The right gear can be the difference between an incredible journey through the backcountry and a miserable slog on the trail. While guiding and exploring, we’ve found some favorites and not-so-favorites. Here we’re sharing detailed gear reviews so you can go prepared.
The Gear: Katadyn BeFree Water Filtration System
The Specs:
– .1 micron hollow fiber filter
– .6 liter or 1 liter soft flask available
– filters up to 2 liters of water per minute
– filter removes bacteria, cysts, and sediment
– easy to clean
Our Take: Effective and efficient water filtration is a cornerstone of the ability to run deep into wilderness. The technology that fuels filters has come along ways in recent years, and when the Katadyn BeFree hit the scene it altered the way we thought about backcountry hydration. The filter is built to screw on and off the soft flask water bottle it comes with. It’s light, super compact when empty, and filters incredibly quickly. These key features make it ideal for anyone traveling where water sources have a solid and reliable flow.
Further Considerations: The BeFree is well suited for most situations we find ourselves in, however there are a few considerations to keep in mind to guarantee it meets the needs of your trip.
-Capacity-
1 liter is enough water capacity between streams for some mountain routes, but on dry trails and in drier climates, I recommend bringing along a few extra bottles to filter into to raise your capacity.
-Fit-
Your running vest will need a big pocket somewhere.
When the 1 liter soft flask is full, it’s too big for the front chest pockets of all but one of my running vests. I’ve fastened some loops on to my vests that hold the top in place as a hack for this issue, but it can be obnoxious to manage the top bouncing around outside the pocket. After a few drinks from the flask, this problem begins to resolve itself.
-Particulates-
Over time, the filter will clog and filter speed will decrease. Running the Loowit Trail around Mt. St. Helens last summer, the high concentration of silt and ash in the glacial run-off from that blown out mountain lead to clogging at a much faster rate. Cleaning the filter by shaking it back and forth in water helps restore flow rate to an extent, but the next time I run a trail with similarly clouded water sources, I’ll likely opt for my SteriPen to decrease the load on the BeFree.
-Water Depth-
One significant catch with the BeFree; to fill the soft flask where water is still, a scooping motion is required. To scoop well your water source needs to be deep or have significant flow. There have been situations where I’ve had to build a waterfall into a shallow stream to slowly fill the soft flask, which can be tedious or impossible. Shallow water presents a challenge for many filtration systems, but in the case of the BeFree it can be particularly challenging.
The Wrap: The BeFree makes water filtration a breeze in many situations. It’s not a flawless system, but it’s the best approach for many wilderness adventures.
The Katadyn Steripen and Sawyer Squeeze and In-Line filtration systems are other options well suited for extended backcountry trail running. In addition to any filter in my pack, I always keep a back-up supply of iodine in case of emergency.
However you choose to purify, stay hydrated out there! Happy trails!
You can pick up the Katadyn BeFree here.
Trent Banks is a mountain rambler, a disc jockey, and father of two daughters, based out of Bellingham, WA. He joined the Aspire crew in 2018. You can find him playing clubs and livestreaming DJ sets, working aid stations at races across the Pacific Northwest, and guiding trips with the rest of the Aspire team.