When backpacking in the Emigrant Wilderness, you’re not allowed to setup camp near the edge of the lakes, so it’s always a good idea to have a bucket with you, to have access to water at the camp site.

This bucket is about 10 litres realisitically, 11 would be pushing it. that’s about 2.5 gallons, or close enough.

Plenty of water for two to drink, hydrate food, do a few dishes, and wash your face. If you’re conservative, that’s plenty for the next morning too.

I backpack along sometimes, and this bucket is more than enough for one. For two people it works just fine. For three you’d probably want a second bucket.

Either way, backpacking buckets sure have come a long way. I used to use the bear can to transport water, but once we started bear hanging, we switched to a folding bucket like this one, which was heavier and took up more space.

This Seattle Sports PVC Free pocket bucket is quite a bit lighter, folds a little smaller, and also stands upright. I wouldn’t hang this from a tree when filled with water because I think the lifespan of this bucket may be considerably less than the other folding bucket. But treated well, this bucket should work just fine to lug water to the camp site, and then you can use a filter to get clean water as you need it.

Note: use filtered water to wash your face. lake water, especially the water near the surface, can get warm, and that is a breeding ground for some bacteria and viruses that can cause real harm. It’s highly unlikely, of course, but there have been news reports of warn lake water being a touch dangerous.

If you’re on the hunt for the lightest, free standing water bucket for backpacking, this is definitely the one to get.