need help, bear cannister

“I will be on the JMT this year, have bought my bear cannister, and need some help.
I hate how much room inside the backpack the cannister takes up so I am trying to come up with a way to keep the weight next to my body but not have the cannister taking up all of my backpack.
I was thinking about, during the day, putting the food and stuff in my backpack, attach the cannister to the outside of the backpack, then at night putting the stuff inside the cannister.
But....... will the smell of the food, etc, still be on the backpack and defeat the whole concept of the cannister?
Thanks,
Fred”

“My understanding of the canister isn't to block smells, but to be an object that the bear is unable to get its jaws around and walk off with.”

“Don't do it, the odor from your food will contaminate your pack, & Yogi will tear up your pack looking for the food. Bear noses are legend!”

“Lumberdude is somewhat correct, however you want to minimize odors as mush as possible so as to not attract the bear in the first place.

This info is fron the Wild Ideas site, they're the makers of the Bear-i-cades.

Overview:
Enjoying and sharing the wilderness with permanent lodgers such as Black Bears requires the diligent backpacker to plan how to keep food, toiletries and other items with odors safely secured from these intelligent, inquisitive and strong neighbors. The canister is moisture resistant, but one should realize that Grizzly and Black Bears have a well developed olfactory system and can likely smell molecules that escape through the seals. The four seals work together to minimize the broadcast of odor outside the canister.”

“has anyone tried a Gearskin with a bear canister - that is one pack where I think they just might work OK”

“I put all my food in my canister (I have a Bear Vault) and then anything else that will fit (cookpot, mug, etc. - they have food odors anyway) If it's full when it's in your pack, it's not really taking up room.”

“Don't buy into the sales pitches about special smell-proof seals! There will be odor from food no matter what you do, period.”

“How about just lashing the filled canister to the outside of your pack...sounds like way too much effort your way.

I don't understand the issue everyone seems to have with how canisters fit in the pack. I got it and the rest of my gear "in the pack" and in my eyes that's all that counts.”

“Keep your food in the cannister.

Strap it on the outside of your pack or get a bigger pack. We can't have our gorp and eat it too...or can we ?”