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 holding our backpack weight down is to minimise the period of time that we have to carry quite a lot of 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, after we want additional water to prepare dinner dinner and refill for the following day, that we have to nail the very 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 okay’s. Provided that it’s normally the tip of the day while you’re drained that you simply acquire this additional water, the shorter distance you’ll need to lug these additional kilos = the higher!
Select your route properly
Again when planning your journey, search for campsites (with achievable day by day distances) that get you near water.
The time period, ‘dry camp or excessive camp’, doesn’t seek advice from the dearth of glad 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 draw back from; we all know {that a} excessive camp can usually convey excessive rewards, like unbelievable sunsets and views perpetually, however we’ll must plan properly.
Strategies for carrying water
There’s a bunch of various strategies and containers you should utilize – some laborious, some comfortable. Which method you go will rely in your private selection, the capability wanted, finances, and maybe even your model of packing.
Onerous containers
That is water carrying 101 and the place all of us begin. The common-or-garden bottle – pricey god, don’t let it’s glass or heavy thermos model!
Choices embody:
- 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 comfortable drink bottles
- 1L Soda Stream bottles (these are more durable than a 1.25L and final for ages) – keep watch over your OppShop!
- That free plastic bike bottle you bought from the gymnasium or boring work convention you slept by
Gentle containers
I like utilizing comfortable options for his or her innate means 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. In case you’re not a fan of ingesting 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 rather a lot 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 – finances.
- MSR Dromedary – the much-lauded answer for industrial 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 in 4L, 6L or 10L and might even deal with freezing or boiling water. They arrive with a 3-in-1 cap so you may sip, pour or fill like a scene from the Sound of Music; and for the fries-with-that possibility, you may 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 – Top 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 cloth 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, powerful, abrasion-resistant nylon coat. Just like the Dromedary’s, these could be hung from a tree for straightforward entry. You may as well purchase replaceable bladders.
- Hydration Bladders – So while you might need a normal 2L one in your again for ingesting all through the day, you can too seize an additional bladder or two to spice up your provides for dinner water.
- Collapsible Bottles – This model of container makes an look as wine carriers or in your youngsters lunchbox… hopefully not collectively.
The most effective of each worlds
Sensible contingency planning is all in regards to the shitty issues that might occur on a bushwalk. Think about you solely carried one comfortable water-carrying possibility and also you took a tumble, or put it down on a very sharp rock, dropped a full goon (on the spot tsunami) otherwise you used it to defend your self from an approaching zombie apocalyse. It’s an amazing concept to hold a tough water bottle, in addition to a softie, simply in case.
Enable area 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-Apartment-maven. There’s not an inch to spare and also you’re all set for every part 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 understand you could have nowhere in, on or round your pack to now carry this additional 6 kg of water weight. If solely you’d up-sized your pack… or downsized the Fruity Lexia for glad hour.
Take a cup
Generally the water supply it’s essential to collect from is difficult 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 operating alongside shallow cascades or rocks. All the time seize your cup with you, alongside together with your comfortable/laborious container to assist out. For additional Macgyver factors, you may strive rigging your hydration hose as a siphon.
Take a collapsible backpack
Taking a micro-weight 20L Sea to Summit Ulta-Sil Day Pack will hold your fingers 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 comfortable container. These scrunch-to-nothing packs are additionally useful for side-trips throughout the day while you simply wish to take your necessities to bag a peak or checkout a lookout for lunch.
Dimension does matter
While grabbing the largest 10L/10kg behemoth may sound just like the sort of take-one-for-the-team-martyrdom-caper that you simply’re up for, take into consideration how a lot better it would really feel if each member of the social gathering had the flexibility to hold an additional (say) 4L and unfold the H2O love round.
Water contingencies
Being able to hold additional water if it’s essential to, particularly for unplanned causes (eg: empty water tanks at campsites or dry creeks the place your mate informed you there was water 5 years in the past) is a good 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.
