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Buckets and Sinks

Top Picks

How we choose: The best buckets and sinks highlighted here were selected based on 22 reviews of 6 products. Our top picks are those that are readily-available in the United States and have received the highest overall ratings from reviewers.

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Sea to Summit Kitchen Sink

user rating: 4.5 of 5 (10 reviews)

Sea to Summit Kitchen Sink 5L

Reasons to Buy

  • 5 liter size
  • Good sized containers
  • Packs small
  • Drys fast

Reasons to Avoid

  • A bit difficult to fold

Sea to Summit Kitchen Sink 5l: This is a water carrying device/container that folds for easy packing. I have a few sizes of these (5L, 10, 20L, and the Folding Bucket). See the picture for all 4 together. They pack small.  This one is the smallest at 5l, about the size of 2 decks of cards.  Kitchen sink might not be the best name. It's a folding, self supporting waterproof container, not just for washing dishes. While they are good for washing, they are better just as a something to carry water.

Read more: Sea to Summit Kitchen Sink reviews (10)

Sea to Summit Folding Bucket

user rating: 4 of 5 (7 reviews)

Add some convenience to your trip by filtering water from camp. This piece of gear will help you do that.

Reasons to Buy

  • Convenience
  • Small
  • Light
  • Simple

Reasons to Avoid

  • The cost

Every now and then, you seem to run across a piece of gear that makes you wish you would have thought of that. Well, that piece of gear for me was the Sea-to Summit Folding Bucket. How many times have you sat on a river or lake bank to pump water into your water bladder or 1L bottle? This piece of gear eliminates all that. The Sea To Summit folding bucket holds 10 Liters of water from which you can filter water within the comfort of your own camp.  It measures about 3" X 3" X 1" thick when it's in the carry case and weighs in at 3.4 oz's.    It's made from a treated heavy nylon (I assume), is extremely durable and fully seam sealed.    When you need it, unfold it, fill'er up with water, take it back to camp and start pumping.

Read more: Sea to Summit Folding Bucket reviews (7)

Fjallraven Water Bag

user rating: 5 of 5 (1 review)

Excellent solution for water storage and carrying—lightweight, compact, and durable.

Reasons to Buy

  • Freestanding
  • Lightweight and very compact in folded state
  • Has a closure
  • Durable 70D Nylon fabric
  • No seams to leak
  • Easy to dry by turning inside out

Reasons to Avoid

  • VELCRO closure may degrade over time

Before purchasing this bucket I'd been using the Russian-made water bucket of such kind for 6 years. I was very satisfied with such solution, because it makes carrying the water from a nearby source (up to 10-15 liters / 20-30 lbs at once) and its storage in your camp extremely easy. Fjallraven Water Bag demonstrates its freestanding ability with 10L (20 lbs) of water inside Unlike various plastic water storage solutions, the weight and folded dimensions of such bucket are naught. I can also praise its durability—not a single leakage after six years of use.

Read more: Fjallraven Water Bag review (1)

L.L.Bean Packable Bucket

user rating: 5 of 5 (1 review)

Yes, it is just a bucket...but this summer it has become a fixture in our camping and canoe camping gear outfit. It works much better for us than our old rigid plastic bucket, and we have come to depend on having it at the campsite. It is very reasonably priced, and has been very durable.

Reasons to Buy

  • Folds easily
  • Packs well
  • Dishwasher safe
  • Good capacity

Reasons to Avoid

  • Haven't really found any, as it is a pretty simple design
  • As with any soft bucket, can be a bit tricky to fill sometimes, as sides flop when in the water.

I was unaware that LL Bean carried this item, until it showed up in one of their sales...for $17.95. With a $10 coupon, I was able to get the item for only $7.95 (it lists for $19.95, and I probably would pay that if I needed another such bucket). We had not had much luck with rigid hardware store gimme/promotional buckets while canoe camping; they tend to crack, the thin metal handles are not comfortable for carrying a full load of water any distance, and they do not collapse for storage or packing.

Read more: L.L.Bean Packable Bucket review (1)

Seattle Sports Pocket Bucket

user rating: 4 of 5 (2 reviews)

Strange thing to review, but I find this to be a nifty little piece of gear. The Seattle Sports Pocket Bucket is just that, a bucket that folds down to about the size of a plum. It weighs 3 oz and holds up to 3 gallons of water. The bucket is made of a urethane coated nylon (200 denier of the sides, 500 on the bottom). You dip it in the water and tote the water where ever you want. The thing about this product I like so well is that I can scoop up my water at the creek/river/stream/pond/lake and take it back to camp where I can sit comfortably in my trekker chair and filter my water instead of squatting beside a water source and pumping directly from the source.

Read more: Seattle Sports Pocket Bucket reviews (2)

More Reviews of Buckets and Sinks

Trailspace reviewers have shared 22 reviews of 6 different buckets and sinks.

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Other Types of Water Storage

Find more water storage reviewed in these related categories:

Water Bottles

Hydration Reservoirs

Water Storage Containers

+2 more types

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