Imlay Canyon Gear Canyon Dry Keg Initial Report
Tester Bio
Name: Dan Reed
Age: 41
Gender: Male
Height: 5’8” (1.7 m)
Weight: 195 lb (88 kg)
Email Address: dan-reed “at”adelphia “dot”net
City, State, Country: Southwest Harbor, Maine
USA
Date: May 21, 2004
Backpacking Background:
I have hiked and backpacked
for about 30 years now. I am surrounded by Acadia
National Park, and travel all over New
England and eastern Canada
to explore the outdoors. I am a former Registered Maine Guide, did Advanced
Life Support for several ambulance services, a police officer, and was on a
search and rescue team for several years. I hike year round, kayak, and hunt.
The weather conditions here in Maine
are greatly varied. My backpacking style runs from ultralight to traditional.
Product Information:
Year of Manufacture: 2004
Manufacturers Website: www.imlaygear.com
Large
Canyon Dry Keg 6.4 L Small
Canyon Dry Keg 3.5 L
Listed Weight: 15 oz (425 g) 12 oz (340 g)
Delivered Weight: Both as listed
Listed Capacity: 6.4 L (390 cu
in) 3.5 L (214
cu in)
Listed
& Measured Dimensions
Diameter 7.75”
(20 cm) 7.75” (20 cm)
Height 10.6”
(27 cm)
6.75” (17 cm)
Max usable depth 9.5”
(24 cm) 5.75”
(14 cm)
My measurements for 6.4 L matched those
listed on the company website. The 3.5 L was listed as 6.75” (17 cm) deep, but
measured 5.75” (14 cm)
Arrival Information:
The kegs arrived on the afternoon of May 17, 2004 via UPS ground. They
came in a plain brown box, with return information on the computer generated
label reading “Nolan Jones” and “Light touch design”. The label threw me for a
minute, as it didn’t say anything about Imlay Canyon Gear.
Product Description:
The Imlay Canyon Gear Canyon Dry Kegs
are white polyethylene containers sized 6.4 and 3.5 Liter. They have red screw
on tops with a rubber gasket inside the lid. The website information assures
that no water can pass through this rubber seal. Further along in the website
information it also states
“The top seal can fail. If you try to
cram too much stuff inside, it can interfere with closing all the way – pushing
against the stuff inside can feel like the last half turn that seals the top.
Or a cord or string can get caught in the top. Or sand or dirt on the seal can
prevent forming an effective seal.”
The website gives further description of the kegs.
“Kegs work great. They provide
reliable protection from water AND physical protection from crushing. A rubber
seal inside the lid assures no water will pass. The sturdy kegs offer good
protection from crushing, perfect for camera gear and sandwiches. The lid goes
on and off easily, providing quick access to your well-protected camera. They
also protect from the incessant sand found in the desert, sealing much better
than a fabric and zippers camera bag.”
“Kegs are useful anytime you want to
keep stuff dry and clean. As a photographer, I keep my cameras in them as they
float around the car - I don't need to worry about them even as much as a
padded camera bag because kegs offer better physical protection. SAR people use
them for personal gear and first aid kits. River Runners and Paddlers use them
instead of Ammo cans. For day-hiking, I use them to keep my food fresh and
not-crushed. And of course, they can be used anytime a medium sized drybag
would be the "normal" choice.”
Other notes of interest:
The website also says the kegs are
fairly well rounded, but do have sharp edges. The only sharp edges I find on
the two kegs I have are on the bottom seam. I suspect they can be easily
trimmed or sanded off, and of less consequence than I expected after reading
the website information, and before actually having them in hand to inspect. It
also says the lid can be leashed to the body of the keg, and after inspecting
the keg I find the holes in the lid are of fair size, but the one hole on the
body of the keg is of very small diameter. I suspect that a piece of cord may
not fit, though a piece of fishing line would. There is also the mention of
gear rattling around inside the keg if no padding is used. I think this is just
a common sense suggestion, but it is mentioned.
Testing Plan:
I will be using these 2 kegs in various
ways during the test period. I have a rather large digital camera that I
normally carry in its padded case for protection in my backpack, and it takes
up a great deal of space. After checking I find that the camera will fit in the
smaller keg with a small amount of padding. It will take up less space in my
pack then in the keg, and will be equally as well or better protected than in its
soft case. The larger keg I will use for carrying soft food stuffs I don’t want
crushed, other fragile electronics, and my emergency medical supplies, and I’m
sure I’ll find many other uses over time.
I will also be testing to see if the
claim of reliable protection from water is well founded. I’m going to hold it
under water in my tub with it filled ¾ full, and full to the top to see if the
concern of the seal failing when too much is stuffed inside is valid. There was
also the warning of the top not screwing all the way on if over filled, and I
will see how much of a problem this will actually be, again by dunking it in
the tub.
I will also use these kegs while
canoeing and kayaking besides using them while backpacking. I normally use dry
bags, but have seen them fail to keep all water out while white water rafting
and canoeing. Dry bags do not offer much in the way protection of electronics
being crushed either.
Field Information:
I will use these kegs while
backpacking, canoeing, and kayaking around New England
and eastern Canada.
I day hike several times a week, and backpack on weekends, with 3 to 5 day
trips thrown in several times each season of the year. Various conditions like
being dunked under water, sand in the cover seal, and generally being banged
around will be encountered. I will be using them from sea level to about 5500
feet (1700 m), temperatures from around freezing to about 80 F (27 C), and all
kinds of weather.
Things I like:
Waterproof
Hard Shell
Large open mouth
Things I don’t like:
Sharp spur on bottom seam
Hole for cord on keg body very small
diameter
