BWCA 60 liter vs 2x30 liter barrels Boundary Waters Gear Forum
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jeroldharter
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01/03/2014 09:16PM   (Thread Older Than 3 Years)
I have a pack that holds 2 30 liter blue barrels. It works well enough but when packed it is huge and weighs a ton. I hate the barrel lids and have two of them to contend with. So I am wondering about the relative virtues of a single 60 liter barrel with something like a CCS harness.

I am sure that the inside is a black cavern but I would get the organizing sacks to help deal with that.

Other thoughts such as weight comparison, canoe packing, etc.? Thanks.
 
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yellowcanoe
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01/03/2014 11:17PM  
half the hate? Maybe two thirds the frustration of getting the seal right.

Never had a problem packing a 60 l in a tandem. Snug it under the yoke as best you can to abate a bit of rolling around.(crosswise)
You can strap things like PFDs and maps on the lid.

Otherwise.. you are right its a black hole in there. If its small..it is guaranteed to go to the bottom. The good thing is that because most things we pack are square, usually the thing packs more easily than a 30. I have solo and tandem boats both and harnesses for both sizes of barrel.

Of course the 60 liter makes a better table. I have a very comfortable harness for it and its not a pain to portage. ( its filled with mostly dried food, not fresh heavy food). That it is more empty in the end is actually a plus. Sometimes we have had to one and a half carry at the start and at the end we can single carry.
 
01/04/2014 10:23AM  
I haven't used 2-30L barrels so I can't give you a comparison. However, I have the CCS barrel bags which makes my organizing of the 60L a snap.
 
OldFingers57
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01/04/2014 12:05PM  
I have 2 30L barrels that I got after doing some similar research on. Chose the 30s as some people stated that the 60s were more difficult to portage with and more uncomfortable on the back with a harness. I find them easy to get to things and I use the barrel bags (ones I made).
 
Grandma L
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01/04/2014 05:09PM  
We use 1-4 of the 30L barrels at a time depending on trip size and length. (9 people-for -10 days takes 4 barrels)I have altered Kondos regular #3 packs by taking them in a bit and contouring the lid to make packs for the barrels. The 60L are just too big and by mid-trip I have half a barrel empty. It is easier to move other tings into the 30L and not have stuff banging around.
 
Thwarted
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01/04/2014 08:41PM  
I have used the 60 and also found it a beast. Two 30L I have not done because I just don't want to carry that much. Right now I only have one 30L and find it very easy to carry with a #3 Duluth on top. Theoretically does not add extra trips but again, I only have the one 30L. Just another view.
 
jeroldharter
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01/04/2014 09:36PM  
I'll be doing a 14-15 day trip for 2 people, taking dehydrated food mostly, alcohol stoves, LittlBug for boiling water. The 2x30l that I have used in the past seems like it creates a lot of dead space that is exacerbated by the weight of the 2 drums. I was thinking that the 60l might be a more efficient use of space. Like most things, I guess I won't know for sure unless I try.
 
yellowcanoe
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01/04/2014 09:48PM  
quote jeroldharter: "I'll be doing a 14-15 day trip for 2 people, taking dehydrated food mostly, alcohol stoves, LittlBug for boiling water. The 2x30l that I have used in the past seems like it creates a lot of dead space that is exacerbated by the weight of the 2 drums. I was thinking that the 60l might be a more efficient use of space. Like most things, I guess I won't know for sure unless I try."


To my mind you are right on. The 60 liter is the standby for teams on the Wabakimi Project. One barrel for a team of two for two weeks. There are two teams on each project week. The 60 liter does use space more efficiently than 2 30 liter. Again lightweight dehydrated stuff. I think others may have packed heavy stuff in the barrel or heavy food. You can make it a beast, but it does not have to be.
 
01/04/2014 11:56PM  
I like and use the 2 30L for now, but an advantage for changing would be I'd assume one 60L barrel is less heavy than 2 30L barrels--so advantage 60L. I use a CCS guide pack or GG Superior to carry the 30L barrels both good packs.

I don't find portaging 2 30L barrels in a pack too much trouble except they are easy to over pack weight wise, but I would think the 60L barrel would be similar in that department or possibly worse--the more efficient you are packing the barrels the heavier they could potentially be... So the 60L barrel may be lighter but real world use--heavier. A lot of factors to look at---but I do think the 60L barrel would use space more efficiently--is that good or bad? You would have to try it for sure. I'd like to hear the comparison.

T
 
joewildlife
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01/07/2014 10:32AM  
Great thread, I wish I had started it!

I have two 30L barrels and a pack for them, have used it a couple trips in the BWCA. One barrel carries most all the food for two of us for the week. The other barrel carries all the gear--utensils, plates, bowls, stove, fuel, soap, water filter, and so on. That is one pack. the other pack is all the "soft goods"--tent, tarp, clothes, pads, sleeping bags, etc.

I've wondered the same 2x30 vs 60L question myself, because in my Kruger boats, the 2X30 bag sits upright in the canoe behind me. It is a little topheavy. But when I'm using it, it is with my daughter and we cat up the boats all the time so topheaviness isn't an issue. But I was considering what to do if I want to take barrels when I'm not catting up...a 60L will lay down behind me quite well in the Kruger.

I may just get a Quetico or Superior pack...and put the food in bear vaults, and leave the barrels at home... But I'd like to try a 60L barrel.
 
Thwarted
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01/07/2014 07:07PM  
I formed my opinion by renting a 60L before I bought my 30L. I would bet that two empty 30L weigh very close to one empty 60L. A positive to the 60 is that the mouth allows the use of larger bundles. A negative is that bottom bundles are hard to dig out. Lots of stuff on the ground.
 
yellowcanoe
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01/07/2014 09:59PM  
Joewildlife the 60 liter fits fine in the Monarch so it ought to serve you well. It fits best lengthwise with something along the side for anti roll.. though the handles help a bit with that.





It would be interesting to do the math for comparative weights but I don't think a sixty liter barrel weighs 2x 30 liter barrels. I am not quite motivated to go out in the shed and weigh them.
 
joewildlife
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01/08/2014 08:54AM  
Good to know, now I don't have to ask someone how tall/long is a 60L barrel? No, wait a minute. How tall/long is a 60L barrel? The Sea Wind has a cat tube so the space behind the paddler may be a little "shorter" if the barrel can't slide under the deck at all.
Joe
 
yellowcanoe
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01/08/2014 09:10AM  
quote joewildlife: "Good to know, now I don't have to ask someone how tall/long is a 60L barrel? No, wait a minute. How tall/long is a 60L barrel? The Sea Wind has a cat tube so the space behind the paddler may be a little "shorter" if the barrel can't slide under the deck at all.
Joe
"


Wait..I am not ignoring you. But the reply will be later. I have to shower and crampon up to march to the shed,

One factor in favor of two thirty liter barrels in your case is trim.. related to the other discussion. A sixty liter lives in one place.. thirty liters can be shoved around. I am taking a thirty liter and a gamma seal bucket on my next trip.
 
joewildlife
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01/08/2014 10:11AM  
Yeah, you don't have bears in the Everglades to worry about, but I brought along bear vaults just because of the rats, raccoons, and other vermin that can prove quite destructive to packs and such that have food in them.

I may just use a bear vault or two in my regular packs rather than either 2X30L or a 60L barrel.

Either way, I don't hang packs and I'm not comfortable NOT using something to avoid/deter/prevent bear issues in the BWCA/Quetico. Blue barrels can contain food smells and of course bear vaults keep bears out... But you risk either being carried off completely.

Joe
 
01/08/2014 12:21PM  
I use a 60 liter barrel and in order to avoid the "black cavern" issue I use Tide laundry bags to organize and sort my food. They are very cheap, can be found at Target, Walmart, or the Container Store. They are zippered mesh bags that are intended to be used in a laundry machine to wash delicate items. The bags are sturdy and we have used them for several years with no problems. I use a permanent marker on the outside and write "Breakfast", "Lunch", "Dinner", "Snacks", etc. on each bag. See the photo. Click on the link to see the product.
Tide Wash Bag
 
Ardwich
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01/08/2014 01:17PM  
Great idea. Ill have to check those out. I have a 60L and a 30L. Both have the Kondos packs. Even when full both are easy to carry and really comfortable. Worth every cent.
 
joewildlife
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06/30/2021 12:51PM  
Bringing up an old thread I found when doing a google search on 2x30L barrel pack. I got back from the BWCA a couple weeks ago, and started a thread warning about bears on Agnes...and there is at least a possibility that Bear Vault may begin making 30L versions. Maybe even a 60L, but I don't know if that is possible. But if they made 30L versions I might have to get a couple. When I posted in this thread in 2014, I had 2 30L barrels in a Kondos pack built just for that. The barrels were hard to get in and out of the pack, and getting the lids on and off was a pain. My daughter always complained about carrying the pack too, she said it was uncomfortable but I never carried it. I sold it. Wish I had it back! I went to the CCS quad pocket pack with 60L barrel and it is much better for us in every way. It carries better and it rides in the Sea Wind perfectly. I put Nalgene bottles in the pockets and it keeps it from rolling around in the cockpit behind the paddler. The top pocket is great for rain gear. With the 3 CCS barrel organizing bags with B, L, and D printed on them, it works great and you never have to dig around for what you need. The barrel pack can get up to 70 pounds when I pack a bunch of peanut butter, honey, cheese, oil, butter, sausage and other "fresh" foods rather than dehydrated. I have made about 10 or more trips with it, and it carries enough food for 2 week 2 person trips. Starting out a trip, some of the pots, pans, stove, plates, water filter, etc are in other packs, but in the end all that stuff fits in the barrel. To answer the OP's question...YES the 60L barrel is better than 2x30.
Joe
 
joewildlife
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06/30/2021 01:52PM  


 
ockycamper
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06/30/2021 05:26PM  
We ditched the blue barrels years ago for Bear Vaults. It normally takes me one BV 500 bearvault per day for a group of 7 men, cooking breakfasts, dinners, and desserts. I divy up the bear vaults, one to a paddler and we are good!
 
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