New katadyn "befree" filter bottle?

[Brett Peugh]

I was thinking about getting a Katadyn BeFree but since it can’t be backflushed maybe I should just stick with my Sawyer Squeeze?  That system is slow also and the draw back is that it is hard to fill the Platypus bottles but it sounds like after a few weeks I am really not gaining much with the BeFree as the water rate slows, correct?

[Scott Kilcoyne]

I have been using my BeFree since the week they originally came out. Have about 70+ trail days with it and I haven’t noticed any decrease in flow. Only method of cleaning is doing the shaking method at home with tap water after each trip.

[Steve K]

I just came back from an 8 day trip where I used the BeFree extensively for my personal water needs. It worked flawlessly and I was thrilled how quick and easy it was to fill the bottle. Using the BeFree at various stream crossings I was able to minimize the amount of water carried in my pack at any given time. Flow rate was great throughout my trip.

I’m planning to trying it out as a gravity filter next.

[KenWP]

My filter had slowed after a few trips in the Cascades, likely due to either taneum or glacial silt. It become no faster than a Sawyer Squeeze, like others have mentioned. Frustrated, I read through here and saw there wasn’t a remedy, other than a ‘wish’ that it could be backflushed.

I took one of my Sawyer backflushing syringes and used it to backflush the BeFree; I unscrewed the cap on the Befree and pressed the syringe firmly against the output of the Befree and forced water through the filter. It’s easiest if you stand the full syringe up in the bottom of your sink and press the BeFree downward, forcing the water backwards through the filter.

The BeFree is now flowing about 80% as well as it did when it was new, probably twice as fast as a Squeeze. I’m not sure if this method is recommended, but I’m going to use it, and try to be more careful about the water sources I filter, as well as take the Sawyer syringe with me on trips.

[Lester Moore]

KenWP – does your BeFree pass the integrity test mentioned in the owner’s manual after being backflushed (wetting the filter completely and then trying to blow air backward through it)? Would be curious to know.

[Greg F]

I actually did a similar thing to mine leaving the cap on though and pushing up against the lid.  I was pushing more gently than I did with the sawyer.

I am back over a litre a minute and it still passes the integrity test.

[obx hiker]

Basically the same experience as Steve K for 10 days in the Winds. I did swish often and tried to avoid obviously silty situations which was admittedly easy since there was really nice water everywhere. No trouble at all loading a 1 liter platypus bottle from the B-Free.

[Brad P]

I used mine for the first time today on a day hike.  It was easy to use, great water flow and I’m currently not dead, so I’m happy so far.

[Gregory Allen]

I’ve pulled out my gear a few weeks ago after a few cold months off and am very depressed with the flow of my 3.5 yo sawyer squeeze. It was always maintained well, backflushed after trips, never frozen.

Year 1 was awesome. Year two was ok and I rigged a pretty good gravity system to use in camp. Definitely a little slower, but all in all still passable.  Year three started still just ok, and I struggled a bit toward the end of fall, but resisted the urge to spend any money. Looked at a mini and the BeFree a couple of times, but never pulled the trigger.

Reading these posts from last year, I am concerned that this maybe just the way it’s gonna be with filters. Anybody have any thoughts?

 

[George Geist]

I was able to restore my sawyer squeeze which was able to filter 1.5L/min last Fall, then when I pulled it out after being stored all winter had almost no flow at all. I just followed the Sawyer instruction on their website video, i.e. soaked the filter in hot water for a couple hours. (Flow improved but not back to normal) Then I soaked for 30 minutes in white vinegar (also back flushed with the vinegar). Then flushed warm water back and forth through the Squeeze to get the vinegar taste out.

I am back to 1L/min after this.

Give it a try.

[Gregory Allen]

Thanks @geist. I’ll give that a try. Hadn’t checked the Sawyer site in a while and I forgot the vinegar recs.

[J-L]

Nevermind…getting BeFree and Sawyer mixed up

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