View Full Version : food bag?
Doc Mike
08-08-2010, 16:45
Just curious what do most of you use for a food bag? I'm using construction trash bag for now but always love ideas. I use this because fairly strong fairly cheap and water/scent proof. Something strong would be nice but then again they are so light a spare isn't a problem.
Thanks in advance for your input.
Doc mike
Bags4266
08-08-2010, 17:15
Home Made Sil Nylon See http://www.tothewoods.net/HomemadeGearFoodBag.html
Hikes in Rain
08-08-2010, 17:18
Walmart has a set of three waterproof (or resistant?) stuff sacks for $10. Got my eye on those. Usually I use a gallon ziplock or two.
For me this very much depends on the trip --- Bear Can, or Ursack, or Ursack Minor, or Silnylon bag or just a grocery bag. Sometimes I use an odor proof liner inside, sometimes not. Sometimes some sort of plastic bag on the outside to protect from rain, dirt.
If you're not trying to protect your food from anything, then a very lightweight option, such as a silnylon bag or simply a plastic bag (or double plastic bag) from a grocery store are sufficient. If you are trying to protect the food from something, then ... figure out what thing(s) you're trying to protect it from to pick your food storage options (!).
Mesh bag. I absolutely hate having to dump everything out of my food bag to see what I have.
If it rains I just put the mesh bag in a trash bag.
Mrs Baggins
08-08-2010, 20:33
Sea to Summit waterproof stuff sack. I've hung it in the rain and everything inside is completely dry. I also use a larger one for my clothing and the very small one for hygiene/first aid items.
Toolshed
08-08-2010, 20:43
Generally any kind of stuff sack with a strap on the bottom. I have a myriad of sizes that have been collected over the years. I cinch them tight with the barrel-lock and tie a bow or slip knot just above the barrel lock flip it upside down and then tie the bear bag rope to the bottom strap. Inside the stuff sack, everything is in ziplocks, but I might double down with a lining consisting of a grocery bag in severe rainy weather.
In the ADKs, I carry a Garcia (canister Required in the High Peaks)
mtnkngxt
08-08-2010, 22:05
Cuben Bear Bag from Zpacks or the mesh Aloksak hybrip from BPL.
Walmart has a set of three waterproof (or resistant?) stuff sacks for $10. Got my eye on those. Usually I use a gallon ziplock or two.
This is what I use. I put the food items in a ziplocks and then put the ziplocks in the larger bag of the set.
schnikel
08-11-2010, 08:16
Sea to Summit waterproof stuff sack. I've hung it in the rain and everything inside is completely dry. I also use a larger one for my clothing and the very small one for hygiene/first aid items.
Same here. I think these are nice because as you roll/fold the bag down and snap it a circle is created that is perfect to hang your cord from. I also have never had wet contents even in downpours.
Schnikel
I use a Granite Gear Air Zip sack.
Kerosene
08-11-2010, 09:37
Another vote for the zPacks Cuben fiber food bag (http://www.zpacks.com/accessories/stuff_sacks.shtml). Per the website:
Large "Blast" Food Bag:
This food bag is made from the same heavy duty 1.5 oz/sqyd Cuben Fiber as the Blast backpacks. It can easily stand up to the abuse of bear bagging heavy loads or pointy food items. Just hang it by its spectra draw cord with a ZPacks Mini D-ring carabiner. Fits a 5-7 day supply of bulky food.
The material is even rodent resistant-
"On several occasions I've seen mice check out my Blast food bag and eventually give up. I let one persistent mouse chew on it for the entire night- by morning he had done some minor damage but did not get into my food."
Available in two shapes:
Rectangle - 11" wide by 5.5" deep by 12" tall. Fits small packs well.
Cylinder - 8" diameter by 15" tall. Fits larger packs.
Either shape is about 750 cubic inches and the same weight.
These are normally Green color but may also be white.
1.5 oz/sqyd Cuben Fiber
weight: .85 oz. / 24 grams
price: $20.95
Doc Mike
08-11-2010, 15:57
Thanks that large blast food bag looks perfect.
Doc Mike
mtnkngxt
08-12-2010, 08:18
Thanks that large blast food bag looks perfect.
Doc Mike
It really is. I paired mine with 40ft of MLD's bear bag line, a number 1 NiteIze S beaner and a small cuben sack from Zpacks. Whole Bear Bag setup weighs less than 3oz and is pretty much bombproof when used in the PCT method.
Ursack unless a bear can is required.
I use the wally world ones, usually the green larger one for main food and the small blue one for lunch and snacks so I dont have to dump the large one out.
Varies:
Plastic Grocery bags
Sleeping bag stuff sack (when I used to use one)
Mesh "Dunk" bag - my favorite, can see what's in it
Dedicated silnylon stuff sack
Plastic garbage bag over the outside in rainy conditions
Monkeywrench
08-15-2010, 10:45
I used a #4 OR Hydrolite stuff sack.
Actually, when I started my thru-hike this was my clothing bag, and I had a smaller #3 stuff sack for my food. I soon was carrying for food than clothing, so switched the stuff sacks.
By the time I got through the Smokies and the hiker hunger struck, I found myself leaving towns with so much food I often couldn't get it all into the #4 sack.
The OR sacks have a strap on the bottom, so I could cinch the opening closed, then hang it upside down from the bottom strap. Even with all the rain we had in '09, the contents never got wet hanging outside in the rain.