• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Hit the Trail

Hit the Trail

Phantom Ranch, Grand Canyon, Sedona, & the Southwest

  • Home
  • Hikers Guide
    • Equipment
      • Backcountry Food
      • Backcountry Kitchen Gear
      • Backpacking Stoves
      • Backpacks
      • Boots & Footwear
      • Clothing
      • Equipment Guide
      • Equipment Rentals/Purchase
      • Flashlights and Lanterns
      • Seat Pads
      • Sleeping Bags
      • Sleeping Pads
      • Socks
      • Tents
      • The Wonder Bucket
      • Walking Sticks
      • Water Purification
    • Trails & Campgrounds
      • Bright Angel Campground
      • Cottonwood Camp
      • Desert View
      • Grand Canyon’s Corridor Trails
      • Grand Canyon Trail Descriptions
      • Havasu and Mooney Falls
      • Indian Garden Campground
      • North Rim Campgrounds
      • North Rim Day Hikes
      • North Rim Yurt
      • Pack Hauling Service
      • Phantom Ranch/BA Day Hikes
      • Phantom Ranch Area Map
      • Phantom Ranch FAQs
      • Phantom Ranch Lodging/Dining
      • South Rim Campgrounds
      • South Rim Day Hikes
      • Sedona/Verde Valley Trails
      • Toroweap & Tuweep
      • Trip Reports and Resources
      • Trip Reports – Baja
    • Safety, Resources & Training
      • Acrophobia/Fear of Heights
      • Arizona Hiking Clubs
      • Backcountry 911
      • Backcountry Etiquette
      • Backcountry Permits
      • Bubonic Plague
      • Heat Strain
      • Hiker FAQs
      • Hiker’s Links/Resources
      • Lightning Strikes/Safety Tips
      • Monsoon Facts
      • Rabies
      • Training/Physical Fitness
    • Tips & Tricks
      • Author’s Tips & Tricks
      • Boot Lacing Technique
      • Phantom Ranch Tips & Tricks
      • Readers’ Tips & Tricks
      • Rest Step for Uphill Hiking
      • Summertime Hiking Tips
      • Winter Hiking Tips
      • Women’s Tips & Tricks
  • Visitors Guide
    • General Information
      • Entrance Fees/Park Brochures
      • Events Calendar
      • Fishing Regulations
      • Fires/Smoke in Park
      • Fishing Regulations
      • Grand Canyon Distances
      • Grand Canyon Park Links
      • Grand Canyon Trivia/Facts
      • Grand Canyon Weather
      • Havasu and Mooney Falls
      • Hiking Guides
      • Indian Reservations
      • Photo Galleries
      • Ranger Programs
    • South Rim
      • Desert View
      • Havasu and Mooney Falls
      • South Rim Campgrounds
      • South Rim Day Hikes
      • South Rim Lodging
      • South Rim Mule Rides
      • South Rim Restaurants/Cafés
      • South Rim Services
      • South Rim Transportation
    • Phantom Ranch
      • Pack Hauling/Duffel Service
      • Phantom Ranch Area Map
      • Phantom Ranch/BA Day Hikes
      • Phantom Ranch FAQs
      • Phantom Ranch Human History
      • Phantom Ranch Lodging/Dining
      • Phantom Mule Ride Gallery
      • Phantom Ranch Mule Rides
      • Phantom Ranch Tips & Tricks
    • North Rim
      • North Rim Campgrounds
      • North Rim Day Hikes
      • North Rim Dining/Food Service
      • North Rim Lodging
      • North Rim Mule Rides
      • North Rim Services
      • North Rim Yurt
      • Toroweap & Tuweep
    • Sedona
      • Permitted Guide Services
      • Red Rock Pass
      • Sedona Geology
      • Sedona Information
      • Sedona Photography
      • Sedona/Verde Valley Area Trails
      • Visitor Centers
  • Mules, Guides & River Trips
    • Commercial River Trips
    • Hiking Guides
    • Horseback Rides
    • Mule Ride Gallery
    • North Rim Mule Rides
    • Pack Hauling/Duffel Service
    • Phantom Ranch Mule Rides
    • Private River Trips
    • River Trip Safety
    • South Rim Mule Rides
  • Explore
    • Natural History
      • Bats
      • Canyon Treefrogs
      • Condors at Grand Canyon
      • Ravens
      • Scorpions
      • Snakes
      • Squirrels & Rodents
      • Tarantulas/Other Spiders
    • Human History
      • Civilian Conservation Corps
      • Phantom Ranch History
      • Pre-Park Era
      • NPS Era
    • Grand Canyon Geology
      • Intro to Grand Canyon Geology
      • Kaibab Limestone to Supai Formation
      • Redwall Limestone to Tapeats Sandstone
      • The Supergroup
      • The Inner Gorge
    • Lake Powell Geology
      • Introduction
      • The Back Story
      • Rock Layers
      • Monoclines
      • Prominent Rock Units
      • Striking Landscape
      • Laccoliths
      • Future of Lake Powell
    • Sedona Geology
      • Introduction
      • Prelude to the Red Rocks
      • Sedona’s Red Rocks, Part 1
      • Sedona’s Red Rocks, Part 2
      • Deposition, Uplift, and Erosion
      • House Mountain Volcano
      • Verde Valley and Verde Lake
      • Carving Oak Creek Canyon
  • Books & Videos
    • Hiking Guides
      • Apps, Maps & Hiking DVDs
      • Arizona Hiking
      • Canyon Country Hiking
      • Grand Canyon Hiking
      • Utah Hiking
    • Hiker Safety/Skills
      • Backcountry Skills
      • Camper’s Cookbooks
      • Search and Rescue
      • Wilderness First Aid
    • Natural/Human History
      • Grand Canyon Human History
      • Grand Canyon Legends
      • Natural History & Geology Guides
    • Colorado Plateau
      • Exploring Arizona
      • Exploring Utah
      • Regional Guides
      • Scenic Photography Books
  • Blog
    • Canyon Posts
    • Canyon Archives
    • Trip Reports
    • Baja Trip Archive – Baja
    • Site Contributors
Home/Equipment Guide/The Wonder Bucket!

The Wonder Bucket!

Summary: A folding bucket is one of the most useful, versatile items in my pack. It is good for cleaning, filtering water, carrying water to more convenient locations and emergencies. I don’t go anywhere without it.

A full-page on a bucket? Am I crazy? What possible reason would possess you to carry the extra weight of a bucket when every ounce counts? Well stick with me for a bit, and I’ll give you some of the reasons I always carry a bucket while backpacking. Allow me to introduce you to the Bucket.

It comes from different companies in varying colors, weights, and sizes. Seattle Sports makes one that weighs less than 4 ounces and holds three gallons!

It’s made of reinforced vinyl, has a handle, and folds down to less than an inch thick. Some of the models are able to stand up without additional support. The handle allows you to carry water around and hook the bucket on a branch or around a picnic-table seat.

I’ve seen them for sale at REI stores and in the L.L. Bean catalog, as well as different sporting goods stores. They cost anywhere from six to seventeen dollars and they vary in quality and thickness. Below are some uses for the bucket.

Filtering water. I use the bucket to dip water from the source, avoiding the bottom to prevent disturbing the silt, and take it back to camp or a comfortable rock for filtering. There are several reasons to filter from the bucket. First I avoid kicking up silt, allowing me to filter clear water and extending the life of the water filter. Also, if the water is already full of sediment, I can allow it to settle and filter from the cleaner surface. (Read Ken Walter’s tip on speeding up the settling of sediment.) I can also get into a comfortable position for filtering; something not always possible at the creek or pool’s edge.

Water catchment. Many times in the southwest, you’ll find a seep with only a slight dripping of water. On the Nankoweap Trail several years ago, I was able to set my bucket under the drip overnight, and in the morning I had nearly two gallons of water—effortlessly!

Bathing. The bucket has come in very handy for me since I spend so much time outside. I like to clean up, and it helps keep my sleeping bag fresher for much longer before cleaning. In a campground with other people around, I can even take wash water into my tent and bathe in private. Be careful not to tip it over! Be on the safe side and move your sleeping bag and gear away to prevent getting them wet!

Luxuries. After bathing, I often soak my feet in the water. This feels marvelous after a hard day’s hike!

Laundry. On my extended trips, I don’t take clean clothes for the entire time; rather, I wear one set and bring an extra set. This way I can wear one and wash one. This in itself is worth the weight of carrying the bucket. Clothes add up. I also like to wear a clean pair of socks each day. I find I don’t get blisters if I take good care of my feet, wear proper boots, and put on a fresh pair of socks each day. Washing them allows me to wear clean socks every day.

Dishes. I wash my dishes by pouring water from the bucket into the dishes, scrub them, and then rinse them with more water. I do not wash dishes directly in the bucket. I use a Seattle Sports Bucket—lightweight at 5.6 ounces, free-standing, and holds 3 gallons! The Seattle Sports is more likely to topple than is the REI bucket due to its light weight. But with it being nearly half the weight, I am willing to work with it.

Emergencies. This was the clincher for me. During one trip in the desert, I had started out with a gallon and a half of water and headed to one of my regular water stops. When I got there the area was bone dry, and it was several miles to the next water! There was an old windmill in the area with a concrete tank underneath it. I looked into the tank and saw water about six feet down. The problem was the tank was much too narrow for me to fit even my shoulders in, which made it impossible to reach the water below. I pulled out my bucket, tied some line to the handle, and lowered the bucket into the water. When I raised the bucket, I had plenty of water. I haven’t gone anywhere without it since!

Some recommended products below may include affiliate links for which I may receive a commission if purchased when clicking through. Please note that I only recommend products that I feel are worthy, and you will not pay any extra when purchasing through these links. Click here to read the full disclosure statement.

Recommended Products

Seattle Sports Outfitter Class Camp Bucket - Lightweight, Packable Bucket for Hauling Water and...
Seattle Sports Outfitter Class Camp Bucket - Lightweight, Packable Bucket for Hauling Water and...
  • MULTIPLE USES - Use Around Camp for Washing Dishes, Hauling Water, or Washing Clothes
  • LIGHTWEIGHT - Collapsible and Packable Design Allows You to Easily Take It Along for Any Outdoor Adventure
  • MATERIAL - Vinyl with RF Welded Seam and Webbing Carrying Handle
  • SPECS - WEIGHT: 5.6oz, CAPACITY: 12L, EXPANDED DIMS: 10.5" x 9.5"
$18.27
Buy on Amazon Price incl. tax, excl. shipping
Freegrace Premium Collapsible Bucket - Multifunctional Folding Bucket - Perfect Gear for...
Freegrace Premium Collapsible Bucket - Multifunctional Folding Bucket - Perfect Gear for...
  • ✔ 10L(With Lid) size: 7.87 x 9.84 inch(0.86 Pounds/390g),Capacity:610 Cu.In; The only bucket with LID and comfortable GRAB HANDLE on Amazon! Say...
  • ✔ MULTI-PURPOSE COLLAPSIBLE BUCKET: Looking for an easy and practical way to hold water for washing hands, dishes or even laundry while you're...
  • ✔ LIGHTWEIGHT & SELF-SUPPORTING: unlike lesser quality buckets, our bucket is extremely light, easily foldable and support its weight and stand...
  • ✔ DURABLE & WELL-MADE: When it comes to our compact collapsible buckets, we make a point of using nothing but the best materials available (Premium...
  • ✔ BPA FREE AND 100% RISK FREE PURCHASE : Our Freegrace bucket is free from any harmful toxins, so it is completely safe for farm animals feeding and...
$14.99
Buy on Amazon Price incl. tax, excl. shipping
Stansport Water Bucket - 9 Liter
Stansport Water Bucket - 9 Liter
  • Made of reinforced heavy duty vinyl
  • Electronically welded seams, reinforced bottom
  • Sturdy carry handle
  • Folds compactly for easy storage and portability
  • Capacity: 2-1/2 -Gallon
$8.99
Buy on Amazon Price incl. tax, excl. shipping
Sale
BANCHELLE Collapsible Bucket Camping Water Storage Container 20 L Portable Folding Foot Bath...
BANCHELLE Collapsible Bucket Camping Water Storage Container 20 L Portable Folding Foot Bath...
  • Large Capacity: 20 L
  • Material: Waterproof 500D NET clamping fabric. Lining fabric: eco-friendly PVC
  • Quick-drying and tear-resistant, Light Weight and Collapsible 
  • Multi-purpose: can be used as camp bucket for washing dishes, hauling water or washing clothes
  • Great for Camping, Picnic, Hiking, Boating or other outdoor activities
$10.98
Buy on Amazon Price incl. tax, excl. shipping

Last update on 2021-04-22 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Primary Sidebar

Backcountry Food

Summary: Preparing your own food allows you to get creative and use healthy ingredients while being …

Backcountry Kitchen Gear

Summary: Only take what is absolutely necessary! You don't need to have extra utensils and dishes. …

Backpacking Stoves

Summary: Canister-type stoves are the easiest and safest to use but are more expensive and generate …

Backpacks

Summary: External frame packs tend to be less expensive, easier to fit, cooler, lighter weight and …

Boots & Footwear

Summary: Boots that have good soles made with high-quality material, such as Vibram®, which grip the …

Outdoor Clothing

Summary: Due to the low humidity in canyon country, temperatures can vary widely between night and …

Equipment Rentals & Purchase

Grand Canyon & Flagstaff Grand Canyon Outfitters - (928) 638-2262 Convenient location, the …

Flashlights and Lanterns

Whether it’s being caught out on the trail after dark, finding the latrine in the middle of the …

Seat Pads

You've heard people "trash talk"? I'm about to "tush talk." There is a lot of good advice about …

Sleeping Bags

Summary: The type of sleeping bag that will work best for you will depend most on your use. …

Sleeping Pads

Summary: Therm-a-Rest has always made of the best backpacking mattresses, both in comfort and …

Socks

Summary: Socks with plenty of cushion in the heel and toe box are important, but make sure your …

Tents

Summary: Shelter is important for more reasons than just rain and snow. Consider where you will be …

The Wonder Bucket!

Summary: A folding bucket is one of the most useful, versatile items in my pack. It is good for …

Walking Sticks & Trekking Poles

Summary: Walking sticks take much of the strain off of your lower body and joints, allowing your …

Water Purification

This section discusses water purification; its purpose and the equipment required to achieve clean, …

Footer

Copyright © 1998–2021 · Hit the Trail: Phantom Ranch, Grand Canyon, Sedona and the Southwest

All Rights Reserved · All photos credit NPS unless stated otherwise

Newsletter

Sign up for email updates. You can stop at any time and your information will never be shared.

  • Contact
  • About
  • Sitemap
  • Affiliate Disclaimer