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No.  Sawyer Hollow Fibers are much stronger than those used by Katadyn so backwashing a BeFree with a Sawyer backwashing plunger will more than likely damage the fibers.

Sawyer filters have very strong fibers (see Fiber Strength Study) and are capable of handling up to 40 PSI (Pounds Per Square Inch) of pressure.  When clean, Sawyer Filters only need 1 to 2 PSI of pressure to flow freely.  As the fibers collect particulates, the pressure to move water through will increase as the particulates create barriers to water flow.

Sawyer pouches are designed to handle up to 7 PSI of pressure before bursting. This in most cases allows for a large amount of water to be used before filter cleaning is necessary. Therefore the pouches will not burst so long as the filters are reasonably clean.  However most people are capable of generating much more than 7 PSI of pressure and so if the filter is not clean, the pouches are more likely to burst when squeezing too hard.  The more particulates in the water the sooner a filter will clog and need to be cleaned.

Sawyer’s new light weight soft pouches offer the same bursting strength of 7 PSI as the heavier legacy pouches.  The new light weight pouches are just as strong as the thicker legacy pouches but are easier to squeeze because the softer material offers less resistance.  With a lower pouch resistance the 7 PSI burst limit is reached more easily.

To protect your pouch – maintain a clean filter and be aware of pressure build up against a dirty filter.

You can store the bottle with either the Micro Squeeze filter or included white cap screwed on top of the bottle. The proprietary ingredients in the foam will make sure that your foam does not grow bacteria or develop an odor. Please do not compress these systems for long term storage. Store your bottles fully expanded to ensure that you do not inadvertently shorten their life.

If you want to dry out your bottle for packing weight reasons (it can save approximately one ounce), store in a dry room with the lid removed and the moisture will eventually evaporate out. Be aware that after you dry the bottle out, your first bottle will produce much less water than normal since our foam is hydrophilic (meaning it attracts water) and will want to hold onto some no matter how hard you squeeze. Repeat steps for first use when you want to use your filter again.

The foam inside the bottle is meant to be stored fully expanded to achieve the advertised lifespan of the system. To do this simply unscrew the Micro Squeeze filter and let air back into the bottle after you are done filtering water. The foam will naturally compress in size over the life of the system but if the foam is stored compressed for long periods of time, the foam can be permanently deformed. Long term compression can shorten the life of the foam filter/purifier.  We recommend storing your Select system filled with water. When possible, use distilled or non-chlorinated water. Storing the bottle full will help prevent mold from growing on the walls of the bottle while it is not in use.