View Full Version : Bear canisters
Can someone give me their opinion on what they feel is the best light weight bear canister?
Best? Overworked word.
Lightest? Bear resistant food storage? URSACK. I own the Ursack Major for trips from overnight to a couple weeks.
YMMV.
Wayne
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HooKooDooKu
05-11-2017, 12:33
You basically have two choices...
Bearikade & BearVault.
Bearikade is lighter than BearValue, but Bearikade cost $$$ where as BearVault costs $$.
If you NEED a vary large canister, then Bearikade is your only choice. They have a version that holds about 1000cuin, where as the largest BearVault is only about 750cuin.
An example of where I found the NEED for the larger container was a JMT thru hike where I wanted to go 10 days with no resupply.
Yes there are other options... but these two are currently the kings.
You can rent Bearikades. I plan to do this for my JMT thru.
without any opinion on bestestness, I have both sizes of Bear Vault. They're inexpensive, don't need tools, and work as intended.
Probably a four or five day hike. So obviously a smaller bear canister as well? Being a novice at hiking, do these bear canisters have to be hung from trees just like your backpack if no bear canisters were required
Between hiking a lot in the Sierra and find canisters left on the AT by lazy hikers I have the following bear deterrence systems
both sizes of Bearvault.
ursack
bear boxer
Which do I use, in order of preference.
1) nothing and sleep with my food as a pillow. - 90% of time
2) PCT style hang - rarely used unless I'm in a heavy bear area.
3) ursack - may use in heavy bear area without a suitable place to hang or if leaving a short food cache.
4) bear boxer - used only when a canister is required and can't be planned around AND it is a small carry. they are very low volume but it fits in my favorite pack.
5) Bearvault - this would be my go to canister, especially the larger one, on a trail like the JMT.
Probably a four or five day hike. So obviously a smaller bear canister as well? Being a novice at hiking, do these bear canisters have to be hung from trees just like your backpack if no bear canisters were required
No, canisters are put on the ground away from your campsite. Bears learn to avoid them in areas like the Sierra.
HooKooDooKu
05-11-2017, 16:01
Probably a four or five day hike. So obviously a smaller bear canister as well? Being a novice at hiking, do these bear canisters have to be hung from trees just like your backpack if no bear canisters were required
The idea behind a bear canister is that it is (almost) impossible for the bear to get into it. So the 1st time a bear follows his nose and finds one, he spends an hour in frustration trying to get at what is inside.
But then the next time that same bear encounters a similer canister, he doesn't bother it because he's already learned it is a waste of his time.
So all you have to do is place it on the ground some reasonable distance from your sleeping area.
However, since you might encounter a bear that hasn't learned about bear canisters... or worst, a bear that has learned that if he can roll it off a cliff, the crash will usually break it open, you want to position the canister so that it is difficult to impossible for a bear (or other critter) to roll the canister down a hill or into a body of water.
So some of the best places would be a low spot with stuff surrounding it making it difficult to be rolled away.
You will get various answers on exactly how far away from your tent to place the canister. Some will say 100' to 200' away so that you always keep a safe distance between you and any bear messing with the canister. In areas where there are known to be problem bears, it will sometimes be advised that you keep the canister relatively close by... the idea being the noise will wake you and give you a chance to scare the bear off (you can enhance the noise making by placing rocks or a cooking pot on top of the canister.
eggymane
05-11-2017, 16:15
On the subject of bearikades- is there anywhere to purchase these in person? I have a BV but would like to physically look at a bearikade before buying one.
HooKooDooKu
05-11-2017, 16:38
On the subject of bearikades- is there anywhere to purchase these in person? I have a BV but would like to physically look at a bearikade before buying one.
I believe they are constructed and sold exclusively by a cottage manufacturer in California.
Given that you live clear across the country, I don't see that as being possible... other than renting one first. But then you have to pay for rental and shipping.
Do you have any questions that some of us here that have used one might be able to answer for you?
eggymane
05-11-2017, 18:36
I believe they are constructed and sold exclusively by a cottage manufacturer in California.
Given that you live clear across the country, I don't see that as being possible... other than renting one first. But then you have to pay for rental and shipping.
Do you have any questions that some of us here that have used one might be able to answer for you?
As much as I value small businesses this is one of those times it's a pain.
Im in the search for a bear can that would hold in volume around that of the bv450, so I was thinking The Weekender would fit that..but along those lines I'm trying to find one that is more packable. Or maybe I'll just be forever stuck strapping it to the top of my bag
I believe they are constructed and sold exclusively by a cottage manufacturer in California.
Given that you live clear across the country, I don't see that as being possible... other than renting one first. But then you have to pay for rental and shipping.
Do you have any questions that some of us here that have used one might be able to answer for you?
The rental fee is deducted from the purchase price. It's all explained online.
Where are you planning to go backpacking that you feel obligated to use bear resistant food storage?
Why are you insisting on a hard sided canister?
I'm just trying to learn.
Wayne
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i was told that on Blood Mountain in Georgia, on the AT is where canisters are required
BuckeyeBill
05-11-2017, 19:58
canisters are only required from Jarrod Gap to Neel Gap if you plan on camping in that 5 mile stretch, and then only from March 1 to June 1. most people camp at Lance Creek then pass through to Neel Gap. It is 7 miles.
HooKooDooKu
05-11-2017, 20:19
i was told that on Blood Mountain in Georgia, on the AT is where canisters are required
Generally speaking, any place that requires a bear canister only requires its use while camping.
One of the tricks to expand the capacity of a bear canister is to carry the 1st day's food outside of the canister saving room for supplies on the following day.
i was told that on Blood Mountain in Georgia, on the AT is where canisters are required
Read the specific requirements posted by the National Forest. Then get back to us.
"He said, She said" is a poor way to make plans. Especially plans that involve spending money.
Wayne
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Ps:
You aren't alone. This subject comes up monthly.
Same answer: Hike through the area without camping.
Wayne
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eggymane
05-11-2017, 20:47
The rental fee is deducted from the purchase price. It's all explained online.
Where are you planning to go backpacking that you feel obligated to use bear resistant food storage?
Why are you insisting on a hard sided canister?
I'm just trying to learn.
Wayne
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Mainly for convenience, I hike very few places that legally require it. I've been using an ursack for a while now and I've grown to dislike it on most occasions. Upon waking up in the morning I've found spiders inside, I've had water inside, it absorbs dirt..etc. It will also provide a convenient place to sit around camp. If I'm not mistaken the lid also doubles as a fry pan.
I've been using a BV450, but as has been stated earlier, the lid can be quite the pain when it is cold outside. I just enjoy the convenience, that's all :)
Mainly for convenience, I hike very few places that legally require it. I've been using an ursack for a while now and I've grown to dislike it on most occasions. Upon waking up in the morning I've found spiders inside, I've had water inside, it absorbs dirt..etc. It will also provide a convenient place to sit around camp. If I'm not mistaken the lid also doubles as a fry pan.
I've been using a BV450, but as has been stated earlier, the lid can be quite the pain when it is cold outside. I just enjoy the convenience, that's all :)
I bought an Ursack to be used along the Divide.
I'll be back with a report later this year.
Thanks for the list of potential problems.
Wayne
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eggymane
05-11-2017, 20:59
I bought an Ursack to be used along the Divide.
I'll be back with a report later this year.
Thanks for the list of potential problems.
Wayne
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If saving weight or taking up as minimal space as possible is the goal than the ursack is great! I'm hiking the Colorado Trail in July and considering bouncing up to the Tahoe Rim Trail right after-which will require a bear can I believe. Having a bear can I like will set me up to take my pack as is any where at any time.
Tahoe Rim Trail . Org
Ambiguous at best.
"Bear proofing of all smellables (food, hygiene products, etc.) is required on the Tahoe Rim Trail. The preferred and most successful method is to utilize a bear canister."
Wayne
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HooKooDooKu
05-12-2017, 09:22
Mainly for convenience, I hike very few places that legally require it. I've been using an ursack for a while now and I've grown to dislike it on most occasions. Upon waking up in the morning I've found spiders inside, I've had water inside, it absorbs dirt..etc. It will also provide a convenient place to sit around camp. If I'm not mistaken the lid also doubles as a fry pan.
I've been using a BV450, but as has been stated earlier, the lid can be quite the pain when it is cold outside. I just enjoy the convenience, that's all :)
The Bearikade isn't the bear canister that doubles as a fry pan... that's another bear canister that is very much like the BearVault in construction.
However, I loved how easy it was to work with the Bearikade. You simply need to keep up with a quarter or a nickle, and give the three screws a quarter turn and you're in... temperatures don't affect how difficult or easy it is to open it. By comparision, I encountered a few people using BearVaults that needed help getting the thing open on a cold morning... basically took two people and the credit card trick.
Because I was carrying a Bearikade in the top of my pack, my pack had a pocket under the brain and that's where I kept my coin (with a backup coin somewhere else). So at lunch t
BuckeyeBill
05-12-2017, 10:09
Hookoodooku, One hack I have seen for the lost coin/opener is get a proper size washer and put a small loop of cord thru it. Pass one end of the loop thru the other end. Now you can clip this to a place on your pack with a very small carabiner. if you use a bright colored cord it will be easier to find if you drop it.
HooKooDooKu
05-12-2017, 11:49
Hookoodooku, One hack I have seen for the lost coin/opener is get a proper size washer and put a small loop of cord thru it. Pass one end of the loop thru the other end. Now you can clip this to a place on your pack with a very small carabiner. if you use a bright colored cord it will be easier to find if you drop it.
I've heard of a couple of different hacks on making sure you have something to open the Bearikade with.
In my case, the Bearikade was stored vertically in the top-inside of my Ospray Volt 75 pack. The pack's "brain" had a mesh zipper pocket on the underside. I simply kept a coin and my 1st aid scissors in a ziplock bag I kept in the mesh pocket (with a backup coin in my wallet). The arraignment allowed me to stop for lunch without having to remove the Bearikade from my pack. The combination of scissors and coin in a ziplock made it a little more difficult to misplace, and the scissors were constantly being used in regard to food because I had custom packaged by food in sealed bags (vacuum sealed bags, and ziplock bags custom cut-to-size and sealed for one time use).
i was thinking of camping on the top of Blood Mountain. I guess that means a canister?
i was thinking of camping on the top of Blood Mountain. I guess that means a canister?
As I understand the situation, and it's been awhile since I read this, the real problem is undisciplined car campers downhill from the AT. Didn't sound like a good place to spend the night. That problem may not exist anymore or be limited to weekends.
More research is needed.
Wayne
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BuckeyeBill
05-13-2017, 11:27
I've heard of a couple of different hacks on making sure you have something to open the Bearikade with.
In my case, the Bearikade was stored vertically in the top-inside of my Ospray Volt 75 pack. The pack's "brain" had a mesh zipper pocket on the underside. I simply kept a coin and my 1st aid scissors in a ziplock bag I kept in the mesh pocket (with a backup coin in my wallet). The arraignment allowed me to stop for lunch without having to remove the Bearikade from my pack. The combination of scissors and coin in a ziplock made it a little more difficult to misplace, and the scissors were constantly being used in regard to food because I had custom packaged by food in sealed bags (vacuum sealed bags, and ziplock bags custom cut-to-size and sealed for one time use).
sounds like you got it covered then.:D
Runner2017
05-13-2017, 19:45
i was thinking of camping on the top of Blood Mountain. I guess that means a canister?
Yes, Bear Canister is required for staying at the shelter or camping on the summit after March 1.
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Francis Sawyer
05-19-2017, 10:49
What if you hang the bear canister from a branch maybe 7-8 ft high and watch as the bear plays with it like a piņata. That there would be real entertainment
Turk6177
05-19-2017, 12:36
I chose the "Lighter1 Big Daddy" bear canister on my JMT thru hike. The pros are that I left my cook pot at home and used the lid to boil my water to rehydrate my meals. Another pro is that you can see into it so you don't have to empty it to get what you want. My only cons were that while others sat on their bear cans as we ate, I couldn't sit on mine because I was using the top as my cook pot. Also, and this may be my mistake, I thought the handle while dumping water into my freezer bags was a little loose when pouring water out of it. The last, which is really neither pro or con was the cookpot handle/brace for the can makes you have to "tetris" your food at the very top of the container to go around it. More of a technique thing than a pro or con. I had 9 days food in mine and it was packed to the rim. It would be great for a week's worth of food. Here is a link if you are interested. http://lighter1.com/products/
clusterone
05-19-2017, 13:00
This is a nice little guy, but pricey. Works well for me as I like to carry a small pan for cooking. https://www.amazon.com/Lighter1-Lil-Sami-Bear-Canister/dp/B00FM23RPG
So, now that I have a bear canister, if I chose to use it instead of going thru the hassle of hanging my backpack, that would suffice???
No, canisters are put on the ground away from your campsite. Bears learn to avoid them in areas like the Sierra.
Post #8.
Wayne
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For hard-sided, Wild Ideas Bearikade; for soft-sided, Ursack.