Hydroblu Versa Flow Filter

EM-Chiseller

Thru Hiker
These are available for sale once again... From CNOC
hb-vf-01_01_7bfcd3d6-9dfc-4392-be47-3a2f0d8842c0_900x.jpg
I'm unaware of any friends having one?
After seeing reviews stateside, I yearned to try one.

I searched high and low, from back packing outfitters, survival stores and hardware stores a cross the world.

The only one I could find was in Canada and cost $65 Cad plus shipping and tax!!!
I received an email from Cnoc yesterday...... They're back in stock :thumbsup: £23 shipped.... At that price, they should be without tax??
If your not familiar They weigh in at 2oz/57g so only a tics sac less than my sawyer micro.

So why another filter?
3g less, and with the benefits of having caps over both ends, so no more dribbles in the storage pouch or need for one. So that's another weight saving.
They seem to be very popular amongst US backpackers and are reputed to have a superior flow rate to the sawyers. For a fastpacking... The hook was set. :stig:

I've ordered one along with they're 2019 3L bag for using as clean water storage on extended camps with the wife.

I'm looking forward to comparing it with my micro and will review it initially and again after a couple of months use.

 
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Shewie

Chief Slackpacker
Staff member
I think you’ll still get stung with VAT and RM fees, could be wrong though

I’ll be interested to see whether it’s any better than a sawyer
 

EM-Chiseller

Thru Hiker
I think you’ll still get stung with VAT and RM fees, could be wrong though

I’ll be interested to see whether it’s any better than a sawyer
I will for sure because I've added the bag on, it's DHL if I remember and they hit me with the macpac tax... So much for commenwealth countries :alien:
 

William.K

Ultralighter
Ordered one myself last night. I've been waiting for Cnoc getting them back in stock. After watching Hounds of Howgate's review i was pretty much sold.

I'm expecting a VAT and RM fee's spanking, i think it's anything over £15 and they add them.
 

dovidola

Thru Hiker
I like your line "that's scary fast - to the point where you wonder whether it's actually working".
With all these filters, you are without conclusive evidence of their efficacy. "I used it, and I never got sick" is hardly absolute proof, any more than my observation that in over 40 years of drinking untreated mountain stream water, I never got sick. Post hoc ergo propter hoc (as they say in Welsh). In the (rare) event of sickness, a manufacturer can always fall back on their defence of not having claimed 100% effectiveness anyway.
Looks even faster than my new Micro, at least a bit. As always, longer-term use may yield different findings, although I seem to remember you @Chiseller use a bit of parachute silk or somesuch to prefilter the larger particles out?
 

EM-Chiseller

Thru Hiker
Receip
I like your line "that's scary fast - to the point where you wonder whether it's actually working".
With all these filters, you are without conclusive evidence of their efficacy. "I used it, and I never got sick" is hardly absolute proof, any more than my observation that in over 40 years of drinking untreated mountain stream water, I never got sick. Post hoc ergo propter hoc (as they say in Welsh). In the (rare) event of sickness, a manufacturer can always fall back on their defence of not having claimed 100% effectiveness anyway.
Looks even faster than my new Micro, at least a bit. As always, longer-term use may yield different findings, although I seem to remember you @Chiseller use a bit of parachute silk or somesuch to prefilter the larger particles out?
That's a great post :thumbsup:
I would say it's a fair bit faster than my micro and easier to suck through with the straw.
I like the little plugs aswell to save dribbles.
I'll be using it this weekend, so we will see.
Yes I do use some very fine mesh as a prefilter if the water looks gritty. If its flowing well, I try to scoop with the flow and won't bother.
 

EM-Chiseller

Thru Hiker
Video added to 1st post.
Found it a pleasure to use this weekend.
If you watch it, please give it a thumb up or down... Helps me either way. Cheers
 

Gadget

Thru Hiker
Has it got a 28mm female thread on both ends?

The general consensus is better than a Sawyer Mini, but has anyone (anywhere on the web) done a direct comparison to a Kayadyn Be Free?
 

Gadget

Thru Hiker
Oh, I think I've anwered my own question!
DSC04653_900x.JPG
 

Gadget

Thru Hiker
Hey Chis, fancy doing me a favour... for science?
I've been hunting around looking for evidence of the flow rate, the only figure I could find was 1 gallon in 5 minutes. But I'm guessing that's under pressure (squeezing the bag). But that makes it tricky to make comparisons. You would get a better comparison figure using a pure gravity filter setup.
Could you just time how long it takes to fill a 500ml jug, with just gravity, no squeezing?

My 18 month old Befree takes 74 seconds to do 500ml (gravity fill from a 2lt bladder).
 
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Gadget

Thru Hiker
Just for comparison, I just filled a 1 litre jug with the Befree in just under 21 seconds (using a fairly hard squeeze).
 

EM-Chiseller

Thru Hiker
2:39 with gravity alone ,
28 sec to squeeze 500ml.
55 sec to produce 1L
It seems to have slowed since initial use but still far faster than my sawyer micro.

The BeFree obviously benefits from the wider body, glad I didn't do a video titled 'BeFree' rival lol.

How many estimated litres of stream/Tarn water has it had through in 18 months?
 

EM-Chiseller

Thru Hiker
Not happy, I did a backflush (already done on my return from the last trip)
21 sec for 500ml.
I've heard of BeFree slowing down after a few uses (several multi day trips) but reckon I may buy a BeFree to try myself at some stage.
 
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Nigelp

Thru Hiker
Sawyer Mini squeeze (new 2019 model)

Gravity - dripped so would be a leave it to hang option
1:02 for 1 litre
 
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