Gear Bag/Backpacks

[socalocmatt]

I have a few backpacks for "normal" use. The largest that I have will barely hold a 5 gal bucket (diameter-wise). Its always a pain the the butt to force the bucket in the bag and I'm always wrestling to get it out. What do you guy use to pack in 5 gal buckets with a sluice and other gear?

Edit: Here is what I usually use for backpacking trips. That 5 gal bucket barely squeezes in the bag.

 

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[Jason in Enid]

Army CFP-90 or a CURRENT large Molle ruck sack. You can get decent deals if you watch flea-bay or surplus stores for used ones.

 

[63bkpkr]

socalocmatt ,
I can so appreciate your situation. When I MUST bring in a 5 gallon bucket I use Duct Tape and some rope to make it stay on the outside of my pack. I flipped my Keene A 52 so the side walls were up, taped the bucket to it and strapped them on the outside of the pack.
As you can see in the picture my pack happens to be big enough to hold a 5 gallon bucket on the inside but the insides were also filled with gear. The pack is an old Kelty external frame "Sherpa" model that is no longer being made and if it was it would be about $400.00. My son has told me I need to carry a lighter, smaller pack but I just can't seem to cut it down to less than 65 lbs or so. If you gotta have it on the inside then the military pack pictured above looks like a possibility. The Duct Tape worked really well but I did take a couple of wraps around the bucket and the sluice to make sure it did not come off during my 2.5 hour hike in. Having "haul gear" come undone while hiking in or out is a real mess where one looses a lot of time, their patience and I usually never have enough of anything to lash the stuff back down.............................63bkpkr

Best of luck with your search!

 

[DizzyDigger]

I use my old bowhunting day pack to carry the pans, assorted small digging tools
(for mossing and crevices). Also pack lunch and several bottles of water in there
along with a small "Survival Pack" that includes fire starters, couple of high energy
drink packs, 4 oz. bottle of bleach, 20' of thin wire, couple fishhooks, etc.

When carrying either the A51 or A52 I'll first lay the short handled shovel
and pry bar in the sluice, then the buckets are bungee corded to the sluice with a
long, wrap-around bungee. Takes about 2 min. to put together once you figure out
which bungee cords to use.







Now, I'm rarely (like never) hiking more than a mile to get to any spot.
I carry my walking stick in the left hand, and the sluice in my right and the
pack on my back. I may have to stop a couple times and rest the arm, but
for the gear I have this works quite well.

The crow bar was turned up just so you could see it in there. Always want
to reduce the chances of stuff snagging on brush, etc. so normally it would be
laying down flat.

 

[63bkpkr]

Gosh Dizzy, even with the oversize handle on the sluicebox I'd still suspect your right arm is a bit longer than the left. (have I exceeded the conduct rule?) You have it all packed quite neatly and even though I'm the one carrying 65-85 pound packs I cringe to think of carrying that combo by hand, even stopping every now and then and not going more than a mile. I'm such a sissy. But then it works for you and that is all it takes, more power to ya! Having a good time out there is what we are all after, the gold just adds to the adventure.................................63bkpkr

 

[BritinCA]

I must admit that I would never consider carrying that by hand.... That's why we have our modern pack mules otherwise known as kids.


I knew a guy once that carried a size able load by hand and it wasn't that long before he could do his boots up without bending.....lol

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[socalocmatt]

lol. Some of y'all are crazy!

No kids for me but I like that Molle pack. Till then I'll have to play around with packing that bucket on the outside of the pack like 63bkpkr.

Thanks for the suggestions.

 

[trinityau]

Hello all, check out Blackhawk Industries, much to choose from. First rate equipment. TRINITYAU/RAYMILLS

 

[UncleMatt]

What I have been looking for is some good pack strap pads, since my pack is over a hundred pounds with all my gear and supplies in it. I finally realized the perfect strap pad would be an A size saline breast implant! lol, or at least something similar.