Katadyn BeFree Water Microfilter System 1L

2022-05-24T20:00:00

so far used it on one trip, worked well but long term stability of filter without backflush could be problematic but my big concern is how skimpy the website is on stuff like cleaning; really below what you would expect I'm also not sur that this really produces safe water without a extra step like iodine tablet, again the website has just a few buzz words about how good the filter is, but they are skimpy buzzwords why the lack of *real tech knowledge on the website why is there no well written PDF instruction manual ? surely they can afford to make a PDF instruction manual

Edmands P.

2021-08-06T20:00:00

Just tried a few of these on a 4-day backpack. Worked great. Filtration was fast. Mainly used with water that was clear. Like that they're re-useable. A nice alternative to the Sawyer Squeeze/Smartwater bottle combo. Will see how they work over the long term.

C B.

2021-06-22T20:00:00

Already used it on the trail. Hammock next to river. The flow out of this to my cooking pot is amazing. I filled up my backpack hydration pack because this is so fast.

GLam

2021-05-17T20:00:00

Super convenient. Packs small, filters fast. Easy to filter into other containers from this when you won't come across other water for a while. The filter also will screw onto other hydrapak water bags.

Scott

2020-11-25T19:00:00

Easier to stay hydrated because the filter isn't packed away in a bag. It's light and practical to use while traveling on the water. Very fast flow but I've heard it can slow down over time. I think it's important to get your water from clean sources (not brackish water). Noticed no plastic flavours. The bag is thin. I keep mine wrapped in a towel to protect it. If I bought it again, I'd get the 600ml version. When the 1l version is 1/3 full, it flops over your hand and is difficult to squeeze one handed, the 600ml version would be more in your hand, and easier to compress. Great filter, will purchase again if it ever fails.

Brad S.

2020-10-19T20:00:00

This is the most convenient trail filtration bottle I've ever owned. I took this through Rocky Mountain National Park and was able to find water for all of our hikes. I'm usually bad about drinking enough water while hiking but this made it so easy to stay hydrated. I cannot comment on the long term durability yet but I can say that I accidentally dropped it multiple times and the plastic held up well with no leaks. I read where some people were having issues with the seams bursting. I found that a combination of sucking like a straw and lightly applying pressure to the bottle yielded the best flow rate. I never felt like the plastic was being stressed too much. Overall, I am very happy with this purchase. Even if mine breaks, I would definitely buy another simply for the convenience.

MattNess

2020-10-18T20:00:00

great option for reduce water weight on backpacking hike, but would be nice to have a attachment clip. used this for a 7 day hike and didn't even use my normal gravity feed water filtration system. get a water bucket as a good companion when at campsite on the trail.

Frank O.

2020-09-26T20:00:00

I used sawyers for a long time, started with the mini, moved up to the squeeze. But they only flow well for a little while, no matter how much flushing you do. This filter flows WAY better, to start with, and over time. I have been using the same one for over a year, several backpacking trips. I took it on a hike awhile ago and noticed it was getting pretty weak flow, so I ordered a new one when I got home, hence the review date not matching having used it for as long as I mentioned. My new filter arrived, and as I was taking it out of the package I happened to read the part about cleaning the filter and suddenly realized I had spaced that... I took my old filter and put some water from the faucet in it, gave it a good shake, and suddenly it flows like new again. Keeping the new one as a spare! Now I have not tried the grayl filter yet, and I think it probably outperforms this filter in a few ways. But none that warrant switching for my purposes. The main thing would be chemicals and heavy minerals, things I don't encounter where I go.

Nick C.

2020-09-25T20:00:00

I've done one hike up Mt. San Jacinto with this and filled the bottle 3X at the Wellman's Cienega (springs). Each time, I transferred the water in the container to my Camelbak bladder and another bottle. The flow rate is pretty good and the filter rolls up small enough to fit in an outside pocket of the Camelbak. My only concern would be the plastice container getting punctured-Hasn't happened yet but I will be buying another one to carry two on my backcountry hikes where filtering water is essential. Highly Recommend!

Hiker.Biker.Climber

2020-09-16T20:00:00

This is one of my all time favorite life savers when it comes to hiking! I'm notorious for accidentally adding many miles and hours to my hikes by taking detours and often run out of water. This water bottle is super compact, yet it filters water very quickly! I know people that have the life filters and when they see how quickly I can fill up my water packs, they immediately want mine instead of theirs. This has saved my butt on a number of occasions!

Becca

2020-08-22T20:00:00

I know the main concern with this thing is the high price point but in just one weekend, I have justified its purchase. Super lightweight and fast flow rate when filtering to another bottle

Marc

2020-08-02T20:00:00

I watched some reviews on YouTube and bought this to try. I am bummed that the filter basically last one season and anew filter is costly. That's my only knock. I have used multiple filtration system, this is fast and works everytime. The larger opening makes it easier to get those hard to fill locations and if ts really bad, I use a sandwich bag. I like that it's so easy to clean in the field and I can use it as my water bottle. I took this on one trip and upon my return, I bought another and 2 replacement filters.

Casper

2020-07-08T20:00:00

I run ultramarathons and we were required to bring a water filter on course so we could refill from streams. I liked the idea of just having a bottle I could stash and put into my vest pocket and be able to fill up and go. The 1.0L bottle ended up being way too big but what I LOVED about this product is that I was able to use the top with other soft flasks, so I just switched out the flask with one of my smaller ones. Super convenient to be able to do that! The filter was easy to clean and there were no issues drinking out of the top.

Tanya G.

2020-06-28T20:00:00

This has to be the best portable water solution on the market. The competitor for this product is known as Lifestraw is significantly more common as it's coming in at about half the price point as the Katadyn. However, this also does not provide a collapsible water drinking bag that doubles as a secondary/tertiary water bottle in a backpacking/portaging trip. I was out in Algonquin and where my peers were filling up these large hard plastics with lake water and then drinking from their straw, I was able to fill up my bag, squeeze THROUGH the filter into my 2 larger bottles, then also keep my katadyn full in case I needed to drink out of it. I would have immediate access to several liters of clean water as opposed to manually sucking it through the straw. The competitor also offers a solution with a water-bottle attachment, but for a few dollars more Katadyn gives a smaller filter, a better portable solution. Katadyn all the way.

Ella Y.

2020-04-27T20:00:00

several other competitors purely based on how well my BeFree performed. I truly believe the BeFree is the fastest and easiest water filter out there. The way I use it, you unscrew the top from the soft flask, dip the flask into a stream or pond, screw the top back on, and drink. The flow is incredibly fast thanks to the large filter. I can have 1L of water ready to go in under 10 seconds. I frequently filled the flask (10 secs), squeezed the filtered water into other flasks (30-40 secs to empty), refilled the BeFree (10 secs), and was on my way. This compares to other filters which are incredibly slow to filter. So what took me 1 minute to stop and grab enough water for 20 miles of running, other people had to plop down on the side of the stream and filter water into their bottles for easily 10-15 minutes. The filter can be cleaned by running it under water. You can also get replacement filters without the bottle to save cost. The filtering seems good, transforming muddy, silty water into clear, tasty water with the removal of most microorganisms. I trust it with my life. Highly recommended.

Mtn R.

2020-04-11T20:00:00

lightweight and used as one of my 10 essentials I always cary.

Jessica

2020-02-28T19:00:00

I love this water filter! I take it with me anytime I go camping. I have used it in lakes, rivers and ponds. My friends were very envious when I used it on my last camping trip. I scooped up muddy, brown water out of the lake and it filtered it clean and clear with no problem. So far the collapsible bag has been durable and haven't had any leaks. I will definitely be buying another one of these soon.

Douglas A.

2020-02-05T19:00:00

Used it for a 5 day hiking trip in North Carolina. It did not disappoint, the flow is great, the taste was good, and its packs away nicely empty. I didn't use it for transporting water but the bottle part feels pretty durable though a sharp object would ruin it easily. Over all I feel like it was worth the price a d I do prefer it over the Sawyer filters for less questionable water.

Cameron K.

2020-01-15T19:00:00

Used in Norway while hiking. Loved filling it with ice cold glacier water!

Dolphin D.

2020-01-03T19:00:00

This is a great unit for filtering water from lakes and rivers that you trust. Remember its only a filter not a purifier

Ken T.

2019-12-31T19:00:00

Very lightweight, easy to use, and has a good flow rate. Pricey but well worth it. Great for hiking, backpacking, or overseas travel. I find the 1 liter size just perfect for me.

Cramer

2019-12-09T19:00:00

I came from a Sawyer Squeeze and didn't really think this could be much better... I was very wrong. This has double (if not more) the flow of my Squeeze and it's *so* easy to clean! Get it!!

PP

2019-11-11T19:00:00

Lightweight. Easy to collect water in places where my fellow backpackers could not find a pool of water to pump. Quick and easy.

Mary

2019-11-05T19:00:00

I recently went hiking with a group and became dehydrated because I didn't drink enough water the day before the hike. I ran out of water but didn't want to ask anyone in the group for any. The guide on the hike brought this handy little water purifier and was able to get water right out of waterfall and purify it! I couldn't believe it! I thought you had to boil water to actually purify it (at least that's what they do in all of the survival shows on TV). But this little bottle actually purifies water. The guides says he's been purifying and drinking water in the mountains using this little bottle for years and has never gotten sick. I was sold and had to buy one right away!

Nightengale

2019-10-26T20:00:00

I wanted to like this product so much-it is light and nice that I can collapse it after use. However, I cannot get used to the metallic smell. I was told my the customer service that there should not be overwhelming smell. Tried 6 drops of chlorine bleach to clean as suggested by them, but still the smell did not go away. I had to take it to the trek because I had no choice (no time to replace), and was hoping that the smell will go away after using for a while, but it did not change. I am back from my trek and now it is too late to return or exchange...

MeoKitto

2019-10-08T20:00:00

Great for our Yosemite trip in July! Helped out quite a few people who didn't bring enough to drink on the hike.

Margaret

2019-09-07T20:00:00

Excellent!!! Just put this through the wringer on a 5 day back country hunt. Worked flawless. This combined with their other bladders is a FANTASTIC system. I've used the sawyer and the sawyer mini before this blows them out of the water. Way faster and easy to keep Clean and flowing.

Rooster

2019-09-05T20:00:00

We used this in Africa to drink from and refill other bottles. This was fantastic. We never got sick.

Summer L.

2019-09-05T20:00:00

I've tried just about every water filter out there (except the straw). They all have their pros and cons and some can't be used without a running water source (you would need a pump type of filter for hard to reach pools). But seriously, this is the BEST filter system I've used (for creeks and flowing water). It's SO easy to fill up and drink and super easy to clean the filter if the water flow slows down. We also have the 3L bag for when we need more water (for cooking, filling our liter bottles etc.). I will be using these for the foreseeable future for sure. This would also be a great addition to an emergency kit or for use by a trail runner!

JMT C.

2019-09-04T20:00:00

Works great until you filter water with lots of algae. Customer service was great and replaced the filter after my hike. If lots of algae pre-filter with cloth. Otherwise it'll clog and work super slow.

Kim C.