Water Filters Head-to-Head: Sawyer vs Katadyn vs Platypus

The Sawyer Squeeze, Katadyn BeFree, and Platypus QuickDraw are competing for the last word quick, simple, and light-weight backpacking water filter. All of them defend in opposition to protozoa and micro organism whereas filtering out particles and enhancing style. You’ll be able to drink straight from any of those filters or squeeze all the water into your regular hydration methodology. Outside Life carried out a large-scale evaluation of the very best water filters and located these to be the highest three backpacking filters. Comparable in weight and velocity, what units these three filters aside is their experiential variations. I examined the Squeeze, BeFree, and QuickDraw whereas backpacking within the desert to find out how they carried out within the area. After filtering each standing and flowing canyon water, listed below are a few of the key variations of their baggage, filters, and ease of cleansing that will help you make your determination.

Evaluating the Water Filter Baggage

The Sawyer Squeeze gained the very best worth award in OL‘s in depth evaluation of sixteen completely different water filters, nevertheless it additionally has the very best bag. The Squeeze has one thing of a cult following resulting from the truth that it was one of many first squeeze baggage in the marketplace; and it’s low-cost, light-weight, and versatile. The included baggage are sturdy, if annoying to replenish (the key is to make use of two fingers to maintain the bag full of as a lot air as doable, submerge, and tilt the bag upward till bubbles seem indicating that the bag is shortly filling with water). You’ll be able to keep away from this challenge by utilizing a SmartWater bottle. Nevertheless, I want the bag as a result of it’s simple to fold to make sure each drop of water is filtered out, with the additional benefit of it being extraordinarily packable. It additionally stands properly by itself in comparison with others that I examined. 

The positives of utilizing the Platypus QuickDraw are the deal with on the bag and the power to make use of it with different containers like a SmartWater bottle. The liter bag is sturdy and the deal with makes it extraordinarily handy to hold. Although it shares the Sawyer’s finicky filling tendencies, the deal with does support within the scooping motions essential to fill in standing water. The bag additionally curves inward within the center, forming an hourglass form for simple holding and squeezing. Nevertheless, it’s a flimsy materials that tends to crumple inflicting it to be tougher to squeeze out the air and shimmy into your pack’s aspect pocket. You’ll be able to roll the bag to take away air and make it extra packable nevertheless it takes up extra space this fashion, particularly with the filter connected to the highest. The QuickDraw’s bag additionally gained’t stand upright when it’s full, permitting it to select up grime and sand once you lay it on the bottom. The QuickDraw is suitable with the Platypus Hoser bought individually for a bigger filtered reservoir.

The Katadyn BeFree had probably the most difficulties within the area. The bag is grippy and grime tends to stay to it which may fall off into your clear water. You need to use the designated BeFree bag as a result of the filter sits contained in the bag as a substitute of out of doors, so when you overlook the bag or it breaks, this filter is ineffective. This additionally means you could’t get all the water out and a few inevitably will get trapped close to the filter with no room to squeeze it out.

Filter Comparability

Sawyer sends an additional bag, syringe for backflushing, inline hydration pack adapter, and gravity adapter with this package. The inline adapter permits you to incorporate your hydration bladder hose with the Sawyer to filter water as you suck. Although it’s important to lower your hose for this, so it’s a dedication. A much less everlasting adaptation is the gravity filter which lets you dangle a bag of soiled water from a department and let the water fall by the filter, no squeezing required. You get two nozzles to include the included hose and you should use any bladder or bag to fill with soiled water. The Sawyer’s versatility, simplicity, and superior bag make this my favourite filter. Nevertheless, I’ve observed one constant however minor challenge with the Sawyer’s O-ring. It tends to come out. You’ll need to keep watch over your water bag because it typically stays there after you unscrew the filter. Mine has fallen right into a operating stream earlier than and when you lose it, your filter is ineffective as a result of soiled water can seep out. This filter does tend to carry water which makes it heavier after use; mine gained nearly 2 ounces. The opposite filters on this check additionally gained weight, however solely about an oz.

The QuickDraw gained the quickest stream award filtering 3 liters per minute. The filter’s preliminary weight is heavier than the BeFree and the Sawyer, however the stream charge is quicker as proved within the bigger water filter check. It took 35-40 seconds to filter one liter. Truthfully, I’m by no means going to be involved about shaving seconds off my filtering time. If I’ve already stopped to filter and unpacked my water reservoir, any of the highest three squeeze filters are going to be quick sufficient for me. It’ll take me extra time to replenish the bag and finesse my CamelBak reservoir to sit down comfortably between my knees for an optimum filtering angle than it is going to to squeeze the water by. However when you’re trying purely for velocity, this could possibly be the filter for you. The Sawyer solely filters 1.7 liters per minute and the Katadyn does 2 liters.

The Katadyn BeFree gained the award for finest light-weight water filter weighing an oz lower than the opposite two. Nevertheless, the BeFree’s filter is uncovered so you’ll be able to’t set it down on the bottom whereas filling the bag with out clogging it with grime or sand. All the slight inconveniences of the bag and filter add up, prolonging the filtering course of. It does work and it’s light-weight, however I’d reasonably pack on one other ounce and keep away from these annoyances.

Ease of Cleansing Comparability

The Squeeze’s backflushing syringe is one other factor it’s important to carry (no less than on longer journeys or to areas with notably silty water), nevertheless it makes the Sawyer a breeze to scrub.

A debatable perk of the Platypus QuickDraw is the tool-free cleansing. The Platypus could be backflushed with a SmartWater bottle. You need to maintain the SmartWater bottle’s wider opening firmly in opposition to the QuickDraw’s nozzle whereas forcing water again by the filter. Nevertheless, it does work and also you’ll lower down on weight by leaving the syringe at residence if you have already got a SmartWater bottle with you. However when you depend on a bladder or Nalgene, you gained’t have the ability to clear this filter within the area. 

Katadyn’s BeFree can’t be backflushed, as that may harm the filter. However it may be cleaned with out a software by merely swishing the filter by some clear water or shaking clear water contained in the bag. I’ve some points with this as you’ll both need to depend on a grimy bag full of clear water to swish out particles or dig out your cup or pot and fill with clear water to swish the filter by.

How I Examined Backpacking Water Filters

Within the extra complete water filter check, the merchandise had been tasked with purifying scummy, micro organism infested water from a public seashore, mucky swamp water, and a river of glacial runoff full of silt. Whereas all of those websites definitely pushed the filters outdoors their consolation zones, I wished a spherical robin of less-than-ideal water sources. I took these into the desert canyons of Utah in Moab and Escalante. Moab featured standing puddles of muddy and sandy water, left to bake within the solar. Escalante was extra forgiving with shallow shifting water courtesy of the Escalante river. As these circumstances different from the unique check, a few of the measured stream occasions and weights will differ. In each areas, the filters carried out admirably with no clogging. Nevertheless, the effectivity and usefulness different extra extensively than I anticipated amongst the highest three backpacking water filters.

Remaining Ideas

Whereas all of those filters will hold you hydrated when backpacking or mountain climbing, the very best water filter is the one which will get this chore over with as shortly as doable with minimal threat of failure. Regardless of the O-ring challenge, I might advocate the Sawyer Squeeze first as it’s the least costly, can simply be cleaned within the area, and has probably the most versatility. The Platypus QuickDraw is a detailed second with a superior stream velocity however finicky bag. Katadyn’s BeFree is gentle and can do the trick, however its inner filter causes extra issues than it solves. As we dive into shoulder season after which winter, keep in mind to sleep together with your chosen water filter in freezing temperature to keep away from the water leftover in your filter freezing, increasing, and finally breaking the system.