Looks like I've just been checking in the wrong place. I'll check the hardware stores and I'll take a look at the contractor bags at Lowes if they have them (there's no Home Depot with in an hour of here).
A general (perhaps uninformed) question about using garbage bags and compactor bags as pack liners: are they really cheaper?
I've never used compactor bags, but in my younger days I used garbage bags to store my sleeping bag. It seemed like they always developed a hole after one or two trips, so I'd get another. I finally invested in a dry bag-style stuff sack; it seemed pricey, but I figured at 10 garbage bags per year, it didn't take a lot of years to break even - and it kept a lot of garbage bags out of the landfill.
I know Granite Gear used to make actual pack liners, perhaps others do; you could also use a large dry-bag or similar stuff sack as a liner.
Glenn makes a good point. They're good in an emergency, but for long term use it pays to pay.
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Without a doubt, the hardest thing of all in a survival situation is to cook without the benefit of seasonings and flavourings. - Ray Mears
I made a little pouch to attach my bottle to my pack hip belt. I can get it out while walking, or while just standing. If I want to walk, and have poles, then I hold both poles in one hand and get a drink with the other. I usually don't like drinking and walking at the same time, so it is more common for me to stop for a few seconds to get a drink.
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I've taken a vow of poverty. To annoy me, send money.
My wife uses poles, I do not. And we both use bottles, not bladders. But I have to say I am amazed at the complicated reasoning and high passion in this discussion.
You need water on the trail. Carry however you like to carry it, just so you get enough to drink. They all work, more or less, so just figure out what you like best.
Yes, there are a lot of options that are different but work. However, it is still good, at least for me, to see how others do it. Maybe I can pick something up that will work better for me. You never know.
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I've taken a vow of poverty. To annoy me, send money.
I found it interesting that when I weighed my gear, 1 and 2 L Platy Hoser bladders weighed the same (about an ounce), and that most of the weight (about 3 ounces worth) was in the cap and tubing and such (essentially, this thing: Platy drink tube kit with a camelbak bite valve on it).
So, you do pay a premium in cost and weight for using a bladder. The question is if what you get in return is worth that cost.
Registered: 02/07/07
Posts: 3917
Loc: Ozark Mountains in SW Missouri
I'm jumping in here late, but I'm pretty sure Sears sells compactor bags that are unscented, and as I recall, they are a higher quality than other compactor bags I've used. (it's been a few years)
I can't stand those scented bags and wouldn't dream of putting one in my pack
I began using bladders in the military, back when all of them leaked. I would fix the problem with super glue and let it sit for a couple of weeks. Never had any issues after that.
These days I use newer bladders but I do not have issues with leaks. Any new purchases of bladders will be Platys, because I like the idea of being able to open the entire top of the bladder.
My bladders ride in the hydration pouch, if provided. I have been known to place the bladder on top of my gear inside the pack, or to lash it to the outside of the pack, as needed.
In the military, having the bite valve right there was much faster and less of a security risk than using a canteen. Today, I use trekking poles and I like being able to drink while moving through difficult terrain.
I have never had an issue with flow rate, nor have I needed to adjust my straps to create more pressure.
I tend to drink a lot more water than most people I have backpacked or served with, so it is common for me to start a trip with 6 liters of water. That would be quite a pain without a big ol bladder to hold 3 of those liters.
One thing I love about bladders is that you can compress them to create a high flow rate, in case you need to flush out a wound. A squeeze bottle would do the same, but with less volume.
Well I have to say i rather enjoyed not having to stop to fish a water bottle out of my pack this last weekend. Took a thirty two mile trip for two and a half days on some moderate to strenuous terrain. I have to say that I stayed much more hydrated than I would have otherwise. Because once I'm moving I'm not prone to stop.
I carried the bladder in the sleave and used oven roasting bags around my sleeping bag and cloths bag. I intend on getting a few dry bags for future trips once I can build my gear budget back up!
Thanks again. For the advice everyone. Samoset
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Some peopole live life day by day. Try step by step.
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