Why I am DONE with the Platypus QuickDraw!

In this video, I go through the reasons that I am not going to be using the Platypus QuickDraw on my backpacking trips in the future.

[@Peregrine_1]

As another commenter said, I got my quickdraw without the bag and purchased the CNOC right away. No complaints with that setup at all. It's very reliable and the best filter I've used to date. Haven't had the plastic thread breaking yet but time will tell. Been using mine since May of this year though so not a lot of miles yet

[@juanbackpacks]

Thanks for sharing your experience with the Quickdraw. I like hearing from others about gear that I post about. Not everyone has the same experience so its good to see. I have a feeling that they may have changed future iterations of the the product after seeing those problems posted. My primary problem is not necessarily the product but add to that the lack of response to my email about this issue…. I’ve done product testing and prototyping for the outdoor industry and I know that sometimes you don’t get it 100 percent right … but good grief at least respond to a polite email/feedback/questions about the product… :(

[@briankeenan1023]

I counted 4 concerns in the review: (1) perception that the threads are failing, (2) bag rupture, (3) complexity vs. other options on the market, (4) filter speed. Item #1 - the perception that the threads are going to fail: To me, this is a perception vs. reality question. You perceive that they are going to fail, therefore they are bad, even though they haven't (and may never) fail. You are correct that the threads show some stress marks early in the life of the product. This comes from the forces compressing the o-ring making the seal. Will it ever fail? If you think it's going to fracture catastrophically, that's unlikely. The part is a thermoset plastic. Those don't fracture easily. These plastics are malleable/soft. Those white marks you're seeing are from it deforming from the stress. Will it ever deform enough that it stops functioning? Maybe, but I doubt it. Should Platypus's design engineers run some FEA on the design to strengthen this area so it doesn't deform under normal use? Yes, Yes they should. But that would be for perception management, not because the existing design is insufficient. Item #2: bag breaking. This is legit. I'm on my second Quickdraw filter because my bag ruptured on my inaugural 10 day trip. Since I bought it from REI it was easy for me to get it replaced, but yes, it clearly was a design/materials/workmanship issue. I did not save it following that trip to root-cause the failure, but I completely agree. Platypus has/had an issue here. I have not yet had any issues on my new filter with 8 nights on it. Too soon to tell. Item #3: It sounds to me like your use case is different than the designers intended. Sounds like you appreciate the ability to leave your filter attached to the Katadyn's bag, or maybe leave a Sawyer attached to the top of a Smart bottle. That's not the concept of this design. From that point of view, your points about it being more complex are legit. It absolutely does require more steps, and absolutely doesn't do the things you want to do as well as the Katadyn. However, the Platypus offers other benefits your Katadyn doesn't. Like flow rate, maintained flow rate, and the ability to attach to standard bottle threads. It's about trade offs. Every product makes them. You said that you're done with this product. Fair enough. I think you should caveat it by saying that the designers of this product prioritized attributes that do not align with your priorities, not imply that this filter is somehow bad because they chose differently, because..... Item #4: You indicate that the Katadyn flows faster than the Quickdraw. I would challenge that statement as in my experience it has not been. Not new, not dirty, not ever. Flow rate - and flow rate over time - were clearly key design attributes that the designers of the Quickdraw prioritized. And some backpackers value flow rate and sustained flow rate over form factor.

[@juanbackpacks]

Great points and feedback!

[@atypicalhiker]

I bought mine from Amazon and had no trouble returning a bad filter that barely let water through. I didnt have to deal with Platypus. I use it with a CNOC bag so no issues with those threads.

[@eljavix]

Hi..im on the edge to buy a filter, ant this is the one video that's putting me away from the QuickDraw. Ive seen others too..but you summarized pretty well everything. On top of it, i dont like companies that don't answer to clients. Thanks.

[@juanbackpacks]

Thanks for the positive feedback. I just try to convey my concrete experience with products and companies on my videos. I have no sponsors and accept no free product. Glad it was helpful.

[@tomnoyb8301]

HydroBlu looks like Sawyer-Mini, but flows almost as fast as Squeeze. It weighs less and has both ends built-in threaded and capped with connected-caps that don't get lost.

[@juanbackpacks]

I heard about the HydroBlu but never checked it out. I’ll have to look it up. Sounds interesting.

[@joehaubenreich4794]

I've been using a Sawyer Squeeze filter for weekend overnighters and it's served me well, but I can see advantages of the Katadyn BeFree. It seems be a better choice for backpacking in the Appalachians, especially in sub-freezing weather.

[@juanbackpacks]

I’m just a fan of the BeeFree because it’s fast and simple. The sawyer is definitely an awesome filter. I just feel like it’s too slow for my liking and a little fiddly to deal with in the field. It’s a solid performer though.

[@CastawayHikes]

I use a Quickdraw with my Cnoc Vecto, haven't had any issues like you have yet but you aren't the first that I have heard having premature issues with it. I have also heard that Platypus' customer service is non-existent although I have not had to interact with then yet. For now, I do like the hinged lid and enclosed dirty end for packing it away without leaking water drops but I haven't gotten rid of my Sawyer Squeeze either

[@juanbackpacks]

I really didn't like making the video.. I like being positive about things.. but I also feel the need to give honest assesments of the gear I use.

[@CastawayHikes]

@@juanbackpacks I like that about you Juan. Crapping all over a company's products seems to be fun for some creators but I think you were tactful with how you presented it's failures in a constructive manner. I'm with you though, I would much rather talk about gear that I like rather than gear that has let me down

[@toesockoutdoors3627]

Me being a cheapskate, I bought the Quickdraw without the bag to save $10. Most of the time using a smartwater bottle, the gasket would get stuck in the bottle, so that was a pain. Also thought the dirty end cap was too easy to lose, so I tried attaching it with fishing line and duct tape, but that didn’t work. So i’ve since switched to the BeFree and I’m really liking it so far

[@juanbackpacks]

@@toesockoutdoors3627 I really like the ease of use with the befree for sure!

[@j3hikes444]

another great review.

[@juanbackpacks]

Thank man!

[@dmn3773]

In Arizona we have some awful water. I backpack year round from the high desert of the Mogollon Rim to the lower Sonoran Desert in the superstition wilderness. The be-free has been a no go for my environment and my conditions. I am hesitant on getting the quick-draw but I like the enclosed nature of the filter and it’s filter speeds seem impressive. Still undecided one what I plan to go with but thanks for the thoughts on why you hate this filter.

[@juanbackpacks]

If I had low quality water with a lot of silt I’d probably not use the Befree either. I’d actually opt for the quick-draw because of the easy in the field back flushing.

[@andrewrdc]

I am also from Arizona and agree with the above... dont know why but the water out here absolutely clogs up the Befree. Ive gone through two so far and have gone to great lengths to keep them clean when at home. I NEVER use tap water and have done many rounds or vinegar to try to restore flow. Love the BeFree system but it just does not seem compatible with water in AZ.

[@dmn3773]

@@andrewrdc I went with the quick draw and I am very happy with it.

[@1stRanger]

Cap from the bottle and cap from the filter can be connected together and put into a pocket. "Problem" solved.

[@wandering_not_lost]

I think he’s done with the QuickDraw 😂😂 Done, you hear me? I said “done”! Done!

[@Y2J3469]

Respectfully, there is only merit with respect to two (2) of your underlying issues. Firstly, the bag is terrible and I wholeheartedly concur in this particular regard . Even if it doesn’t break, the dirty water side is too narrow and small to gather water at most streams efficiently. Get the CNOC dirty water bag. The filter is sold by itself and you don’t have to buy the bag too and the money you save you can go buy a better dirty water bag. Secondly, during the pandemic, Cascade designs had terrible customer service and was not resounding to emails and the telephone hold times were hours long. This has since been rectified. No excuse on their part and I appreciate your frustration in this regard. When I saw your video in the first minute I was like, did this guy buy when this filter was a year or less old? Then, the resounding answer was yes! Indeed, the filter speed was defective too when the first retail models were released. If you didn’t get this filter until its second year of production then there is going to be issues; however, the vast majority of the current production units for this model do not have any of these issues (save and except for the bag). I wish KZbin permitted user comment posts to post/ submit photographs because I would post a pic of my QuickDraw after hiking the PCT and no thread wear after five (5) months of use, day in and day out! The QuickDraw was also the most used and most popular water filter on the PCT last year and I was one of the votes that counted in that survey. I like the Katadyn BeFree filter too and use it as my day hiking and overnight filter; however, it clogs, gets really slow, really fast, and it can be hard to fill up at steams because of the narrow bag opening and there is no way to do an on trail integrity test (i.e. after dropping or freezing temperatures, etc.) unlike the QuickDraw, which is easier to back-flush/ clean on trail and can do an easy integrity check of the hollow fibres.

[@juanbackpacks]

I really appreciate your thougfull comments and insight.. great post. I’m actually gong to circle back to that filer for my thru hike of the Uinta Highline this July. Mainly because I think they may have resolved the threading issue.. Mine was pobably one of the first runs of the products. I’ve worked with outdoor companies to design products that cost in access of $2,000 for a single product. My biggest problem with this company is that I could tell they had an issue but after two emails they never responded once. I’ve been on that end of product developement and I believe you have to respond to your customers…. I just didn’t want to have to keep trying to get answers to my questions… not worth my time to chase them down.. so I just gave up. Now a few years down the road I’m willing to give them another shot.

[@jonathansreynolds]

I’ve used mine for years with no issue. This is just drama for the views.

[@juanbackpacks]

Thanks for the comment. This is simply my factual experience with the product. It may be atypical but it was my experience. My biggest problem was the lack of follow up by customer service. I’ve worked in the outdoor space with companies developing products with their designers so I was mainly just trying give them feedback in case others experienced the same thing. That’s an important feedback loop.

[@user-yp3sf7sx2e]

He sounds like he is whining!

[@paulrobertson8068]

Abit clumsy with the old threads I reckon me ansome.

[@backpackingcapebreton]

I’ve been using mine for 2 years, 2500 trail kms. I had to check my threading to see and mine doesn’t have that weakening threading you’ve experienced. Also, pinhole leaks are a reality with literally every single water bladder especially when you’re squeezing and squeezing it day after day. Some last years some don’t. Lots of variables when backpacking that might not necessarily mean it’s the build quality or QC issues. I don’t know what to say about your “complexity” complaint. Other than laugh. Opening a cap and rolling it up? Why is that complex? Kind of sounds like you just have beef with Platypus because they wouldn’t work with you over the thread weakening. I’d take my QuickDraw over my BeFree (I have the three litre gravity version) any day. BeFree is ok if you’re only ever filtering from a highly clear perfectly ideal water source. Otherwise you better bring a backup way to filter your water on long trips because I do not trust my BeFree on long remote backcountry trips at all. Geez my BeFree almost completely clogged (lost about 90% of its flow rate) just from high tannins in lake water on one trip.

[@juanbackpacks]

It is my belief that the thread issue was resolved in later runs of the product or it may have just been a bad run. I’m not the only person who experienced the same thing. There were several reports of it I saw by searching the web when I reported it but none since then. The bag failed on the third use. I’m just reporting the facts of my experience for people to consider that all. I don’t use those welded bags for that reason. They fail more generally speaking. Complexity is in the eye of the beholder. For me it’s just too many pieces to keep track of for my liking. Personal preference that’s all.