[pct-l] Plastic bucket/'dundo'

[ned at mountaineducation.org]

I'd like to chime in here with a durability point:

We're all for have as light a pack as possible, but not at the expense of safety and durability. Case in point, here, is the selection of a good water bag for in-camp use for dinner and breakfast water needs. Many simply choose the lightest and cheapest and trot off into the wilderness a happy camper until they use it. Sure it will hold the 2 1/2 gallons of water, but will it puncture easily if you lay it on granite, pine cones, or sharp twigs? 

The MSR Dromedary bags are made in different sizes and very durable. There have been times where, due to the cold or our haste that we have literally chucked or dropped it fully loaded onto a granite rock or slab, it has been frozen onto the snow in the morning and has been quite easy to dislodge without damage, it has been quickly hung from the stub of a tree branch to dangle and scrape alongside some pretty rough bark, or has been tied, precariously, onto our packs during the day's hike to swing away in the sun melting snow within and there has never been any leakage or puncture. I would hate to get out there, miles or days from a trailhead, to find that my water bag, which I rely upon for the filtered storage of my evening and morning water supply, easily punctured or ripped under normal backcountry wear and tear. Lightweight is nice, but test it out close to home under similarly expected conditions before you have to rely upon its performance miles from replacement!

A similar case in point was the issue of lightweight snow pants. It was quickly discovered that they do an adequate job as long as you don't slide over crusty snow or ice and certainly, for the same reasons, do not sit on anything rough like granite or the bark of a fallen tree! Duct tape doesn't last long, either, as a suitable repair in this case. 

So, before you purchase your gear, consider, also, its durability, rather than just its weight, so you have a fun and safe time out there.



Ned Tibbits, Director
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