My Favorite Water Filter After 3,000 Miles of Backpacking | Sawyer Squeeze / Mini vs. Katadyn Befree 

"I got so much sh...... feedback" LOL

Being a 'gear head,' I've used a lot of small filters over the years. The Sawyer Mini is a no-go in my book (for the reasons you mentioned). The Squeeze is really reliable & relatively fast. When hiking in a small group, I'll use it w/ a 2L Cnoc bladder gravity feed system w/ a Sawyer coupler. The orange bag = dirty water; the blue bag = clean water. I'd bring an extra dirty water bag (Sawyer) or two and refill the orange Cnoc bag. I tried the same setup w/ the 3L Cnoc bag. The extra weight caused the plastic ring to break when I hung it up. The BeFree really flows fast when its new. It does slow down sooner than I'd like. The backflush/slosh technique didn't improve it very much. On the trail, I found it harder to find a replacement filter in outfitter stores. Currently, I'm trying out the Platypus Quickdraw system. Faster that the Squeeze but not as fast as the BeFree. Time will tell how it holds up. It looks promising so far.

.... Started backpacking in early '70's .. water filter of choice were pump filters ,, did the job well .. Over the years stayed with pump style filters and iodine tablets as backup or boiling ... In '80's went to a direct pump from "PUR" called the Scout .. screwed directly on a Nalgene bottle. ...over time broke one trying to service the filter (would not come apart although the filter was available separately) ... in '90's Katadyn came out with many,, bought the "Hiker" plus extra filters ,,never had a problem filtering water .. always kept 2 liters filled along the hike in case of a long stretch with no source ... also carried a 2 liter bladder (now CNOC) .. for unknown sources .. .. I do have both ,the Sawyer Squeeze and the BeFree to try on day hikes or an overnight as a drip system ,,but overall rely on a pump filter .. easier to use and faster for filling directly into nalgene bottles or any other container .. weight ,although minimal , is no issue with me ... Install a new filter at the beginning of each new hiking season ,,(once a year) ..needed or not .... I think they are a better tool for the job ..

If you have an old BeFree that you're going to toss, you can remove the filter part with some tools and force. That will make a 42mm to 28mm adapter. I use that w/ a Seeker bag and Sawyer Squeeze or Platy QuickDraw.

We've found the BeFree a bit easier to throw in a pocket or in the quilt when temps getting below freezing...don't have to worry about any leaking when the soft bottle is attached. Harder to do this with the Sawyer and whatever bottle being used with it. Could always put the Sawyer in a ziploc, but that's just an extra step...and ziploc!

Good explanation, thank you. My filter is the Swayer Squeeze. Water particulates flowing through any filter will at best reduce its flow rate, at worst become clogged. My technique is prefilter turbid water, clear stream water, lake and pond water, through a bandana, the bandana removes as much particulates as it can. This prefiltered water next goes into the dirty water bottle. Prefiltering water dramatically increases flow rate over non prefiltered water, also increases the time between back flushing. Hope this helps.

Thanks- I have a Sawyer Mini for "emergencies" but mostly day hike. I will probably pick up a Befree. If you're hiking southern NH you need to do the Wapack Trail some time. 21.7 miles with a perfect place in the middle (Windblown) where you can camp overnight in a 3 sided cabin or tent, and great views of Monadnock. Also allows overnight parking near the North end across from Miller State park.

Katadyn’s are really great for like 100-200 miles and then they turn to trash. Most people on the AT this year went through several, including myself. I switched to the Platypus and was much happier with it. It is very similar to the Sawyer Squeeze in design but flow is much greater and for longer.

I'm a huge fan of the BeFree. It definitely needs some TLC to stay performing optimally. In my experience, it's prone to mineralization if it's allowed to dry out. Storing it wet goes a long way in keeping the flow rate high. It's also super easy to verify the filter integrity on the trail. With the filter thoroughly wet, remove the sport cap and point the nozzle straight up. Attempt to squeeze air through the filter. You shouldn't be able to see ANY air bubbles come through.

Great review! Good information, and the length was perfect!

Platypus GravityWorks 4 Liter when in a small group has been such the nice system I've been using for more than a decade now. Longest treks I do are about a week. If I was ever to do a solo through hike of any duration I'd look for something lighter than the 12oz GravityWorks. Shorter treks with groups of two or more Platypus GravityWorks 4 Liter for the win.

Always great to see the release of a Taylor video 😄. I’m a Katadyn girl and have not had a problem. Another hiker gave me a great tip on trail when I was complaining about the flow rate being really slow. I hadn’t used it in a number of weeks. It needs to be soaked for about 15 minutes to bring it back to life, after not being used for a while. It totally worked. My only issue is how to know when you’ve filtered 1000 liter? Thanks Taylor and happy trails.🤘🏻🥾⛰️

So funny. I also bought a Sawyer mini for the same reason-watched RU-vidrs and thought I’d try it out. I bought a regular sized Sawyer about 1000 miles into my AT thru hike! My hiking buddies were always done before me with their regular Sawyers!

I love this filter. Bag sprung a pinhole leak. Just bought a new one. Ease and flow rate is incredible.

The BeFree cannot be serviced on the field when it slows down. In my case, the “slow down” was pretty much full stop. Katadyn says you can “shake it” or “swish it” around in clean water to bring its flow rate back but I’ve had zero success with this method. In contrast, the Sawyer comes with a syringe to backflush it and is thus completely field serviceable. For post-hike cleaning on any of these filters, always used distilled water, even with a vinegar mix if flow rate is an issue. The vinegar breaks apart the mineral particulate matter that’s causing flow issues with the filter.

I enjoy all your reviews. I recently found your channel and love your content. Feel free to do more reviews. Maybe your rain suits you wore on your thru hike

Great review. I have been using the Katadyn filters for a few years too. REI in San Diego where the associate recommended it. I think she said it's most popular on JMT and/or PCT. No thru hikes yet for us - but lots of 2-3 day hikes (about 20) in wilderness areas and Nat'l forests (the dog co-pilot is always with me.) Winter hikes mostly so water is never hard to find or that dirty. Still on my first filter.

Unfortunately for me, I bought two of those Befree 0.6L version filters. The one filter I ended up with a nasty stomach bug. I thought it was strange how extremely fast the water flow was but just ignored it and trusted the gear (which was a bad idea). That extra flow I was getting was because the filter failed on me. The second one I got had 3 small leaks around the top part of the bladder bag I contacted Katadyn. They pointed me to a 3rd party seller who apparently makes the bladders for them. Needless to say the two companies were putting me in circles and never actually replaced anything. I just gave up. The system itself is VERY convenient but after 4 weeks of dealing with bacteria from some bug, I got the doctor said it was in my small intestine and that it'll subside in 2 to4 weeks if not to come back and they'd provide medication. I never ended up needing any medication but for me personally, I'll never buy another one again. I purchased both of them at the same time on Amazon. One for me and one for my 7-year-old. They both went in the trash,

The Befree has been my go to water filter the last couple of years and it’s a great piece of kit! I’d generally be pretty reluctant to switch out for another one. There might be certain trails that I would consider my options if I was anticipating a vast amount of particulates in water sources but for the most part it’s really fantastic!

Just got the be free. Plan to use it for longer hikes and keep the Sawyer squeeze for short ones like 1-2 nights.

Thank you for the heads up. I hope to hike the At in 2023.

Thanks for the great Info Taylor! Maybe I should get the simple back up one for the day hikes like you did! Have some great ideas now!

Seems to me a good set-up for solo hiking would be a Sawyer Squeeze with a lightweight Sawyer Mini as an emergency backup.

I love the BeFree but I have noticed that it does not like being stuck in a closet, whether I put bleach water through it before or not. Flow rate slows down to nearly nothing. I always test it before I go now, in case it's just stopped working.

I'm a Sawyer user. Dayhikes I'll carry a Mini for emergency and extended hikes I'll carry the Squeeze, but either way, I always carry a couple extra O-rings, just in case. and I love the 2L CNOC bag.

I own both and just had my sawyer squeeze bag split which solved the debate for me. I take credit for the failure but it was still a failure. The directions for the be free says to shake the filter in water to flush it and improve the flow. That wasn't mentioned so I wanted to point that out.

I would like a review of your backpack as im looking for a more lightweight on that can comfortably carry a bear can. The Mariposa comes to mind. Thanks Taylor!

I was a squeeze guy for years the a befree guy but I move to the quick drawl and love it with Cnoc bag

Agreed. I’ve replaced mine once, but oh well, worth it.

I prefer the Sawyer squeeze. For the simple fact it can be put on just about any bottle. Where the befree needs a special bag

This is exactly what i needed to see! Thanks xx

So I have a pretty weak immune system and I’m ramping up to do some longer backpacking trips where I can’t bring my own water. Any feedback on if I should boil the water even after filtering it or am I OK just to drink it through the filter? Thank you in advance for anybody that gives me an answer.

Thank you for sharing. It's good to know water filtering tips 🙂

Hi Taylor, I am a Sawyer Squeeze user. What is your arrangement and system for longer water carries regarding water storage for use while on the trail and in camp? I am out west where water is more scarce at times.

I was hiking from Galehead hut to Garfield shelter in mid-September this year. I got to the Garfield spring and my Befree didn't work. At first I thought it was just dry as I hadn't used it in a month or so. But it didn't come back to life. It was then I realized it had probably frozen while I was hiking on the trail. It was cold, but didn't seem that cold. I had some tablets and a stove so I was fine for the rest of my hike, but I bought a new BeFree filter when I got back to be safe. Before I trashed it, the old filter did start letting a few drops of water through, but nothing like it had in the past. -- We all love gear reviews. How about a running vest review from a backpacker's perspective. I've seen you use one and wondered if they would be good for long day hikes.

I use a mini as a backup for my Katadyn Poket

The Befree is always my go to filter. Never has it failed. However it won’t work dry. You must soak it and saturate the fibers first. I also love to bring the 3L or 6L bag to hang as a gravity filter in camp when group hiking. It’s great to have clean water on tap in your camp kitchen for cooking and clean up. I sometimes bring a Sawyer Micro on longer trips as a back up, but so far I have never had to use it.

I have the same backpack in white great bag and I have the sawyer squeeze also with the cnoc bag it does what it needs to do it's great I have to check out the befree though it seems pretty good and easier to use

Great video, thanks for sharing. Stay safe and HIKE ON!!!

I agree with you that the be free filter is the best one. My friends Steve and Gwenn introduced me to the filter and I never looked back. It perfect for day hiking and backpacking. I do carry the Sawyer As a backup but only use it if necessary.

The Befree is my favorite if, like you said, the water is clear. Otherwise my preference is the Quickdraw (almost as good of a flow rate as the Befree with the ability to back flush it like the Sawyer)

Amazing peeping going on behind you. Get your tank filled. I hear they're starting to ration fuel oil this winter due to ... reasons.

Hey thanx Coach😜 Great meeting u in ur shop Sry I was kinda star struck🤩 “LEGEND”

I'm a big fan of the Katadyn but I've used the Platypus this summer and It's VERY close .. I love it. .... Not a fan of Sawyers. oh and (I made a video on HOW to unclog your BeFree)

Hi, thanks for the review. I'm just wondering how you keep track of 1000 liters of water so you don't go over? That's the only reason I'm reluctant to switch from the Squeeze.

If the water is stagnate or whatever i would boil it or throw in some tablets etc and filter it.

Have a look at epic filters. Much better filter imo. It’s more than a filter it’s a purifier

Have you or anyone else gotten sick from drinking filtered water from one of these products? Giardia? Shigella? Campylobacter? If so, which filter let you down?

Thank you.

Katadyn always!

I love my sawyer

Thanks😊

Thanks!

Clogged on me, too. Team sawyer

When I attempted an AT thru hike in 07 we used a pump till that broke, then bleach droplets.....next section hike of 400 miles I used the Sawyer mini till that clogged then I didn't use anything at all (pa-va) and didn't have any ill effects as pa was a lot of mountain springs, I remember several spots in Maine being murky water sources but I think for most of the trail I would forego filtration were I to do it again.

Did you try the Lifestraw this year or am I just imagining having heard you talk about it? I'm a befree convert and in love with the flowrate! Thanks for sharing your experiences.

Love the sawyer mini, but since other products have come out, it's still always in my pack as a backup. I prefer the BeFree and Platypus the past few years, but I still won't pack my pack without my mini in

NH 🏠❤️

the life straw is 11 bucks

The BeFree’s hands down.

Be Free for me👍

Please do a better microphone setup so subscribers can actually hear you w/out having to strain to hear you!!

it's very hard to hear you.....need to invest in a mic.

www.katadyngroup.com/us/en/about-us/Case%20Studies/detail~21837 They do humanitarian work. I hated Sawyer Squeeze. SLow, high maintainenece. I use Life straw, Katadyn and really often a Steri pen carried on my body to keep it warm as I live at the top of the world in Alaska. I also boil. We have beavers, moose, bear, wolves, foxes, musk ox, etc, all over the place since its largely uninhabited by people and basically animals poop and drink near the same source. People should not drink where animals may poop. If the water is thick and gross I cover my water bottle with a "nut milk bag" I buy on Amazon better than cheese cloth or a bandana)and prefilter before filtering. I backpack all year a round habitually.

I used the Befree on my 2021 thru-hike. It was a great filter overall. Like you said, the flow rate eventually slows, especially after filtering muddy water. I swapped it out for a new Befree when I reached VT. I didn't mind paying for a new filter because it works so well. This is the filter I intend to use when I hike the PCT in 2023.

Haven’t watched the video yet but just wanted to say that you must have gotten one of the “good” BeFrees. The problem with the product is that it inconsistent. I bought one on the PCT this year and it worked great. Two weeks later I accidentally left it in a motel and had to buy another. The new one completely failed to flush clean after another two weeks. Tried soaking it banging it swirling it you name it. Nothing I could do would fix it. It would barely filter a trickle, taking about 3-5 min to filter a liter. I threw it away and got a Sawyer once again. No issues now. In theory BeFree is great but in practice if it’s not consistent then it’s useless. Add to this the different threading so if your bag fails you can’t screw it on to a single use bottle like smartwater with Sawyer or QuickDraw - I don’t know why anyone would choose BeFree.

Thank you for the info. I love when you talk about gear. Actually, I could listen to you talk for hours about anything hiking related. It's because of you, and a few other channels, that I really got into hiking in the last couple years. Just wanted to tell you "Thank you!"

I have a BeFree and love it and use it all over New England, but it doesn't work at all in the Adirondacks. There's too much iron or something in the water there and it seized right up after one liter. So i still have my full sized Saywer for the Adirondacks. But loving the BeFree everywhere else!

Thank you so much for the info! Great video! Honest unpaid opinions and education from experienced people are priceless.

being a beginner hiker - you and the people that add comments here help so much. Thank you and please keep making contents for noobs like me. thank you to your fan base too with great info.

I've gone through a couple BeFree's so far. In Ohio or WV it seems to clog up so fast because there is so much Iron in the water. I did love it at first but ended up using a buddy's Sawyer Squeeze because in Doly Sodds because my BeFree stopped flowing. I really did want to love it, so be careful it might clog on you if your filtering the iron water.

Try the QuickDraw next time. I used it on my thru hike this year. I went through 3 of them. They stay pretty consistent.

one trick i use while doing 2-3 dayers carrying a seperate bottle for use with filtering specifically but also being an identical bottle to my drinking/cooking water bottle is a strip of duct tape around middle of the dirty water bottle to signify.

I started with a Katadyn and used it for a few years but within that time period I had 2 different bags spring a leak up near the collar. I have since switched to the Sawyer because of reliability.

From you and others who have been using the Katadyn Befree, it seems the way to go but still, the Sawyer seems like a cheap and lightweight backup.

When I use a filter, I like the BeFree with the 2 liter bag. Usually I just use AquaMira. I have a quickdraw I’ve not tried yet…but I already don’t like the form factor.

Have you tried to clean it using 1 tsp bleach / 1 liter water one night then 1 tsp vinegar / 1 liter water the next night? Anyone else?

I'm surprised to not see any comments suggesting what I'd call a "real Katadyn" that you pump. Maybe I'm giving away my age, but it used to be the only way to go, before straws and squeeze bags were a respectable option.

I have the befree. I like that there is a way to check the integrity of the filter. I can use it on the go as is, or I have rigged up a gravity feed system with the cnoc bag that fits it.

Pretty much exactly what I've figured out about the sawyer mini.

Great review! Would love to see your review on this backpack!

Lifestraw peak series collapsible squeeze bottle 650ml.

A professional in water filtration once explained to me that as a general rule, the slower the flow rate = the better the filtration (assuming the filter isn’t blocked or heavily contaminated). I’ve since considered this advise to make perfect sense, and for this reason I’ll be sticking with my Sawyer and regularly back-flushing.

Regular sawyer and a NOC bag is the way.

Hit that like button folks! 👍

Thank you so much ❤️

Solid advice, thanks.

Bought a befree, was never impressed by its flow. On the very first trip, my hands were cramping from having to squeeze so hard to get water to flow. I ended up using a mini I found in a local store for the rest of the trip. I know, I probably had a dud, but they are out there.

Love my Be Free

👋🏻

A couple of years ago I did the same thing and bought the Sawyer Mini before getting back out the trails and was seriously disappointed in the flow rate. After a couple of hikes in HVNP, I went to the BeFree and never looked back. I really like how the BeFree compacts when not in use, especially compared to the Mini or Squeeze. That being said, since every flight from here is 5+ hours, I use the Mini when traveling through airports and on the planes as I find it much easier to refill and use since I am always carrying a 1.5L water bottle(s) with me. For shorter day hikes I just fill up my 3L bladder in my pack and keep a 1.5L as a spare. Yeah, I know, I go through a lot of water as it humid here and I sweat a lot when I hike or MTB.

Sorry but you don't get it. You can back flush the Sawyer filters to speed up the flow rate

A review of your backpack sounds good, but truly any video from you always brightens my day.

I went through 4 befree's. For me, they did not "slow down". Every one of them suddenly clogged completely. Because of that, I had to squeeze so much and thier flasks got holes, so it was not just filter replacements. Yeah, my first one was Sawyer Mini and I regreted buying it at my first trip. I am now using a standard trusty Sawyer.

just drink it after filtering, or boil it>?