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Boundary Waters Quetico Forum :: Gear Forum :: Water bottle
 
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OCDave
03/27/2020 01:04PM
 
I have my IMUSA mug and a Life straw. While paddling, I dip and drink using the Life straw. When Portaging, I typically will not carry water. I camel up before starting and quench my thirst once finished. I haven't had to be rescued mid-portage yet. I guess when I get to the end of a portage and there is no water, I regret this strategy.



 
straighthairedcurly
03/27/2020 05:50PM
 
We like to have everything tucked away or attached since we prefer single portaging. So we each stow our water bottle by:


1) Clip to a pack strap
or
2) Stuff in the top of a Duluth Pack
or
3) Slip into a daypack


I rarely take a drink during a portage since most portages are too short to worry about getting thirsty. So we usually drink most of our water at the start of a portage and just refill when we reach the next lake.
 
PortageKeeper
03/27/2020 06:14PM
 
Why not ditch the backpack and go with a Cooke Custom Sewing rucksack? He will sew on water bottle pockets, if it doesn't already have them. Most are sized to hold close to the same amount as a typical backpack. I've used mine on many solo trips this way.
 
dgmyrs
03/27/2020 06:20PM
 
Thanks, lots of great ideas here! Guess I will need to make a few more trips to figure out what works best for me. I think I just need to change the mindset from hiking where it can be 10 miles before you come across water to it never being a portage away.
 
bhouse46
03/27/2020 11:53AM
 
I use the sawyer filter on dr pepper bottle and have crafted a sling with bungee-dealie-bobs that fits under the bow. With the right amount of water it balances my Magic so I can walk hands free while portaging and have a drink at the end.
 
mirth
03/27/2020 01:00PM
 
I carry a camelbak pack as my daypack. It often comes on the 1st or 2nd trip across the portage, but we're double portagers by nature.
 
HighnDry
03/27/2020 01:43PM
 
Blatz: " This is what I use and it works great.
Another Befree user here and I single portage and spend much of every day traveling. I have a high perspiration rate and drink a lot of water.

My Befree either goes into a cargo pocket or thwart bag. I can drink on every lake all day long without loosing a stroke (almost). I carry it empty on portages unless they are long and/or hot. On solo trips this is my bottle and filter.

My daughter uses a 16 oz Nalgene bottle that we clip to her CCS pack and it fits in the side/bottom slot. On tandem or more trips we use a gravity filter system (Platypus) but I still carry my Befree.

Is it a big deal to gravity up when taking a lunch break? Nope. But when the day is getting long, the last thing I want to do is think about how much water I have or re-hydrate late in the day in camp.

John
 
campnfish
03/30/2020 07:35PM
 
Throw everyones water bottle/cup in a fishing net, let the greenhorn carry the net on the portage, builds character, well that's what they told me when i was 12.


Actually, i use the top zipper on my pioneer pack, usually as soon as i hit the portage, along with the map, and they come out on other side.
 
jfinn
03/27/2020 12:42PM
 
Blatz: " This is what I use and it works great.
Another Befree user here and I single portage and spend much of every day traveling. I have a high perspiration rate and drink a lot of water.

My Befree either goes into a cargo pocket or thwart bag. I can drink on every lake all day long without loosing a stroke (almost). I carry it empty on portages unless they are long and/or hot. On solo trips this is my bottle and filter.

My daughter uses a 16 oz Nalgene bottle that we clip to her CCS pack and it fits in the side/bottom slot. On tandem or more trips we use a gravity filter system (Platypus) but I still carry my Befree.

Is it a big deal to gravity up when taking a lunch break? Nope. But when the day is getting long, the last thing I want to do is think about how much water I have or re-hydrate late in the day in camp.

John

 
straighthairedcurly
03/30/2020 08:05PM
 
EddyTurn: "It's a poor canoe pack that doesn't have at least one outside pocket. I travel with Granite Gear Ontario - its pocket is big enough for a bottle, lining rope, rain gear for 2 and a thwart bag, which contains P&S camera, first aid kit and toiletries &c."


I have a different opinion. I specifically choose canoe packs that do not have an exterior pocket. If they are on the front or the side, I find they catch too often on the gunwales or other packs when I lift them out of the canoe. I find I can just stuff extra items under the top flap of my Granite Gear or Duluth pack. A top mounted zipper pocket would be fine, but it really serves the same purpose as what I already do.

 
mschi772
03/27/2020 07:11AM
 
I clip a carabiner or s-biner through the loop of my bottle and clip it to a strap on my CCS pack. Which strap depends on how I'm feeling. I don't use a bottle while paddling as my Astral Bluejacket PFD has a spot for a Camelback, but if I did use a bottle, it would just sit in front of me, along side me, or because of the specific shape and positioning of Nova Craft's float tanks and carry handles, on top of the float tank is a good spot especially for bow paddlers.
 
schweady
03/27/2020 09:11AM
 
Mine rides in my Granite Gear thwart pack, which is unclipped from the thwart and clipped to a pack during portaging so as to not unbalance the canoe.

 
cyclones30
03/27/2020 11:53AM
 
We use Nalgene bottles and usually clip the loop to a pack strap or since we usually have empty hands carry it and take a sip while walking.
 
boonie
03/27/2020 11:27AM
 
I just clip my Sawyer bottle to my pack when I'm not drinking. I often carry it and drink while walking the portage.
 
butthead
03/30/2020 10:25AM
 
These topics interest me a bit as I discover just how far from the norm I tend.
No mention of water bladders that I use a bunch of. Oh the bottle here and there but all my packs either have a bladder or have the ability. I rig my tubing to have a quick connect to attach a pump filter for filling from either my First Need or MSR BaseCamp filter, this also connects to gravity systems.
If I'm wearing a pack, it has a bladder containing water, and a tube arrangement to allow drinking on the go. These vary from 1 1/2 quart capacity to 3+, have a 4+ inch filler port allowing ice cube filling (great cooler for hot days outdoors like a day at the EAA Venture), they get smaller in volume as water is drawn, fit in packs better.
If I now use a bottle it's likely a flexible pouch and lid collapsible bottle. Heck even looking closely into a few folding containers for a basecamp!


butthead
 
BigBearArlich
03/28/2020 06:29PM
 
Savage Voyageur: "When we have a travel day, everyone fills up a Nalgene bottle for the trip. Then in camp we set up the gravity filter. If we run out of water when paddling, we just drink out of the lake. For portages, I don’t like things dangling out so I just stuff it in a pack. "


+1
 
scramble4a5
03/27/2020 08:21AM
 
I usually have a daypack along with side pockets and stash the bottle there. I think Maxpedition sells a molle and belt compatible pouch that fits water bottles.
 
Blatz
03/27/2020 10:29AM
 
This is what I use and it works great. When not in use, it rolls up and can be tucked into almost anywhere, including your pocket. Filter and bottle. Kills two birds with one stone. Also the filter is easily cleaned. I know Joe Robinet uses this.
 
4keys
03/27/2020 08:12PM
 
We also use a hiking backpack and stick a Nalgene bottle in a side pocket.
 
dgmyrs
03/27/2020 07:00AM
 
I've only been to the BWCA a few times, but recently moved a lot closer, and plan to make multiple trips a year. I have done a lot of backpacking, and so on my BWCA trips, I've used my lightweight backpack. Just as in backpacking, I am working to dial in my canoe tripping gear and methods.

One thing that I haven't figured out is where people store and access water bottle(s) during portage and paddle when using a canoe pack. I understand the benefits of a canoe back with it's shape, etc. but none of the ones I see have a place for the water bottle like a pack for hiking.

I like to single portage, so I like to get everything in one pack. With my current pack I can do that, and have the water bottle in a side pocket, that I can easily grab on the way, and also have in a spot when in the canoe, so it's secure and accessible. So that was a long way of asking, what do others do for water storage? Am I missing something obvious?

Thanks!
 
sns
03/28/2020 09:24PM
 
Backpacking pack and side pocket for me
 
luft
03/28/2020 02:51AM
 
I use a Nalgene bottle for normal portages. Occasionally if the portage is known to be really long or really strenuous I will also include my Sawyer Mini Squeeze.


I clip the Nalgene to the front of my PFD and take it over on the first portage where it stays with the pack.


The Sawyer when in use is then at the other end of a long portage to use before taking the second trip over the portage. That gets clipped to the pack strap.


If it is early in the morning I have a cold caffeinated beverage in a 20 oz soda bottle. If I am still drinking it by the first portage that bottle gets stuffed down the front of my PFD. I am a female so the bottle stays put that way just fine.
 
ParkerMag
03/27/2020 08:43AM
 
We're single portagers as well, and we put a small dromedary bag in each boat for traveling water. Easy enough to carry on portages, even if you have a boat and a pack.
 
AmarilloJim
03/27/2020 07:09AM
 
I use a plastic Coke bottle that my Sawyer filter fits. Several Kondos bags have side pockets that this fits into.
 
x2jmorris
03/28/2020 10:53AM
 
Savage Voyageur: "When we have a travel day, everyone fills up a Nalgene bottle for the trip. Then in camp we set up the gravity filter. If we run out of water when paddling, we just drink out of the lake. For portages, I don’t like things dangling out so I just stuff it in a pack. "


Exactly what we do
 
EddyTurn
03/28/2020 08:08PM
 
It's a poor canoe pack that doesn't have at least one outside pocket. I travel with Granite Gear Ontario - its pocket is big enough for a bottle, lining rope, rain gear for 2 and a thwart bag, which contains P&S camera, first aid kit and toiletries &c.
 
unshavenman
03/27/2020 10:22AM
 
Everyone is different, but personally I use a Camelbak Eddy 1L water bottle and just clip it to my pack or hand carry it over portages. When paddling it either sits next to me or at my feet.
 
Sandman2009
03/28/2020 08:25PM
 
I connect my nalgenes to the loops on my CCS packs with a carabiner or a Bungee Dealee Bob.
 
Savage Voyageur
03/28/2020 10:01AM
 
When we have a travel day, everyone fills up a Nalgene bottle for the trip. Then in camp we set up the gravity filter. If we run out of water when paddling, we just drink out of the lake. For portages, I don’t like things dangling out so I just stuff it in a pack.