[pct-l] Carrying Bulk Water

[giniajim]

This is a good discussion.  My only caution is to not carry light and filled water containers inside your pack, or at least pack them assuming they will spring a leak.
   I once had a gallon plastic milk bottle filled with water in my pack.  Due to the movement of the pack as I was hiking, it wore a small leak.  It soaked my sleeping bag!  That's one reason I'm willing to eat the few ounces of a more solid water container.

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: CHUCK CHELIN 
  To: PCT listserve 
  Sent: Wednesday, June 09, 2010 10:29 AM
  Subject: [pct-l] Carrying Bulk Water


  Good morning, all,

  I used Dromedary bags years ago to carry bulk water, but quit for good once
  I began using the Platypus bags.  My 2 liter Dromedary weighs over twice as
  much as my 2.4 liter Platypus.  Over the years I’ve had one Platypus
  fail:  There
  was an incompletely sealed seam near the neck which oozed early, and the
  sack was replaced by REI.  If there should be a puncture, a bit of duct tape
  would fix it.  I’m about average-rough on gear, and I don’t throw my pack
  onto rocks, etc.  If I were a horse-packer I might reconsider the Dromedary
  because, 1) they will take more of the abuse when a horse pack rubs against
  a rock or tree, and, 2) because I wouldn’t have to carry it.



  Southbound in Oregon years ago I wanted extra water to get me between Summit
  Lake and Thielsen Creek so I used a plastic one-gallon jug that had held
  spring water. When I got near Carter Lake I passed it off to a NoBo hiker
  who also needed capacity for that same piece of trail.  Those “milk jugs”
  are very light and durable, but are a bit bulky.  Last year near Little
  Jimmy Springs I encountered a bunch of Scouts hiking to the campground.  Each
  Scout had several empty gallon jugs tied to the outside of the pack and were
  bobbing around.  It looked a little strange -- like they were all decked-out
  with party balloons.



  Another good opportunity for bulk water carriage is the plastic bladder that
  lines a wine box.  They hold about a gallon, they are flexible to be
  compliant in the pack, they diminish in size when emptied, and they can be
  tossed or recycled at the next resupply if no longer needed.



  Drink up….



  Steel-Eye

  Hiking the Pct since before it was the PCT – 1965

  http://www.trailjournals.com/steel-eye

  http://www.trailjournals.com/SteelEye09
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