Do I really need a folding bucket?

[Eywa Dude]

I had an impulse moment and bought a Sea To Summit 10L folding bucket. I'm starting to think this was a wasted purchase. I thought I read somewhere that it is handy to have one. But, now I can't really think of a situation where I need it. Do I really need this thing? What's your take? Thanks.

http://www.seatosummit.com/products/display/72

[sheepdog]

I really like having one. Sometime when you are hiking the water source will be a long hard walk from your camp. With a good water bucket you only have to do it once. Also if you filter water it is a lot easier to filter out of the bucket. I don't hike without mine.

[Spokes]

I'd be afraid some girl hiker would want to Bedazzle that thing.

[TOMP]

Never bought one, never needed one, never filtered water either. Sounds like a luxury item.

[About_Time]

I used it to wash up before changing into -sleep clothes- every night. I know it was a luxury, but I felt and slept better because of it.

[max patch]

Everybody carries something that is stupid. That can be your stupid item.

[Deadeye]

Everybody carries something that is stupid. That can be your stupid item.

Great attitude!

[Del Q]

I like mine, really light, many uses...........super for field baths away from water source, nice to be able to carry a LOT of water to where I am camping and take care of everything in one shot. Between H20 for night, filling up water bladder for am hiking, brushing teeth, washing up (am in no-cook mode so just basic clean-up)..........H20 for middle of the night drinks..............works for me.

[sailsET]

[QUOTE=max patch;1252733]Everybody carries something that is stupid. That can be your stupid item.[

I like the idea of a stupid item. Probably have a lot of them!

[Marlow]

If you start hauling 10L of water into camp every night, you are going to become the most popular person at the campsite. That's a lot of water.

[ChinMusic]

A smaller folding bucket is nice if you do not plan on any dry camping (example: where you water up and walk on to some place with a great view). IMO, you need something you can close up, to give you more options.

[Slo-go'en]

10L might be over kill, but you really need to be able to lug at least a gallon, maybe 2, from a spring - which can be a really, really long way away and steeply down hill to boot. You only want to make that trip once! I vividly remember the 386 rock steps to a spring in the SNP and a half dozen more I can recall off hand. Personally, I use the medium sized dry bag from the Wal_Mart selection with a nylon strap handle sewen to it. I read the suggestion to do that here on WB a couple of years ago. It's works great.

[garlic08]

If you want to be ultra light, and I assume so since you posted in the UL forum, you don't need a water bucket.

[bigcranky]

I carry a 4 or 6 liter Platy Big Zip to collect and treat water (with Aqua Mira.) I haven't carried a bucket for a while, but when I did it was the bottom of a gallon milk jug, cut off about 3 inches tall. Makes a great wash basin, and it easily fits over the end of a stuff sack inside my pack, so it doesn't take up any room (and weighs maybe half an ounce.)

[RichardD]

I carry one, its not a neccessity but its nice to have at camp, one trip to the water source and I have enough water for two, unlimited coffee in the morning and plenty to wash with, plus enough to fill my water bottle to start the days hiking. Make sure you hang it from a branch, if you leave it on the ground overnight there is a good chance it will contain drowned mice in the morning.

[ScottS]

Not at all.

[Donde]

No. Especially not on the AT where water is fairly easy to find. I would try to have a 5L capacity total, for camp. Except for a few specific stretches ( and of course depending on seasonal rainfall issues), I never carried more than 2L at a time on the AT. You can do washing in your cook pot. All that being said HYOH YMMV.

[jlo]

You don't need it. If you get it, you'll carry it for a week or two and then send it home
But I will say, I had a sea to summit waterproof bag and actually used it as a bag to carry water if the water source was far away from the shelter. It was light, folded up to almost nothing and I used it almost everyday.

[SCRUB HIKER]

I saw a few at the beginning. I literally don't remember seeing a single one north of Damascus. I never even came close to needing one myself. Hopefully that helps answer the question.

[Rocket Jones]

My buddy carries one, and it comes in very handy around camp. He hikes with a dog, so he has to filter a lot of water and doing it from his collapsable bucket is very convenient.

It's nice to have, but nowhere near necessary.