Bear Canisters on the AT, a solution to food hanging and mice?

[Besalu]

I have read several journals and noticed that every one on the trail hangs his food to protect it from mice and bears. Have anyone thought of using a bear canister, exactly the same that are used on the Pacific Crest Trail? It adds some weight, but it can be compensated by trimming the gear in other areas? Why bear canisters are not widely used in the AT. . .I wonder?

[Lone Wolf]

i've never hung food on the AT. i always sleep with it in my tent

[LostinAK]

I hate food canisters, I use them only when required to do so by the land agent (ie. National Park Service). Food canisters are heavy, clunky, awkward to fit in a pack. For planning purposes they say you can fit three days food in one canister, and that's for roughly two people, I've squeezed four to five days in one canister, so that would be maybe eight days food for one person.

I grew up hanging "bear bags" in trees as it was the norm back then. If your concern is mice and small critters, I would by all means sleep with my food. If the concern is bear invasion, I would hang it. Some of the more elites are using scent lock bags you can purchase from hunting stores, I haven't personally tried them yet, but it would be a good alternative to hanging and canisters.

Check out what Andrew Skurka says about this topic http://andrewskurka.com/how-to/bear-canister-basics/

[Wil]

If the concern is bear invasion, I would hang it.

If you're really foul, like open sewer level, I suspect you can just keep your food with you. Bears have a great sense of smell, but I've come across some backpackers whose body odor could easily cover up the most aromatic of on-trail cuisine.

[rocketsocks]

I have read several journals and noticed that every one on the trail hangs his food to protect it from mice and bears. Have anyone thought of using a bear canister, exactly the same that are used on the Pacific Crest Trail? It adds some weight, but it can be compensated by trimming the gear in other areas? Why bear canisters are not widely used in the AT. . .I wonder?

Am I reading that right...6 years, 1st post...ok you get one of these to white blaze

oh, and I don't own a bear canister, and hope I never have to buy one to legally hike with food. jm2cents

[LostinAK]

If you're really foul, like open sewer level, I suspect you can just keep your food with you...

I guess what I mean is, do what makes you feel safe and sleep soundly. Having hiked several sections of the AT on weekends through school years, we typically just slept with food. At times we hung food, more out of practice, not habit, with boy scouts mostly. If you sleep sounder with your food in a tree, and have the time and energy, do it. If you can sleep soundly with your food, do it. I think cleanliness is a big thing here. I typically always cook someplace different from where I sleep. If you're a Mc Nasty, and like to spill your meal all over your clothes, you might not want to sleep in those clothes...

Denali National Park will tell you Bear Canisters are more for the bears protection then yours, if they get your food typically they have to put the bear down. There is also a level of security for the hiker as well, especially in the backcountry, loosing your food could be catastrophic if you're days away from resupply or another town...

[Odd Man Out]

On the AT you are never far enough from a town that loosing you food would be catastrophic. You may be very hungry by the time you get to the next store, but you are not going to starve to death. Denali=another species of bear and a whole other level of wilderness so the equation is different.

[Sandy of PA]

I am the crazy lady carrying a bear can on the AT. After over 750 miles I am starting to think about learning how to throw rocks to save 2lbs. of packweight.

[Malto]

Because its dead weight and takes up a lot of volume. Learn to do a proper hang like the PCT style and a canister is not needed.

[Crash! Bang!]

I carried a bearikade on my thru-hike. I currently use an Ursack and love it. The security and convenience of a canister without the weight. Noice.