Back in the day......

T

twostepn2001

Well-known Member

• Jul 19, 2011

• #1

before Igloo water cans and styrofoam coolers, how many remember using one of these on a blisterin' hot day?

 

A

Anonymous-0

Well-known Member

• Jul 19, 2011

• #1

Had them as late as '85 when training at Ft Erwin, Ca........... Water was always cool........

 

J

John(OR)

Member

• Jul 19, 2011

• #1

The old dirty one hanging on back of baler when I rode slip was a welcome sight.

 

A

Anonymous-0

Well-known Member

• Jul 19, 2011

• #1

Use to see them hanging off the headlight on the front of cars when people were on a trip.

 

F

Farmallb

Well-known Member

• Jul 19, 2011

• #1

The last time I was in the army was 85. We didnt have them specifically, but we had canvis bags hung on a tripod that held around a duffle bag fulla water. Kept it luke cool lol

 

F

Farmallb

Well-known Member

• Jul 19, 2011

• #1

Yup, ive seenum, Cant remember ever drinking outta one tho.

 

G

greygoat

Well-known Member

• Jul 19, 2011

• #1

Yup!, the Army had big ones, called them "Lister"
bags. (I think)
My dad bought one on the way to Yellowstone park
in a 1951 Buick, in 1953. Evey car we passed had
one, so he had to get one also, but the hanger
rope broke, and he lost it..lotsa swearing!

 

J

John Harmon

Member

• Jul 19, 2011

• #1

Summer 1956 two buddys and I went home for a short leave from Camp Pendleton Calif to Ill in my 1950 Plymouth 4 door.We used Route 66 to Pontiac ILl. where we cut off on Route 47 to home.Two of these water bags hung on the front of the car all the way home and back.What a road trip,never more than 55 MPH [ OIL flow out the rear main of the engine was not so bad at that speed] and camp out every night for a few hours,in the heat and bugs,cleaning up when ever we got near a river.One of those "I"LL never forget experiences".

 

B

Billy Shafer

Well-known Member

• Jul 19, 2011

• #1

My grandfather had one on the front of his car. Never saw him use it,but he had it just in case. I remember drinking from the canvas bags the Army had. Never did get use to the warm nasty tasteing water.

 

R

Rob in Ore

Member

• Jul 19, 2011

• #1

One was hanging on the front of a truck that dropped us off to fill sandbags in the middle of nowhere, 29 Palms, 1986.

 

S

Stan - Florida

Well-known Member

• Jul 19, 2011

• #1

Yep, "Lister" bags are what they were. For a long time I thought they were "blister" bags.

Stan

 

J

jackinok

Well-known Member

• Jul 19, 2011

• #1

yep, still have one around here somewhere.back in the late 30's and 40s ,everyone had one or two on front when we crossed the desert.we always tried to cross at night also.Lay up in a motel or a tourist trap during the day if you were flush.But ive spent many a day on a blanket under a old mesquite tree or in any shade we could find(anyone ever pay half day rate at motel?thats why there always was checkout time.night bunch would get out before it got really hot,day bunch would stay until it started cooling down.as late as the early 80's i would pay fifty cents to use the shower at a motel before they cleaned the rooms.) never could stand to drink out of one of those though,they developed a unique flavor after a while!ive filled a many of one out of a creek or pond.We generally carried a old metal water can on the back bumper or running board also,put a block of ice in it and fill it with water.Mom had a system,she needed to clean a kid up on the out side she used the water in bag,if water went inside you could drink out of the can.better not waste any though,watering places were mighty slim back then in places.Mom would scrub that old water can out with salt ,or bleach if she had it,occasionally to keep it from tasting like the water in the bags.they would get pretty ripe also.

 

R

Red1

Member

• Jul 19, 2011

• #1

Yep, dad used to cover fired clay jugs with heavy burlap. Then soak them in water right up to the time the crew grabbed one for the fields.

 

A

Anonymous-0

Well-known Member

• Jul 19, 2011

• #1

Yep but I was so thirsty I loved every drop!

 

P

pete 23

Well-known Member

• Jul 19, 2011

• #1

Used to see them hanging on the hay racks during haying and threshing. Remember in the Army, they brought out a fresh lister bag of water so I dumped my stale, hot canteen and filled up from the bag. Phoeee, salt water. They made us drink it and also take the salt tablets and they hit the bottom of my guts and I still say them messed them up.

 

R

rrlund

Well-known Member

• Jul 19, 2011

• #1

Dad had a bolt on the fender of the tractor to hang one of those on. Had it on there for haying,cultivating,everything. Last one that I got,I couldn't get it saturated well enough for it to ever work right.

 

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Billy Shafer

Well-known Member

• Jul 19, 2011

• #1

I did to. Of course it was a toss up on taste between C-Rations and the water.

 

A

Anonymous-0

Well-known Member

• Jul 19, 2011

• #1

I was so hungry I loved the C rations too.

 

B

bobs old iron

Well-known Member

• Jul 19, 2011

• #1

i would like to have one now to hang on my tractor while being in parades.....anyone know/have any idea where one can be found/bought.

 

A

Anonymous-0

Well-known Member

• Jul 19, 2011

• #1

My parents used them when I was little. I still have two of them. At the time, we never thought of sterilizing them; I'll bet the fibers could hold a lot of bacteria.

 

M

Mike (WA)

Well-known Member

• Jul 19, 2011

• #1

But the "Beef, Spiced, with Sauce" had to be eaten cold. It tasted OK (kinda barbecuey), but if you heated it up, everything kind of separated and you could see the veins, tripe and other goodies that were in it.

A guy could lose his lunch over it.

 

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Billy Shafer

Well-known Member

• Jul 19, 2011

• #1

How about chopped ham and eggs. The ham patties packed in grease and the nut roll you had to soak for a day just to eat.

 

J

John S-B

Well-known Member

• Jul 19, 2011

• #1

You mean Green eggs and Ham. Yes folks, that stuff was actually GREEN! (Well, it did have a greenish tinge anyway) It was edible if you could heat it, but no way cold! Blech!!

 

J

jbp

Member

• Jul 19, 2011

• #1

My dad did the same with stone jugs wrapped with burlap. That wet burlap sure did stink, and right under your nose too. Joe

 

R

Richard from SE AZ

Member

• Jul 19, 2011

• #1

Living in Arizona, we never went anywhere in the summer without a couple of them hanging off various parts of the car. I still have 3 of them. I have seen them on Ebay,usually listed under" water bag."