Anybody set up a system to collect rainwater while camping in the rainy season?

I've never tried it, but it seems like a tarp would work just fine if properly tied/anchored. Have it drain into a bucket or something.

I backback and typically hammock with a tarp. In areas with limited water I will catch the tarp runoff in my wide mouth water containers. It's nice because then I don't have to filter!

How do you set things up?

A 20x20 tarp suspended between 4 trucks channels lots of water when it rains.

On a smaller scale, Hennessy Hammocks make funnels to channel water off their tarps into standard soda bottles.
http://www.hennessyhammock.com/new-products.html#water

I'd filter it anyway...

in the southwest its doable but for the most part it rains mud here. so grabbing rain water for start off drinking is pretty icky.

Just stretch a line between two sturdy objects and clothespin a tarp to it. Having a 2-gallon bucket or something for it to drain into would be handy.

Even in the desert, after it's rained for a few minutes, there's much less dust/sand in the air. You could just strain it through a bandana or coffee filter.

Rainwater is far cleaner than ANY groundwater. I wouldn't worry about contaminants. What you're probably getting from your municipal supply or well is probably far filthier, you just don't know it. Ignorance is bliss, right?

Sue

So, what should the backpacker bring to capture rain water to refill camel backs/similar systems when a body of water is not readily available-but rain water is?

A few months back I set up my hammock as a storm was brewing. I needed to get water, but the rain kept coming down hard. I decided to wait for the rain to abate a bit, but it never really let up. Not to mention that I could see the water that was roiling in the streams was getting muddier as it went on. Decided just to put my collapsible sink and a Nalgene underneath the points where the water was streaming off the tarp. Worked beautifully. No squatting awkwardly by a stream, trying to balance a bottle. In an hour and ten minutes I had collected 6 liters of water. Kept transferring it into a 3L Camelbak, until it was full, then another Nalgene, then the other Nalgene, and then let the sink fill up. Much cleaner then the water I would have gotten from a stream.

I like the idea of that collapsable sink. It appears to be lightweight and that would be a good repository to refill water supplies in the rain. Who made yours?

I always carry one of those aluminized 'survival' blankets in my pack. Makes a good rainwater catcher if needed. You can either lay it in a ground depression or rig it up as an off-ground run off catcher.

Anybody with real world experience using a system to catch rainwater while camping?

Suppose my world was real, if a bit damp, when I used it last week. Had the 'blanket' set between a stump and some rocks. Saved a wet trip or two to a creek when I wanted water.

I've never had to rely on rainwater collection for drinking water.

But I often have a "dry area" covered with a tarp, rigged to drain off at a couple of points that takes the water out of camp. A tin can or pail gives water that's great for washing, and it's a lot cleaner than the stuff in the stream.

If the water is for drinking, it's worth being a little careful regarding purity. A few considerations come to mind:

- rainwater falling directly from the sky isn't sterile, but normally there isn't anything that will harm you (unless downwind of some heavy duty industry)

- rainwater that filters through a treed canopy has considerably more bio-activity, everything from bird doo to tree fungus; I'd be inclined to bring this to a boil if I had the option, but it's still considerably cleaner, pathogen-wise, than the river

- if I were collecting drinking water off a tarp, a quick swipe with soapy water would add confidence, same as washing your hands before eating

- be careful about using trash bags to collect water; some have antimicrobial or scented gunk sprayed on them

- if collecting close to the ocean, a bit of salt spray could make the water brackish; fine for washing, but not pleasant for drinking

BTW, in winter, a suitable black trashbag in direct sun can generate quite a bit of "free" water from snow. I've used this for drinking with no ill effects (so far).

Don't use the yellow snow....

Seriously though,

There was a Survivorman episode that Les addressed snow that was red tinted. According to Les the "red" was some kind of fungus maybe, but was definitely a no-go for drinking or eating.

Anyone know what that is??

I've heard of "watermelon snow" but never seen it. I have no idea regarding toxicity; but to grow it needs light, so digging deeper into the snowbank may help. (I always get snow some distance off the trail to avoid various coloured impurities. )

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snow_algae

Supposedly the side effects of this are similar to crypto and giardia (sp?).

Thereby creating other various colors of snow.....

"...snow that was red tinted"

It's an algae. I don't know how seriously toxic it is, but I've heard that it will give you diarrhea if you do eat a generous amount of it. I don't know if it can kill you.

Sue

Good idea,at least you would expect it to be cleaner than a tarp.

That is not a bad idea as a redundant system either. A 4 pack of those fits easily in a pocket. I am all about redundant systems. If one fails, then there is always an alternative.

no need to collect rain water in my part of the world as i canoe around on it all day but i would think any bit of Silnylon would do the trick.this shelter collected a few quarts during a sunshower.

notice the puddles at the bottom edges and i pushed off much more from the low spots on the roof..no trick there--

I purchased this "folding" bucket:

http://www.ems.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3662432

The case is small at 4" x 4". I used it twice, and it was very sturdy. I kept it full of water in case we needed it on the fire, or on someone who was on fire.

That seems like a decent idea for volume. Have you tested it out yet? Does it hold its shape in a down pour?

I never have, but then I ususally hiked in California, where rain is a commodity not often found. I can only think of one or 2 trips where it actually rained, and only one of those were we not still hiking.

Be interesting if people have ideas for on-the-move water capture.

I think rainwater capture would mostly apply to desert dwellers and shipwrecked saltwater sailors.
I guess if I had to I would use my tarp, my tent fly or some other piece of waterproof fabric as a basin and a funnel.

There is often dew even in deserts, and I have seen instructions for the desert stranded to mop up the morning dew from grass or other chilled surfaces.
There were instructions for using expedient materials for the mop too.

They say you can gather a lot by mopping it with a towel and then wringing the towel out, but again it is something I have never had to do.

I only used it "statically". I filled it up from the river/lake and put it on level ground. It didn't collapse, until someone touched the side and pushed it in a little. It was fairly stable when it was opened and empty. I could see it easily tip over if a powerful stream of water hit the opposite side. Hope that helps.

Lack of water can happen in any climate zone. Say you are treking through the forest and there is no mountain runoff within reasonable distance, no streatm, or river. You're either out of, or low on water, so rain water gathering could be a necessity no matter where you are.

Water, water, every where,
And all the boards did shrink ;
Water, water, every where,
Nor any drop to drink.

The very deep did rot : O Christ !
That ever this should be !
Yea, slimy things did crawl with legs
Upon the slimy sea.

About, about, in reel and rout
The death-fires danced at night ;
The water, like a witch's oils,
Burnt green, and blue and white.
~Samuel Taylor Coleridge

I suppose you could need to gather water in any place K.A. Some places are more likely though.
If you have a plastic sheet or a tarp gathering the rain is fairly easy.
Getting it into storage is the problem.
So bags, funnels, wide mouth bottles and pots are going to be very desirable items to have.

Maybe it makes sense to wonder what you can pack light and contain a lot of water with.
Plastic baggies are an option, some folks suggest condoms inside socks for strength. You likely have a couple of nalgene bottles.

OK, so in your kit how much water storage volume can you get happening if you had to?

I seem to limit out at about 4 gallons. That counts plastic baggies and water bottles. I am not counting my food bowls and cooking pots.

If I count the garbage bags it is much higher but they dont work well to carry water in at full volume. Lets say another 4 gallons in a plastic garbage bag. Maybe a bit mor if you had it inside a packsack.

When on extended hiking, I carry a collapsible water bucket. Very light, and I fill from rain or most usually a stream and then filter or boil it for use. It says 'NON-POTABLE' on it so people know its not safe to drink.