Katadyn BeFree and Sawyer Micro

After my recent experience, here’s where I’ve landed. I think a combination seems most logical:

• Immediate needs, i.e., refilling water bottle while hiking – Be Free or Sawyer Mini.
• Less immediate needs-Chlorine Dioxide tablets and a 2 liter platypus bladder for camp and overnight, and for backup in case the filter goes south.

I’m willing to go with a single filter with a generous supply of the tablets, and will frequently replace the filter/cartridge to reduce the chance of failure. As for the Be Free it seems like rewarding the company that let me down…. I may just switch to the Sawyer as a matter of principle!

I use a Sawyer Mini and also pack Aqua Mira in 3 ml dropper bottles for backup. I only carry the syringe on trips over 3 days, otherwise I just backflush when I get home. For clogs (which are usually caused by calcium buildup) I soak the Mini in vinegar for 30 minutes and it does wonders for clearing it out. I’m not a chemist but it’s the polar opposite on the PH scale.

And I too am getting sick of air pads that keep getting thicker and thicker all the time and are slow to inflate/deflate. Not to mention they’re prone to leak no matter how careful you are. I’ve gone back old school, at least partially. On longer non-SUL missions I pack the Exped Flexmat which is basically the same as the Z-lite but a couple of ounces lighter and I pair it with the Klymit X-Frame (9 oz). The X-frame isn’t as plush as Neoair but when paired with the Flexmat it’s plenty good enough for a Spartan like myself. What’s more the X-Frame inflates with about 7 blows and deflates quickly too. And it’s freakin bomber with its 75D lower and 30D upper. Most backpackers would consider it too meager I know.

So, on longer trips why not just carry 2 BeFree filters instead of a BeFree and a Sawyer?

“im gonna ditch my neoair and just sleep on 1/8 pad and Zlite.  Even with that Winglock valve.. sick of inflating and deflating that pad.. ”

I use a BA pad and use the schnozzle for inflation. Plus, the schnozzle is an effective dry bag, or anyway very good for putting my down bag (in its stuff sack) and other clothes items into in the a.m whether or not it’s raining.

I find the BA pad to be really comfy! The blue pad and that skeleton pad are…horrible. For me!

I briefly carried a Sawyer squeeze as a backup to my Steripen. When I look at all the apparatus involved in the pics above when it comes to carrying two water filters…I like the Steripen that much more. For where I hike! West coast.

@Jon Fong.  If I carry one of each.. Well lets say the hydro bladder bursts.. Then what? At least the back up Micro can be used on my smart water bottle and I can still filter water. I did consider carrying 2 Befree.. But after reading about bladder failures.. No I have never had it happen but then again, up until 2 weeks ago I always heard of steripen failures.. But years of using one I never had the issue. Its only grams difference and gives me 2 options.

For me, the air pad became necessity with age.  So much so I might need a pad 1 foot thick if I’m still backpacking at 100.  @dirtbag, more power to you if you can make the thin closed cell pad work.

Still, water treatment remains a hit and miss.  I’ve always struggled with the tannin filled water of the Appalachian and Adirondacks.  Every filter clogs and I’ve never had good results with any amount of backwashing.  So whatever I bring, frontier pro, be free, sawyer I started carrying one for every 3 days on the trail.

The Sierra are a different story.  The only filter that seems to clog with seemingly crystal clear water is the sawyer.  Maybe there is more in there than the eye can see, but I’ve sworn off sawyer filters.

Oh, and if I’m going to squeeze, a soft bottle beats a smart water bottle hands down.  I carry both though as I trust the smart water bottle if I want to carry an extra liter or 2 in my pack.

Steripen?  No interest.  I make it a point to not depend on batteries. I’ve no choice when it comes to being able to send an SOS signal but never otherwise want to depend on electronics.

@Jscott..  all of the apparatus in the picture above..  that one shot, yes a lot of stuff. But the final pieces  are  only whats in the top picture.  A bladder, that happens to be a 2L.  I can leave that home and take the smaller 1L bladder seen in bottom picture ( the blue hydro one ).  So .. 1 soft water bladder and the BeFree or Sawyer or if needed both of them.  It won’t fail while out there, either user error ie: accidentally drop it or electronic error ie: BONKS out on its own. 1 filter and bladder weigh less then the steripen.. and its really not a lot to keep track of or pack.

And Im not knocking the Steripen because I have been using them for years now. I have always carried one  in winter when no snow to melt for water and about 3 years ago I started to carry the Ultra year round on all my trips.  It is Great.. until it was NOT!

re: Befree clogging –– my experience is don’t filter tap water and don’t add hydration pill, e.g Nuun tablet.