Ursack for your food bag?

[FreeGoldRush]

how often do mice get into food bags that are properly hung? What is the best solution?

[Berserker]

First off, several states on the AT have hanging cables, poles or bear boxes, so you don't need anything other than a plastic grocery bag for those at a minimum.

I need to correct this statement. What meant was you don't need anything other than a grocery bag for the bear box...you'll still want the waterproof bag for the hanging cables and poles.

[FreeGoldRush]

I need to correct this statement. What meant was you don't need anything other than a grocery bag for the bear box...you'll still want the waterproof bag for the hanging cables and poles.

I saw a YouTube video where a guy was hanging his pack on the bear cables, even on nights of pouring rain. He said it was a requirement in the Smokies. Is this true? Why not just hang your food?

[JC13]

how often do mice get into food bags that are properly hung? What is the best solution?

The first night after we lost our OutSak, mice got in 3 of our 6 food bags that were hung on the bear cables. For the AT, IMO, mice/rodents are a bigger problem than the bears. You need something rodent proof you can hang.

[FreeGoldRush]

The first night after we lost our OutSak, mice got in 3 of our 6 food bags that were hung on the bear cables. For the AT, IMO, mice/rodents are a bigger problem than the bears. You need something rodent proof you can hang.

Any any suggestions on lightweight and rodent proof food bags?

[JC13]

Any any suggestions on lightweight and rodent proof food bags?

I used an outsak, but not the UL version. I wasn't sure on how much space we would need for multiple people so I went with the biggest they had. 2095 cubic inches @ 11.5 oz. The UL versions start at 2.6 oz.

http://www.simpleoutdoorstore.com/outsak.html

[Lnj]

I need to correct this statement. What meant was you don't need anything other than a grocery bag for the bear box...you'll still want the waterproof bag for the hanging cables and poles.

But this is making the assumption that I would be camping near a shelter, which I will not be doing if at all possible.

[Lnj]

The first night after we lost our OutSak, mice got in 3 of our 6 food bags that were hung on the bear cables. For the AT, IMO, mice/rodents are a bigger problem than the bears. You need something rodent proof you can hang.

I think that's because bear cables are near shelters, which are also known as "Mouseville". The mice know what bear cables are for and what hangs from them. There's no hiding from them anywhere near a shelter.

[JC13]

I think that's because bear cables are near shelters, which are also known as "Mouseville". The mice know what bear cables are for and what hangs from them. There's no hiding from them anywhere near a shelter.

Good point, the mice also seem to be pretty picky, once the almonds were gone there were no more issues.

[Yukon]

My Ursack is my food bag. Keeps things simple. No need to worry about bears or rodents. The weight is worth it, to me. My food is important.

Same here.

[Berserker]

But this is making the assumption that I would be camping near a shelter, which I will not be doing if at all possible.

Well in that case I would definitely recommend just using a lightweight sil-nylon dry bag or similar. Mice are a major problem at the shelters, and in my experience almost non-existent if camping somewhere off away from the shelters. They're still around of course, but they seem to congregate in heavily used areas.

I've camped out probably the equivalent of 5 - 6 months of nights on and off the AT over the years, and the only mouse problems I have had thus far have all been at or near shelters or heavily used campsites. I did stress "thus far" though because one thing I have learned is that unexpected things can happen at any time.

[Lnj]

I just read recently where a sow and her cubs figured out how to get a food bag "properly" hung. Can't remember where it was. Pretty sure it was not the AT, but some park someplace else. Don't remember how long ago it was either, but man.... Maybe we should just sleep with all our stuff and run electrified wires around our camp at night.

[Odd Man Out]

.... Maybe we should just sleep with all our stuff and run electrified wires around our camp at night.

Not sure if you meant this in jest or not. But Tom Smith (well known bear researcher whose video has been posted on another thread - link below) has a lot experience with and advocates the use of lightweight electric fences for bear deterance, although I think they are used just to protect the food - not the whole camp.

http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/show...=1#post2076257

[Fredt4]

"will NOT be doing that on the AT. I plan to do the PCT hang".

You had a wining method, why pick a losing method?

Hang a food bag, and hang a bear.

[K2 Travels]

I have been using a ursack for years as my "food bag" and storage at night. I keep all my food in plastic bags separated by which day it's for. I don't use a typical food bag carry style, all my food is just in my bag with ursack rolled and pushed along the side of my bag while hiking.

At night all food and smellies go into ursack and I either PCT hang or tie it to a tree. Unless I am in grizzly country it just gets tied to a tree and I have never had an issue. Makes things so much easier with the ursack along. Believe mine weighs 7oz.

*Learn how to close your ursack and tie it securely. The closure method ursack recommends is very good, make sure you pull tight.

[MuddyWaters]

I just read recently where a sow and her cubs figured out how to get a food bag "properly" hung. Can't remember where it was. Pretty sure it was not the AT, but some park someplace else. Don't remember how long ago it was either, but man.... Maybe we should just sleep with all our stuff and run electrified wires around our camp at night.

Varying definitions of "properly hung"
But given enough time, a persistent young bear can get virtually anything hung in a tree.

[QiWiz]

On the AT I have used the Ursack Minor for a food bag, since it is varmint proof. It can be hung when concerned about bears as it is not bear proof. Very happy with it in Eastern woodlands. I do use an OP sack inside the Ursack Minor to reduce smellable quotient of the contents.

[English Stu]

I hiked a section of the AT a couple of days after hiking the JMT where I had to carry a Bear canister. When on the AT I did miss the canister given the hassle of hanging/ looking for suitable branches etc.
On an earlier trip in the Smokies I did share a Snicker bar with a squirrel, the stuff sack was on the cables
Being a tightwad I did make stuff sack out of auto airbag which I am understand is made from Kevlar. This will deter mice. I got the bag from a wreckers yard.

[FreeGoldRush]

For the AT... Based on the posts here it appears the most robust solution is a ursack minor to keep out rodents and an opsak to keep smells in. If I'm sleeping in the woods alone I really don't want to hear a frustrated bear underneath my properly hung food bag just 30 feet away in the dark. Is this the reason for the opsak? Please help me understand. I had planned on just a Cuben fiber food bag.

And finally, someone left an opsak review on Amazon stating that they now sleep with their food in bear country because the bears can't smell it in their opsak. that's trusting the technology just a little too much.

[Berserker]

I saw a YouTube video where a guy was hanging his pack on the bear cables, even on nights of pouring rain. He said it was a requirement in the Smokies. Is this true? Why not just hang your food?

I don't know that hanging the pack is a requirement in the Smokies, I think just the food and other smelly stuff (sunscreen, toothpaste, etc.) needs to be hung. That's all I've ever done when hiking in the Smokies. There's nothing wrong with hanging the pack too, but I wouldn't do it in the rain.