Water Containers

[footslogger]

Would like to hear from past PCT hikers in regard to the number and type of water containers that they've used or that seem to work best.

Understand that at times you need to carry considerable amounts of water and wondered if it makes sense to just carry large capacity bladders or multiple smaller containers/water bottles.

Thanks in advance ...

[Magnet_]

For bladders, I like the MSR bags, as they are made from cordura and are pretty durable. http://www.msrcorp.com/hydration/ (the cloudLiner bags are not cordura)

I hate Platypus. In my hands, they have an average life expectancy of about 3 days. Others have used them successfully however.

On my hike, I used a 4 liter MSR drom bag and added 1 liter plastic bottles as needed. So when I came into town, I'd check to see what capacity I expected to need for the upcoming section, and add 2 to 4 1-liter bottles to get me to that capacity. I used some holsters attatched to my hipbelt to carry some of the bottles and threw the rest wherever I could stuff'm in.

[Magnet_]

I'd like to add that I think it is good to have multiple smaller containers rather than one or two larger ones. That way if something should spring a leak, you're not left totally dry.

[Ender]

For my large container, I use a Gregory Mirage bladder. I'm not sure if they make them any more, but they hold 100 ounces of water, and weigh maybe 1.5-2 ounces. I add some weight to them when I reenforce the edges with duct tape so they last longer.

For my hip container (I don't like hydration hoses) I use a 1L Gatoraid container... it's very durable, lighter than anything you can buy, and comes pre filled with a sportsdrink inside.

In long dry sections, I'd either carry a second Mirage bladder, or a couple extra Gatoraid bottles.

I also have had bad luck with the Platy's... I've had a few leak on me and my gear.

[chai guy]

I carried a 1.5 liter camel bak bladder with a hose. Worked great, never sprang a leak for my 2,000 miles.

I also carried 2 gatorade bottles which I used for water and to mix sports drinks in.


If you go with a bladder, I strongly suggest that you also invest in the neoprene sleeve for the hose (keeps the water from getting superheated in the clear tube). I also suggest getting the on/off valve and bite valve cover (I was constantly loosing water because my bag would fall over on the bite valve, thus opening it and leaking water every where).

[luna]

I ended up using the ULA P2, which has huge, deep side mesh pockets. I would either carry two 1.5 liter water bottles or two 2 liter bottles, one in each side pocket... depending on what was up ahead. I would buy the bottles new every so often, sometimes in every town. And yes, Gatorade bottles are truly indestructible. I usually started out with a couple of liters of that stuffed near the top of my pack. That gave me between 5 and 6 liters total. Really only used a hydration bag once (through the desert)... it was a 4L bag... but could have done it just as easily with plastic bottles. The thing is this: the bottles are cheap and strong and easily replacable, and remain cleaner since you're always replacing them. But some people prefer the hydration tube... sort of lends easily to good hydration habits.
By the time you hit Washington (I guess depending on the snowpack and rainfall that year), forget about it! Could have made it through the whole state with a 2 liter bottle!

[footslogger]

By the time you hit Washington (I guess depending on the snowpack and rainfall that year), forget about it! Could have made it through the whole state with a 2 liter bottle!

===========================

So ...you would say that "worst case scenario" is 6 Liters at any one time between water sources ? I know desert hiking is different but I tend to plan my water consumption at 1 Liter for every 5 miles. Would that strategy hold on the PCT ??

Thanks

[chai guy]

I think I maxed out at about 6 liters.

The other important thing to remember in the desert is to "camel up" that is, when you get to a water supply spend some time there drinking as much water as you can before filling up your water bottles/bladder and heading down the trail.

[girlscout]

i guess i was one of the few platypus fans... i carried a 2+ liter platypus all the way to quincy before it started leaking on me, and this was after having taken the same bag on the jmt in 04, and 350 miles of the pct in 05... so that one bag lasted me over 1500 miles... i'd say that's pretty good. luckily quincy had a small gear store where i was able to get a camelbak 3 liter. (they didn't carry platypus.) i used the camelbak for the rest of my hike, and some aspect of it i liked better, other aspects not so much. it was heavier than the platypus, that's for sure. i also got all the optional little doohickies that you can get for it, so that added to the weight.

apart from my water bag(s), i carried an ultraflask (i think that's what it's called?) which was about 1.5 liters. i usually had gatorade in that, and water in my bag. i used a ula catalyst pack, which has big side pockets, so i'd have my water bag in one pocket, and the flask in the other.

the only time i supplemented these with anything else was in the stretch from mojave to walker pass, which is probably the most waterless stretch on the whole trail. i think i added a 1-liter gatorade bottle in this stretch.

i'd say that 6 liters is the most capacity you'll ever need, and it would be on that stretch i just mentioned.

[George]

I just use old 1.5 or 2 litre plastic softdrink bottles wherever I go (coke 7 up type) They're practically indestructible and never leak.
(try filling one up and then jumping on it!) They're also extremely light and also flatten down when empty to give more pack space. Just blow into them to reshape. Plus they're cheap! ;)
Good tip from Chai Guy re' making like a camel.
I'd always try to camp at a water source and then the next day I'd drink as much as I could possibly physically drink and then slosh off into the sunrise - that way I found I could go for considerable distance without even wanting a drink, so that meant I hauled less - it's easier to carry in you rather than on you! :)
Cheers, Geo.

[vaporjourney]

what would you guys say was the average amount of water you carried? I am thinking of taking 3 Gatorade bottles, and then a 3 L Platypus for those really long stretches. I'd rather not have to use the Platy too much since I know that they eventually get leaks (i replaced 3 on the AT), and leaking water containers are not so good in the desert. If 3 Liters was average, that would be perfect. If not, I probably should try to have reliable bottles to carry my average, and then use a platy to supplement on those rare, heavy hauls.

[girlscout]

your water capacity needs will change from section to section, with the desert (ie the first 700 miles) being the dryest in general. i carried a 3 liter platy and another 1.5 liter bottle, and rarely had to supplement with any additional capacity. off the top of my head, i think i carried an additional 32 ounce gatorade bottle from mojave to walker pass (this section has the most long waterless stretches back-to-back on the whole pct). probably the most water you'll need to carry, for the longest waterless stretches, is about 8 liters. this can be done without relying on water caches.

btw, my 3 liter platy lasted over 1500 trail miles before springing a leak, and i didn't pamper it either. i replaced it with a 3 liter camelback, which i don't like as much, but it finished the trail with me and has yet to spring a leak.

hiking the colorado trail this summer yeehaw!! :)

[George]

Hello Vaporjourney,
I carried my water in 2 litre plastic soft drink bottles. From memory I carried four of them for the driest stretches but generally I was only filling one or two of them as I'd make for a water source by the end of most days.
I'm a great advocate of the plastic 'soft drink' bottle and they are still the only things I carry my water in.
Remember to get a full belly before leaving a water source. ;)
I never used water caches.

[locorogue]

i use a camelbak 100 oz 'unbottle', the bladder goes into a fitted nylon carrying bag that has a carrying handle. i also use the 6L camelbak bladder for obvious needs. if i need to filter, i'd rather fill one large container than several smaller ones, but it's still good to have a small mobile container, even if you only fill and use it @ camp. plus the bladder carries well in the pack.