Let's talk about buckets

[jdlobb]

Since I'm gonna be spending a lot of time in National Parks here in a few weeks, and have been buying various bits of kit like crazy, my thoughts turned to the ol' requirement to carry an axe, shovel, and bucket, in federally managed wilderness. (i don't know if this is actually law or just best practice)

and while I always have an axe and shovel in the truck anyways, I have never carried a bucket.

So hit me. Do you carry a bucket? What kind? What size? what makes a "good bucket?" What kind of things do you actually DO with your bucket?

 

[rnArmy]

Buckets come in three basic shapes - round, square, or rectangle plastic buckets. You can also get them round in canvas that will fold flat.

rothco canvas large water bucket - natural - Walmart.com

Free 2-day shipping. Buy rothco canvas large water bucket - natural at Walmart.com

www.walmart.com

Yes, you can also get them round tapered in metal like pictured in the first post. Those would be my last choice (they dent, odd shape, etc.).

I prefer the rectangle plastic ones. When packing them, there's less wasted space compared to a round one.

We have cats, and their cat liter comes in square or rectangle plastic buckets with a handle. So that's what I use for buckets - rectangle. One nice thing about these are they have a lid that'll clamp shut if that works better for you (I remove the lids). Example:

Purina Tidy Cats Clumping Cat Litter, Glade Clear Springs Multi Cat Litter, 35 lb. Pail - Walmart.com

Free 2-day shipping on qualified orders over $35. Buy Purina Tidy Cats Clumping Cat Litter, Glade Clear Springs Multi Cat Litter, 35 lb. Pail at Walmart.com

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Usually I've just got stuff stored in the buckets. They also act as dividers in my trailer. I've used them to transport non-drinking water at the campsite.

They sell kits to convert the good-old fashion round 5-gallon buckets into toilets. That might be another option to consider.

Review: The Luggable Loo - Rate My Toilet

When you need something to help you go when you’re on the go, your options are sometimes limited. If you’re on a tight budget, then your options are limited even further because many portable toileting systems cost several hundred dollars at the minimum. What are you going to do? You’re going to...

www.ratemytoilet.net

 

[NatersXJ6]

Buckets come in three basic shapes - round, square, or rectangle plastic buckets. You can also get them round in canvas that will fold flat.

rothco canvas large water bucket - natural - Walmart.com

Free 2-day shipping. Buy rothco canvas large water bucket - natural at Walmart.com

www.walmart.com

Yes, you can also get them round tapered in metal like pictured in the first post. Those would be my last choice (they dent, odd shape, etc.).

I prefer the rectangle plastic ones. When packing them, there's less wasted space compared to a round one.

We have cats, and their cat liter comes in rectangle plastic buckets with a handle. So that's what I use for buckets.

Usually I've just got stuff stored in the buckets. They also act as dividers in my trailer. I've used them to transport non-drinking water.

They sell kits to convert the good-old fashion 5-gallon buckets into toilets. That might be another option to consider.

Review: The Luggable Loo - Rate My Toilet

When you need something to help you go when you’re on the go, your options are sometimes limited. If you’re on a tight budget, then your options are limited even further because many portable toileting systems cost several hundred dollars at the minimum. What are you going to do? You’re going to...

www.ratemytoilet.net

As much as the cats annoy me, those litter buckets are brilliant, heavy duty, designed to stack both full and empty. I keep a round basic bucket in my trasheroo too. It holds open and works for stuff like scooping water or dirt, carry firewood, sitting on, emergency drain pan, lots of uses.

 

[rnArmy]

Here's a shot of some of these cat litter buckets in my trailer.



They also get used in my shop. When I built the shelves in my shop, I made sure I had enough space to put these buckets on the floor and under the first shelf. They hold things like ratchet straps, trailer hitch balls and such, etc. They sell cat litter in short and tall buckets; I prefer the tall buckets.

 

[Jnich77]

Never carried one and mever felt the need to carry one.

 

[jdlobb]

Here's a shot of some of these cat litter buckets in my trailer.

View attachment 614412

They also get used in my shop. When I built the shelves in my shop, I made sure I had enough space to put these buckets on the floor and under the first shelf. They hold things like ratchet straps, trailer hitch balls and such, etc. They sell cat litter in short and tall buckets; I prefer the tall buckets.

View attachment 614413

those do look useful. I don't have a cat, but I do have one of these lying around, though the handle broke off like 5 minutes after I got it. Might just find a way to put this into my loadout.

 

[SDDiver5]

I use buckets for many things. Mainly holding random pieces of gear since I don't have shelves or drawers, etc in my new truck. Last time I went to the desert I had two. One inside of another and then some gear like a chain, come along, and a few other things inside the top one. The second bucket ended up being used to pick up a bunch of garbage around where I was camping.

Also used one when I was a commercial fisherman in AK doing set net Salmon fishing and didn't have a bathroom. It worked as a toilet and water bailer.

Once time I used a bucket to collect a bunch of sea glass in mexico and then to hold a few rabbits that we snared when I was in college.

Now that I think of it, they're quite handy. I never really thought about it with context.... I've Always just had some buckets laying around.

 

[jdlobb]

Now that I think of it, they're quite handy. I never really thought about it with context.... I've Always just had some buckets laying around.

I do find that buckets are something I rarely have deliberately, i just sort of "have them"

 

[SDDiver5]

I do find that buckets are something I rarely have deliberately, i just sort of "have them"

haha yup- sounds about right.

 

[jdlobb]

haha yup- sounds about right.

my father has at least 20 large plastic paint buckets in his garage. To the best of my knowledge the man has never painted anything that required more than a single gallon in his entire life. Neither of us have any idea where they came from.

 

[Hopeless Diamond]

What self respecting Overlander would be caught outside without a couple of these...

YETI LoadOut Buckets

Customize your LoadOut Bucket with a lid, caddy, gear belt, or tie-down kit to create the 5-gallon bucket that is perfect for you. Fast shipping, buy now.

www.yeti.com

 

[Todd n Natalie]

What self respecting Overlander would be caught outside without a couple of these...

YETI LoadOut Buckets

Customize your LoadOut Bucket with a lid, caddy, gear belt, or tie-down kit to create the 5-gallon bucket that is perfect for you. Fast shipping, buy now.

www.yeti.com

Damn it... I was just about to say the same thing, haha

 

[workerdrone]

Yeah I always bring either a squareish sterilite tub or a 5 gallon bucket or both when vehicle camping. They weigh almost nothing, are great for holding stuff, function as the sink for washing dishes or sometimes a sponge bath...

And many's the times I've used a 5 gallon bucket with handle to haul water up from the creek to camp

 

[Trikebubble]

Always have a collapsible bucket in the camper. I usually fill it and the dogs use it for drinking water, and we satisfy our want to have a fire-put out-water bucket- thingie as well. The collapsible bucket takes up hardly any space, we also use it to wash clothes when we're on the road for longer periods.

 

[gringo m]

Buckets are always handy. I also have a 3 gal. stainless steel one that I can boil water in or use for other food preps.