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Peyton
07-08-2012, 09:17
Hi, does anyone have a opinion on UrSacks? They seem great, but pretty pricey.

Thanks for any input

Cookerhiker
07-08-2012, 09:20
I was researching this a few months ago and learned they were not acceptable to the Park Service where bear canisters were required like the John Muir Trail which I'm hiking this year. I'll look for the thread.

Cookerhiker
07-08-2012, 09:26
Here you go: http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?75230-Can-you-use-an-Ursack

You may find more threads if you search in the JMT, PCT, or Gear forums.

I remember now how some commenters said bears will often batter ursacks successfully (from the bear's standpoint).

T-Rx
07-08-2012, 09:29
I have limited experience with my ursack. I have had it about a year and used it on about 6 trips including recent section hikes on the BMT and the AT. I hung my food on cables when available but slept with my food 2 or 3 nights. I use the OP sacks inside the ursack as well. I have had no problems with bears or other critters.

BigHodag
07-08-2012, 10:30
I've used mine on two A.T. section hikes. Love just walking over to a tree and tieing on my UrSack with a square knot versus taking time to rig a PCT bag hang.

Never had a critter problem other than a few large ants exploring.

Its a bit heavier than the usual food bag, but I also use mine as a carry-on for the bus rides to and from the trail. Love multi-taskers.

I also like that an UrSack collapses as emptied unlike a solid fixed size canister.

If NPS has specific complaints about the UrSack versus a prejudice towards older canister technology, I'd rather they voice them. UrSacks seem every bit a deterrent for bears as are canisters. I understand some bears have learned to open canisters, no such stories for UrSacks.

Miner
07-08-2012, 11:04
It would be easier to comment if you told us where you were thinking of using it. AT? JMT?

Cookerhiker
07-08-2012, 11:08
...If NPS has specific complaints about the UrSack versus a prejudice towards older canister technology, I'd rather they voice them. UrSacks seem every bit a deterrent for bears as are canisters. I understand some bears have learned to open canisters, no such stories for UrSacks.

If you look at the thread I linked above plus search other threads, you'll see that in the Sierra, bears are capable of chopping and pawing at Ursacks until they poke a few holes. At a minimum they'll smash your food to powder. The worst thing to do is lash the Ursack to a tree where it's easy for them to puncture it.

Re. opening canister, report is that one bear in the Adirondacks has figured out how to open the Bear Vault. I'm not aware of any others.

daddytwosticks
07-08-2012, 11:32
I've been using the Ursack Minor (the yellow one) for about two years on the AT. Best protection I have found to keep mice, rodents, squirrels out of your food when hung at night. I still hang the food to keep it away from bears. I think it's a great product. For peace of mind, I find the price reasonable for what it does. :)

About_Time
07-08-2012, 12:02
I used the Ursack Minor with an Opsak liner for my thru last year. I never had a problem. I wasn't so much worried about bears as about the smaller critters.

leaftye
07-08-2012, 14:22
I love my Ursacks. My food is already powder. Let those bears batter away. I haven't had any bears go after mine though. Just a mountain lion and some rodents.

Miner
07-08-2012, 23:36
I use an ursack in the Sierra Neveda where its allowed and a hardsided can where its not. Never lost food or even had it crushed. But there is a reason why.

Any person who lets a bear work on his ursack the entire night is a ..... Do I really need to say it? Yes, it isnt' as durable as a hardsided container, but it does work if you live within its limitations. It will stop a bear from getting the contents far longer than a silnylon bag hung from a tree. Chase it off when you notice it. I do the same as I did when I use to hang. Tie pot, lid, etc to the outside so when its played with it makes noise. Wake up and chase bear off. Repeat as necessary. However, if you choose to not camp in a heavily used campsite and cook diner before you reach camp, you'll have far less bear encounters to begin with. I never lost food to a bear in the Sierra Neveda in more than 20 years of backpacking there. And most of my encounters with a bear in my camp happened in the early days before I figured out that camping away from everyone else worked for a better sleep. Using a hardsided bear can does make fora better nights sleep and gives you a camp chair to boot, but while hiking, makes for a more miserable experience with the extra weight.

As for the ursack minor, I know people who used them on the AT for the shelter mice, slept with it next to them rather then hanging and they had good things to say about it. Obviously this model doesn't work for bears.