Keeping your gear clean & dry - Canoe Barrels

[bb07]

It's not just paddlers that benefit from using canoe barrels. They're great for anyone wanting to keep their gear clean and dry, whether it's on a boat, a quad or even in the back of a truck on a dusty road.
As one person said ''It looks like you're hauling toxic waste'' but I can vouch for these barrels doing what they were designed to do. They give me peace of mind, knowing my gear is safe from water and dirt.
They aren't something the backpacking folks would be interested in of course, (although they do have optional harnesses), but are for the people that travel by means other than on foot.

I only have experience with the Hooligan brand so can't vouch for the others but they're all basically the same.
Here's several links for anyone interested:

Hooligan Gear - 'Made to be Abused' Canoe, Kayak, and Rescue Equipment

Back 40 Canoe

Eureka Tents Canada

Gear Up For Outdoors - Dry Bags & Barrels

 

[Bardster]

Here in the UK you can get them cheaply from solent plastics.

 

[Dreadhead]

finally i can store my map thieving dwarves safely when paddling down river. they do make such a racket

reckon these would be good for base camping as could also collect rainfall in them or store booze/food in them and harness them in a river tae keep them cool

 

[maddave]

If you have an indian curry house nearby, they often get their mango chutney delivered in blue screw top barrels that they are occasionally happy to give away

 

[Hoodoo]

Barrels are a real comfort. I like 'em. Two barrels in this pic. One has a carry harness and one fits in a canoe pack.

 

[bb07]

Nice canoe Hoodoo!

 

[Hoodoo]

Nice canoe Hoodoo!

Thanks bb. It's a Bell Merlin II and weighs 34 lbs.

Glad to see someone else besides me likes barrels. Not real traditional but they sure make canoe trips easy. No more dinking around with plastic liners. I believe they are somewhat critter proof as well, keeping racoons, squirrels, and chipmunks away. I use the barrels with metal locking rings. I also think they lock in scent pretty well and I don't feel bad about setting these on the ground in bear country a couple hundred yards from camp when I can't find a tree to hang the food bag.

I have a ton of traditional canoe packs and felt a little guilty switching to barrels but the ease, comfort, and peace of mind made up for it for me. With two medium sized barrels, I can live pretty comfy for 7-10 days.

 

[bb07]

It's a Bell Merlin II and weighs 34 lbs.

Glad to see someone else besides me likes barrels. Not real traditional but they sure make canoe trips easy. No more dinking around with plastic liners. I believe they are somewhat critter proof as well, keeping racoons, squirrels, and chipmunks away. I use the barrels with metal locking rings. I also think they lock in scent pretty well and I don't feel bad about setting these on the ground in bear country a couple hundred yards from camp when I can't find a tree to hang the food bag.

I have a ton of traditional canoe packs and felt a little guilty switching to barrels but the ease, comfort, and peace of mind made up for it for me. With two medium sized barrels, I can live pretty comfy for 7-10 days.

34 lbs? Wow, now that would make portaging a pleasure
I know what you mean about traditional packs, they are certainly things of beauty themselves, but for pure convenience and practicality the barrels cannot be beat.

 

[Quill]

You got to keep that single malt safe and sound.

 

[Hoodoo]

You got to keep that single malt safe and sound.

Um...well...lately it's been Shiraz.

 

[Grooveski]

Another barrel fan here. One for gear and the other for food and pots.

Got fed up with them making camps visible from afar so wrapped them in camo duck tape. It's holding up better than I expected it to considering the lousy weather they lie out in.
Wish I could justify one of those backpacks but don't really portage enough, it's usualy just up and down the shore from boat to camp(can be a slippy traipse sometimes though when the tide's out and the barrels are pretty awkward - especialy the food one if it's been stuffed full).
Should really put a diy version on the projects list, plenty of webbing kicking about and bound to know someone with an old dead backpack.

 

[Hoodoo]

Nice looking canoe setup!

 

[Grooveski]

I'd swap it for a kevlar Merlin so quick it'd just be a green blur.
...but aye, it's wee gem.
Pinched that photo from what ended up essentially a barrel appreciation thread.

They go well with the hooped bivi. I tend not to use a tarp if I can get away with it and once the bivi, sleeping bag and kipmat are out of the gear barrel there's room for boots and the likes to overnight there. If it does start pouring down through the night you know everything's cosy and dry.

 

[wingstoo]

Smiths of the Dean do a good selection of barrels as do Patrico up near Tewkesbury.

http://www.smithsofthedean.co.uk/new%20barrels.html

http://www.patrico.co.uk/open-top-plastic-kegs.html

 

[Hoodoo]

I'd swap it for a kevlar Merlin so quick it'd just be a green blur.
...but aye, it's wee gem.
Pinched that photo from what ended up essentially a barrel appreciation thread.

They go well with the hooped bivi. I tend not to use a tarp if I can get away with it and once the bivi, sleeping bag and kipmat are out of the gear barrel there's room for boots and the likes to overnight there. If it does start pouring down through the night you know everything's cosy and dry.

That's a great thread! Wonderful photos. Don't know how I missed it. You did a bang up job on those spray decks.

 

[John Fenna]

Canoe barrels are great - but can be uncomfortable to portage... so I heated mine up with a hot air gun and depressed one side to fit the contours of my back and made a rucksack harness to fit - bingo, bango, bongo - a comfortable portage barrel
OK you lose a bit of capacity - but not too much - but it makes all the difference on the portage from Loch Morar to Loch Nevis for example
Canoe barrels also have the capacity to hold enough dye to cold dye fabric up to and beyond the size of a double bed blanket!
On exped - put you dirty laundry and a couple of small rocks in the barrel along with your travel-wash or soap and some water and roll it around a bit and the barrel becomes a washing machine (OK - spin cycle sucks...) and your gear gets clean with half the effort ...
For cheap barrels check out your local curry house or printers (the traditional type) or even your nearest clothing factory ... such things as Mango chuckny, printers ink and industrial fabric cleaners (for that stone washed look...) come in the ol' blue barrel - and often the barrels can be had cheap at the end users place as they are "junk"