ZPacks Food Bag or Ursack???

[Zumo]

I currently have the Zpacks Food Bag. It has never failed me, but after hiking all day it's really a pain to hang the thing after cooking and cleanup. Many times, I just sleep with my food. So far, I've had no bad experiences.

I'm wondering which of the Ursack products might be a good replacement and allow me to just tie to a tree outside my tent and sleep in peace. Ursack offers the AllMitey, S29.3, Major 29.3, and Minor; I am so confused.

[Martzy13]

The point of the Ursack is to have it tied far from your (or anyone else's) campsite, so if a bear does come in for a peek, it won't be near anyone. If hanging your food is too much trouble already, having to walk into the woods to tie your food to a tree won't be saving too much time/effort.

[LucyInColor]

I have the large Ursack & when there were no bear cans available I just tied it to a tree after I lost a good deal of my lightweight rope & mini rock sack & carabiner when it tangled in a tree. I worried about my food though. Had I tied the knot correctly? The other thing is that bears will pulverize your food if they get to the sack. For that reason I'm thinking about buying the metal insert for my Ursack this year.

[4shot]

To the OP, are you hiking the AT? or some other trail? If its the AT, a bear bag is unnecessary/overkill. But nothing is lighter and cheaper than hanging your food. unless you are considering a bear canister, which is another thing altogether. If you are willing to sacrifice weight and $, that option gets you out of hanging your food every night, (which truly can be a chore at times).

Sleeping with your food is a bit like driving without a seat belt. The risk/reward is too out of proportion to not hang your food or otherwise protect it. Ultimately, a creature will get into your food. It may not even bear a bear...more likely it will be rodents. Or raccoons.

[Dogwood]

An Ursack bear bag doesn't just potentially protect against bears which might be one of its greatest AT asset.

[bigcranky]

We used Ursacks for several years. They are easy to use: just pack them with food (line with the OP Sack), close it up tight, walk a hundred feet from camp, and tie to a tree. It'll keep out mice, raccoons, etc., in my experience. Never had a bear try it. They do have somewhat limited capacity, and aren't that light.

We switched to the Zpacks food bags for more capacity and lighter weight. I don't mind hanging them PCT style. But they are more of a PITA than the Ursack.

[TX Aggie]

If you find yourself stashing your food in the dark or retrieving it before sunrise, the Ursack is much easier, no need to try and find that perfect limb in the dark. But hanging is definitely lighter and less chance of rodents getting into it.

Either way, I use an Opsak as an odor barrier for both.

[nate.2346]

I've primarily used ursack when hanging in trees, I was worried about squirrels...

[Bubblehead]

ZPacks food bag....durable, lightweight....no problems on the AT...Springer to Pawling, NY...

[TheMidlifeHiker]

I'm using the ZPacks kit... no experience with Ursack though.

[scrabbler]

I'm using the ZPacks kit... no experience with Ursack though.

Then why reply? This person is trying to determine which might be better for their experience. This wasnt a vote.

[TheMidlifeHiker]

Then why reply? This person is trying to determine which might be better for their experience. This wasnt a vote.

Apologies, I’ll run all my posts by you for validity checks in the future.

[KDogg]

My zpacks food bag only lasted half my thru. It got a hole in it when somebody dropped it on the ground when taking their food bag down. Also, that little carabiner they include is junk. On the same group hangs people like to attach their bag to your carabiner. Mine lasted only a few weeks. There are many situations in the Southern part of the trail when you are hanging your food bags on the same hang as lots of other hikers so you won't have complete control over how it is treated. Replaced it with a waterproof ultralight stuff sack that worked equally well.

[Uncle Joe]

I actually hang my Ursack.

[Coffee]

My zpacks food bag only lasted half my thru. It got a hole in it when somebody dropped it on the ground when taking their food bag down. Also, that little carabiner they include is junk. On the same group hangs people like to attach their bag to your carabiner. Mine lasted only a few weeks. There are many situations in the Southern part of the trail when you are hanging your food bags on the same hang as lots of other hikers so you won't have complete control over how it is treated. Replaced it with a waterproof ultralight stuff sack that worked equally well.

Are these people you know or are in your group or random strangers? I'd be super pissed off if anyone ever messed with my bear bag hang anywhere ... and I've never had that happen. However, I have yet to hike the southern part of the AT in thru hiker season.

man, I'd be so pissed if someone messed with my food bag...

[BuckeyeBill]

I use the Ursack All Mitey with an Op-sack or two and without the liner. Have never had any problems with bears or sharp tooth critters. I use to use a dry sack and the PCT method of hanging and that was a real PITA. With the Ursack just walk 100' from your tent and where you cooked and tie to a large down tree/branch. Your campsite should form a triangle, your tent/hammock, where you cooked and ate your meal and where you hang your food bag. Each of these should be 100' apart. If I am in an area where bear activity is low or nonexistent I will probably just sleep with the bag.

While this is the way I do it, you may find that you need a different approach to protect your bag.

To KDogg, it sucks what happen to bag. I was wondering if you repaired it somehow to finish or if it was a lost cause.

[Jayne]

I've got both and almost exclusively use a bag and PCT hang method now. I always hang my bag first thing when I get into camp so that I still have light. With a PCT hang its pretty easy to get it down and to pack up my smelly items before I call it a night. Trying to get a bag hung after dark sucks imho. Ursack is nice but it's a little heavy and not that much more convenient if I have light. I'll take my Ursack if I'm going somewhere where finding good trees may be an issue or I know I'll be doing some evening hiking.

Remember - hanging your food isn't just about protecting you, it's also about protecting the bears. Curious bears that come sniffing around camp sites are likely to end up in trouble sooner or later.