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View Full Version : food bags - what do you use?



paxtelprop
06-11-2008, 21:51
I'm interested in peoples' choice of food bags. Instead of a simple nylon stuff sack, i've been looking for a simple small duffel bag to hold my food (a la nols.) i figure this will allow me to look for food without dumping everything out. i've looked around a bit but haven't found one to my liking. anyone have a kick a$$ system? i'll have to hold about 10 days food or 20 lbs. don't know if this will fit into one duffel bag or not.

rafe
06-11-2008, 22:28
I've always wondered what might make a food bag different from any other... ? Needs to be strong enough, large enough...

4eyedbuzzard
06-11-2008, 22:45
How big does it need to be? The OR zip sacks (http://www.outdoorresearch.com/site/zip_sacks.html)are probably the idea you're looking for, but might be too small for 10 days food.

paxtelprop
06-11-2008, 23:52
The OR zip sacks (http://www.outdoorresearch.com/site/zip_sacks.html)are probably the idea you're looking for, but might be too small for 10 days food.

awesome. this is exactly what i'm looking for. do look a bit small. maybe i'll get two of them.

minnesotasmith
06-12-2008, 00:08
An ursack, of course.

www.ursack.com (http://www.ursack.com)

fiddlehead
06-12-2008, 01:29
I use a white sil nylon stuff sack and can see a bit through it although certainly not as good as a ziplock. But can usually tell what's what in there.

Mrs Baggins
06-12-2008, 05:34
How big does it need to be? The OR zip sacks (http://www.outdoorresearch.com/site/zip_sacks.html)are probably the idea you're looking for, but might be too small for 10 days food.

But are these waterproof?? It doesn't say. We use the Sea to Summit Dry Sacks with the fold over and latch opening. We can hang them in the rain and they stay completely dry inside.

superman
06-12-2008, 06:55
I double bag the plastic bags that you get your groceries in.
PS Don't re-supply before you get your big, town meal.:eek:

Jason of the Woods
06-12-2008, 07:18
OR makes a great waterproof bag. We used to use stuff sacks until A good storm soaked everything.

JAK
06-12-2008, 07:40
I'm trying to cut down on plastic, but its tough. I'm resolved to use whats around, but not buy any more. Used to be addicted to the stuff. I pack food bulk, more or less the way I buy it. Usually in increments of 1 pound, sometimed 0.5 pounds. Not alot of variety on short trips but enough variety from one resupply to the next. Oatmeal. Currants. Skim Milk Powder. Honey. Jerky. The bags they come in is good enough, plus a white stuff sack to keep it all together and add some strength. If I ever do a long enough trip for resupplies I think this will work just as well as on my single trips. My method is simple enough that I can buy and pack my food in about 15 minutes on the way to the trail head.

gearfreak
06-12-2008, 09:17
I pack each days food in it's own ziploc and then put them all in a stuff sack. Because of the weight of my food I carry the stuff sack lower in my pack, but I leave each day's supply up on top for easy access. That's what works for me. :cool:

Lyle
06-12-2008, 09:27
Best system I've come up with is a larger mesh bag. Organize that with plastic grocery bags. One for dinners, one for lunches, one for breakfasts, one for snacks, and one for drinks. The mesh let's you see inside, so you can slip your hand in and pick the grocery bag you want. When packing in the AM, just put your lunch and snack bag on top for easy retrieval during the day.

The mesh bag dries easily and will not collect H2O while hanging at night (have had this problem occasionally with solid bags if they leak at all during a rain. Most food is packaged in waterproof packaging, the grocery bags add another layer of protection. Hint: place grocery bags into the mesh sack with the open end down, to shed H2O)

Been using this method for many years, have never had any food ruined by rain. Keeps food organized and handy.

AlwaysHiking
06-12-2008, 09:27
OR makes a great waterproof bag. We used to use stuff sacks until A good storm soaked everything.

A lot of sacks now have a strip of nylon along the bottom, for gripping when unstuffing it from the other end.

I use an Ursack for myself, but when I've got family members and more food than can fit in the Ursack, I use a big regular ol' nylon stuff sack and hang it from the bottom. Has worked pretty well at keeping rain out.


But are these waterproof?? It doesn't say. We use the Sea to Summit Dry Sacks with the fold over and latch opening. We can hang them in the rain and they stay completely dry inside.

My friend has one of the STS dry sacks, I like them, they seem very well made.

SloHiker
06-12-2008, 09:34
http://www.granitegear.com/photography/products/packingsystems/airspace.jpg

Granite Gear Air Space - (4) Sizes Available

4eyedbuzzard
06-12-2008, 09:34
But are these waterproof?? It doesn't say. We use the Sea to Summit Dry Sacks with the fold over and latch opening. We can hang them in the rain and they stay completely dry inside.

I believe they're only "water-resistant," as it says on the features tab - as in NO! I use a dry sack like you(cheap Wallyworld version). I just remembered running across the OR side zip bags while shopping and they sounded like what the OP was looking for shape/zip wise.

4eyedbuzzard
06-12-2008, 09:37
http://www.granitegear.com/photography/products/packingsystems/airspace.jpg

Granite Gear Air Space - (4) Sizes Available

Those look nicer than the OR ones.

Wags
06-12-2008, 09:46
i use and am pleased w/ this

http://www.outdoorresearch.com/site/hydroseal_dry_sacks.html

#4 size

Blissful
06-12-2008, 09:47
We used the Outdoor product sacks from Wal mart. The food was always double bagged anyway inside it. They worked good. If the bag got wet from hanging, I always had an extra Reynolds oven bag to throw it into to protect my stuff inside until I could dry it out at lunchtime. But I would probably go with something different on my next big hike.

bigcranky
06-12-2008, 09:57
Ursack.

Red Hat
06-12-2008, 10:06
I used a purple Granite Gear block in 05, but switched to a red Sea to Summit bag because it was lighter and more waterproof.

CherrypieScout
06-12-2008, 10:09
I have just learned about OP bags. THey are oder proof ziplock looking things. My dog did not smell food through the clear plastic. They are waterproof and critter proof. I bag my dehydrated meals into sandwich zippes, then put all the zippies into the OP bag. They are not too expensive, consdereing they can be reused. You can find them on Backpacking Light web site.

envirodiver
06-12-2008, 13:45
But are these waterproof?? It doesn't say. We use the Sea to Summit Dry Sacks with the fold over and latch opening. We can hang them in the rain and they stay completely dry inside.


Ditto, mine have been out all night in a thunderstorm and everything was dry next AM.

faarside
06-12-2008, 13:52
I break things down into breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snack ziplock bags, organized by days, then I layer them in a compression sack. This work for me for approx. 5-8 days of food supply. You could possibly use the same technique only using a larger compression sack or mini-duffle.

I simply eat my way down to the bottom, and hopefully find my next food drop box arrived at its destination on schedule!

Happy trails!

Rainman
06-12-2008, 14:03
I use a Gregory Bear Bag: http://www.mountaingear.com/pages/product/product.asp/imanf/Gregory/idesc/Bear+Bag/Store/MG/item/410089/N/4294966900

But, I don't think they make them any more.

Summit
06-12-2008, 18:11
An ursack, of course.

www.ursack.com (http://www.ursack.com)If I didn't use a bear vault, I would definitely use one of those! ;)

Berserker
06-13-2008, 13:05
I use an OR Hydroseal drybag. Light and waterproof. The only thing I would be concerned with about a "duffel bag" type storage container is getting leakage through the zipper. I suppose you could just line it with a trash bag.

Monkeywrench
06-13-2008, 13:09
An ursack, of course.

www.ursack.com (http://www.ursack.com)

Do you "bear bag" your Ursack, or just tie it to the nearest fixed object?

bigcranky
06-13-2008, 15:27
Do you "bear bag" your Ursack, or just tie it to the nearest fixed object?

I tie mine to a tree some distance from camp. If staying at a shelter, I use the bear cables or pole (if any), or just hang it from one of the tuna can food hangers in the shelter.

I do use the odor proof liner bag, though I'm not sure it does any real good. The Ursack is probably impregnated with permanent food odors after four years of use.

Use a figure-8 knot when tying an Ursack. Much easier to untie if Mr. Bear tries to drag your food bag away.

The Weasel
06-13-2008, 15:41
I've always wondered what might make a food bag different from any other... ? Needs to be strong enough, large enough...

Food bag should be impermable to odors/liquids, so that clothing and other items in your pack don't acquire food odors that will draw animals.

I use a lightweight waterproof bag with a zip seal.

TW

Chance09
06-13-2008, 16:14
Use a figure-8 knot when tying an Ursack. Much easier to untie if Mr. Bear tries to drag your food bag away.

If it's a Mrs. Bear are you polite and share some?

le loupe
06-13-2008, 16:18
I use this bag- http://www.coleman.com/coleman/colemancom/detail.asp?product_id=834-310T&categoryid=5800 -

It may not be the lightest bag, but it is waterproof and very reasonably priced

Spock
06-13-2008, 18:58
For long term, I keep it simple with 3 silnylon sacks (about 1.3 ounces each), color coded, for breakfast, lunch and snacks, dinner. I hang them inside a contractor's bag for weather protection. The lunch/snack bag packs on top for easy access, the other pack low for good weight distribution. For shorter trips, I use only 2 bags. This combination has worked fine for over a year of real trail time.

Cherokee Bill
06-13-2008, 19:05
:-? Them thar Freezer-bags:D

bigcranky
06-13-2008, 20:14
If it's a Mrs. Bear are you polite and share some?

Depends on how long I've been out in the woods....

minnesotasmith
06-14-2008, 07:55
Do you "bear bag" your Ursack, or just tie it to the nearest fixed object?

It saves time to just tie it. I do usually go a distance away from where I sleep comparable to where I'd run a bear line, if I had food with me beyond what'd fit in my Ursack. The only cost is a few more varmint teeth broken off as they fruitlessly try to get into my foodbad, and I have no problem with that cost being incurred. ;)

rafe
06-14-2008, 08:31
Food bag should be impermable to odors/liquids, so that clothing and other items in your pack don't acquire food odors that will draw animals.

I use a lightweight waterproof bag with a zip seal.

TW

Do you carry a lot of liquids in your food bag? :-? As for the smells and odors: I can't think of any smelly foods that I take hiking that aren't packaged in plastic or foil. Once the package is opened, the item in question goes in a 2nd layer (eg. a Ziploc) with the original packaging left as intact as possible.

The "smelly" foods (cheese, sausage...) are the ones that I'll want to eat over the course of the day so once they've been opened they travel outside the pack, in a smaller "snack bag" for quick access.

minnesotasmith
06-14-2008, 09:08
I have just learned about OP bags. THey are oder proof ziplock looking things. My dog did not smell food through the clear plastic. They are waterproof and critter proof. I bag my dehydrated meals into sandwich zippes, then put all the zippies into the OP bag. They are not too expensive, consdereing they can be reused. You can find them on Backpacking Light web site.

I bought a set of the ones Ursack.com sells and took them with me on my 2006 thru. They very quickly would not reseal, and not long thereafter tore apart in what I considered normal usage. If I was going on a 3-day hike in Bear Central in the Sierras, I might consider bringing my food in them as an inner layer. However, if these were typical of odor-barrier plastic bags, I don't think they make sense for AT thruhikers.