How important is odor proof?

[direwolf]

I have a sil-nylon water proof 15L sack for a food bag (planning on using PCT method or something similar). I am wondering if this is sufficient, or if I should include an odor proof bag on the inside...is this necessary/effective?

Thanks for any input

[SouthMark]

"Odor Proof" bags are not effective in fooling drug sniffing dogs. You be the judge.

[moldy]

Odor proof food bags won't work in trail conditions on bears. They work only in a lab setting. You handle the food, you handle the food bag, the food bag rides all day in your backpack. Bears sometimes walk in the direction of backpackers because they smell backpackers and associate them with food.

[Lone Wolf]

I have a sil-nylon water proof 15L sack for a food bag (planning on using PCT method or something similar). I am wondering if this is sufficient, or if I should include an odor proof bag on the inside...is this necessary/effective?

not necessary or effective

[RedBeerd]

Granted, the people above me have 10x the outdoor experience as I do but for the past few years I have used an OPsak and I usually just leave it out where ever. Never had anything chew it or move it and have yet to hear anything poking around it. I just make sure the seal is really good. So I don't think it hurts. Ill use it until I am shown it doesn't work, by either a rodent attack or a bear mauling.

[The Ace]

. . . Or you can handle your food, wipe your hands on your clothes, lean your head and hair over whatever you are cooking, keep snacks and wrappers in your pack and pants pockets during the day, cook at your tent site, clean up with peppermint Dr. B’s, brush your teeth with mint flavored toothpaste dots and spit it out on the ground outside of your tent, wipe your face, hands and cook pot with your handkerchief, apply some strawberry flavored lip balm, use your trekking poles with your salted sweat-embedded handles for tent poles, and eat that late night Snickers bar for some “sleeping calories”. But, be sure every night that you hang your food from a tree in the middle of nowhere, and then when you see me, who does none of the above, be sure to give me grief for sleeping with my OPSak food bag by explaining that marijuana-sniffing dogs can smell through OpSacks and that bears are following me around all day long smelling me and thinking food, food, food.

Direwolf: In the Appalachians, just keep your food bag with you at all times and don’t worry about it. If you see a bear, first marvel at it, then run it off.

[cave man]

I dont think it is an effective method. Most people say that black bears are about possesion, if you hang your food bag the bear is more likely to try and get it because its not being "guarded" by a human, rather by keeping it with you they are more concerned about you than trying to get your food. I only hang food in places such as campgrounds where nuisance bears are reported to visit and are less likely to be scared of a human then i dont risk it. Only heard of food bags bieng stolen from people that hang food, never heard anyone of losing their food in their possesion.

I did hear a few bears in NJ that "trapped" hikers in the shelter, the ones with a fence? and someone tossed it a snickers trying to get rid of it, only made matters worse. didnt really hear how they got out. this was in 2011

[swjohnsey]

All they found the next day was a coupla pairs of hike boots and a pile of Snickers wrappers.

[Wise Old Owl]

Well thats a wrap... moving on... the wolf has spoken.

[Serial 07]

unnecessary...

[mak1277]

To me, it would seem unnecessary to hang your bag AND use an OP sack. If I was going to sleep with my food, I would probably default to an OP sack, just for added peace of mind (which may or may not be real extra protection...but it at least would make me FEEL better), but if you're going to hang, I wouldn't personally feel the need to have OP also.

[MuddyWaters]

There is no such thing as odor-proof.
There is less permeable types of plastic that may release "less" odors than others.
If your goal is to reduce the chances of a bear that is 100 yds downwind smelling your food, an odor resistant liner MIGHT help, it would depend on the extent of the other smell contamination to your foodbag, etc.
If you are camping in a spot that is frequented by bears, and they know to expect food there, it likely has little value.

In any case, it 1) doesnt hurt 2) provides some measure of weatherproofing for hung food.

[AngryGerman]

Scent proof is overkill and is only good in ideal conditions, not sure what that is?! Anyhow, someone above stated that black bears on the AT are about possesion, while this is mostly true, practice hanging a bear bag several different ways in several different scenarios and if you fail at that well... I ran out of food a couple times and it was no fun, I can't imagine being hungry because I let a lil' black bear get my food, not to mention being humiliated!