View Full Version : Length of bearbag rope?
For those hikers who choose to hang their food, what is the maximum length of rope needed on any part of the AT? I know a lot of people take one of those 50 ft things of 550 cord, but is it really necessary to have 50 ft if all you need is 15 ft for a bearbag?
50' is what I carry. You should be able to have the rope drape over the limb and be able to hold both ends in your hand. Start with 50'. If that's too much, cut off what you don't need and throw it in a hiker box. Or use the extra for a clothes line.
SalParadise
11-20-2006, 15:09
sometimes the only good branches to use can be awfully high up. Tangles sometimes need to be cut down.
well you need more than 15ft, in order to get the bag up there in the first place, you need at least twice that. also take inconsideration you won't always find branches that are 15ft from the ground. so given that, you want a 15-20ft range at least which is 30-40ft in rope, and it just happens that one of the pre-cut lengths that rope comes in is 50ft, so sure cut off the possible extra 10ft of rope if your that worried about it.
you don't have to have the 550cord, its a good quaility rope, i used walmart rope, it did the job i needed it to do then i threw it away and bought more rope (plus it has a little plastic thingy for winding the rope on)
SalParadise
11-20-2006, 15:11
.....or it can become a shoelace or a tent line or a tie-down on your pack.
Footslogger
11-20-2006, 15:13
50' is more than you'll need in some cases but better having a little extra than being too short. Besides ...a lot of the nylon cord is sold in 50' length packages.
'Slogger
Blissful
11-20-2006, 15:48
i used walmart rope, it did the job i needed it to do then i threw it away and bought more rope (plus it has a little plastic thingy for winding the rope on)
I was just going to say we used the camo rope (or twine?) in the camping section of wally world for our hikes and it seemed to work pretty good. Wonder if it would last for a thru?
hopefulhiker
11-20-2006, 16:16
I started out with 50 feet but ended up with about 35 feet because I cannabilized the cord. for other purposes.. I used parachute cord with the insides gutted out (per Sgt Rock).. It lasted the whole trip..
I was just going to say we used the camo rope (or twine?) in the camping section of wally world for our hikes and it seemed to work pretty good. Wonder if it would last for a thru?
it lasted me for my 2 month section. it was cut up and put back together and something had chewed on one end (wrong end for them, right for me), it was rough looking when i threw it away.
also good to know the 'water knot' for putting rope back together after you cut it up.http://www.animatedknots.com/waterknot/index.php?LogoImage=&Website=
peter_pan
11-20-2006, 18:48
28 feet has worked for me for the last three years.
pan
Blissful
11-20-2006, 20:11
also good to know the 'water knot' for putting rope back together after you cut it up.http://www.animatedknots.com/waterknot/index.php?LogoImage=&Website=
Cool, I sent the URL for the site to my hubby who is a Scoutmaster.
hikerjohnd
11-20-2006, 20:42
also good to know the 'water knot' for putting rope back together after you cut it up.http://www.animatedknots.com/waterkn...mage=&Website= (http://www.animatedknots.com/waterknot/index.php?LogoImage=&Website=)
Cool site - I too am forwarding to friends!
28 feet has worked for me for the last three years.
pan
28 feet? How did you end up with such an unusual length... Most folks take rope in 5' increments... Is there a story here (like you used 2' of your original 30' length to replace a shoe lace at some point...)?
Anyway - I take 35' of very small rope (like 2.5mm or smaller).
bigcranky
11-20-2006, 20:47
If you have cash to burn, Backpackinglight sells 50 feet of Dyneema cord specifically for bear-bagging. It weighs 2.6 ounces for all 50 feet, doesn't stretch at all (this is way more important than you would think, in my experience), never tangles, and costs as much as a titanium mug:
http://tinyurl.com/yg9krv
Yes, I have this product. What can I say, I got a gift certificate. I carry it as my only rope or cord, for all kinds of uses.
Wanderingson
11-21-2006, 00:14
http://www.animatedknots.com/waterknot/index.php?LogoImage=&Website=
This ought to be posted in the links section.
This is by far the best knot tutorial I have seen to date.
hammock engineer
11-21-2006, 00:45
I haven't camped much in bear country but I am planning on 50 feet. I figure it needs to be at least 15' up and 5+ feet away from the tree. When hanging from 2 trees like this I don't think you could do it with less than 50'.
Cool, I sent the URL for the site to my hubby who is a Scoutmaster.Bet you a granola bar and some ramen noodles he will tell you a sheet bend is better for tieing two ropes together, and that the water knot is good for flat webbing but not so good for ropes and lines.
freefall
11-21-2006, 01:44
I carried 50' w/ me this year and had to buy new in VA due to cutting pieces to use for other things.
wow, and i take that as a bad example, i was worried because that knot isn't shown that well, ummm, i'm taking a class on theatrical rigging, so knots are important, here are some more knot links
http://www.netknots.com/
http://www.earlham.edu/~peters/knotlink.htm
http://www.realknots.com/knots/
oooh and damn that sheet bend knot, my professor knew that i always forget that knot, so he gave me that one, and i couldn't remember it, oh well its still my favorite class i'm taking right now.
also what category should i post that in the links section?
peter_pan
11-21-2006, 09:06
Cool site - I too am forwarding to friends!
28 feet? How did you end up with such an unusual length... Most folks take rope in 5' increments... Is there a story here (like you used 2' of your original 30' length to replace a shoe lace at some point...)?
Anyway - I take 35' of very small rope (like 2.5mm or smaller).
YUP...Story is that I had figured 30 ft plus the two feet in the edge seams of the food bag and attached rock bag when closed for a total of 32...It got caught in a tree and I had to cut off 4 feet....Just left it at 28 feet.
Pan
Footslogger
11-21-2006, 10:05
If you have cash to burn, Backpackinglight sells 50 feet of Dyneema cord specifically for bear-bagging. It weighs 2.6 ounces for all 50 feet, doesn't stretch at all (this is way more important than you would think, in my experience), never tangles, and costs as much as a titanium mug:
http://tinyurl.com/yg9krv
Yes, I have this product. What can I say, I got a gift certificate. I carry it as my only rope or cord, for all kinds of uses.
===================================
I wouldn't go so far as to say I have cash to burn ...but this is the line I carry. Probably should have mentioned that in my earlier post. Reason I made the investment in this line was its weight and the fact that it does not get caught on tree branches. I carry one 50' section when I hike solo and when my wife and I hike together out west we each carry a 50' section because of the differences in hanging techniques.
'Slogger
Jim Adams
11-21-2006, 22:39
there are no north American black bears that can reach higher than 8' and they can not stand on their hind legs and jump higher than 2--3". they have to hold on with at least 1 front paw while climbing or they will fall therefore even a large one can not reach more than 5' from the trunk. they can climb out on the branch and reach down but not much more than 4--5'.
HOWEVER if you are in a hammock, does it really matter whether your food is higher than you?
Jack Tarlin
11-21-2006, 22:48
I agree with the folks who've advised bringing a little extra.
Extra rope is useful for all sorts of stuff, as several folks have pointed out. This July, I witnessed several hikers who combined their ropes to make a "bridge" across a flood-swollen stream that would've bben difficult or risky to cross otherwise.
And I've used my "extra" rope on many occasions in Vermont and New Hampshire, when I was trying to put up my non-free standing tent on wooden tent platforms. (This can be done with a little practice, but it's MUCH easier if you have around 20 extra feet of rope!)
In short, extra parachute cord is one of those things that takes up very little space and weighs very little. You might not need the "extra" footage very often, but you'll be VERY happy to find it there when you really need it.
there are no north American black bears that can reach higher than 8' and they can not stand on their hind legs and jump higher than 2--3". they have to hold on with at least 1 front paw while climbing or they will fall therefore even a large one can not reach more than 5' from the trunk. they can climb out on the branch and reach down but not much more than 4--5'.
HOWEVER if you are in a hammock, does it really matter whether your food is higher than you?
First..thanks to everyone for all the input. I hadn't thought about all of the situations where extra rope might come in handy.
Jim...it's funny, when I lay back in my hammock, I find that nothing else really seems to matter! :D
peter_pan
11-22-2006, 10:11
there are no north American black bears that can reach higher than 8' and they can not stand on their hind legs and jump higher than 2--3". they have to hold on with at least 1 front paw while climbing or they will fall therefore even a large one can not reach more than 5' from the trunk. they can climb out on the branch and reach down but not much more than 4--5'.
HOWEVER if you are in a hammock, does it really matter whether your food is higher than you?
No ...The average bear knows there are better odds of finding food in a tent....They are used to finding tents with food.... hammocks are still strange items to them...;)
Pan
there are no north American black bears that can reach higher than 8' and they can not stand on their hind legs and jump higher than 2--3". they have to hold on with at least 1 front paw while climbing or they will fall therefore even a large one can not reach more than 5' from the trunk. they can climb out on the branch and reach down but not much more than 4--5'.
If you hang your food in the Sierras there's a very good chance you'll never see it again. The Sierras bears don't reach down, they drop down, grabbing your food on the way.
hammock=large food bag ;)
hammock=large food bag ;)
Human burrito! :D