So Long, Bear Bag!

“I hate hanging bear bags. Hate it! Having to hunt around for a good tree limb, getting my line tangled in the shrubs when tossing over a limb, miss throwing the damn line, Pennsy Hiker pointing and laughing at me the whole time I'm doing this, ect..

But no more! Tonight, I'm going to buy this bear canister from Campmor. I figured it weighs only about 1/2 pound more than the bearikade, which is nearly three times as much. Heck, I'm a strong guy, I can handle it.

So, hasta la vista to hanging bear bags. I look forward to being the one doing the pointing and laughing for now on. :-)

Oh yeah, this sucker will REALLY give me peace of mind for my hikes in the Adirondacks.”

“Good for you Artex!

New gear for Lizs, Artex and Mapleleaf. People are getting ready for some winter fun!”

“Don't even think of laughing at me when I hang my food bag!”

“cute. from the listing cannot be opened unless the bear has a coin or screwdriver.”

“I know. What's gonna happen when bears show up at hardware stores to steal screwdrivers?”

“BTW Artex, Pennsy can help identify the many myriad alternative uses for bear cannisters. He might also advise now to squeeze the bear into the cannister. I have no idea.”

“Yeah, he also keeps his favorite book "Little Woman" inside his canister.. God forbid a bear touches his copy, which I think he's read about a dozen times now.”

“"cute. from the listing cannot be opened unless the bear has a coin or screwdriver." They would also need a thumb.”

“Oh, That's Easy, Geo!

Just feed the bear rat poison and wash it down with a keg of beer and he begins to shrink...”

“2 lb, 9 oz....OUCH!”

“It's about the same as mine, a Backpacker's Cache Garcia. Looks almost identical, mine is 2lbs 7oz. Not used it yet, got it from kid. Anyone know whut kid changed his name to???”

“Yeah, it is a bit heavy.. but the Bearikade weighs 1 lb. 15 ounces, just 10 ounces less.. and cost $200, as opposed to about $75 (cheaper with my 10% discount I get on all purchase there). :-P”

“Kid= Tekapo/Tekdude

Artex...the Bearikade Weekender is the bomb, blow the dough!
I have two Garcia cans and the Bearikade weekender it's much easier to get stuff in and out of the Bearikade.”

“Oh yeah dangit! Thanx WW, I should'a knowd'at.”

“Nah, can't bring myself to spend that much.. I'm on a pretty tight budget, and even getting the Garcia one is a stretch.”

“Either way ou go...you're gonna like just throwing the thing on the ground and goin' to bed....
with no cares and no worries!”

“Has anybody used the Ursack? They have been running a sale on them.”

“Yep, that's what I like about canisters.. you toss it and go to bed. And if you decide you want something from it, easier to get at it.

What kind've price you talkin', WW?”

“The Whitney Portal Store had them for $56.25 but the link to the online store is dead.

I paid $24.95 each for my Garcias
Got them from Sierra Wilderness... they were used rental canisters.”

“Dang it! My most entertaining moments are watching Artex hanging his bear bag.

Geo - I'm gonna write a book on alternate uses for the bearikade.”

“Wind Walker, are they in good condition? How much would you want for one?”

“Pennsy, I'll expect an acknowledgement since I gave you some of those ideas!

And he had fun fun fun till his daddy took his T-bird away”

“That's the exact cannister I have used for years now. Living 45 minutes from Yosemite, I do a lot of hiking there and the cannister is a necessity.
I also found uses other than food storage. It makes an okay chair (stool) (or a small table)excecially when cooking, and makes a good clothes washer. There is a lip around the top which allows a person to get good plunging action for washing out all the trail dust from yer clothes.”

“Get three of 'em and you can roll your pack down the trail. Just like using logs!”

“I hang bear bags probably half the time.

The other half, I stash my food on the ground behind a fellow hiker's tent.”

“Atrtex...I don't want to sell one of mine. I have two sons and a nephew that go with me, and sometimes it takes all three canisters to keep those boys in food. Teenagers can eat!!!

I just meant I could find you a better deal....but so far I'm not having any luck.Free shipping at $74.95 is the best I've found so far.

BackCountry Store

It appears the Whitney Portal Store is closed during the winter.”

“stop another hiker from finger painting your tent with peanut butter LOL,

Manuka”

“Ah, I see, sorry I misunderstood! Thanks for looking around though. With my discount, it should end up costing about $68-$69 before taxes.. not too shabby.”

“Garcia Machine is only 27 miles from my house(Visalia,CA)
... but they won't budge on the price one bit. You can always get them cheaper on the net than you can from them.”

“know anyplace to get used a used Bearikade Weekender?”

“I have one of the Garcia canisters. I love it, despite the extra weight. I do think the best things are the convenience and peace of mind (noted by WindWalker). Re: other uses for the Bearikade, Pennsy, check out this photo....”

“Manuka - personally, I find that dumping a jar of honey on the tent easier than peanut butter finger painting.

Thanks for that photo link Marty. I recognize 2 of those peeps. Snow nymph and CMB.

I know 1 bearikade alternate use I plan on using... I'm gonna trap that vicious chipmunk the next time I go to the Adirondacks.”

“LMAO @ Pennsy Hiker!!!

but it looks so cute!”

“The chipmunks are not the problem. The problem is the maniacal red squirrels.”

“Geezzz that weighs as much as my empty pack! I can see how it might be convenient, but if you don't camp in places bears frequent, then you wouldn't have to be to concerned. Bears are only problemsome in the high use spots like lake front campsights.

I think the Ursack would be perfect for stealth camping, but a canister is essential when camping where the bears know you will be.”

“thinair, lot's of bears where I like to hike. Yep, it's a bit heavy, but the advantages far outweight the disadvantages IMHO.”

“I can't wait to see Artex try to hang his new canister in a tree.

Geo - your red tree rats are wimps. I know a certain chippy in the Daks that will tear your throat out.”

“stealth camping thinair?
So, the Ursack is great for camping where you're not supposed to be.”

“Yeah, twigeater. You see, you wear the Ursack, and you become invisible. That's why it's called stealth camping, and like, stuff.”

“hey artex check your e.”

“Oooohhh! like, I get it now, Artex, thanks!

Hey gforce!”

“hey twigeater . . . what up? I've got a cold so I'm sidelined this weekend.”

“You're sidelined because of a measly cold?? Shame shame... ;o)”

“Oh Indiana Long Legs, you poor thing...I hope you feel better soon! Get a bottle of Tom's of Maine echinacea tonic, it's yummy.

I don't see you post much, what's going on? Still have AT plans for 2004?

Have you checked out the trip page for Maine trips? There's a coupla good ones there - well no trip in Maine could ever be bad, but I know you gotta pick and choose.

o(=}”

“I have the ursack , absolutely love it. you just stuff the bear inside and tie it to a tree. Havent had any trouble from the rodent population but no bears have offered to test it yet.

two things about the ursack before you get one. It should only be considered a delaying tactic. Given enough time it can be chewed though by a passing hiker, er bear... you should also know that anything inside will get crushed into powder by a bear even if it doesnt get inside.

BTW dont store hard objects inside.”

“My question is, why are you buying this now, dude? It's the middle of winter! Them bears asleep!!!”

“"stealth camping thinair?
So, the Ursack is great for camping where you're not supposed to be."
twigeater
08:04:41 PM
01/10/03

The best thing about backpacking is the freedom to go where ever you want. Of course there are those few who think you must stay on the trail and camp in prepared campsites. The only places where there are camping regulations are heavily used areas where bears frequent anyway. I usually avoid spending the night in those spots.

Stealth camping, by the way, means zero impact camping in undeveloped areas. Its stealth because when you leave no one will ever know that you camped there.”

“it is made of Kevlar material and is totally cool, and light wieght, I dont' know what it is though...it is flexible and soft.”

“uh sounds like a the new model ursack. was it yellow or green?

yellow is the color of the older aramid fiber one. the new material is green and supposed to be stronger.

Of course one way to find out would be to use his food bag for target practice :D”

“I like my bearakaid. Got rid of 2 garcias and purchased this one and it is 6 oz lighter, but will hold more food.
Nice to see folks getting bear conscience.
Stealth campin to me is sleepin where no one can see you and practce LNT. Yo bear!”