Backpackers Part 2 - Bear Resistant Food Containers?

[Ben]

Part 2 of my backpacking topics. :)

Anyone use bear resistant food containers and do you have recommendations? I'd never had to use them in the past, but they're now required in all the National Forest and Park areas where I want to do my 1-2 night fishing trips. If you use them, do you prefer just making room in your pack, or do you strap them to the outside? With their non-compressible bulk, it seems like in the pack is the way to go, but maybe that's wrong.

[zxcvbob]

Does bear resistant food really need a container?

[KD5NRH]

Does bear resistant food really need a container?

You should always wrap your hardtack to keep it from getting wet.

[charby]

I use a bear keg and I stow it in my pack.

http://www.rei.com/product/709075/counter-assault-bear-keg

On my canoe trips in bear country we hang our food bag with a series of ropes and pulleys, but weight isn't as much of a concern on those trips.

I use this method but with rescue pulleys at each carbineer, makes lifting a 80# food pack a lot easier.

[Ben]

I would hang it if I could, but it's against Federal law in the designated bear zones.

[charby]

I would hang it if I could, but it's against Federal law in the designated bear zones.

Must be a West Coast/Western thing. I canoe in a National Forest/Wilderness area, no rules on not hanging, actually no rules on keeping food away from bears.

Could you go this route and keep the stinky stuff in a ziplock?

http://www.ursack.com/

[Ben]

Must be a West Coast/Western thing. I canoe in a National Forest/Wilderness area, no rules on not hanging, actually no rules on keeping food away from bears.

Could you go this route and keep the stinky stuff in a ziplock?

http://www.ursack.com/

Nope. Approved containers or nothing. This is the map for CA, but the Feds have the same requirements for AK, and probably other states West of the rockies as well.

http://www.sierrawild.gov/bears/food-storage-map

The bears do get pretty food aggressive out this way. Years ago, before the requirements, I was doing a non-tent solo trip to the Volcanic Lakes off the John Muir trail. My first overnight was at a camp where a main trail split, so it saw a lot of use as an overnight, and had one of the NPS food lockers. I kept my food there, but stil lwoke up in the middle of the night to a bear standing pretty much right over me as I was in my bag like a sausage. A yell drove him away though, and most of them out here will run at a yell or a rock on the noggin. But they'll get pretty ornery if they get hold of a container they think they can get into.

[Ron]

I haven't backpacked anyplace that requires canisters.

The food bag I use is called the Ursak. There is an insert available for it to make it riged like a canister but I don't own the insert.

It can be hung or not. It is bearproof but without the insert your food may get pulverized by the bear chomping on the bag :)

http://www.ursack.com/

[Ben]

Actually the ursack with the liner might meet the "approved" list. I'll have to look into it. I like the lighter weight.

[Unisaw]

" use this method but with rescue pulleys at each carbineer, makes lifting a 80# food pack a lot easier. "

80 pounds?!  Are you hanging a communal food bag for 20 people?

[charby]

" use this method but with rescue pulleys at each carbineer, makes lifting a 80# food pack a lot easier. "

80 pounds?!  Are you hanging a communal food bag for 20 people?

4-6 people for a week, we eat well. Wilderness canoe tripping is much different than back packing, weight is a concern on the portages, but the farthest you need to hump anything is a mile, usually 1/4-1/2 mile at most, then the canoe does the lifting.