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 maintaining 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, once we want further water to prepare dinner dinner and refill for the subsequent 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, appears 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 if you’re drained that you just gather this further water, the shorter distance you’ll must lug these further kilos = the higher!
Select your route correctly
Again when planning your journey, search for campsites (with achievable every day distances) that get you near water.
The time period, ‘dry camp or excessive camp’, doesn’t discuss with the dearth of glad hour (perish the thought!), however someplace which means you’ll have to hold your water far. Not one thing for the skilled bushwalker to draw back from; we all know {that a} excessive camp can usually deliver excessive rewards, like unbelievable sunsets and views perpetually, however we’ll have to plan correctly.
Strategies for carrying water
There’s a bunch of various strategies and containers you should utilize – some laborious, some mushy. Which method you go will rely in your private selection, the capability wanted, finances, and even perhaps your type of packing.
Laborious containers
That is water carrying 101 and the place all of us begin. The standard bottle – expensive god, don’t let or not it’s glass or heavy thermos type!
Choices embrace:
- Traditional Nalgene (or lookalikes) bottles (Tip: go for a large mouth which is far simpler to fill in creeks and water tanks.)
- Re-used 1.25L mushy drink bottles
- 1L Soda Stream bottles (these are harder than a 1.25L and final for ages) – control your OppShop!
- That free plastic bike bottle you bought from the gymnasium or boring work convention you slept by means of
Delicate containers
I like utilizing mushy options for his or her innate potential to shrink when there’s nothing inside and be stuffed down the within of your pack, taking over no room in any respect! Choices are:
- Goon. For the love of this traditional Aussie invention. There’s a lot to like. For those who’re not keen on 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). Worth: The price of a hangover or journey to ColesWorth – finances.
- 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 in 4L, 6L or 10L and might even deal with freezing or boiling water. They arrive with a 3-in-1 cap so you’ll be able to sip, pour or fill like a scene from the Sound of Music; and for the fries-with-that choice, you’ll be able to 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. Worth: Grange Hermitage – High quality.
- Sea to Summit Watercell X – appears 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. Worth: 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 may be hung from a tree for simple entry. It’s also possible to purchase replaceable bladders.
- Hydration Bladders – So while you might need a commonplace 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 type of container makes an look as wine carriers or in your children lunchbox… hopefully not collectively.
One of the best of each worlds
Sensible contingency planning is all concerning the shitty issues that would occur on a bushwalk. Think about you solely carried one mushy water-carrying choice and also you took a tumble, or put it down on a very sharp rock, dropped a full goon (prompt 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 area in your backpack
You understand that feeling on a Friday evening 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-Rental-maven. There’s not an inch to spare and also you’re all set for every little thing you want for tomorrow, together with the 2-3L onboard. Cue Act III on the waterhole, the place you proudly showcase your new superhero, the Watercell X to the ooo’s and ahhh’s of your mates, solely to understand you have got 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 glad hour.
Take a cup
Typically the water supply you should collect from is hard to manoeuvre into your bottle or bag. It may very well be due to the entry down beside it, the dimensions of your bottle or if it’s operating alongside shallow cascades or rocks. At all times seize your cup with you, alongside together with your mushy/laborious container to assist out. For further Macgyver factors, you’ll be able to 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 maintain your palms free for that awkward scramble down and up the riverbank, while carrying the unwieldy bundle that water is – particularly if it’s in a mushy container. These scrunch-to-nothing packs are additionally helpful for side-trips throughout the day if you simply need to take your necessities to bag a peak or checkout a lookout for lunch.
Measurement does matter
While grabbing the largest 10L/10kg behemoth would possibly sound just like the sort of take-one-for-the-team-martyrdom-caper that you just’re up for, take into consideration how a lot better it would really feel if each member of the social gathering had the power to hold an additional (say) 4L and unfold the H2O love round.
Water contingencies
Being able to hold further water if you should, 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 superb behavior to get into. That is the place having a softie choice, tucked away in your pack, that you could be or could not use, might (actually) be a life-saver.
