Katadyn  BeFree Gravity Water Filter - 6 Liters

This product was fantastic for a base camp setup. It preformed excellent on the first trip out. However the window on the bag failed on our trip to glacier on our second trip out. It got a leak on the seam of the window. Really annoying and completely unnecessary. I don’t see the need to have a window for the water because you can see the bag itself is either full or empty. Seems like an unnecessary failure point. To the good. The manufacturer replaced it and the process was super simple. Was disappointed to see another bag show up with a window. Company does still stand by their product and I’m excited to use it again

We bought this to utilize in the BWCA. As a family of four, it was our main source of clean water while we were up there. Unfortunately after running 15 gallons of very clear water with no visible sediment this filter reduced to a trickle after gallon 15 and then only drops when attempting to fill up the the five gallon water container for the fourth time. You cannot count on this filter setup for any prolonged hiking or wilderness adventure. Very disappointed in Katadyn and this product. If the other group we were camping with would not have been a long, we would have all been sucking out of a life straw for the last 3 Days of our trip..... there's gotta be a solution to make this right.....this filter isn't it.

Whenever I see a lower review for this filter, I am surprised. This filter has changed my backpacking life! I've had one for several years. There is nothing like getting camp set up, going for a dip, cooking dinner, all while my Katadyn Gravity filter is doing all of the filtering work!! I've used it with glacial water, creeks, rivers, lakes, etc and it keeps on filtering. It requires good care of the filter, swishing clean water through it regularly, but then it works like a gem! Sometimes faster, sometimes slower, but never more effort than it takes me with a filter where I am doing the work! I recommend this to everyone. Light weight, easy to use. It's my go to filter!

This review is for the 6L Katadyn BeFree version Gravity Filter. Filters very fast, easy to "slosh" sediment away to clean the filter element and continue use. I carry a small 1L BeFree bottle anyway which uses the identical filter element and so provides a backup filter for the gravity unit, (though I have not needed to use it as such.) Works great with a HydraPak for a clean water reservoir. I use a pair of 3L HydraPak seeker bottles to receive the filtered water and can quickly provide six liters of filtered water to my team. The Katadyn filter hose includes a quick connect fitting that connects with the HydraPak plug-n-play fitting for quick and easy connections and receiving water container swaps. I prefer having the filtered water going directly to a packable Hydrapak water bottle rather than another reservoir like the Platypus system. Be aware that most of the negative reviews are for a previous Camp Filter version, not this BeFree version. Packs light and small. Highly recommended.

I used the this filter on a multi-day backpacking trip with a group of three, and it performed flawlessly. Collecting water from alpine lakes was quick and effortless — just fill the bag, hang it up, and gravity does the work. The filtration was fast and effective, providing clean, great-tasting water with no strange aftertaste at all. The 6-liter capacity made a huge difference for group use. The bag lasted the entire trip without any leaks or issues, and it was incredibly convenient not having to constantly trek down to the lake for refills. We could fill up once and have enough water for cooking, cleaning, and refilling bottles for everyone.

I recently used the Katadyn Gravity BeFree 6L Microfilter on a backcountry camping trip with 10 people, and it exceeded expectations. We were camped right on the lake in 80-degree weather, going through a lot of water, and this system was a champ. I kept it hung on a tree and refilled it using a couple of 1L Nalgenes to keep the filter clean, which worked perfectly. The flow rate was fast, making it easy to keep everyone hydrated without turning water collection into a chore. Compared to the smaller filters I normally use for solo or small group trips, this was a game changer for larger groups lightweight, easy to use, and highly reliable.

Used this many times backpacking and is great for multiple people. The flow is very fast. As others have stated it will slow down and possibly stop. BUT, that’s partly user error/lack of foresight. You should back wash the filter after every use. If you are using a silty water source then just let the sediment settle and decant into filter bag. If you don’t take care of the filter you can’t expect it to work efficiently.

Updated Review: Worked great for the first few trips. Was very optimistic about it. Suddenly on my next trip it reduced to hardly a trickle. Went through all the steps to clean out the filter and get it working again. Took it home to do a more thorough cleanse. Slightly improved, but as soon as I got out again on another backpacking trip it reduced to a tiny trickle. Tried again to clean it out according to instructions. Still the same result. The squeeze filter works great, unfortunately they need to go back to the drawing board and figure out this gravity system. I’m going back to Platypus for a gravity filter.

I used this filter on a week-long trip to Isle Royale. Being able to fill the bag, and let it hang waiting to be used was a great option. I always had water ready to cook with, fill my water bladder, top off water bottles, or clean up. I was always able to submerge the bag so it was never a challenge to fill, although you still have options when you can’t submerge completely. Easy to use. I quickly had my 14 year old up to speed on its function.

Ive used this filter on at least 20 days of overnight camping/hunting. I previously had the 3 liter which was a thinner material and was prone to getting pin holes if you werent super careful. This one you can hang just about anywhere or lay on the ground elevated if no trees around. good for a beginner or expert. After filling your nalgenes or bladder you can use this as extra storage to haul back to camp. As with any filter, dont just scoop up a bunch of dirty water or youll clog your filter. This one is easy to shake in water to clear a little but its still never going to flow like new after that.