food storage

[mtbmatty]

it only makes sense (IMO) to store your food supply somewhere other than inside your tent.

so the question is: are there options other than hanging your food?

if you do hang it what is the best receptical to store it in?
keeping in mind lightweight and of course weatherproof.

[Pedaling Fool]

Many threads on this, FWIW, I keep my food in my tent never had a problem. If you pitched your tent inside a shelter, than you'd probably have a problem, but mice normally don't hang around tentsites.

Is it possible for an animal to get in my tent, yes, but not likely. I've known people who have had their food stolen from hanging, still not likely, but it's possible. Only other option I can think of is a bear canister, but to me, they're not worth the bulk/weight for AT use.

[Mocs123]

Get a lightweight roll top waterproof stuff sack, 50 feet of kelty triptease line, a small biner, and a little mesh storage sack. Store the triptease in the mesh sack and also put your rock in it to throw over a branch.

You could also try this (I haven't used it, and its a bit heavy, but an interesting idea.)
http://quickrope.com/index.html

[Wise Old Owl]

Many threads on this, FWIW, I keep my food in my tent never had a problem. If you pitched your tent inside a shelter, than you'd probably have a problem, but mice normally don't hang around tentsites.

Is it possible for an animal to get in my tent, yes, but not likely. I've known people who have had their food stolen from hanging, still not likely, but it's possible. Only other option I can think of is a bear canister, but to me, they're not worth the bulk/weight for AT use.

Mice are opportunistic - here is a picture of two holes in a hardly used $500 tent that was pitched in Maine. I have lost a pack to mice - in the woods in PA. Nobody expects the need to hang food, Its up to you, I have seen Raccoons figure out a hanging food bag too.

http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg275/MarkSwarbrick/200804181.jpg

[Marta]

I almost always keep my food in my tent, and haven't had a problem yet. I do take a couple of precautions, though, to reduce the smell of food in the tent--I don't normally eat in the tent unless the weather is so incredibly inclement that that animals are not moving about, and then I make very sure I don't drop or spill anything in the tent; I store the food inside several layers of plastic and whatnot, so any smell would be well drowned out by the background smell of me and my normal gear.

[Compass]

Buy a Silnylon Food bag(preferably Urathane coated silnylon) so if it is left out in the weather it will not obsorb water like the OR dry sack I used untill a mouse or a squirrel ate a hole in it while on a bear pole in the SNP one night.

If it has a draw string all it takes to keep water out is to hog tie the top of the bag with the drawstring rope or the bear bag rope.

[take-a-knee]

Go to Walmart and buy a package of three polyester rolltop dry bags (camping section), you'll use the largest for your food. Order the bearbag line kit from Gravity Gear (do not listen to any knucklehead who tells you paracord will work for this) at the bottom of the page:

http://www.antigravitygear.com/products.php?cat=74

Then learn (at home, BEFORE your hike) the PCT method of bear bag hanging:

http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/bear_bag_hanging_technique.html

When you hang the bag, if you get it too close to the trunk, the squirrels will jump from the trunk to the bag and gnaw away, 4-5 feet minimum clearance from the trunk.

[KG4FAM]

do not listen to any knucklehead who tells you paracord will work for thiswhy does the paracord not work?

[Pedaling Fool]

I almost always keep my food in my tent, and haven't had a problem yet. I do take a couple of precautions, though, to reduce the smell of food in the tent--I don't normally eat in the tent unless the weather is so incredibly inclement that that animals are not moving about, and then I make very sure I don't drop or spill anything in the tent; I store the food inside several layers of plastic and whatnot, so any smell would be well drowned out by the background smell of me and my normal gear.
I think that's the key. If the critters knew (smelled) I had food in my tent they'd start chewing my tent.

[Pickleodeon]

another option for food stoarge is an Ursack. I'm not very bear-bag savvy, ie, cant throw to save my life. You don't have to hang it high up, it's bear/critter resistant material that they can't chew through. It weights 7.5 oz., but if it saves me from having to hang my bag, I'll carry it. You tie it to a tree trunk, or a fallen log so it can't be dragged away. You can also get an aluminum liner to make it crush proof, but I didn't bother with that. The Ursack is $50, worth it, in my opinion, although it was a Christmas present.

http://www.ursack.com/ursack-catalog.htm

[mudhead]

Last I read, an Ursack was not rodent-proof.

Anyone?

[ofthearth]

another option for food stoarge is an Ursack. I'm not very bear-bag savvy, ie, cant throw to save my life. You don't have to hang it high up, it's bear/critter resistant material that they can't chew through. It weights 7.5 oz., but if it saves me from having to hang my bag, I'll carry it. You tie it to a tree trunk, or a fallen log so it can't be dragged away. You can also get an aluminum liner to make it crush proof, but I didn't bother with that. The Ursack is $50, worth it, in my opinion, although it was a Christmas present.

http://www.ursack.com/ursack-catalog.htm


I'll be bringing one to the ruck to sell if anybody wants to wait/ see/ buy one.

["Cat"]

Hi;

I thought all the replies about what to do with your food bag were great, but I have this add(from experience);

I now carry a tin can with lid like the sell cookies or soda crackers in yes it weighs 10 oz's, but last summer on my section hike my food bag got chewed into 7 times!!!!!

And my gorp, drink's and crackers (this was a desciminating mouse?) got ransacked, I am sure a larger animal wasnt to blame because of the size of the holes?

I put everything in it that isnt in metal now! I have not had any problems since then!

Your's; "Cat"

[take-a-knee]

why does the paracord not work?

It isn't slick enough, the cord sheath gets hung up on some types of bark (pines) and your rock bag won't slide down, a real PITA. That stuff from Gossamer Gear/Antigravity Gear feels like it is waxed it is so slick, it is worth the money and it'll never break.

[brooklynkayak]

Advice that I've received from people who camp in the most grizzly infested parts of BC.

Triple bag food. Put moth balls in the outside bag.
The moth balls masks food smells that get past the two inside bags.
Attach this to a good solid object.

They have never lost food this way. They have had lots of issues with hanging food bags though.

I'd probably want to go with an Ursack on the outside myself. I would never consider allowing any food in a tent. I've seen too many tents with rips and holes from raccoons, rats and mice.

I have seen bears knock down solid wood doors to get at a small quantity of food that was left in a cabin. Let alone all the tents that get ripped open every year.

Now, how do you keep the humans out of your food bag:-)

[Tinker]

I've always meant to make a rodent proof container from aluminum screen mesh, forming it into a pouch sewn with light wire. I may yet do that some day. You could put your regular nylon food bag into it and do with it what you usually do (hang it, sleep with it, drop kick it, whatever). I'm not sure how long it would take mice to chew through it, so I might try to find some stainless steel mesh. Just a thought.

[Pickleodeon]

From Ursack's website:
"Ursack is a bear & critter resistant food bag made from lightweight, flexible, "bullet proof" fabric.
It is ideal for backpackers, kayakers and other wilderness users."

I just got mine and it came with a big ziplock that's supposed to keep food odors inside. I'll probably keep my food in a ziplock inside that one too though.

[superman]

I keep my food in the little plastic bag the grocery store puts it in. It's light weight and easily replaced. Plus I can use it as a rain hood.:-?

[slowandlow]

It isn't slick enough, the cord sheath gets hung up on some types of bark (pines) and your rock bag won't slide down, a real PITA. That stuff from Gossamer Gear/Antigravity Gear feels like it is waxed it is so slick, it is worth the money and it'll never break.

This is truth.

[JAK]

I hang my food when I hike and camp with my daughter, to reduce the bear risk, however minimal it is. I use triptease or some similar rope, and try not to damage the trees too much with the sawing action. It's actually quite alot of fun, hanging food. We don't have so many rodents up here I don't think. Racoons mostly. I am surprised they aren't able to get at our food bag. I'm really not that good at hanging it. I keep the smells down though. The food is in a plastic bag, inside a silnylon bag, and the food is pretty basic stuff so it shouldn't have really strong odours. I know animals are really good at smelling, but there must be alot of smells out there. I don't think its that hard to make food, or ourselves, reasonably less attractive to bears and racoons and such. I'm guessing the racoons would try harder if it smelled better. Bears are very shy here, but I figure nobody likes being teased when their hungry.