Katadyn BeFree Gravity Water Filter 3L

Simply awesome. Saved me and my friends pounds of water weight on our bags when backpacking. Never had an issue. It's reliable and useful, just what I needed. Good quality materials overall.

I took the Katadyn Gravity BeFree 3.0L Water Filter on my backpacking trip in the Sierra Nevadas, and it was phenomenal. The filter performed incredibly well, filling my Nalgene bottles in less than 20 seconds. It's hard to overstate how quick and efficient it was at providing clean water. The 3.0L capacity was a godsend for me – I was able to carry plenty of water back to camp for multiple people, and it was so nice to have fresh, clean water available without having to filter every time somebody needed a drink. I appreciated how lightweight and easy the system is to use. Even with the large capacity, it was easy to handle and set up – a consideration that's crucial when you're carrying everything on your back for a long hike. The EZ Clean membrane also made it easy to clean, and I had every confidence in the purity of the water I was drinking. Plus, the water tasted wonderful! Cool, clear, and refreshing, it was a welcome treat after a sweltering day on the trail. The only drawback I did notice was that the water bag itself could be somewhat prone to damage if you're not careful. You do have to be gentle with it so you don't puncture or rip it. So, just be aware of that when using it in rough conditions. Overall, I would suggest the Katadyn Gravity BeFree for any backpacking or camping trip. It's a sturdy, effective, and ultralight way to hydrate in the backcountry!

It’s hard to imagine a better more well-thought-out device for backcountry water filtration. I have used the older version for many years, but upgraded to this one and it is an exceptionally well-thought-out device. From the flushable filter to a small pinch on the handle that will hold the hose. This product is extremely useful and easy to deploy. We recently used it for a group of 18 people on a whitewater rafting trip and it was exceptionally fast and easy to use. Highly recommended. Great value.

Great product for everything from the house, travel trailer, or long backcountry trips. Light, durable. By far the best option I have found for backpacking or any other camping.

I thru-hiked the AT in 2021 and used three different water filtration systems on my hike. I used the BeFree for about half the hike. All three systems used the same filtration material; however, the BeFree is very different from the small cannister type systems that attach to a bottle or pouch. The flow rate on the BeFree using gravity was fast. Perhaps not quite as fast as squeezing water through a fresh cannister type, but fast enough to make the advantage of doing gravity feed a huge plus. The accessibility of the filter fibers makes consistent cleaning of the filter extremely fast and easy, and prolonged the flow rate of the filter substantially over the more sealed filter systems (even when I backflushed them on each use). The bag on the BeFree system is nice too. The bag's material flexibility and wide mouth allow for creative options to collect scarce water in drought conditions (it will also wedge onto a 1.5 inch PVC pipe with enough friction to remain their even under slight water pressure).

Obviously this is an amazing water filter. That’s been proven many times over by many people, is you’re looking for anything, just buy this, if you don’t need to filter viruses it’ll be great. The 3l bag is a huge help for collecting water at camp while backpacking. One issue I’ve ran into is the water tasting like nasty plastic after sitting for more than 30 minutes. So you need to clean it out with whatever method you use prior to holding water in it. And i never got those hose with my kit. But besides that I’ve used it on a dozen trips so far and the speed of filtering and ease of cleaning is awesome.

Happy I went with Katadyn. Their competitor had an inferior product that broke on my 1st of 40 days on the AT in 2024. Katadyn built a solid product to withstand more than just 3 L. I used it for 6 weeks on the AT in 2025 and had no issues at all. I only had a couple issues of no water flow but realized the connecting tube was not secure - that was user error. Of the 6 weeks, I may have cleaned it about 4 times by rigorously shaking the b-jesus out of it. Instructions to clean are imprinted on the bag itself so no need to try to remember or bring the stupid little instruction book while hiking 450 miles in the woods : -D

This filter is simply unreliable. I have attempted to use it for over a year and it has done nothing but ruin trips and cause me to cut them short. The filter's flow slows to a trickle and cannot be restored permanently. I have soaked the filter in a solution of bleach and water which worked only briefly. Soaking the filter in distilled water for 24 hours before a trip also did not help. The "swishing" method they mention to clean the filter quite literally does nothing. This product is not for any serious camping or backpacking.

Work great. Easy to use. Note that there are very specific instructions on how to clean it that you should follow. And it doesn't filter super small things like viruses. But a well known and easy camp filter.

Produit très facile à utiliser et à transporter

Extremely poor quality - the seal around the screw-in ring came lose after the first time we used it. The print on the bag lets lose by simply looking at it. Unbelievably shoddy quality that makes me wonder whether this is not a counterfeit item!

Small replacement filter works well for the large capacity water filtration system

Utilisé en rando montagne sur 2 mois. Remplis d'eau des torrents et autre source d'eau rencontré avec pas mal d'animaux sauvage (marmottes, renards, bouquetins, chamois etc.) et domestique (vache, âne, chevaux et autres) résultat nickel. toujours en bonne santé. Alors pourquoi s'en privé.