View Full Version : What size bear bag do I need?
Eywa Dude
02-23-2012, 18:04
I am down to the last few items I need to purchase for the trail, and I want to buy a dry sack as my bear bag with an odor liner to keep animals away. What size do you think I need? Keep in mind that I have a fairly healthy appetite. Thanks.
swjohnsey
02-23-2012, 18:21
A big bag for a big appetite! Seriously, though, I wouldn't get too fancy. I can get about four days food into 600 cubic inches, about 10 liters. Zpack makes some drybags with rolldown top that are pretty waterproof and would work good as a food bag. I wouldn't worry about an odor liner.
BobTheBuilder
02-23-2012, 18:39
I have the same answer. My food bag is waterproof, more or less, and I use it as a bear bag. No liner should be needed. It won't keep an animal from smelling the delicious food inside anyway, it is just extra weight.
I use an orange 20L Ultra-Sil Sea-to-Summit dry sack and always use 2mm nylon cord to hang it. Paracord's for the car camping crowd.
I agree with the others about not needing a liner or worrying about odors.
Eywa Dude
02-23-2012, 19:13
Yeah, I'll be using Z-Pack's 2.2mm Spectra Z-Line and a small biner for hanging the bag.
swjohnsey
02-23-2012, 19:19
This sceams for Cuben. Zpacks' food bag ought to work. Every backpacker needs something out of Cuben. I got a five dollar wallet.
Spectra line - slides over branches without digging into them. Lightweight and does not absorb nearly as much water as nylon cordage.
http://www.zpacks.com/accessories/spectra_cord.shtml
hikerboy57
02-23-2012, 19:39
I use an orange 20L Ultra-Sil Sea-to-Summit dry sack and always use 2mm nylon cord to hang it. Paracord's for the car camping crowd.
I agree with the others about not needing a liner or worrying about odors.
i use the same bag
no liner.
rotorbrent
02-23-2012, 19:42
What size Bear Bag?
depends on the size of the Bear!!
I'd get one large enough to climb into in case a bear attacks you. YMMV.
Ditto on using food bag as bear bag. For the AT, as long as it's hung properly, you don't need to worry about getting anything special.
MuddyWaters
02-23-2012, 23:37
The odor proof Lok-sak comes in certain sizes. The problem is that this isnt necessarily the same dimension as your food/bear bag.
So you could go the route of Mountain Laurel Designs , they make a food bag , 20L cuben, that is sized to fit a lok-sak. Sounds good, right?
Wrong. Its tall and skinny, it simply doesnt pack well because of that, at least not for me.
So my recommendation is to get a Zpacks or HMG cuben food bag, the rectangular squatty one, its like 12x14x12 or such, with a drawstring top. The size is perfect to pack in most UL packs. Put the food in a 2gal ziplock or two inside and call it a day. Waterproof, light, etc. Use 50' of spectra cord w/small carabiner. Order from MLD, Zpacks, Lawson, etc.
And remember that if it has a hole in the top for rain to get in, it better also have a hole in the bottom for the water to get out. So cut a hole in bottom.
daddytwosticks
02-24-2012, 08:14
Ursak Minor, the yellow colored one. I don't know if this would be big enough for multiple days of food. It's not waterproof, but will keep the micro-bears from eating your grub. :)
Wolfie2nd
02-24-2012, 09:01
+ 1 on the ursack it makes life so much easier! Rather that find a tree to hang a bear bag just tie it too the tree and be done