| |
Gear Reviews
Documents
Tools
|
Seattle Sports Pocket Bucket
Initial Report
Biography
Name: Matt Mauceri
Age: 23
Gender: Male
Height: 5'7 (170cm)
Weight: 140 (64kg)
Email address: dirtyhippieboy(at)yahoo(dot)com
City, State, Country: Holland, Pa, USA
Date: 4/14/04
Backpacking Background: I’ve been backpacking now for ten years. I’m usually a quick escape artist who often has a pack waiting in the car for the minute I’m done work and will have a day or two off. I try to keep my pack weight to a minimum, and I’ve upgraded parts of my gear list, but I’m not yet an ultra light guy, just someone who is getting there slowly.
Product Information
Manufacturer: Seattle Sports
Year Manufactured: 2004
Manufacturer’s Website: http://www.seattlesportsco.com/
Listed Weight: 4.5 oz (125 g)
Actual Weight Measured: 2.8 oz (79 g)
Listed Height: 10.5 in (26.7 cm)
Actual Height Measured: 10.5 in (26.7 cm)
Listed Diameter: 9.5 in (24.1 cm)
Actual Diameter Measured: 9.5 in (24.1 cm)
I received my Pocket Bucket via UPS on April 13th, 2004. It came in a very small cardboard box, which turned out to be mostly empty as the Pocket Bucket took up hardly any space. My Pocket Bucket came in a hangtag paper package, which listed some features of the Pocket Bucket, terms of their one-year guarantee, and a list of other gear by Seattle Sports that a purchaser might be interested in as well. Once I removed the packaging, my Pocket Bucket was ready to see some action with no set up required.
Product Description
After viewing the Seattle Sports web site, the Pocket Bucket I received is what I expected it to be, except that it is much lighter than advertised. The body of the bucket is made of a blue urethane coated nylon material, and the bottom is made of a black urethane coated nylon that is thicker and should be more durable. The handle is made of black 1 in (2.5 cm) webbing. The bucket is constructed quite simply, which is probably why it weighs so little. The blue body material is simply put together like a tube, with the seam hardly noticeable as it is sealed with a tape of some kind. The black bottom part is sewn to one side of the tube making it open on one end. The seam here is taped as well. The whole inside of the bucket is treated with a urethane coating that really seals off any possible holes from the construction process. The handle is attached to the open end of the bucket with the ends of the handle being sewn to the bucket directly opposite each other to allow for easy carrying. To make the handle more secure, it is stitched in an intersecting cross pattern where the handle and bucket attach to help divert the tension to a larger area and put less strain on the thread and material. This
should keep the handle or the bucket from tearing under the weight of full capacity.
Initial Impressions
The handle was comfortable for the carries I made with the bucket filled 2/3 of the way. No water was splashing out when filled to this capacity either. When filled to the brim the bucket spilled a lot of water during transportation due to the floppiness of the bucket. The lack of frame in the bucket meant the top did not remain an open circle when carried by the handle. If carried with one hand, the webbing liked to pull together, and made the bucket a slightly lower volume, this caused some water to spill out when filled to the brim. If carried with two hands where the handle met the bucket, it was possible to transport a full container, but was not comfortable to hold.
The stability of the bucket on even and level ground was very good. I was surprised to see the bucket stay standing even when filled to the very brim. However I’ve found that even a gust of wind compromises the stability when filled to the very top and left standing on its own. I filled my Pocket Bucket to the brim and left it sitting on the floor of my bathroom for hours undisturbed, which got my hopes up. I tried the same test outside sitting on top of my picnic table and within ten minutes it had toppled over due to the slight breezes that were present. The stability also proved to not perform as well on uneven surfaces or sloped terrain. Testing the bucket on a level section of my yard, I saw that the slightest variation in the surface it was sitting on affected the stability. When 2/3 full, I had to be very careful where I tried to leave the bucket. When half full and lower the bucket seemed to stand better on uneven surfaces, but was still affected by the slope of the terrain. Because the Pocket Bucket relies on symmetrical tension for stability, when I tried to leave it on a sloped surface it collapsed almost immediately. The results were the same almost regardless of how full the bucket was. Only when the bucket was filled to less than ¼ capacity did it stay standing. I tried the stability test on a slightly sloped driveway, and on grass, both with the same results.
These initial tests of stability were pretty much what I was expecting from what is essentially a frameless water bag. However at 2.8 oz (79 g) I knew I was going to have to be creative to keep it standing, so these tests were not at all a disappointment. I created a rock frame for the bucket to sit in using stones I found in the woods by my house and was then able to keep a 2/3 full bucket standing on level grass. The rock basin I created was only 3 in (7.6 cm) tall, and did not hold the bucket up when filled to the brim. In the field I’ll be able to tell if this proves to be a greater problem, but so far my initial impressions are positive.
Test Plan
How durable is the material? Will the lighter material on the sides pose any durability issues? Does the nylon coating wear away after a lot of heavy use? Will the dark colored material act to warm the water if it is put in direct sunlight?
How will the material of the Pocket Bucket handle a colder weather trip? Does it become brittle, or become damaged due to ice forming on the wet material?
How easy is it to fill the bucket to capacity in the field? Is it possible to do so from a shallow stream, or will it require a deep pool?
Was it easier to filter my water from the Pocket Bucket at camp, or from the water source itself? Does the nylon material give the water a different taste?
If I treat my water right in the Pocket Bucket will the nylon material retain the taste of iodine or chlorine easily? Can that taste be removed through washing?
How hard was it to clean the Pocket Bucket? Does the material absorb any soap residue?
Is the opening at the top large enough to facilitate laundry being done in the bucket? Is it big enough to wash dishes in?
How well does the Pocket Bucket pour? Does it spill water all over or does the fabric material allow it to be poured into cups and pots in a controlled manner?
Testing Conditions
This upcoming weekend I’ll be doing some backpacking in the Blue Ridge Mountains of South Carolina. In May I will be headed on a couple of different trips. There will be one or two shorter trips where I’ll be using the bucket for basic camp needs such as dish washing, and bath water. Later in the month I’ll be hiking the 59 mi (95 km) Loyalsock Trail in Central Pennsylvania, and will rely on the Pocket Bucket as a wash basin, laundry facility, and to help keep me abiding by the Leave No Trace methods. I’ll also be leading a number of group backpacking trips with my church this summer, we will not be camping close to water, so I hope to use the Pocket Bucket to transfer water between the source and camp.
Read more reviews of Seattle Sports gear
Read more gear reviews by Matt Mauceri
|
