Let’s face it: water is heavy. OK, so it’s not like mercury heavy (1 litre = 13.5 kg), however it’s nonetheless 1 litre = 1 kg. One of many golden guidelines in preserving our backpack weight down is to minimise the period of time that we have to carry numerous water. Other than strolling throughout the day, when most of us have a tendency to stay with bottles or hydration bladders, it’s in a single day journeys, once we want further water to prepare dinner dinner and refill for the following day, that we have to nail one of the best methods to hold water for a hike.
Now likelihood is that except you’re tenting proper beside a water supply, like a creek or river, (Ah, feels like a 5-star campsite!) you’ll want to hold water again to your campsite. Just like the creek above, in an ideal world, this isn’t additional than a few ok’s. Provided that it’s normally the tip of the day whenever you’re drained that you just accumulate this further water, the shorter distance you’ll should lug these further kilos = the higher!
Select your route correctly
Again when planning your journey, search for campsites (with achievable each day distances) that get you near water.
The time period, ‘dry camp or excessive camp’, doesn’t confer with the shortage of completely happy hour (perish the thought!), however someplace meaning you’ll have to hold your water a long way. Not one thing for the skilled bushwalker to shrink back from; we all know {that a} excessive camp can typically carry excessive rewards, like unbelievable sunsets and views without end, however we’ll must plan correctly.
Strategies for carrying water
There’s a bunch of various strategies and containers you need to use – some onerous, some delicate. Which method you go will rely in your private alternative, the capability wanted, price range, and even perhaps your type of packing.
Arduous containers
That is water carrying 101 and the place all of us begin. The common-or-garden bottle – expensive god, don’t let it’s glass or heavy thermos type!
Choices embrace:
- Traditional Nalgene (or lookalikes) bottles (Tip: go for a large mouth which is way simpler to fill in creeks and water tanks.)
- Re-used 1.25L delicate drink bottles
- 1L Soda Stream bottles (these are harder than a 1.25L and final for ages) – regulate your OppShop!
- That free plastic bike bottle you bought from the health club or boring work convention you slept via
Gentle containers
I really like utilizing delicate options for his or her innate capability to shrink when there’s nothing inside and be stuffed down the within of your pack, taking on no room in any respect! Choices are:
- Goon. For the love of this traditional Aussie invention. There’s a lot to like. When you’re not a fan of consuming the goon beforehand (or the style that stays with you want a hangover from Fruity Lexia), search for the 5L or 10L water casks at your grocery store. Drink, rinse, dry, repeat. If handled proper these can final loads longer than the Fruity Lexia hangover – I’ve had my present one for 3 years. (see this video for filling them – I simply prise the faucet plug off with my tooth). Value: The price of a hangover or journey to ColesWorth – price range.
- MSR Dromedary – the much-lauded answer for business guides and teams, these camels are just like the 1000 denier, abrasion-resistant, food-grade polyurethane lined model of the goon. Not fairly bomb-proof (however shut), these workhorses (work camels?) are available 4L, 6L or 10L and might even deal with freezing or boiling water. They arrive with a 3-in-1 cap so you possibly can sip, pour or fill like a scene from the Sound of Music; and for the fries-with-that possibility, you possibly can add on a hydration tube to take you into sipping heaven. Dreamy. Not low-cost, however will final you years longer than that goon or Fruity Lexia hangover. Value: Grange Hermitage – Prime quality.
- Sea to Summit Watercell X – feels like a superhero, acts like one too. These 4L, 6L, 10L or 20L beasts use 400 denier nylon material wrapped round a TPU food-grade lining that’s BPA and PVC free. Not solely is the shell a bit lighter than the MSR providing, however it’s lighter in your pockets too. Value: Peppertree Shiraz – mid-range
- Someplace between the Goon and the Watercell X is the Sea to Summit Pack Faucet Water Storage. Suppose a 2L, 4L, 6L or 10L Goon bladder sporting a detachable, robust, abrasion-resistant nylon coat. Just like the Dromedary’s, these could be hung from a tree for simple entry. You may also purchase replaceable bladders.
- Hydration Bladders – So while you might need a commonplace 2L one in your again for consuming all through the day, it’s also possible to seize an additional bladder or two to spice up your provides for dinner water.
- Collapsible Bottles – This type of container makes an look as wine carriers or in your children lunchbox… hopefully not collectively.
The very best of each worlds
Good contingency planning is all concerning the shitty issues that would occur on a bushwalk. Think about you solely carried one delicate water-carrying possibility and also you took a tumble, or put it down on a very sharp rock, dropped a full goon (instantaneous tsunami) otherwise you used it to defend your self from an approaching zombie apocalyse. It’s a fantastic concept to hold a tough water bottle, in addition to a softie, simply in case.
Permit house in your backpack
You understand that feeling on a Friday night time when, covered-in-sweat, you lastly click on the buckles shut in your backpack. You probably did it! You’re a freakin Tetris-ninja-Marie-Condominium-maven. There’s not an inch to spare and also you’re all set for every thing you want for tomorrow, together with the 2-3L onboard. Cue Act III on the waterhole, the place you proudly exhibit your new superhero, the Watercell X to the ooo’s and ahhh’s of your mates, solely to grasp you will have nowhere in, on or round your pack to now carry this further 6 kg of water weight. If solely you’d up-sized your pack… or downsized the Fruity Lexia for completely happy hour.
Take a cup
Generally the water supply it is advisable to collect from is hard to manoeuvre into your bottle or bag. It might be due to the entry down beside it, the dimensions of your bottle or if it’s working alongside shallow cascades or rocks. At all times seize your cup with you, alongside along with your delicate/onerous container to assist out. For further Macgyver factors, you possibly can attempt rigging your hydration hose as a siphon.
Take a collapsible backpack
Taking a micro-weight 20L Sea to Summit Ulta-Sil Day Pack will maintain your arms free for that awkward scramble down and up the riverbank, while carrying the unwieldy package deal that water is – particularly if it’s in a delicate container. These scrunch-to-nothing packs are additionally useful for side-trips throughout the day whenever you simply need to take your necessities to bag a peak or checkout a lookout for lunch.
Dimension does matter
While grabbing the most important 10L/10kg behemoth may sound just like the sort of take-one-for-the-team-martyrdom-caper that you just’re up for, take into consideration how significantly better it’d really feel if each member of the get together had the power to hold an additional (say) 4L and unfold the H2O love round.
Water contingencies
Being able to hold further water if it is advisable to, particularly for unplanned causes (eg: empty water tanks at campsites or dry creeks the place your mate advised you there was water 5 years in the past) is a superb behavior to get into. That is the place having a softie possibility, tucked away in your pack, that you could be or could not use, may (actually) be a life-saver.
