Katadyn befree lifespan & cold temps experience?

[Macintosh]

What kid of lifespan are folks getting from the filter portion of their katadyn befree filter?

Also, any experience in cold temps?

Reason Im asking, I got one a year or so ago. Love it. Went to use it today (90*f, humid, out of water…) and it would not flow hardly at all. Took it in to shop where I bought it and the guy says the filter element is fragile from impacts and also cold temps—even in the absence of water inside. Ive only filtered maybe 5 or 8 liters of water, but been carrying it around in my pack including during fall and winter when temps were well below freezing, even though the filter never had water in it at those temps. I replaced mine, they are not to $$, so no big deal really, just wondering what my reliability expectation should be with these.

So Im curious what others experience has been with lifespan of the filters, but also durability of the filter element from general carrying around and cold.

 

[BRTreedogs]

I used a befree on one trip and it didn’t make it long.
It was standing water which I normally do not filter from, but was pretty clear.

But I’ve had a similar issue as you with my sawyer squeeze and have a theory that once you filter once, then let it sit a long time.
Say 30 days
The fibers stick together or something.

Soaking/flushing with vinegar seems to clear them up pretty well.

 

[LCguy]

I always have best results with my be free by letting the fibers get saturated for about 30 minutes before I use it. Can also soak it in a liter of water and a drop or two of bleach or vinegar and that usually revives it. It's the only filter I use because it fits on Hydrapacks which I love for backpacking.

I don't really have a ton of experience using it in very cold weather but when it'll be very cold at night I sleep with it in my sleeping bag and thag seems to keep it running fine.

 

[MT_Wyatt]

Yeah I’d echo the need to soak - they seem to need the priming before a trip if you haven’t used in a while.

Be Frees are nice but consumable, they tend to clog a bit faster (better than sawyers though) than I’d prefer, even using clean water. I started using the hydropak filter and tend to prefer their performance.

Cold - I’m not sure that would make them slower? Manufacturers say freezing (with fluid) expands/cracks the filaments you push water through, so that kills filtering diameter but shouldn’t impact flow. Not your case sounds like.

 

[mtnbound]

What kid of lifespan are folks getting from the filter portion of their katadyn befree filter?

Also, any experience in cold temps?

Reason Im asking, I got one a year or so ago. Love it. Went to use it today (90*f, humid, out of water…) and it would not flow hardly at all. Took it in to shop where I bought it and the guy says the filter element is fragile from impacts and also cold temps—even in the absence of water inside. Ive only filtered maybe 5 or 8 liters of water, but been carrying it around in my pack including during fall and winter when temps were well below freezing, even though the filter never had water in it at those temps. I replaced mine, they are not to $$, so no big deal really, just wondering what my reliability expectation should be with these.

So Im curious what others experience has been with lifespan of the filters, but also durability of the filter element from general carrying around and cold.

I replace the filters every year, and if I use them during sustained freezing temperatures, I keep them in my sleep system overnight. During the day in freezing temps, I keep them in my EXO's bladder compartment.

 

[Grassymike]

We use them in September weather here in Alberta for Sheep hunting. Usually get frost nearly every night and just put it in a ziplock inside my bag at night. Supposed to be good for a 1000 liters of filtering. I have no idea as mine was new last year.