Forum Index > Gear Talk > Katadyn BeFree, MSR TrailShot, Sawyer Mini water filter comparisons
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Opus
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Opus
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PostFri Sep 01, 2017 4:29 pm 
How do you carry your BeFree filter? I picked one up Friday at the REI sale and used it over the past week for a 7 day backpacking trip (with Aqua Mira as a backup). I was really enjoying it for the first three days but that night it somehow got a pin-sized hole in it, near where the hard plastic meets soft material. It still worked but I had to keep my finger over the hole. Not sure how it happened, I am pretty careful with all my gear. It's going back to REI and I'm going back to my Sawyer for now.

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Canon Shooter
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PostSun Sep 03, 2017 1:28 am 
I use a Sawyer with a Smart Water bottle. The Sawyer bags are a waste of time. The Smart Water bottle fits in my pack side mesh pockets and I can drink right from the filter. Pretty simple. I replace my Sawyer each year.

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texasbb
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Joined: 30 Mar 2009
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texasbb
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PostMon Sep 04, 2017 9:36 am 
Dump the original hard/soft bag and get a Hydrapak Seeker.

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bkellygr
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PostFri Sep 08, 2017 3:37 pm 
I liked your write-up. I ended up doing more research and then bought the BeFree. I used it on a six day trip. Vary convenient and fast. The large mouth was helpful a few times when we had bad water options. I would recommend it to others.

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BarbE
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PostWed Sep 13, 2017 2:41 pm 
I've used the BeFree extensively for the last 5 month and much prefer it over any other filter I've ever owned.

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hikermike
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PostFri Sep 15, 2017 11:31 pm 
why not just boil?

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contour5
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contour5
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PostSat Sep 16, 2017 2:45 pm 
Quote:
why not just boil?
Boiling is time consuming and uses a lot of fuel. You need to boil for several minutes to kill all the microorganisms, and that really uses a lot of fuel... Also, I like my drinking water as cold as possible.

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schifferj
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PostWed Sep 20, 2017 9:54 pm 
I carry mine in a side pouch of my pack. I also got a small pin hole leak but patched it temporarily on the trail with a bit of duct tape. When I returned home I put a quarter sized piece of tenacious tape over the hole and no problems since. Isn't that why they make tenacious tape? The BeFree is the only water filter I carry and use it in conjunction with a hydrapak 2 l seeker bottle. Fills all of my needs. My sawyer squeeze, which I liked a lot, probably will never see the light of day again.

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cartman
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PostFri Sep 22, 2017 9:37 am 
The only very minor problem I've had with the BeFree after two months of use is the flimsy plastic hinge on the cap cover broke, but I knew that was going to happen. Turns out that the flip top screw caps on Smartwater and Propel water bottles are exactly compatible with the BeFree filter top, so for $1.40 I have a brand new cap. No problem with the stock bag so far, and I often carry it filled loose in my pack. I have a Hydrapak Seeker I carry as a backup just in case.

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cartman
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PostWed Nov 01, 2017 5:19 am 
After several months of use with the BeFree filter, I have noticed that if the filter is stored dry--I always unscrew it when I get home from a trip and allow it to air dry to prevent mold growth--it does require several minutes to saturate when re-exposed to water. This does delay the ability to filter upon first use when I go on the next trip. The solution is simple: rewet the filter before leaving home.

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texasbb
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texasbb
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PostWed Nov 01, 2017 2:22 pm 
cartman wrote:
...it does require several minutes to saturate when re-exposed to water. ... The solution is simple: rewet the filter before leaving home.
Yep, locks up tight every time. You can barely get a dribble to go through when it's dry. Don't panic, just soak it for a while. I've learned to screw it on a bottle/bag as I drive to the trailhead...problem solved.

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wildernessed
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PostSun Nov 05, 2017 11:00 am 
cartman wrote:
The solution is simple: rewet the filter before leaving home.
I found that out early on and I do the same at one point this summer the filter was dry and nothing filtered so I let it float in some shallow water on the lake and it filtered normally. I was very hesitant to try and squeeze the soft reservoir any harder to make it flow.

Living in the Anthropocene
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SwitchbackFisher
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Joined: 24 Feb 2018
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SwitchbackFisher
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PostSun Mar 04, 2018 12:19 am 
Ok I am sold on this to give a shot. I have always used iodine tabs when on the move if I need to refill because I am brave and made the chore of water boiling when I make camp. But this might be a game changer.

I may not be the smartest, I may not be the strongest, but I don't want to be. I only want to be the best I can be.
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Bernardo
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Bernardo
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PostSat Dec 21, 2019 5:44 pm 
Any new thoughts on filtration systems? I used the the Sawyer with Evernew bags this year. I'd like to try the BeFree system but I don't love the idea of having to use a custom bag especially since a few folks mentioned the bags can fail.

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HitTheTrail
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PostSat Dec 21, 2019 7:43 pm 
I am a big fan of the BeFree filter due to design, ease of use and flow rate. I combine it with a Hydrapak Seeker (which has the advantage of making sizes big enough for camp water storage). BTW, anybody but me have the problem of white foam on top of the boiled water that has been in a Seeker?

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