La Verendrye. You'll never look a a barrel in the same way
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Cheap alternative to Blue Barrels
- Thread starter Jim Dodd
- Start date
????
Google at your own risk. Think privvy...
the ring is removed. The bottom cut out. The barrel with lid countersunk so it doesn't fall over. Hole cut in top. You sit on it for business. Needs no more detail!
The blue barrel becomes the poo barrel.
Jim, my dude! I've been curious about the paint bucket/seabag combo forever, because we obviously have both in abundance on a navy ship. I'm glad I didn't have to ask!
Oh TH-ossse Blue Barrels!
Gamma Lids are great ! At less than $7.00, at Menards, and a 11% rebate on right now.
Bought three, and they fit my blue pails perfectly !
Duffel bag, $5, at garage sale, buckets for free, Gamma lids $14. Beat that Blue barrel suppliers !
Jim
Bought three, and they fit my blue pails perfectly !
Duffel bag, $5, at garage sale, buckets for free, Gamma lids $14. Beat that Blue barrel suppliers !
Jim
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5 gal. pail works just as well and are free
I don't understand your comment. The barrels are installed by the Canot Camping staff..the agency that runs La Verendrye ( a park). The barrels are fixed . They are not porta potties.
A small step ladder makes a good alternative to a blue barrel. Perhaps I should explain.
In September I was struggling with the canoe tie downs at the boat ramp after a trip. I'm kinda vertically challenged you might say, so I usually step up onto the vehicle's rear tire to reach the racks. Seeing the blue barrel amongst our gear I thought "I can stand on that." Well, stepping up onto the lid is still a long way up for these tired knees, so I just lay the barrel on it's side instead. Hey ho, that was easy! Easy step up, strap the canoe, easy step down. Repeat on the other side except...the barrel sides puckered and creased into a flattened profile. It let me down. It took a bit of blue barrel massage and encouraging words to get it popped out to true barrel form again. I knew better, and learned my lesson. I now carry a small folding 2-step ladder with me. That is until Mike designs me a Swiss Army type blue barrel, with fold-out ladder, outdoor shower and crokinole board.
In September I was struggling with the canoe tie downs at the boat ramp after a trip. I'm kinda vertically challenged you might say, so I usually step up onto the vehicle's rear tire to reach the racks. Seeing the blue barrel amongst our gear I thought "I can stand on that." Well, stepping up onto the lid is still a long way up for these tired knees, so I just lay the barrel on it's side instead. Hey ho, that was easy! Easy step up, strap the canoe, easy step down. Repeat on the other side except...the barrel sides puckered and creased into a flattened profile. It let me down. It took a bit of blue barrel massage and encouraging words to get it popped out to true barrel form again. I knew better, and learned my lesson. I now carry a small folding 2-step ladder with me. That is until Mike designs me a Swiss Army type blue barrel, with fold-out ladder, outdoor shower and crokinole board.
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Pretty basic math regardless of who did the work or the location: 1) 30L blue barrel - $60+; 1) 5 gal. pail - $0 to $5
Why are you paying $60 for a barrel??? I've bought several and never paid more than $20! I get them at shipping supply places (the guys that sell used boxes), and sometimes pick them up for free if they have a lot of labels and marker on them- a rubdown with alcohol takes off the marker, and goof off removes the adhesive after you peel off the labels
I really dont understand this path of thinking. 5 gal bucket countersunk is a Turkish Toilet. Not many can sit on something only six inches high to do business and in a high use area the cone of deposit would mount quickly. Is the concept of using a barrel as a thunderbox escaping you?. Can we please get back to the topic of blue barrels vs other containers for food and gear use in a portable state.
Price depends on size, 30L and 60L.
The true blue ones can be found gently used and at low prices. I saw some for $10 this year.
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Glenn,
IIRC, blue barrels are blue because they're food-grade barrels... whatever was inside was safe to ingest and maybe the plastic itself isn't toxic.
OT wrt those white plastic pails... give them the sniff test if they're being given away free outside some bulk food shop or delicatessen. Pickled herring, whew. Almond butter, not bad.
IIRC, blue barrels are blue because they're food-grade barrels... whatever was inside was safe to ingest and maybe the plastic itself isn't toxic.
OT wrt those white plastic pails... give them the sniff test if they're being given away free outside some bulk food shop or delicatessen. Pickled herring, whew. Almond butter, not bad.
The Green 5 gal. I've used for years originally held Pickles. Took them quite a while to air out !
Warning. Do not assume blue barrels contained something non toxic! They are primarily chemical containers and are built to contain hazardous materials. That is why they are sturdy and expensive. They have to be certified by the UN for hazardous use. There will be a code on the barrel like UN 1H2/X112/S/15/USA/LM0000. This is just an example.
1 is a drum
H is plastic
2 is removable lid
X is the packing group
112 is the weight in KG it's rated to hold
S is solids (which means these barrels are not actually rated to hold liquid/water tight. Need a closed head drum for that)
15 is the year manufactured
USA is The country manufactured
LM0000 is the approving agency
The color of the plastic is insignificant. the reason these are rare is that they are primarily used in Europe. US manufacturers typically use the squared off style made of thinner plastic or the traditional looking barrel. So to get used ones they have to come from a European shipment.
Well, we certainly have contradictory answers as to why barrels are blue.
YC mentioned Recreational Barrel Works, which I searched. They clearly are making barrels for canoeists and campers and not the food industry. Are barrels not made by RBW blue, too?
The topic is "cheap alternatives" to blue barrels. My answer is no barrels, buckets or hard containers. I've never used them and never will, because I don't want to carry anything so heavy and non-collapsible. Everything fits just fine in flexible, collapsible, and relatively light weight packs from Duluth and Ursack. In addition, the price for the RBW barrels is ridiculously high, only to be exceeded by the price of their harnesses.
I don't use five gallon buckets on canoe trips either, but they can be had brand new in any hardware store for a few bucks. I have seen their utility on day trips and non-portaging trips, and would likely use them in lieu of blue barrels in the unlikely event that I ever wanted a hard container. I'd still put my primary food in my Ursack.
YC mentioned Recreational Barrel Works, which I searched. They clearly are making barrels for canoeists and campers and not the food industry. Are barrels not made by RBW blue, too?
The topic is "cheap alternatives" to blue barrels. My answer is no barrels, buckets or hard containers. I've never used them and never will, because I don't want to carry anything so heavy and non-collapsible. Everything fits just fine in flexible, collapsible, and relatively light weight packs from Duluth and Ursack. In addition, the price for the RBW barrels is ridiculously high, only to be exceeded by the price of their harnesses.
I don't use five gallon buckets on canoe trips either, but they can be had brand new in any hardware store for a few bucks. I have seen their utility on day trips and non-portaging trips, and would likely use them in lieu of blue barrels in the unlikely event that I ever wanted a hard container. I'd still put my primary food in my Ursack.
