Bear Canisters on the AT

[Gootstizz]

Looking to change over from a bear bag to a bear vault BV500 canister. Curious to know if these things are ant proof and the experiences people are having with them, besides the extra weight issue. I know these are not widely used on the AT, but any of you who have, please let me know your thoughts...

[saltysack]

I personally wouldn't way too big and cumbersome...used a Bearikade weekender for JMT...I'd never carry again unless required...


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[Suzzz]

I have a BV500 and I like it. I've used it on the AT and on other trails.

Yes it's heavier and cumbersome, however... Once you factor in the weight of your food bag, the rope, and the carabiner required to properly hang your food & other smelly stuff, the weight penalty is not that bad.

I got mine because I didn't want to have to bother with having to find a suitable tree and throwing a rope every evening. Mainly because I'm not very good at it (yes, I know, practice makes perfect), and also because I know myself, I keep going back to it because I forgot this or that. So, FOR ME, walking a little ways back and forth to my canister is a lot less of an annoyance than having to bring down and re-hang my food ten times a night. I also like the fact that my food doesn't get all squished by other contents of my pack when it's in the canister. And I've never had an issue with ants or anything else.

You probably already know this but just in case you don't, other things like your kitchen kit, toothpaste, soaps, etc. and your garbage also need to be protected, basically, everything that has a smell to it needs to either be hung or put in a bear canister... and then there are those who use their food bags as pillows. So there are as many opinions on the subject as there are hikers. You decide what works best for you, hike your own hike, and have fun!

[Tipi Walter]

I have the bearvault 500 and if I had to do it over I'd get the more expensive but more customizable Bearikade because the BV can be a "bear" to twist open on occasion, esp in cold weather. But the BV does work---(see pic after bear attack)---

http://www.wild-ideas.net/



But Saltysack is right---a bear canister is dead weight on the AT.

[Suzzz]

I have the bearvault 500 and if I had to do it over I'd get the more expensive but more customizable Bearikade because the BV can be a "bear" to twist open on occasion, esp in cold weather. But the BV does work

Yes, the BV can be a pain to open sometimes. I had never heard of the Bearikade before. What do you mean by more customizable? I checked and they look too rigid to be customizable. Also, do you need a screwdriver to open them? I like that they're a solid color instead off clear.

[saltysack]

Yes, the BV can be a pain to open sometimes. I had never heard of the Bearikade before. What do you mean by more customizable? I checked and they look too rigid to be customizable. Also, do you need a screwdriver to open them? I like that they're a solid color instead off clear.

They're carbon and $$$$....can use a dime or any lil flat edge to open. They work as intended also much lighter option than a BV....both A LOT heavier than a simple cuben food bag and don't pack easily in smaller Ul packs...I do usually sleep with my food though normally have a dog along which deters critters. My bear line and carabiner also act as my dog leash so no weight penalty for me....never had an issue sitting on a log or the dogs mat a cut down zlite...what ever floats your boat.....

[Gootstizz]

Suzzz...where do you normally place it? Up against a tree away from your tent or do you try and hide it?

[Time Zone]

I had never heard of the Bearikade before. What do you mean by more customizable?

probably this:

http://www.wild-ideas.net/custom-bearikades/

you can customize height of 12" cylinder from 8" to 18" in 1/8" increments. This, in turn, determines weight and volume of the resulting bear can.

[Time Zone]

Correction, I think the cylinder is 9" in diameter, not 12"

[blw2]

I've been on the fence on this oe too... I know the long distance folks don't use them on the AT...and I know it's not necessary....
Every time I decide against, I come back around...not for bears really, but more to deter problems with small rodents and other critters such as coons and possums. In many ways it just seems easier....and as Suzzz points out the weight trade off may not net to be all that bad....

And yeah, I hadn't really considered ants. Great question.... putting empty wrappers with food residue in them I'd imagine could be a real problem if an any colony finds it.

[Suzzz]

Suzzz...where do you normally place it? Up against a tree away from your tent or do you try and hide it?

I don't go out of my way to hide it but I also try not to make it so obvious. I mostly try to find a good spot at a safe distance from camp/shelter.

[Gootstizz]

Thank you for all the great feedback on this...I go back and forth as well. I'm all about going with the safest most protective way. The canisters do save time and seem to work really well...Appreciate the picture Tipi Walter! The Bearikade's are pricey but look solid, and look to be a little lighter then the Vault. I keep going back to this quote I found on REI's website....."You can't count on food being safe if you put it in a nylon sack and hang it in a tree overnight. If you've never lost food by counterbalancing [suspending 2 bags of food high on a tree branch], it's only because you're lucky, no matter how well you do it."

[saltysack]

There's a reason why hardly any experienced hikers carry a can if not required!


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[Deadeye]

You can put me in that hardly any category, and I think I qualify as experienced, with 2+ LT E2E's and the Adirondack 46. I started using a BV because I spent so much time in the Adirondacks where they're required. My base weight is still under 15 pounds, including the BV. Lots of pros - bug proof, rodent proof, dry, crush proof (you can have a whole poptart!), yada, yada, yada. The cons are obvious - heavy and bulky. But I've just come to have it as part of my kit 90% of the time and have found it worth it. I also figure that someday they'll be required just about every where and I'll be way ahead of y'all. The weight penalty is about one day's worth of food, or one liter of water - not that big a deal. I've been carrying one for years, or using them to cache food, and have always found it right where I left it.

[saltysack]

You can put me in that hardly any category, and I think I qualify as experienced, with 2+ LT E2E's and the Adirondack 46. I started using a BV because I spent so much time in the Adirondacks where they're required. My base weight is still under 15 pounds, including the BV. Lots of pros - bug proof, rodent proof, dry, crush proof (you can have a whole poptart!), yada, yada, yada. The cons are obvious - heavy and bulky. But I've just come to have it as part of my kit 90% of the time and have found it worth it. I also figure that someday they'll be required just about every where and I'll be way ahead of y'all. The weight penalty is about one day's worth of food, or one liter of water - not that big a deal. I've been carrying one for years, or using them to cache food, and have always found it right where I left it.

Good point with food cache...HYOH...every ones different....with my less is better approach and smaller and lighter gear it's just not comfortable to carry when not required. Not so much the weight but the rigidity and bulkiness...also tough on your gear as can easily rub a hole if not careful. Mine nearly wore through the carbon stays on my circuit while on JMT...assume the plastic of the BV is less abrasive than sharp edged Bearikade.


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[Tipi Walter]

You can put me in that hardly any category, and I think I qualify as experienced, with 2+ LT E2E's and the Adirondack 46. I started using a BV because I spent so much time in the Adirondacks where they're required. My base weight is still under 15 pounds, including the BV. Lots of pros - bug proof, rodent proof, dry, crush proof (you can have a whole poptart!), yada, yada, yada. The cons are obvious - heavy and bulky. But I've just come to have it as part of my kit 90% of the time and have found it worth it. I also figure that someday they'll be required just about every where and I'll be way ahead of y'all. The weight penalty is about one day's worth of food, or one liter of water - not that big a deal. I've been carrying one for years, or using them to cache food, and have always found it right where I left it.

Required everywhere? Let's hope this is never enforced by the Tent Police. Imagine how many BVs I'd need for a 21 day food load on my back.

[Deadeye]

Tipi, I get the feeling you're usually far away from anyone that would care!

I'll refine my prognostication - I'll bet someday they will be required on most long-distance trails. Off-trail is a much different proposition. Salty's right about the packing - it does require some thought to pack it without poking you or wearing on gear, and works better with some packs than others. Less of an issue with the smaller BV.

[JPritch]

I just got mine in for the JMT, and there is no way I'd choose to lug this thing around if I wasn't forced to. Noted weight penalty aside, the thing is huge and makes packing challenging. I'm a huge fan of properly hanging a bear bag. I use the PCT method.

[aruthenb]

I used one on a week section hike in July, it fit well in my bag and honestly I enjoyed not having to deal with a bear bag in the evenings and morning. I just closed up my food and toothpaste each evening and put in near a tree away from camp. It is also a great chair at camp.

The most obvious is that due to careless hikers we have to deal with bears coming in camp. They have gotten smarter on the ATC just as on the PCT and can get down a standard bear bag hang. The majority of the shelters in Georgia now have large steel tool boxes to get rid of bear cables.
IMG_20170702_155409116.jpg

A good link on benefits.

https://thetrek.co/bear-canisters-on...-need-to-know/

ATC strongly recommends a bear canister for storing food on your A.T. hike (and so does the Nantahala National Forest)
(1/12/2017-present) The ATC and Nantahala Ranger District strongly recommend carrying a bear canister—constructed with solid, non-pliable material and designed to resist bears—to store your food and smellables on the A.T. Bear canisters provide an effective alternative to hanging food bags.
An excellent resource for black bear related information can be found at http://www.sierrawild.gov/. Examples of recommended bear canisters can be found here
Recent bear activity in:
Nantahala Ranger District (8/24/17), See NC section, below, for details.
New York (5/23/17), (8/16/17) See NY section, below, for details.
Shenandoah National Park (5/24/17)
Massachusetts (6/29/17) See MA section, below, for details.
Vermont (6/29/17) See VT section, below, for details.
Southwest Virginia (7/12/17) See Southwest Virginia section, below, for details.
Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GSMNP) (8/9/17) See GSMNP section, below, for details.
Georgia (8/16/17) See GA section, below, for details.

[Sarcasm the elf]

After years if hanging or sleeping with my food, I decided to give a BV500 a try, and I so far I like it. It works well with my gear setup and fits vertically in my pack right next to my sleeping bag. It's dead simple to just take it out of my bag any time I stop to take a break and I no longer have to worry about squirrels or other scuttle-beasts if I walk away from my food for a moment. It's less work than hanging my food and much less work than keeping it attended all the time. It does add about a pound and a half to my setup (the weight was slightly offset by no longer carrying a food bag, line, etc) but on my last 4 day trip my pack was still under 24lbs including food and water, so I'm fine with that. Do I think a canister is really needed on the A.T.? No. However I'm finding it to be a method that is convenient based in how I hike.

Other comments:
At night I would just place it upright in a low lying area a short distance from the my tent.

It's important to note that the BV canisters' lid does not have an o-ring, so it needs to be placed upright in order to be rain proof.

As to your other question, I very rarely encounter ant problems in the A.T., so I can't speak to that.