How the Vesica and the Buc Can Help You Ditch Single Use Plastics

How the Vesica and the Buc Can Help You Ditch Single Use Plastics

I’ve made a concentrated effort in the last few years to cut single use plastics out of my life whenever humanly possible. My friends call my Hydro Flask my “emotional support water bottle” because I carry it with me wherever I go. My food is carted around with me in reused take out containers and repurposed glass jars. The beautiful reusable bags my aunt quilted for me get compliments every time I’m at the grocery store. I’m certainly not perfect, but I don’t think I’m careless in my plastic consumption by any means.

Until I’m backpacking.

Ziplocs for days. Travel sized everything, screw the plastic to product ratio. Daily wet wipe baths. Smart water bottle water storage. In my thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail, I cooked my dinner in a new quart sized freezer bag every night. I was paranoid about the norovirus outbreaks that are a regular part of NoBo life, so I replaced my smart water bottles every few weeks. Of course, recycling is rarely an option in the small towns along the AT, so they often ended up in my motel room’s trash can - even if I had been able to recycle, most plastic put in recycling in the US ends up in a landfill anyway. It is frustrating that backpacking, an activity fueled by a love and appreciation for nature, often involves the creation of so much trash. 

Cnoc is trying to change that. There are two products we’ve designed specifically to replace two single use items that are hard to ditch from backpacking packs. Got a single use plastic problem in your backpacking kit? We strongly recommend the Vesica and the Buc.

The Vesica was designed to replace the beloved smart water bottle - a thru-hiker favorite and my own personal plastic kryptonite. Like a smart water bottle, it is compatible with a Sawyer filter, tall and thin to fit in pack side pockets, and lightweight. But it has a few pros smart water bottles don’t have:

  • Comes in two different neck sizes, so folks that use the Katadyn BeFree can filter from their bottle if they’d like to.
  • Can squish down when not in use so it takes up less space in your pack.
  • Can use it to squeeze filter without the bottle breaking down over time.
  • Can be used in a gravity filter set up without the need to “burp” the bottle.
  • Will not end up in a landfill in a few months.

The Buc was designed to replace the omnipresent Ziploc bag - specifically their use in backpacking cooking. The Buc is more durable than a Ziploc, seals more securely than a Ziploc, and, of course, is infinitely more reusable than a Ziploc. Perfect for storing an all day cold soak in your pack or for cooking your hot dinner in at night. I also use it as an efficient means to pack out my most highly consumed backpacking food - peanut butter.

In an effort to help folks switch to reusable gear whenever possible, we’re currently throwing a free Vesica into all orders over $80 until 11:59pm on 1/31/23 - prep for backpacking season and ditch single use plastics in your backpacking kit at the same time! Just put a Vesica in your cart to see the discount apply.


1 comment


  • Pamela Slaughter

    I love this blog post! As someone that often plans events that I’ve never experienced, I’ve learned several things here about how we can be more responsible and respectful toward our environment. I’ll remember when I look to get proper supplies for our outings. Thank you for your passion and true dedication, and thank you for walking your talk. People of Color Outdoors looks forward to connecting!

    Pamela Slaughter
    Founder and Executive Director
    People of Color Outdoors


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