We go to the mountains for freedom, but sometimes the gear we pack along can weigh us down – especially early in the hiking season when the legs and lungs aren’t broken in yet and every step counts. A liter of water weighs 2.2 lbs (and I usually bring 2-3 liters with me), so when I decided to hike Mt. St. John in the northern end of the Teton Range as one of my first peaks of the summer, I was thrilled to ditch the extra weight for the freedom of the Katadyn BeFree Collapsible Water Filter Bottle.
We got an early start on a clear morning, hiking around the northern end of Jenny Lake in the quiet coolness and veering off the beaten path onto an unmarked trail toward Hanging Canyon. After tiptoeing around a mama bear and two very cute cubs hanging from trees, we were off on a steadily ascending trail. It was late July, but because of the heavy snow year we had had, the vegetation was still lush and green and there was still snow up high. On the way up, we passed the Ribbon Cascade, meltwater tumbling from the lakes above down a steep rocky face. Places to refill water were literally everywhere, and we took advantage of the super easy-to-use instant gratification of the Katadyn BeFree Collapsible Water Filter Bottle. With one scoop, the wide opening of the 0.6L Hydrapak soft flask (the water bottle part of the system) allowed for fast filling, either by submersion or from boulder pour-overs. This water was probably clean enough to drink straight from the stream, but we didn’t feel the need to test our luck, and it was just as easy to sip out of the BeFree system as a hydration pack or squeezy water bottle.
Once we got to the Lake of the Crags, we weren’t sure if there would be easy spots to refill on the way to the summit (there were), which was still a few thousand feet of climbing away, so we used the Katadyn BeFree Collapsible Water Filter Bottle to refill the other water bottles we had brought along, by gently squeezing the water from the soft flask, through the filter, out the nozzle, and into the bottles.
So often on the long descents out of the Tetons, I try to push through back to the trailhead with the water I have, but because of how easy and fast it was to simply fill and drink to my heart’s content with the BeFree system, I stayed really well hydrated on the 5,000-foot quad-crusher. I made a practice of keeping it in the top of my pack, so that when it was full of water, it wouldn’t leak out the top or threads if accidentally pressurized, and when it was empty, to protect the soft flask material for future uses. I haven’t had a problem with either, but my instinct is to treat it well so it lasts for the 1,000 liters of uses that the filter is good for.
I’ve used the Katadyn BeFree Collapsible Water Filter Bottle a lot this summer and fall, and it is holding up well. In addition to hiking, I’ve used it to stay hydrated and as a backup water source while rafting and doing field work. It takes up very little space, weighs next to nothing, and is very easy to use. My husband’s borrowed it as well for longer trail runs (it can stuff into pockets). And once, I ran into a guy at the base of a multipitch Tetons climb that was drinking from a BeFree and raving to his friends about how awesome it had been on the approach. Maintaining the filter is easy too – it can be cleaned of debris in the field by swirling it in fresh running water or by shaking a filled bottle. Between uses, I simply unscrewed the cap/filter, rinsed both components in tap water, and left them out to dry (for longer-term storage, Micropur tablet or bleach treatment is advised).
The Katadyn BeFree Collapsible Water Filter Bottle is available in 0.6L, 1L and 3L sizes. It comes with a 2-year manufacturer’s warranty. A replacement filter cartridge can be purchased separately. The filter meets EPA standards for keeping out 99.9999% of bacteria and 99.9% of protozoa.
Bottom Line: This ultralight water bottle and filter combo makes staying hydrated on the trail a breeze. –L.S. (Dec ‘17)
$39.95 Less at Amazon
Manufacturer’s site: www.katadyn.com