilderness canoeing. On my third system so far, but determined to give it chances and not give up. First one the flip cap broke, second got a hole puncture in the bag. Hoping third times a keeper. Hole puncture may have been my fault since it gets carelessly shoved into pockets and bags due to its great compactness. I always bring back up purification in case the bag breaks. As you mentioned wish it would have universal threads, just in case.

[@OneclickOutside]

I tried two already with fairly clean, clear water. I feel like I babied it and did everything the instructions said. After both clogged up completely (couldn't squeeze a single drop!) I soaked them, hot water, bleach, oxyclean, vinegar, you name it. Nothing. But it's such a great convenient system I may try a third. I wouldn't care if it was rated to 200L, I'd still buy one. The the fact they stop working completely for no apparent reason worries me.

[@CaliKid87]

To reiterate a previous comment, the Hydrapak Seeker series of soft bottles is designed to work with this filter cap. They come in a variety of sizes up to 4L. I personally use the .6L Katadyn and a 2L Seeker with the filter cap attached. They both work incredibly well.

[@nicknstokes1]

Replace the gasket on your sawyer squeeze with a mesh gasket like you'd find on a sink and it lasts way longer and no more back flush cause the big chunks of stuff doesn't get into it. Also still waiting on the bivy tarp setup full review.

[@DarwinOnthetrail]

Killer Tip Nicholas!!! Hike On, Darwin

[@jefferybyard8429]

That is a great idea..my gasket on the Sawyer always gets twisted and goes inside my water bottle and I got to watch I don't lose it constantly

[@backpacker3421]

Awesome tip!!! I'm totally doing this as soon as I can get to Home Depot so my wife doesn't kill me for taking apart the kitchen faucet...

[@ardnfast]

Love mine for all the same reasons. I have the 0.6 and the 1ltr. Both great little filters 🙏

[@lauradonofrioart]

I had bought the Sawyer just recently, but after your review I went back to REI and exchanged it for a be free. Lol thanks!!

[@jeremyrobbins9064]

I would go back and pick up a sawyer for a backup.

[@jasonmears4393]

I absolutely love mine. Great filter. Good review.

[@moptisevare183]

At a Gallon a day on the trails that is about 210 days worth of filtering. Worth it! It also saves on plastic bottles. I've heard other youtubers complain about the flow rate but frankly I don't understand the rush: you are in the mountains & enjoying the trip. What about cleaning and avoiding mold?

[@tyrellandonmorris07]

I’m not as hard core backpacker as some but I’ve loved this filter. I have a few cnoc bags that fit and I just replace a 25$ filter once a year. I have no complaints.

[@alexwbanks70]

I've been using the BeFree for a couple years now and love it. I did have an issue after a Dolly Sods hike where the flow got pretty slow. The water there is full of iron, but after I cleaned it it came back to life. I noticed something else as well. When the filter dries and you go to use it on the next hike the flow is real bad, almost clogged completely. But it only takes some time for the membrane to soak up the water and loosen up before it comes back to life. Although you say and I completely agree the bad thing is that you can only use the Katadyn bags, but the bags are great because they are so easy to fill. They need to make an adapter and that would be awesome! Those are just the things I have noticed and i will continue to use this filter.

[@robertcurrey1929]

I also noticed the "dry out" factor. Mine had only been store for 30 days, went for a hike, and got nothing. Swished it a bit, got the cup I needed, and then was back to full flow 10 minutes later. Was a shock tho since it was the first water fill for a 4 day hike.

[@MeAMuse]

This is good to know. Thanks for highlighting!

[@brentg2947]

Having the same 'dry out' problem. Tried soaking over night in clean water at home.. however this only restored about 25% of original flow. Tried the cleaning process, but no improvement. Any other suggestions / advice would be greatly appreciated! thanks. It has only seen light duty, before it was stored.

[@badgercockedlockedmc5143]

Sir: the Hydrapak Stash 750ml bottle takes the same thread and filter.

[@riverdog6875]

I've had 3 of these. I keep thinking they'll get better. Never had any luck with the "cleaning" technique, never had any luck with keeping the flow strong. Very exciting to use if for the first few times and then it's all downhill. Several friends have had the same dismal experience with the BeFree.

[@bonefishboards]

$25 for good flow rate over 1000 liters? Sounds good to me. Clean water for $0.025/liter.

[@fredlevel897]

I've been using the Katadyn BeFree with a 0.6L for over 2 years now and just love it. The wide mouth soft bottle makes it so easy and quick to fill in, even when the water stream is difficult to access, the 2L/min flow out of the filter is a very good performance and the 0.1 micron specs is just right. I've used it to refill bottles for me and also my co-hikers and it really takes no time at all. Once the job is done, it is so easy to pack away: no space, no weight I just love it

[@WillN2Go1]

Thanks Darwin. Questions: What was the longest stretch between water sources on your hikes? How much water did you carry? How much would you liked to have carried? (I've run out a couple of times and think I'm more thirsty than most people.) Have you ever gotten sick from a bad water source? Know anyone who has? What might have happened? Have you ever looked at a source and thought, 'Nah, I'm not filtering that.' How much do you usually drink in a day? Others? I've got a Sawyer, two Platypus 3L bladders. Definite overkill. Not recommending it. I like that I can quickly fill my dirty bladder through the wide opening. I can also get in there to clean it, and hang it up open to dry it out. Plus it's clear, light helps kill bacteria and I can see if there's any mold. (Sawyer's bags, seem a bit limited). And I've never had a leaking problem with the Platypus bladders. It's hoses and the Sawyer connect to water bottles, each other, etc... Theoretically I could carry 6 L of water, but I'll probably scale back the set up, probably the next time I load up and step on the scale. And there's really no reason not to just use the dirty bag, some Aqua Mira (they recommend treating the dirty bag then filter it ), then the filter and the mouth piece. This would be like your Katadyn. I like the adapter hose connectors. If I remove the mouthpiece hose, water just pours out, perfect for filling my pot. (Back country of Shiretoko National Park in Japan, a very long hot day between water sources. The trail ends at a waterfall..... hot springs, alkaline.... The bus back to my base, stopped at a tourist place...no idea how long the bus was going to be there so no popping off the bus to get water. I was staring at all the people walking around with drinks in their hands. A guy was holding a soda cup sideways, I wanted to shout to warn him he might spill some... )

[@nikkimelay5293]

1000 liters is fine imo. You spend 45$ for a new one yearly, that's the price eating out once or twice. That's like a pizza, wings and a six pack and boom, you're good for the year. Not bad at all.

[@floridagirlhikes4796]

I just used mine on the AT last week. Loved it! Had no problems with it.

[@HJiangBang]

It will thread onto the widemouthed Hydrapak bottles. I do this because they're a lot burlier material and I'm not worried about them breaking.

[@davidshirley6850]

1000 liters would be 5 litres per day for 200 days , looking to do a thru hike in 2021 and this seems like it would work plus I think there is a clip that will hook on to pack strap so easy to get to

[@jesusgallardo762]

you can use it too with the hydra pack bladders. i tested it and it fits the three litre hydrapack bladder.

[@backpacker3421]

I also want to clarify one stat in here. I've been reading the Katadyn manual. Aside from some pretty disturbing warnings (don't rinse it under tap water - that will damage it), they are very upfront that the use capacity of the BeFree is 1,000 liters **depending on water quality**. So if you're filtering hard water, don't expect to get a full 1k liters out of it before the mineral deposits clog it completely.

[@kevin.afton_]

Hard water can be cleaned easily with vinegar. I intend to use a sawyer for home filter.

[@karstoutdoors1606]

I think it's been mentioned on some previous comments, but the water bottle is made by Hydrapak for Katadyn. The Befree filter will actually fit on any of the various sizes of the Seeker collapsible water bottles made by Hydrapak.

[@jeffbgoldman]

I thru hiked the AT this year and used the Katadyn 3L version of the filter. After about 1200 miles the bag sprung a leak. It was still workable, but was annoying. By that time the flow also became problematic so I bought a new one ($64, OUCH). This was after the northern end of an AT flip flop. The water in Maine was often brackish, so I'm sure that didn't help with filter life. Regarding backflushing, shaking vigorously does help, to some extent, but still it was frustrating to perceive the steady decrease in flow rate, especially since the rate of a new filter is so remarkably great.

[@johnwilliams8654]

This filter is so convenient. I don't mind that it only filters 1000 liters per cartridge. 3 liters a day for almost a year isn't that bad. Also i bought the 3 liter hydrapac seeker which the filter fits on. its more durable and less expensive.

[@razzbazle1582]

I love the be free over the squeeze because the squeeze has those little o rings. If they aren't on right you risk getting dirty water in your bottle or they are easily lost. Be free doesn't have either of those problems

[@vancamjr]

Three of three users BeFree units suffered triple failure (slow flow, high back pressure, pin hole leaks in bag) within four days on JMT. That’s using deep moving water from clear mountain streams in Yosemite (SOBO July 2020). Avoid.

[@boomnerd]

So far, three units failed on me between 0 to 20 days on trails. One was right out of box (leak between the flask and the filter). Two were clogged filter AND holes on the flasks. I see lots complains of them online. I still have 4th one (unused) I got as replacement (since I kept asking replacements, the retail store said that this would be the last replacement they would give away). If this fails, I will be done with BeFree. Darwin, you got a big luck or fluke after 500 miles.

[@DavidWilliams-tk3dy]

It's by far the best filter I've used. Love it!

[@philipgoldkamp6988]

The filter is also compatible with the Hydrapak SkyFlask 500ml and 1L packs.

[@adamzalewski6602]

Cnoc vecto also makes a bag that fits this filter. That's what I personally use.

[@lilredheadmlh]

It's $25 for a replacement filter not 45. It's 45 for the filter and 1L bladder.

[@lucasvalleau4764]

That’s what he said

[@leifnilsen7079]

Thank you. Love your videos. I have learned a lot. Great tips and advice.

[@dblerman]

There's just something so satisfying about backflushing a Sawyer and seeing all that nasty brown water come out. FWIW this was a VERY wet year on the AT, and a lot of water sources were brown from runoff, I was backflushing pretty much after every filtering. Wonder how the befree would handle those conditions. I can't imagine swishing the filter around in water is equivalent to a backflushing

[@KevinVanGalder]

While I'm not a doctor, I would imagine backflushing after every fingering would be considered pretty standard practice.

[@dblerman]

@@KevinVanGalder *filtering....stupid autocorrect.

[@Themology]

I don't understand why people think they need a bladder with the Sawyer. Just fill your Smart Water bottle from the water source, screw the Sawyer in it, and drink straight from it. Put a Smart Water bottle sports cap on the Sawyer to make it even easier. You can use a smart water bottle like a squeeze bag. When you are hiking with this system, all you have to do to filter your water is the fill your water bottle at the source, screw the Sawyer on, and keep hiking. 3 oz for your whole filter system. Update: just weighed my Sawyer with a cap, 2.5 oz

[@dblerman]

The way my water bottles are positioned in my osprey, if I were to leave the filter screwed to the smart water bottle, the filter would constantly hit against my arm as I hike. Plus, I tend to drink a lot of water while hiking, and I use flavoring for almost all my water, so I would have to filter into a separate bottle anyway. While it does work the way you present, I prefer to have a dirty bag and filter into two smart bottles. I'll take the 1oz weight penalty. 👍🏻

[@airdrop1670]

Hydrapak bags work with the cap . They make the Befree bags .

[@MixMeister5000]

Fun fact : The culo clean mini bidet attachment fits on this thing if you unscrew the top! Dual use 😊

[@twentyonetwelve2179]

1,000 litres... that's 1,000 of those bags filled and filtered. For the speed, size, weight and ease... it's way worth it. I love mine for on the go but use my Sawyer in a gravity filter kit when I am setting up camp.

[@MultiOutdoorman]

Cnoc do a 2 liter and 3 litre bag the same thread 42mm. worth buying to store more or as a failure backup.

[@Mannix007]

Regarding cleaning, if you put water in it, close lid and shake, aren't you putting bad particles into the bladder? Do you then rinse the bladder a few times before using again?

[@Ciimoc]

What I didn't like at all about the before is that the water bottle has a funny sweet taste that it adds to the water you filter.

[@paddle_hike]

CNOC makes a 2L bag for it now and the filter WILL dry and get less effective....Don't rinse with calcium or mineral water...like tap water..Use no minerals water.... and let it sit in it for 15 minutes...I will work like a new one after :) TIPS!

[@CarlMonin]

Worth noting is that once you've reached that 1,000 liters, the filter can be replaced for $24.95 at REI. So you're not replacing the entire system. For those that are more occasional hikers and not thru hikers, 1,000 liters equals a LOT of days on the trail before it ever needs replacing.

[@DarwinOnthetrail]

It's still only 1,000 Liters which seems like alot, but when you compare it to 1 Million Gallons that the Sawyer can do... Seems pretty Low. Hike On, Darwin

[@scolanto1]

I use this filter. Only thing is, I have no idea how many times I used it. If this thing has such a limited shelf-life, so to speak, how would you know when you reach the filter limit other than finding out the hard way? Sorry if this a simple question.

[@mtadams2009]

The fact that its not a universal thread is a deal breaker, thanks for the review

[@delphinelesterlost3285]

I definitely want to try this filter

[@ropersix]

It now also fits on the new Salomon 500ml soft flasks, as Salomon makes a filter a lot like the BeFree. So while not a standard yet, the thread size does seem to be getting more popular.

[@420BLUNTLEY]

Many of the reviews state an issue with the bag rupturing. Also they say the flow might stop sometimes.

[@Loathomar]

I looked at this, the price and the fact that you can't easily replace the bag while on trail and other people reporting their bag breaking means I will give it a pass. Personally, I like the HydroBlu over the most common Sawyer Squeeze. They are extremely close in performance, filter speed and quality plus both work with smart water bottles. But the HydroBlu is 2oz and a bit small and costs a bit less. The Sawyer Squeeze has 10x the life span, but HydroBlu's 100K gallons will last over 100 years at 2 gallons per day.

[@randybeeson3424]

You didnt mention how it is in freezing temps. Im thinking it probably needs to be protected but with the open design maybe not?

[@oldschooljeremy8124]

How long until some enterprising soul starts making an adaptor so you can use regular water bottles? I see that someone has 3D printed one already...

[@michaeljuan98]

The bag failed on me, I got a hydrapak seeker bladder. The filters last longer than 1000 liters but i was mostly filtering clean ish water in the sierras

[@mikaelbergman9108]

I have been using them since they came out......#1

[@northtexashiker]

i had been using the sawyer for about a year and then switched to the Beefree. its so much simpler and easier to use than the sawyer

[@chucknelson1485]

Do you think that you could review the Kuiu Glassing Pad, and compare it to the Thermarest z seat? Kuiu is a hunting company, and the seat is meant to be a seat to use while glassing an area. I have used it before, and it is very warm, even on snow, and it is flat and small, so it is easy to store. I would like to hear your thoughts on it.

[@hikingwithtigger2656]

The Be Free systems threads are proprietary with Hydrapak so it fits items like the Seeker bags and such. You dont have to use just the Be Free bottles.

[@learnshareevolve1842]

Thanks for this review! How to store it between trips?

[@Дмитро-х2г]

You get a much lighter system, compared to others that does not leak. 1,000 liters is still enough for the entire thru hike, so I don’t get the criticism. The incompatible thread is a shame though as I had one of the bottles ripping at the seam from pressure that you have to apply to squeeze the water. Once bottle is raptured you are done.

[@wolfenstein6676]

A great explanation, mate, thanks for sharing it.

[@bluekarma4]

Amazon says the Hydrapak Seeker can fit this filter @ 2-4 liter sizes.

[@nic12344]

I can confirm that it is compatible! The SoftFlask and the Stash are also compatible.

[@FabriceMous]

@@nic12344 All of their softflasks are compatible you say?

[@nic12344]

@@FabriceMous Actually all Hydrapak products with a 42mm wide mouth are compatible with the Katadyn BeFree. Here is the full list of compatible products : Stash 750ml SoftFlask 500ml and 750ml UltraFlask 300ml, 500ml and 600ml Seeker 2L, 3L and 4L

[@FabriceMous]

Nicholas R.M. ty for confirming and detailing. Much appreciated.

[@jscarpa2002]

Do you think the GRAYL Ultralight Water Purifier [+ Filter] Bottle would be better?

[@randallmiller2017]

I'd be less upset about the $45 price tag and more upset that $20 of it is for the bottle.

[@tdeen752]

I cant remember if you've addressed this before or not, but do you use anything in addition to a filter? Iodine or tablets or anything? I dont remember seeing anything in your gear list videos. Thanks for this review! I've been debating about trying this one out, as it seems to be all the rage because of flow rate.

[@PNG4x4]

The filter element also fits on HydraPak water bladders like my Seeker 3liter. I do believe HydraPak makes the Katadyn water bladders.

[@EarlyRiser71]

Good review Darwin. I think I will pick one up and use it at work. Our water is suspect and tastes like crap. That's what working on an old ass military base will do for you. 😉

[@ill_minded9986]

I'd go with a Berkey for the old ass base water situation.

[@agimasoschandir]

Renovo makes a modular water filter, the MUV, that can be used to "Removes 99.999% of bacteria, 99.99% of viruses, and chemicals, heavy metals, and diesel fuel." {Amazon}. Have not used mine, and may wind up using the Hydrablu Versa or the Katadyn Ultra or both

[@Z0MB13Redfield]

Cnoc made a water bag for this

[@HuckOutdoors]

Really liked my Befree until we had a couple get clogged on the High Sierra trail. Tried cleaning them in the field as they say to do and it didnt work.

[@Mossberg590Mariner]

Were you putting really thick mucky water through it...? You must have ran some really thick nasty stuff through it for it to clog that badly. I personally like the lifestraw.

[@HuckOutdoors]

@@Mossberg590Mariner This was in the high sierra. Crystal clear alpine water.

[@Skymouth]

I got that Be Free system for my bug out bag but haven't had a chance to use it yet. I also have the Grayl and Lifestraw filters. I'd be interested in hearing you do a review on the Grayl some time.

[@cbdancer]

The filter fits some of the HydraPak bags.

[@mikegardner186]

I like the flow and the “all-in-one” package, but I found it didn’t improve taste much. Filtered water from a pitcher pump and it still tasted like a rusty pipe. Aqua Mira helped the taste tremendously though.

[@MichaelHutchinsonPmsrefugee]

add a carbon filter to your system. gets rid of nasty lake water taste

[@Wraith35]

I agree with your assessment of the unit. Given the situation that the filter would be put in, having it only work with a proprietary bladder is a bad thing. Maybe an adapter would be in order from the manufacturer ?

[@Ed-hz2um]

I purchased one of these over a year ago but only used it twice. I recently dug it out for a trip. Luckily, I tested it first. The flow was non-existent. Even squeezing the bottle only provided a few drops per second. Do you have to keep the filter element wet between uses, or did I just get a lemon?

[@NADRIGOL]

Have you tried the Cnoc Vecto sized for this filter? That should solve your lock in to their bag system... To some degree.

[@liled800]

How safe are these actually? Idk if its me being worried but can u take any fresh water and just drink from that bottle?

[@Jenny-ob3go]

Does this filter have the same issues that sawyer filters have with them freezing and then not working correctly? Or does the open design prevent this issue? I dislike that the bottle seems like it wont stand up on its own like a rigid bottle would. I would think the top where you drink from would be hard to keep clean if the bottle falls over all the time. Thoughts?

[@techguy9023]

I got a Sawyer squeeze and tested it once before I put it away for two months. I went on a two night trip and had to back flush it. Is that normal? The second day out the flow rate dropped significantly. When I got home I flushed it again and it was perfect. I guess I will flush it and check more next time before leaving.

[@vorontsovski]

is it ok to drink water just after filtr whithout any disinfection?

[@RiverstonestudiosVA]

I 3D printed an adapter for the katadyn so it fits on a regular water bottle. If you need one yell.

[@viviennerussell3193]

Hi Darwin, thanks for your review! I was just wondering how the Katadyn filter compares to the Sawyer in terms of its resistance to the elements? I've heard the Sawyer can be rendered ineffective if it freezes overnight in cold temps. Would the same be true for the Be Free?

[@TragoudistrosMPH]

I heard microtubes will break from expanding ice in either system.

[@tittiger]

I will eat my hat if the Sawyer will filter 1/10th of what they claim

[@t_4178]

it will filter a unlimited amount of pure water.

[@phill5900]

there has to be a bottle somewhere that is compatible with the thread and cheap, I'm going to keep an eye out for wide mouth drink bottles

[@bravo6310]

How do you tell when you change the filter? I mean who keeps town of 1000 Liters😅

[@tj-scott]

Dont you need to purify the water before you drink it?