sawyer vs. katadyn be free

[Megapixel]

Anyone used the sawyer squeeze and the katadyn be free? It seems the be free may be better flow and more durable as far as the bag goes; thinking about switching but looking for some feedback first... Thanks in advance.

[Rex Clifton]

I used both and the Bee Free clogged on me the first trip (may have gotten a lemon). I've been using the Squeeze for some time and, although its slowed down some, it still works great. Unless you need a filter right away, I'd wait. Sawyer just released a new filter that, for now, is only available in their water purifier kits. They're expected to sell the filter separate in the not-to-distant future and, based on YouTube reviews, it works really well.

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[Venchka]

I have a BeFree and Hydrapak 2 L Seeker.
It’s been on the shelf since I got back from Wyoming last September. I got it out last week to exercise it. The flow had slowed but still passing water.
I soaked it in tap water for an afternoon. The flow rate was back to normal.
30 seconds per liter.
The Hydrapak Seeker has a leak free warranty.
Nobody reporting the BeFree clogging up has mentioned any warranty service. I wonder why that is?
In my case, soaking and exercising the BeFree filter keeps it flowing.
Wayne

[Venchka]

PS:
Filter and 2 L soft bottle weighs 3.75 ounces.
Wayne

[Megapixel]

Thanks again for your experiences.I have seen several busted kit bags on the sawyer, but other than that it has performed perfectly. Once a bag busts, trying to squeeze water through a smart water bottle or similar is a noisy, aggravating affair.

[Rex Clifton]

Thanks again for your experiences.I have seen several busted kit bags on the sawyer, but other than that it has performed perfectly. Once a bag busts, trying to squeeze water through a smart water bottle or similar is a noisy, aggravating affair.

Your best bet is to use the Sawyer bags as backup only, they're garbage. I use an Evernew 2 litre bag, works great and, for three years, has never failed me. I'd use my Platy bag, but the threads are not compatible.

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[jefals]

the rep at REI told me if I got the sawyer, I should get another bag to use with it, cause the sawyer one tends to break at the neck. Seemed to me to ve a good reason just to stay away from the sawyer all together.

[nsherry61]

Your best bet is to use the Sawyer bags as backup only, they're garbage. I use an Evernew 2 litre bag, works great and, for three years, has never failed me. . .

There is no doubt that the Evernew bag is significantly stouter than the Sawyer bags. But, with years and miles of use (okay, I admit, I often don't treat my water, but when I do . . .) I've never had my Sawyer bag fail. Their current bags (not the earliest that were pretty bad) are fine unless you are into brutalizing your gear. I've watch other peoples' Sawyer bags fail while they were sitting on them or squeezing them like there was no tomorrow instead of back-flushing their filter and squeezing gently and firmly.

[Venchka]

I always worry about operator error contributing to failure in online reviews.
Even though Hydrapak will replace the Seeker if it leaks, that won’t help in the middle of nowhere. I’ll buy a backup the next time I’m in an REI. Cheap insurance. Leave one of the Platys at home.
Wayne

[Maui Rhino]

No experience yet with the BeFree, but I've been thinking about it. I already have two 3L Seekers for long water carries and really like them. I bought a Sawyer several years ago and use it in a gravity system. No squeezing or ruptured bags for me.....

Back flushing your filter with distilled water after trips, or before long storage will also help keep it flowing freely. Minerals in tap water will crystalize in the filter and clog it up. Briefly soaking your filter in vinegar can restore the filter if flow had been reduced by crystalization.

[BuckeyeBill]

There is no doubt that the Evernew bag is significantly stouter than the Sawyer bags. But, with years and miles of use (okay, I admit, I often don't treat my water, but when I do . . .) I've never had my Sawyer bag fail. Their current bags (not the earliest that were pretty bad) are fine unless you are into brutalizing your gear. I've watch other peoples' Sawyer bags fail while they were sitting on them or squeezing them like there was no tomorrow instead of back-flushing their filter and squeezing gently and firmly.

Everything you are saying is true. People who don't know any better use things in a manner that they were not made to be used. Then they want the factory to replace it under warranty. I sold my original Sawyer Squeeze with a few Evernew bags when Sawyer came out with the Sawyer Squeeze Plus. The bags that came with it work fine for me, but I don't wring the bag out like a washcloth.

No experience yet with the BeFree, but I've been thinking about it. I already have two 3L Seekers for long water carries and really like them. I bought a Sawyer several years ago and use it in a gravity system. No squeezing or ruptured bags for me.....

Back flushing your filter with distilled water after trips, or before long storage will also help keep it flowing freely. Minerals in tap water will crystalize in the filter and clog it up. Briefly soaking your filter in vinegar can restore the filter if flow had been reduced by crystalization.

Here is more good advice. The only thing I would add is after a vinegar soak, back flush it several times to remove the vinegar taste. Yes I did not do this once and learned a very valuable lesson.

[Burrhead]

I have been using the Sawyer bags for two years, around 120 nights and haven't had one rupture.....yet!

[Hosh]

Yeah, depends on how you treat your gear

[Shrewd]

General consensus these days is that Sawyer beefed up those bags, buttttttt they’ll still eventually pop.

My 2 liter platypus also popped, maybe about halfway into my thru?

I replaced it eventually but also used smartwater bottles. My water kit was kind of constantly in flux.

I’m curious about the befree but I need to see some thru hiker reviews before I commit.
Then again I work at rei now and may just grab one with my discount to play with it

[wiiawiwb]

I used both and the Bee Free clogged on me the first trip (may have gotten a lemon). I've been using the Squeeze for some time and, although its slowed down some, it still works great. Unless you need a filter right away, I'd wait. Sawyer just released a new filter that, for now, is only available in their water purifier kits. They're expected to sell the filter separate in the not-to-distant future and, based on YouTube reviews, it works really well. Sent from my SM-G955U1 using Tapatalk

Are you referring to the gravity feed system that filters to .02 micron (versus .1 micron)?

https://sawyer.com/products/sawyer-c...rifier-system/

[Rex Clifton]

Are you referring to the gravity feed system that filters to .02 micron (versus .1 micron)?

https://sawyer.com/products/sawyer-c...rifier-system/

No, this one:

https://www.amazon.com/Sawyer-Produc...+water+filters


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[Shrewd]

Doesn’t the bottle work with the filter?

I thought the filter was pretty much the same but the bottle uses its own foam mechanism

[Uncle Joe]

the rep at REI told me if I got the sawyer, I should get another bag to use with it, cause the sawyer one tends to break at the neck. Seemed to me to ve a good reason just to stay away from the sawyer all together.

I've read a lot of people have bag failures but I have never had one fail, FWIW. But you can use any bad you want, really.

[Burrhead]

My Sawyer bags are doing fine after 2+ years. The use is roughly half and half between a gravity system with the sawyer squeeze and being rolled with a sawyer mini. IMHO, a lot of the failures are from squeezing the bags with the mini's and just not being patient enough. There is only so much liquid you can get through an approximately 3 millimeter hole no matter how hard you try.

[Venchka]

Meanwhile,
Hydrapak has a forever guarantee. Hydrapak is also making Osprey bladders now.
https://hydrapak.com/support/warranty/
My Seeker 2L and BeFree filter are flowing at the rate of 30 seconds per liter. Just for grins I hung the Seeker over my Nalgene 3 quart soft canteen. I came back a couple hours later and the Seeker was empty. A vent in the Seeker would be nice. Although I could squeeze the Seeker dry faster than I could walk to a tree and hang it.
One Geezer’s experience.
Wayne