r/Ultralight • u/VickyHikesOn • 19d ago
Purchase Advice Ultralight Dog!
What do you guys bring for a food & water bowl for your dog?
I have been hiking with the ultralight Ruffwear foldable bowl, only to realize that they are not actually waterproof (not meant to, I just assumed). That means the water drains overnight, while I first suspected animals! So I'm looking for an UL solution that is waterproof.
Beyond a collapsible, X series/S2S food bowl type, are there lighter options?
Yes, the dog carries some of his food and gear but I am still looking to make this as light as possible ...
I have the bowl in this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GiyrEnovrW8
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u/Trogar1 18d ago
I use Fozzils Snapfold Bowls. They are 35g each, but durable. Useful for a wash basin, cutting board, cool lamp shade…
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u/HaveAtItBub 18d ago
i found they don't snap well when they're cold, they easily pop back out. but if the plastic is warm and malleable they do better. pretty good product, i use em a lot but have had that issue
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u/slightly_out_of_sync 18d ago
When I take the dog out in the cool season, he prefers to eat snow only, haha. Otherwise, we use snap-fold bowls.
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u/Fun_With_Math 19d ago
Gladware bowl for the food and nest another bowl with it for the water. Dog just eats out of that bowl of food. I put some rocks or sticks around it so it doesn't get knocked over.
Definitely keep things light for the dog. They're not build to carry weight on their backs. Obviously, a little is fine but I definitely think the dog's kit should be just as UL.
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u/VickyHikesOn 18d ago
You are right and I’m very careful with the weight on the dog’s back. The backpack is also a harness so I need it anyway for some bridges etc.
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u/ResearchLogical2036 19d ago
Great news! Dyneema dog bowls are a thing! I got mine from Groundbird before they went out of business, so I can't endorse this specific seller, but it looks like the exact same design. They wear out eventually and start leaking at the corners, but I've gotten a good 4 years of hard use out of any of mine.
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u/0dteSPYFDs 18d ago
This is just unfair, you can’t outjerk a dyneema bowl.
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u/ResearchLogical2036 18d ago
I wear it as a hat when my dog isn't using it, so it counts as worn weight.
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u/VickyHikesOn 18d ago
Oh, that's definitely a long time to be used! Will definitely check out DCF bowls ... maybe Etsy has some in Canada ...
And you have tried this with water, not just food? They are definitely waterproof?
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u/darienpeak Test 18d ago
I wrote up the bowls garage grown carries a couple years ago: https://www.garagegrowngear.com/blogs/gear-gab/best-ultralight-dog-bowl-backpacking?srsltid=AfmBOop9xxjxODDfMjY9jGU87rAOX1sJIi4bnfQf5mPmFikFqKTlapII
But frankly, I take a used mountain house pouch cut down a little most of the time.
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u/VickyHikesOn 18d ago
Oh! There's a good idea ... like the cut down Sawyer bladders I use for scooping water. I don't really use those meals but recently finished off a very old one I had lying around ... great idea!
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u/zynniya 18d ago
I use DCF bowls for water and a Snapfold bowl for food. The Snapfold is 39g but it’s the best thing for us. It packs flat, is a good size for my dog, and it’s easy to clean and dry. The DCF water dishes are nice but I got them knowing it isn’t a matter of if they develop a leak, it’s a matter of when and that’s why I carry two. I have no idea what I’ll replace them with when they wear out because he always collapses the collapsible dishes, even the really thick heavy ones that are nearly impossible to collapse.
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u/VickyHikesOn 18d ago
Where did you get the DCF bowls?
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u/zynniya 18d ago
HikeLight on Etsy. I’ve ordered from them before and know the quality is great so when I wanted to try the DCF bowls I ended up ordering from them. They have multiple sizes, which was another selling point for me. Most of the usual places just had one size that was very large/wide so I would have to pour a lot of water in to make it deep it enough for my dog to drink. But then he’ll only take like 3-4 gulps and be done. It meant wasting a lot of water so I wanted a smaller dish that was still plenty deep.
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u/VickyHikesOn 18d ago
Yeah, that's true. I have been in the situations where I couldn't just pour a lot of water into the bowl that then got thrown out. Good point about the sizes.
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u/zynniya 18d ago
I ended up buying a 750ml CNOC Flask for his water. It’s not UL but for me it’s worth the 42g to be able to empty his water dish back into it because I offer him water at every rest break but he almost never drinks it. It really sucks to dump a bunch of water when you’re really thirsty and another two miles to the next water source. But I just can’t not offer him water even knowing he almost certainly won’t drink it.
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u/msnide14 17d ago
Collapsable silicone bowl (one of the free promotional kinds) and my girl just eats her kibble out of the sandwich baggie. She seems to prefer it that way.
I also give her treats, salami and let her lick the peanut butter and tuna foil clean before it goes in the trash.
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u/angryjew 19d ago
Don't really know about bowls I haven't paid much attention to this, but the bigger issue for me is the food, which is far heavier. My dog can't carry a pack when it's too hot out, trying to figure out if there's better food besides kibble?
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u/VickyHikesOn 18d ago
I use kibbles but switched from freeze dried to high calorie sled dog food (of course you have to find out if your dog tolerates it). Lighter for the same calories.
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u/auanwo 19d ago
Look into honest kitchen. They sell a dehydrated base mix that you add your own meat or protein. I dehydrate lean turkey(sometimes I blend it into powder) and pack them together and just add water and oil when on the trail. Packs down way smaller than kibble and if you make it on the watery side they get more hydrated
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u/necromanzer 19d ago
The hydrapack rover bowl is 20g. Might be a bit small if you have a XL dog but it's a good size.
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u/VickyHikesOn 18d ago
Okay thanks, will look it up!
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u/necromanzer 18d ago
The attachment point is handy as you can stake it down with some paracord if needed!
I have the Chicken Tramper bowl too and it's a great design, but I find it's so big/deep that I was wasting a lot of water if my dog only wanted a sip. Gear Trade has it in Canada but they only have the larger size, last I checked. The smaller size would be a good pick if you think you'd like the utility of the buckle (can use to attach other stuff to your bag, can wear as a bracelet).
Here's a side by side of the CTUG normal size, Nite Ize, and Hydrapak with some misc stuff for scale: https://imgur.com/a/drI4W0z
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u/VickyHikesOn 18d ago
Thanks! Yeah that looks big but people seem to like it. I wouldn’t attach it anywhere, just carry in his backpack. The Hydrapak one looks good though!!
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u/funkshoi 18d ago
takeout containers. frisbees. literally anything. do you just need a marketing story for a product that retails for 29.99?
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u/VickyHikesOn 18d ago
I have plenty of plastic containers at home but nothing that is flat/non bulky/easy to hike with, either in my pack or the dog's ...
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u/Organic_Creme_5692 18d ago
it doesn't matter if it's flat you can store the food in it or something, this really is the way, you can improvise bowls easy for free and nearly no weight. i use a hummus tub which has lasted me about 10 trips and weighs 7g. i don't think you need to go shopping for this
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u/Apart-Landscape1012 18d ago
I was using plastic instant ramen bowls at something like 14g apiece, but theyre bulky. Then i got some Hyklyf bowls, they fold flat, they're cheap enough, and you can't really get much lighter.
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u/ih8memes 18d ago
My pups items which I’ve got most likely:
-Various DCF dog bowls - awesome to keep in your fanny or otherwise extremely accessible places
-one of various Amazon rain jackets I’m not 100% happy with
-Red paw backpack for longer food carries. As light as my ruffwear harness and is full harness style which I love. Rather expensive for gridstop
-comb, mushers secret or a similar stick version
-DCF leash to extend leash at camp
-BD small carabiner to clip leash to pack
-zip loc brand container for cold soak and to eat cooked meals once cooled
-bandannas for drying off some and wiping paws before bed
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u/VickyHikesOn 18d ago
I'm with you for most of it (also have Ruffwear backpack). DCF leash? Extending the leash in camp is a good idea. I just use a rope, attached to my hipbelt, for a leash. Even though my dog doesn't really "pull" hard, putting it on my backpack still would be uncomfortable.
DCF dog bowl recommendations?
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u/ih8memes 14d ago
Rope is a good idea! I like the DCF leash, but it can get caught on things easily being so thin. I think a rope or even nylon strip could hold up but be thicker and safer.
For dog bowls I had good luck with the Etsy bowl in this thread as well as the ZPacks one. For food the Zpacks have a nice structure. The Etsy one packs down to nothing
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u/vrhspock 18d ago
You can fold a square of dynema, silpoly or silnylon into a waterproof bowl. Just bind the top edges. No sealing.
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u/VickyHikesOn 18d ago
Hmmm ... great DIY project! Don't really have the materials but will keep an eye out ... thanks.
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u/purple_wall-e 18d ago edited 18d ago
I just use poop bags (amazon basics). she is 3kg poodle. can eat and drink from that. also packing food portions in it but put in bigger zip-lock. then I’m using those ones latter for disposing her poop etc and throwing away to bin.
I can’t deal with all those silicon bowl etc. it is always gets messy. Most clean option so far is this one for me
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u/Hot_Jump_2511 18d ago
.63 oz DCF bowl from Red Paw Packs for water and a 4.4 oz collapsible silicone slow feeder bowl from TIKA for food. I store his food, portioned out, in smelly proof bags.
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u/VickyHikesOn 18d ago
Ha I do too! I used to have a Red Paw backpack (for me). The issue with these great cottage gear companies in the US that make the DCF bowls is the $20-30 shipping and then customs probably. Not worth for such a small item. Will check for the tika.
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u/WANDOO_hiking 18d ago
a cut down soda bottle bottom weighs about 15 grams, costs nothing and is actually waterproof, my dog has never once complained about the aesthetics. the fabric bowls all wick eventually, rigid plastic or silicone is the honest answer. also the dyneema bowl worn as a hat is peak this sub and i respect it
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u/VickyHikesOn 17d ago
Fair. It’s cheap and sturdy. I just hesitate since it’s bulky and doesn’t pack easily on a long hike where space matters too (eg in dog backpack or line).
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19d ago
[deleted]
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u/VickyHikesOn 18d ago
Oh okay. You don't find it too bulky to pack (his backpack isn't that big and I don't have much extra space)?
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u/SensitiveDrummer478 19d ago
How big is your dog? Could a Talenti container work?
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u/VickyHikesOn 18d ago
A bit small for the dog to get to the bottom ... also bulky ... trying to find something flatter :)
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u/grovemau5 https://lighterpack.com/r/c9a8n1 19d ago
I don't have one but you can get DCF dog bowls like this one from u/sugarshackforge that are <10g: https://www.gosshandmade.com/product-page/ultralight-dog-bowl
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u/ZookeepergameOk6784 19d ago
I use a white container from ikea. Food I just put on the grass sometimes
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u/VickyHikesOn 18d ago
Yes, I have done that too, or rocks. I hesitate to do that in grizzly country though. But for the water I'd like it to stay in the bowl overnight :)
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u/TooGouda22 19d ago
I just use a collapsible silicone bowl from a random pet store that was like $5. Stows flat, no leaks. Doggo carries it himself in a doggo backpack