Recreational Barrel Works

[Guest]

http://www.recreationalbarrelworks.com/

Long story shortish. The ring on our 30L barrel is too loose to seal properly. I tried Harmony (via transfer to Austin Canoe & Kayak) for a replacement ring. They were helpful in response and conversation, but never actually got around to finding a replacement ring.

Someone here on Canoe Tripping mentioned Recreational Barrel Works. I sent them an e-mail and received the finest ever prompt and detailed response, including options, cost & shipping and conversion to USD.

Shipping from Canada was twice the cost of the ring itself, but I really need a non-leaky barrel soon and could not find a US barrel parts vendor.

Another responsive, family run small operation, I am happy to give them my business.

 

[yellowcanoe]

I have three RBW barrels. I have had them for some time and its nice that to hear you can still get parts. I think I found all three of the barrels in Canada. Not to say they are not in the US but I found them everywhere up there!

 

[Muskrat]

Never really thought about finding replacement parts since it hasn't come up yet. I'm going to stop by a craigslist barrel place on my next trip. He has a lot of the blue barrels we use. I'll see if he has extra rings, seals, etc and buy up the lot for anyone in the U.S. here needing replacements. I'll have an old co-worker check the barrel courtyard of our old lab complex too. Probably a slippery slope as I'm already a borderline hoarder.

 

[memaquay]

I got replacement rings from MEC in Canada, dirt cheap.

 

[yellowcanoe]

I got replacement rings from MEC in Canada, dirt cheap.

For you.. Good that you can get them in country.. Once they cross the border the price escalates.
https://www.mec.ca/en/explore/shipping-info/

Because of that measly $19 CDN additional shipping I spend hundreds of dollars to go to Canada to shop in person!

 

[Odyssey]

I've always thought the metal constricting clamp on my barrel was a bit too fragile feeling, but it has held up well for 20 years. I don't always have a plan B for when things go sideways on a trip; I've never had a clue what to do if the food barrel ever blew a gasket. Eat all the food at one sitting? Even I can't do that. Swap gear pack for food barrel after giving the old bluey a wash and a swish? I don't know. It might depend on what we've planned for menus. Hard tack, gruel and beans; I'll hang in it my socks up a tree and pray for rain. Strong coffee, bacon and bannock; I'll spend a week sitting by the fire until the food runs out. Or the smokes, whichever comes first.

 

[Guest]

I'll have an old co-worker check the barrel courtyard of our old lab complex too. Probably a slippery slope as I'm already a borderline hoarder.

If he turns up any Cur-tec wide mouth drums those things are the bomb, especially the sizes smaller than the 30L blue barrel. I have leak tested them, not a drop, and they will pull a fsshhooompf vacuum in elevation changes*. The 7 smaller sized Cur-tecs have a raised flange on the drum, and a loop of cord through that provided something for oppositional lid-unscrewing force.

https://www.curtec.com/en/products/drums/wide-neck-drums

I have a couple of the 10L Cur-Tec drums, which nicely augment the 30L barrel when I have 40L’s worth of food. Unlike the typical gasket seal \_/ shaped pails those things also fit better in the canoe, and I can stack two couple inside an old internal frame pack. I cut off three of the four lid handles for even easier storage.

Same volume, guess which ones fits better in the canoe?



(Yeah, I inset exercise flooring on all of my barrel lids. Makes a better camp side table or ottoman. Probably float a little higher too)
(Yeah #2, I put reflective tape on all my hardside stuff, from glasses cases to Pelican boxes to barrels and canoes)

Plus all of the \_/ gasket sealed buckets we used in the past were eventually critter chewed on the lid rim; that has yet to happen with the Cur-tecs, which may present less of a nibble-able edge for rodent teeth.

The 15L or 20L wide neck drums would be similarly useful, and might be a solution for skinny-hull paddlers who have trouble finding packing space for a 30L blue barrel.

*BTW, we had a packed-very-full 60L barrel in the truck on a long cross-country trip. Despite being full it pulled such a vacuum that it became this (_( instead of this (_). The concaved side popped right back out, but the 30L barrel and couple of 10L Cur-tecs, despite fsshhooompf’ing, didn’t collapse inwards.

Food for thought with 60L barrel transport thought if you change elevation while travelling.