bear containers

[Mike D.]

Need to pick up a bear canister for the dacks, anyone have any input on a good model ? I have seen a few but would like to hear from experience which are the best , thanx , Mike D.

 

[sli74]

I just bought a bear vault . . . they are the see through Lexan kind, haven't used it yet but have friends out West who really like it. It isn't fully certified yet in Yosemite and places like that but I like the fact that it is slightly lighter, see through and easy to open. I will let you know how I like it after I get around to using it this summer.

sli74

 

[Couchybar]

I was told that they also have a larger opening than the original black ones. Being transparent and of a lighter color they might be easier to find after being relocated by a hopefully disapointed bear.

 

[rhihn]

We also just purchased a Bear Vault, after tiring of renting. They have a web site:
www.bearvault.com, with stats comparing it to Garcia, testimonials, places to purchase, etc.

 

[sp1936]

Bear vault sounds interesting. I started using this thing a couple years back after a red squirrel problem. Nothing gets at my food any more, but I can't say it's a pleasure to carry. I put some blaze orange duct tape on it to make it easier to find if the bears play soccer with it while I'm sleeping.

Steve

 

[1ADAM12]

I bought the same thing sp1936 bought. The black bear canister. Me and my hiking buddy also bought the carry case that goes with it. Makes it a lot easier to carry. I cannot wait to try it out this summer. I have had bad expierences with the bear and the squirrels. So it is time to stop the madness

 

[JimB]

My 2 cents

A friend of mine bought a Bear Vault a few weeks ago to use later this year on his LT trip. He insisted I try it out and I took it 2 weeks ago on a 3 day trip for 2 into the Santanoni Range. It is quite large looking at first glance, but holds enough food for a week of soloing or easily a few days for 2. I carried it by rolling it up in my sleeping pad and putting it in the straps I have on my backpack. When we got to the leanto we were visited by campers carrying a Backpackers Cache which is similar to the black ones in the previous pictures. The black one looks smaller and is but weighs similar. When you put them side by side the Vault is only slightly taller and wider. The advantage I saw was in the opening size. The Vaults opening is way bigger allowing much easier access to the goodies. You could use much bigger bags and get them in and out. The Vault also requires no tools to open unlike the BC model. The Backpackers Cache does look a little more durable and I wonder if a big, hungry bear could rip the lid off a Vault. I wish we had a chance to actually field test them and not just visually compare them. One great thing I noticed about using the cannister was the ability to throw all your wrappers and containers into it to use it as a trash receptacle in keeping your area safe and clean.

 

[Tuco]

Just bought a bear vault myself. Liked the big opening and the fact that you can twist it open, just like a child proof lock on drugs. Can be used as a stool in camp and I like the size and weight.

It's been tested on bears and has conditional certification for West Coast mountain use and thats good enough for me. The website has a little history on getting conditional certification.

Heck, I would'nt be suprised if a hungry enough, agitated enough bear could get into any type of cannister, certified or not.

Now I just need to get a chance to use it---

 

[Mike D.]

Thanx everyone for your feedback, though like JimB I am concered about an eager bear ripping the cover off a bear vault I think thats the one i"ll try. Thanx Tuco for the info about the conditional cert. that testing info helped in my decision , Mike D.

 

[ADackR]

No bear canister for me, i will still be using the counter balance method while camping in the back country...

i have yet to lose food to bear and or squirrel and i am confident in my skills to raise a bag anytime of day or night..

good luck this year...

 

[KenC]

I picked up a Bearvault also for some trips i hope to do in the Adk's. When i got it my first words were "Yikes!!"!! I also have an Ursack TKO which i will use in less problemed areas and probably in the whites.

 

[Grumpy]

Canisters coming back!

Reading through this thread, it occurs to me that canisters are making a comeback in the Adirondack High Peaks!

Joking aside, if I were going to overnight in the High Peaks boonies these days (I don’t plan on it, though) I’d certainly carry a proven bearproof canister for its utter convenience and effectiveness.

A canister adds some weight to the pack, yes: About the equivalent of my Nikon F3 camera and a 35mm lens. But hanging bear bags is a pain in the tush and an iffy proposition at best in the High Peaks these days, even for those who figure they know it all when it comes to technique. A canister seems like such an easy and simple alternative, really. In my backpacking days I always looked for ways to simplify camp life. (That’s why I gave up making fires and started carrying a stove 35 years ago.)

I applaud those who have decided to join the canister toting brigade in the High Peaks. Maybe a few consecutive seasons of denying bears (easy) access to overnighters’ chow will encourage the bruins to disperse again. If that happens, then everybody’s life in the High Peaks backcountry may be a little more pleasant and comfy. And the bears will be better off, too.

G.

 

[Oldsmores]

No bear canister for me, i will still be using the counter balance method while camping in the back country...

i have yet to lose food to bear and or squirrel and i am confident in my skills to raise a bag anytime of day or night..

good luck this year...

ADackR-
I could have written your post a year ago. I had been hanging food for 30 years. Then I got taken. To this day I don't know how that bear did it. Good luck to you. As for me - old dog, new trick - I'm using a canister.

 

[Jay H]

I have used those hard shell canisters before in Denali (required) twice. I believe there is a thread here in the archives as recommended places to put them on your backpack so I wont go into that here. I have heard the use of those kevlar/aramid reinforced fiber bags that one could use. www.ursack.com comes to mind. One would anchor it down.

Might offer a good alternative to hard shell canisters. Not legal in certain areas of Yosemite but the last time I saw, it looked like they were in the middle of testing.

Jay

 

[sli74]

I have been using the Ursack for a couple of years now and LOVE it . . . no more hitting myself on the head with a rock. I will continue to carry the Ursack in the Whites and other areas where bears are not yet a HUGE problem. However, I bought the Bear Vault for my trip out West and will use that not only out West but in parts of the ADKs . . .

sli74

 

[jbrown]

sli74, I'm curious, have you had anything (bears, mice, varmints...etc.) attempt a raid on your food in the Ursack? Just want a first hand account of the critter-proofness.

Thanks!

Josh

 

[sli74]

Well, I have watched mice make futile attempts . . . they tend to give up quickle though. I have never witnessed anything bigger try to get into it BUT I did have an incident where my food was more smashed in the morning than it was the night before. That is the downfall with not hanging the bag high is that if somewthing does make an attempt to get into the Ursack, and even if it fails the food tends to get smashed if the "critter" is on the bigger side. The day of the smashed food, everything was still edible and the bags were not damaged but I did have a mushier dinner that night . . . I haven't used it in the high bear areas of the ADKs so I cannot vouch for the bearproofness but it is critter resistant . . . hope that is helpful.

sli74

PS I did read somewhere that in the ADKs someone had a bear get into their Ursacks . . .

 

[Willie]

I never heard of Ursack - I guess I’ve been hibernating (sorry, bad pun).

I don’t like bear canisters because they're too large for my needs and they're not collapsible. But after checking out Ursack’s website, I decided to buy one. It appears to be a compromise between my personal needs and the “policy” behind bear canisters.

Jay, thanks for the link; Seema, thanks for the endorsement.

 

[kwc]

There was a brief article about the Ursack in Nat'l Geographic Adventure a few months back ... they had a picture of the Ursack they used after a bear had gotten it ... the bear had torn a big hole in the side of the sack ... and the gear testers were not too impressed with the bag's performance (duh).

 

[jbrown]

I did read somewhere that in the ADKs someone had a bear get into their Ursacks . . .

... they had a picture of the Ursack they used after a bear had gotten it ...

Woah, I'll have to look into this before I decide what to do about my bear-proofing needs. Thanks, sli74 and kwc for the swift replies.