Dafy - I do a combination of camping; have a small popup camper that is a sort of base camp, especially for long distant camping where the stay is going to be for awhile, like a week or so. Along with the popup camper, I like to canoe camp, maybe for a night or two, along some river banks. Then I also do some car camping just using the tent (a 9'X 9' dome tent) when the stay is just going to be for a week-end or so, (and there are some places I go that are for tent camping only). When using the popup camper or car camping with the tent, have a couple of 7 gal blue plastic water totes that have a spigot and I set one of them up at the picnic table to use right there where I'll do most of the cooking. The popup camper also has a portable 5/gal water tank that fits right under the sink and I'll keep water in there, too, for use in the camper like at night or for early morning coffee. But for packing potable water back into the woods or down river, it's hard to beat the plain-jane plastic water bottles that come from the store. Here I usually use those 20oz plastic bottles that come from Wal-Mart (Sam's "Purified Water"); I'll freeze about five of them and place in the bottom of a Coleman Xtreme cooler (the small 36oz cooler), along with whatever perishable food items I'm taking along. Eventually, these bottles will be used in the course of the trip. What I like about these throw away plastic bottles is after their use, they go into the trash bin (usually recycleable); less clean-up for the end of the trip. And I have one of those canvas shoulder pouches that's usually used for fishing on the river that I carry the water bottles in - works just right for me.

Dale

Aww, just invite me on yer camping trips and i'll bring my portable rain cloud! It goes everywhere i go to camp!
Years back, when we belonged to a camping club, the others always knew when we were near, because they saw our very own black rain cloud approaching! They compared us to that character in the cartoon strip, name of Joe Btfsplk, who always had his own black cloud hanging over him everywhere!
Cheers! Rustyj

Dafy
Dale gave some good advice on toting water.
We reuse the 16 or 20oz "Purified Water" bottles quite often. After they are empty. We refill and store them in the refridgeater and freeze a few for home and camping use.

The thing that you must remember about water. It weights around 8 lbs per gallon. So four 16oz bottles and you are carring an extra 8 pounds of weight when hiking.

Another thing about packing large containers of water(3,5 gallon jugs). If it is stored in plastic. It will develope a plastic taste if it is allowed to get hot (left in the sun). So always set them in a cool place when possible.

One gallon milk jugs also make good water storage containers. Rinse them out good using a teaspoon of bleach to a gallon of warm water. Do not use dish soap to clean them, for it leaves a taste.

dafy, as a citizen I've invested so much in my country that the only sensible choice is military surplus. There are outstanding belts, harnesses and covers in different colors to carry 1/2 gallon of water in two canteens. If you need to carry more and have access to water, your best bet is a ceramic-element water filter. Enjoy.

here's the only water storage you need. it's a dromedary bag. made of durable, abrasion resitant cordura nylon laminated with food-grade polyurethane. suited for extreme temperature variations from freezing to boiling. they have multiple grommets laced with webbing so you can hang it at your camp or lash it you your backpack.

i used both the 2 & 10 liter bags for our backpacking trip in denali. worked fantastic. as you use the water you can just roll it up & it takes up less space, unlike hard sided water cans which as cumbersome even when empty. pack up your car & throw this in last. when full, they will form-fit to all the nooks & crannies in your car so you can store all the water you need without having to worry about making room.

if you have the msr water filter it will screw onto the opening. the 3 in 1 cap is a wide mouth for ease of filling, a pour cap & a sip cap so you can take a drink.

also a more reliable alternative to camelbacks which can burst or puncture. these have a cordura exterior that is extremely tough.

they have a shower attachment so you can lay it out in the sun to warm up & a drinking hose so you can use these as like a camelback in your backpack.

NICE!

Here is a link that might be useful: dromedary bags

Howdy! I use a large jug at base camp and a camelback pack for the hiking. Camelbacks are way expensive compared to many other bladders out there. But, I am amazed that mine have never leaked. Easy to store, easy to use.