Truck Water Storage- show me your setup

[feanor]

I’m looking for customized water storage, or even clever solutions. I’ve done the 5 gallon water jugs and smaller brick systems and always loath it. I typically use 15 gallons of water on a given hunt. Whatcha got?

 

[Brando]

Always with a truck base camp?
When truck base camping I use 2-4L MSR dromedary bags, 1-10L dromedary bag with a spigot, 1-2 flats of 16 oz bottled waters, and multiple 32 oz nalgene bottle in all the door cup holders in my truck (4) Plus the 48 oz nalgene in my backpack. Doesn’t equal 15 gallons but for a 5 day hunt I haven’t run out of water. And If I drive somewhere I always have water in the truck and can fill up my pack bottle if needed.
I also carry a MSR squeeze water filter.
Seems like a bunch of extra work to not just fill up a cube but I can leave water at camp, have water with me, and quickly grab bottles to throw in my pack if needed before hitting the trail.

 

[NRA4LIFE]

If you have a local beer making supply store, they sometimes have the blue 15 gallon malt barrels for sale on the cheap. They need some soaking time to get the malt taste out but I scored 3 of them a number of years ago. And at 15 gallons, they're not too terribly heavy.

 

[kpk]

I bought these collapsible ones this year and they worked well and don't take up space to store. Not sure how to get away from something like that for 15 gallons.

Amazon.com

 

[7mm-08]

If you have a local beer making supply store, they sometimes have the blue 15 gallon malt barrels for sale on the cheap. They need some soaking time to get the malt taste out but I scored 3 of them a number of years ago. And at 15 gallons, they're not too terribly heavy.

Damn, 123 pounds seems heavy for a 130 pound (old) man. I'm into the bricks of water bottles from Costco. Sorry, Mother Nature, for generating so much plastic waste, but I recycle all my bottles when I return home. Interested in other (better) ideas.

 

[elkliver]

tough to beat 3 blue jugs. I lose about 1 every trip from the jug cracking so i am not a fan of putting all my water in 1 basket. They are easily movable. You can keep one in the truck and leave two at base camp. You can bring them into a wall tent to keep from freezing. Take an empty with you in case you get by somewhere with potable water... the list goes on.

Depending on the base camp, we have used the Blue barrels but at the end of the day, the jugs are easier. IF someone knows of heavier duty jugs, i would be interested. Some overlanding folks with roof racks or roll bars have built the racks so that the pipe holds water. Not sure i would want to drink said water but... to each their own. Also the concerns about freezing would still be valid.

 

[jonesn3]

I tend to go through a lot of water at a truck camp. For just me, in a 10 day hunt, I pack at least 3 of the 7-gal containers in the truck. I’ll add a fourth if it’s particularly hot weather, early season, or if a second person is riding for all those days. Seems like a lot, and I’m sure Im overly conservative in my planning, but between water-required meals, coffee/mtn ops, occasional hand washing, and packing up to 3L in my pack each day it just seems to disappear faster than I would like. 2 gal per person per day at a truck camp is what I tend to plan for. Usually as a nonresident, out-of-state hunter, I plan to not go back into town at all for the duration of the trip. Factor of safety of 2 (two is one mentality).

 

[BBob]

IF someone knows of heavier duty jugs

LCI is the US manufacturer of military water jugs. Scepter is the Canadian manufacturer. You won’t find them cheaper anywhere than buying from LCI directly. You can get dispenser hoses that screw into the cap for them. You can also get dip tube hoses and fittings that also screw into the cap and run them to an electric pump. Line them up in a rack and pump it wherever you want. When one runs dry switch to the next one. They are very tough. I’ve been using them for 20+ years now.

Water Can - 5 Gallon - Desert Tan

Water Can, Desert Tan - 5Gal5 galCapacity: 20 Liters / 5 Gallons

www.buylci.com

 

[eamyrick]

LCI is the US manufacturer of military water jugs. Scepter is the Canadian manufacturer. You won’t find them cheaper anywhere than buying from LCI directly. You can get dispenser hoses that screw into the cap for them. You can also get dip tube hoses and fittings that also screw into the cap and run them to an electric pump. Line them up in a rack and pump it wherever you want. When one runs dry switch to the next one. They are very tough. I’ve been using them for 20+ years now.

Water Can - 5 Gallon - Desert Tan

Water Can, Desert Tan - 5Gal5 galCapacity: 20 Liters / 5 Gallons

www.buylci.com

I’m on my last blue brick that hasn’t cracked of the 6-7 I’ve had. They are great until they are not. I’ve switched to these LCI and have had great luck and use a septor spout I picked up at rei. Downside is the really need to be standing upright to not trickle out a bit of water so you have to strap them to the truck.

 

[justinspicher]

I’ve been thinking about getting a rotoblox water jug or two. I like their shape because I think they will pack well between my frame and pack. I’m just not a fan of the price. I may go ahead and snag one just to try it though.

 

[TX_hunter]

13 gallon tank with a pump and hose. Fits between the cab and toolbox. You can use the same idea with a variety of tanks. I did add a vent to the cap after I took these pictures.

 

[realunlucky]

I’m on my last blue brick that hasn’t cracked of the 6-7 I’ve had. They are great until they are not. I’ve switched to these LCI and have had great luck and use a septor spout I picked up at rei. Downside is the really need to be standing upright to not trickle out a bit of water so you have to strap them to the truck.

I throw a grocery sack over the opening before screwing on the lid that way I can run them on thier side stacked on top of each other with no worry about seepage.



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[Davyalabama]

13 gallon tank with a pump and hose. Fits between the cab and toolbox. Can you use the same idea with a variety of tanks. I did add a vent to the cap after I took these pictures.

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That's a nice setup. I would be afraid of loosing too much space for actual truck usage; furniture, pallets of stuff from manufacturers, loading old pallets to use for fishing spots, just general truck stuff.

I've had my current truck for 27 years, it's never even had a tool box on it, that would take up too much needed space.

I could see doing something like that for gas; lawnmowers, sxs, boat at the lake, sea doo, etc. It sure would make it easier than hauling 5 gallon cans everywhere, just back it up to the truck, fill it, away we go.

 

[Dos Perros]

The water tastes pretty bad after sitting in those Sceptor jugs. My daughter won't even drink it.

 

[Fatcamp]

We recently switched to Aquatainer 7 gallon cubes. Working well so far. Had a couple random jugs prior but these hold more water and are stackable.

In the past we have used a water tank from an RV mounted under the toolbox, but that's a whole lot more water than we normally need.

We have had our previous jugs for years and never broke one. Must be careful with them even though I don't feel like we are. One thing we do is always have them sitting on a table, maybe that's the difference.

 

[Fatcamp]

The water tastes pretty bad after sitting in those Sceptor jugs. My daughter won't even drink it.

I've got a bunch of Scepter jugs. Never got around to using them.

 

[5MilesBack]

I normally have 5 of the 40 bottle cases of Arrowhead Spring water in my elk camp. I normally go through about 10 bottles a day. That will last me most of the season.

 

[Dos Perros]

FWIW, those plastic bottles aren't getting recycled. They're getting shipped to southeast Asia or India and then chucked in the ocean.

 

[TX_hunter]

That's a nice setup. I would be afraid of loosing too much space for actual truck usage; furniture, pallets of stuff from manufacturers, loading old pallets to use for fishing spots, just general truck stuff.

I've had my current truck for 27 years, it's never even had a tool box on it, that would take up too much needed space.

I could see doing something like that for gas; lawnmowers, sxs, boat at the lake, sea doo, etc. It sure would make it easier than hauling 5 gallon cans everywhere, just back it up to the truck, fill it, away we go.

Yeah a toolbox does take up some space. Putting the water tank in causes the box to be scooted back about 4-5 inches. I have an 8ft bed, so even with the toolbox I still have enough room. I would not have that type of toolbox if I had a 5.5-6.5ft bed.

The water tank I use is actually meant to go in front of your wheel well, using the space along the side of the bed between the cab and wheel well. With no toolbox, you could actually have 2 of them if you wanted and have 26 gallons of capacity.

50L Wheel Arch Water Tank - 13 Gal

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ironman4x4america.com

 

[Danny Hoey]

It's a costco brick of water for me. I use them for cooking and in camp. Most of the water in my pack gets pumped from a creek or spring in the field. Taste better and is usually super cold and refreshing.