Coghlan's COG9223 Expandable Water Carrier

I love this expandable camping jug because it pacs flat when empty, which saves space. When full it expands but it's super easy to carry since it's only 2 gallons (doesn't get too heavy), which is great if you're car camping and near a water tap.

This is about 3” wide when empty, 8” when full. Pretty cool. It won’t stand upright or on its edges - too wobbly. So, lay it horizontally on its flat side. The spigot works just fine that way. The plastic seems very sturdy. When collapsed it is very helpful for space saving. Also, 2 gallons of water is about 16 pounds so those who have a little less strength, or hand/arm/shoulder issues, can likely carry it. I know, I know, you could just fill a 5-gal container 40% for the same weight. But again I emphasize the great space-saving of this container. Finally, the handle is thick and sturdy. Oops one more thing - there are small holes in three corners if you want to hang it up.

Works great, and expands.

This review is written based upon me using this water carrier the past couple of summers. I rented one from a canoe outfitter in northern Minnesota for a BWCA canoe trip. I have not used this particular one that I bought from Amazon yet, will be using it this summer. But I have use this exact model multiple times before. This is a great water container for light weight back country use. When it’s empty it’s about as thick as a paper back book, as large as a newspaper square. and can slip down along the inside wall of your pack very easily. It’s lightweight and flexible. When it’s filled with water it expands in the middle and looks almost like a pillow when filled. It’s a bit cumbersome, in that it’s easily dispensed from when laying on its side. But you can’t store it laying on its side because it slowly leaks. So you do have to set it up right when it’s filled but not in use. And then tip it on its side to dispense it. You can also dispense it in other ways such as holding it and pouring it like a pitcher, but that isn’t an option for everyone, as 2 gallons of water is very heavy. So I like to lay it on its side and just turn the tap on, which allows hands-free access to water. I have read that many people fill this and pack it in and out. I have found that it leaks from the spout collar, so I personally probably wouldn’t use it in this fashion. But I typically am not packing into areas where water isn’t readily available. I use it in the BWCA to Hold excess water that I have already filtered, so it is ready to use. The boundary waters is filled with unlimited amounts of clean, fresh water, so the most I have to carry this container is about 10 feet. (If I were backpacking I would probably fill and pack my water in Nalgene bottles.)As I said earlier, I have used this item before, and those I have used have been well broken in. So I have never experienced any kind of smell or taste taken on by the water because of the plastic. I will update my review once I’ve used the new one I’ve just purchased and let people know whether it has a bad taste or smell. The pros of this item is that it is very lightweight, made of soft, flexible plastic (but not as soft/flexible as the square gallon water carriers), easily packable, and holds a decent amount of water. Handle is sturdy, and for something so small it expands to hold a good amount of water. It also has a valve that allows for continuous flow which is nice for hands-free handwashing, dish rinsing, water bottle and pot filling, etc. Cons Are that it doesn’t stand up on it’s own (we prop it again at a rock or tree), But slowly leaks if you leave it lying down. All in all, the combination of how much it holds and how light weight it is is what sold me on it, Versus choosing some thing perhaps sturdier yet more rigid.UPDATE: have owned this item for more than 2 years. We have had to replace it at least once. While it was laying on its side, spigot being turned on and off to rinse camp dishes, it rubbed against the rock and got small holes in it. We field patched it with duct tape, but bought a new one when we returned home. So, it’s soft enough plastic to abrade when repeatedly rubbed against rough Boulder surfaces. But still the best option we’ve found for our use. We’ll just keep being careful with it, and know that camping gear needs to be replaced from time to time.still happy with it.

Unless you fill it up under a faucet it will not fill up as you see in the pictures they have posted.It durable and the plastic faucet is good quality.