Bear resistant container

“How is your experience with Bear Resistance containers?

Is it really necessary to hang food anytime you don't have it?

Are bear that dangerous or is usually enough to scare them out with loud crying when they approach?”

“Take it from me. I knew to bear-bag, but didn't one day. Big mistake! Bear passed within inches of me and my wife checking out our site. I make it mandatory when I camp with my friends now. If you don't want to, fine, I'm camping elsewhere. Black bears don't kill too many people yearly, but they'll mess you up. Plus, by not bear-bagging you're inviting more trouble down the road as they become comfortable invading camp sites. You're putting their life at risk too. You should mention where you plan to camp.
last edited: 3/13/05 3:38:14 PM”

“USE IT It has been proven many times.

Also eating habits and how and when you prepare your meals will help.”

“Took a BRFC out to the back country in arctic tundra.
The closest bear was about 1/4 to 1/2 mile away (visually).... Don't have any idea how it would handle in the woods.

What we had to do was to keep the BRFC 100 yards away from us in 1 direction and our cooking pots 100 yards away in another direction (thus forming a triangle. You are supposed to make sure that your the cookware and the BRFC are downwind from your tent. Having the odors attract the bear past your tent does absolutely no good... :-)

Easy to do in Actic tundra when you have a lot of open space and can see the bear from far away....
Not sure that you'd want to do that in the woods though-- the BRFC are very heavy!

Here's a little info at the Denation National Park site about the use of Bear Cans there:

http://classic.mountainzone.com/nationalparks/dena/bears.html
last edited: 3/13/05 3:48:15 PM”

“Well bears are the biggest in the woods! But skunks will cause just as much damage to your supplies. I had to run one out of my pack Friday night. And then he spent the whole night pestering me after that. Hang it every time. Wish I would of.”

“Bears in the Boundary Waters are very aggressive. Even hangin the food doesn't guarantee food for the next day. Bears have become very adept at foiling our attempts to protect our food.

When I was in Glacier, the Forest Service People came into our camping area and RAISED the steel cable for hanging food because the grizzlies were very active and successful in gnoshing on food bags.

Also in Glaicer we set a tube of peanut butter on a log, and left for less than two minutes to dig something out of the pack. We came back it was gone. Found it about 6 feet away with a hole in it.

Ya gotta be REALLY careful with your food.”

“so they don't tend to come in while you cooking?”

“i have a wildideas bearikade. the lightest container on the market at just under 2 pounds for 4-5 days food worth of storage space. to me, the few extra ounces is worth it to not have to string up a bag, but the ultra-light freaks will disagree”

“I have the behemoth Garcia canister, which is probably the opposite of crash bang's bearikade. It weighs a ton, but I don't hesitate bringing it with me if I'm going into areas where there's a decent chance of a bear encounter. The piece of mind is worth the weight (though I do drool over the bearikade).”

“any bears from VA - GA?”

“if youre going to drool over MY bearikade you better wipe it off”

“Yup. Plenty! The Smokies are apparently full of them. Black bears are found throughout the country, even in Florida. They're generally pretty shy, but can still be dangerous.”

“so crash, where do you keep you barikade when sleeping in tent?”

“is this one ok?

http://www.campmor.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?productId=8905&memberId=12500226

it's made of plastic”

“looks pretty solid. theres a test for bear containers where they stick one full of food in with a hungry bear for an hour, and if the bear cant get in, it gets endorsed by the national park service. that looks like one of them.”

“That's the Garcia shown on the Campmor site.”

“This one looks interesting. Larger than the Garcia and a tad lighter.



It's approved by the Sierra Interagency Black Bear Group along with the Bearikade and Garcia
http://www.bearvault.com/
last edited: 3/13/05 6:44:07 PM”

“If you aren't using a bear canister, hang your food. A feed bear is a dead bear.”

“Many parks are starting to require bear cannisters, some pretty bulky and heavy. I'm planning a trip to the Adirondacks in late summer and they just started requiring them for some areas of the park.

I always hang my food at least 50 yards from camp. Not so much for bears, but for racoons, opossums, and other scavengers. Field mice can be bad too. I woke up one night with a mouse chewing a hole in my pack trying to get at a snickers bar I had forgotten about. Cute, but I hate those little #&%!$ers sometimes. The less your site smells like food the less intruders you'll have.”

“Not sure why they don't illustrate this in their photo ads, but don't forget it's not just for food ... toothpaste, bug juice, etc too ...”

“Exactly, anything that smells, including soap etc etc.

Another good thing to do is NOT wash your clothes before a hike in "mountain meadow" or "spring wildflowers" scented detergent. Odorless detergent is good, or just rinse your clothes a time or two before the hike to get rid of any lingering aromas.”

“Me and many of the PNWH posse have Ursacks. There are like 15 of us who have one now in my hiking group! (ursack.com...though due to the war, the fabric is VERY limited!!!!)
I love mine :-)
If at a camp with bear wires I hang it, otherwise I tie it off to a tree.
In the Olympic NP, on the coast, I will carry a bear canister, because they are required.

Please....HANG YOUR FOOD AND SMELLABLES!!!! Or get a canister or Ursack. And do it right. Every time.

Have you seen a bear that is fed? It is awful!!!! A fed bear for instance in Mt. Rainer NP that keeps coming back is given usually 2 times of being moved, then is killed. Not good at all. No bear deserves that.
And anyways, do you want mice, racoons, skunks, squirrels, chipmunks in your tent or in your food??”

“Because of the war huh? Do they also manufacture bodyarmor? Or are there a lot of bears in Iraq that I wasn't aware of?

I noticed the site is only offering small bags made of scrap material.”

“I think the worst part of owning and using a bear canister is getting used to the idea of being forced to add weight to your pack. We moan and grown about the extra weight and cost. I used to be so proud of my counterbalancing prowess.

However, I after a few times using my canister I actually started to like it for a variety of reasons...(and the only downside is the weight).

When I am out for the weekend, the canister holds my food, cookset, stove, and toiletries.

On a 6 or 7 day hike it holds all my food at first...nice and secure.

No more hanging for me!”

“A lot of this depends on where you are camping. In some places, a simple stuff sack hung from a high tree branch is plenty sufficient. In other places, you need a boltable hard container for your food, mainly because the bears have literally outsmarted any other more conventional means, including steel cables, bearsacks, etc.

On the east coast, 3 places come to mind that are so bad with the bears that anything less than a boltable bear canister, and you will probably not find your food in the morning: Smoky Mountains (TN/NC), Kittatinny Ridge (NJ), and the Adirondack High Peaks (NY). I also hear that Shenandoah (VA) is getting pretty bad with the bears.
last edited: 3/13/05 11:38:26 PM”

“"though due to the war, the fabric is VERY limited!!!!"

dont let solitary hiker see that. we'll never hear the end of it”

“Phantom Soul, I have heard that you have worse luck than the average hiker when it comes to bears.

I got the Bear Vault for christmas and it is huge! If I carry it with my small pack I will have to put most of my gear inside it to get it to fit inside my pack. Most of the places that I hike it would just be impractible to carry it outside the pack.

I just wish it was smaller.”

“as I understand it the size of the bear canister is dictated by the size of the bears mouth - it has to be big enough that the bear can't get a grip on the canister with its teeth”

“HOI yeah I understand that part but the dang thing is 12.5 inches tall. I wish I could figure out a way to cut about 3 inches off and glue it back together. The diameter is only 8.7 inches so it should still be big enough.

Anybody know of any glues that will work with Lexan?”

“I have one of the Garcia bear canister's but haven't used it yet. I have some trips coming up that I will start taking it on just to get use to the weight. Because of the canisters size it looks like I will have to go back to my larger pack just to get everything inside of it.

LT, I am sure there is some type of glue that would work but I would be more concerned that that bear could get into easier it you cut it down. How well would the glue hold up to the force a bear could put on it.”

“I hate thinkin' about adding nearly 2 1/2 pounds to my load, but I'll probably end up getting the Bearvault so we'll have it to use in the Sierra this summer.”

“Bison, I may bring mine on the Old Rag trip just to get use to it :(”

“I don't hang bug spray and have never had a problem. I don't think DEET smells yummy.

Also note, for those that haven't hiked in areas with habituated bears - always leave your pack wide open when its not on your back. While in the 'dacks, some hikers had there packs 10-20ft from them when they were swiped and ripped apart by bears. I had a bear take a stuff sack out of my pack while making dinner.

You hang a pack in the 'dacks and the bears will go for it, regardless of what's in it.
last edited: 3/14/05 8:18:59 AM”

“Hmm i was just doing some research on the internet and found a glue called Weld-on #4 that is a reactive solvent based glue that disolves the polycarbonate and it then reforms itself into one piece.
This might be worth trying, i am going to e-mail the company and see if they have some strength data.”

“Ewker, I don't think Old Rag is a trail you want to be getting used to your heavier pack on...

I'm sure BM and anyone else who's hike Old Rag will agree.
last edited: 3/14/05 8:23:17 AM”

“Do it Ewker! I'll have a 5400cu pack and a two person tent. I would love to share the misery with someone!”

“The reason why Ursack doesn't have much fabric now, is that all the fabric is going to make armor for the soldiers - it is a ballistic fabric. In other words, the military gets it first.

Marzsit, one of my hiking buddies, did buy one of the scrap bags this month. It is better than nothing, and it works at least. As Marsz put it, at least if we buy the odd looking Ursack, we will keep them in business till the war ends!!”

“so one more time I shall ask:

Do bears come just in night?
Do them come when you cook?
What co you do when they come while you cooking? Throw hot water on them?
Or stick them with walking stick like tooth-pick?
Or yellow .. GETTA HELLATA HEEEERE!?
Or shut up and back away?

What is your real personal story?

THX”

“Do bears come just in night? - no
Do them come when you cook? - yes
What co you do when they come while you cooking? Throw hot water on them? - NO!
Or stick them with walking stick like tooth-pick? - NO!
Or yellow .. GETTA HELLATA HEEEERE!? - Yes.
Or shut up and back away? - No. Don't back away. Stand your ground!”

“Do bears come just in night?

No. They tend to be more active at night while you're sleeping when there is less of a chance that they will have a confrontation.

Do them come when you cook?
That co you do when they come while you cooking? Throw hot water on them?
Or stick them with walking stick like tooth-pick?
Or yellow .. GETTA HELLATA HEEEERE!?
Or shut up and back away?

Bears may try to approach you while you are cooking. While you’re cooking it is best to store all your food in a canister or have your food hung except for what you are cooking. If approached by a bear while you cook, make lots of noise (bang pots and pans, yell, or blow a whistle) and stand up waving your arms. Make yourself look as large as possible. Most of the time the bear will turn around and run away. Sometimes the bear may make a bluff charge to get you away from your food. Stand your ground. Being quite and backing away just trains the bear to be more aggressive in the future.
last edited: 3/14/05 10:45:15 AM”

“Generally, they just come at night, although some friends of mine were harrassed by a bear in the morning.

Where you're hiking, there are only black bears. They tend to be frightened of humans unless they are habituated to their presence. They will probably not come while you are cooking, because you scare them. If you are approached by a black bear, yell, make noise, bang your poles together, scare them off. Do not run, that screams "I am prey, chase me". Do not poke them with your poles, that might make them angry.

My personal bear story: One night, Father Goose and I were staying at the Low Gap shelter, which was known to have bear visits in the night. We had hung our entire packs on the cable system which the USFS had thoughtfully installed there, and we had no other food out. The bear waited until after we had gone to sleep, then came down to check things out. He found, on the picnic table, Father Goose's Lexan Nalgene bottle, which smelled of tuna fish from lunch, and carried it away from the shelter. When he determined that it wasn't edible, he dropped it. The sound of the bottle hitting a rock, woke us both up. The bear sniffed around the shelter, looking at the places where people tend to leave food, and when he found none, he left.

You are more worried about this than you need to be. Hang your food on any cable systems that are provided, or use a bear canister, and you'll be okay.”

“I've had a bear 5-10ft from me when I was between him and a touron food hang. He grunted when I shouted at him so I just backed away slowly.

The bears came throughout the day. Mostly between 6:30PM-9:30 AM. The Rangers told us not to get up early or eat late. On occasion they bothered me during dinner. Usually, while shouting at a bear during dinner other backpackers would come over to intimidate the bear. 1-2 people wasn't enough. I had to keep my cannister closed at all times.

Of the 3 camp sites in my vicinity, everyone (couple dozen) lost something to the bears in those 4 days. Except me and my lone cannister.

the Ranger also said there had never been a bear/human "encounter". methinks its just a matter of time.”

“bitpusher thanks for support. i'm ordering Garcia canister tonight. I'll see how shenandoah and smokies really are. ;-)”

“I wouldn't be carrying that much extra-weight in the south, even in those parks if you hang properly you won't have a problem.”

“Dunno about Shenandoah, but the bears in the Smokies are habituated. Although most if not all of the shelter have cable systems, a canister is a good idea. When you're staying at a shelter, don't forget about the other food predators, the mice. Leave all the pockets on your pack open, or hang your entire pack. If the pockets on your pack are open, then usually the mice won't chew a hole in your pack to get into the pocket.”

“I have the Garcia. It's the most tested and approved Bear Canister. But I'm thinking about selling it for $50 (bought for $70) and bucking up for the $80 Bear Vault. Apparently they're pretty secure, though you don't want to get one of the ones with the seal rings. Apparently bears were jumping on them and popping off the lid.

But they have more room for food, easier access to food, see through plastic so you can see where to dig for your food, and you don't need a coin or tool to open them. And though they're bigger, they don't take up that much more space in my pack because the Garcia is an odd shape.”

“Personally, I wouldn't carry a canister, but if it makes him feel better, then more power to him. Hundreds of thru-hikers traverse those parks, and most don't have canisters and are okay.”

“Seems ridiculuous to carry all that extra weight (2lbs. 12oz.!), we're not talking about Sierra bears here.

DocNice, Bearvault redesigned the lid, and I believe recalled all the unsold units with the old lid, and replaced the old lids for those who had already purchased the canister. So if you end up with one of the old lids for some reason you can go to the website and have them send you a new one.
last edited: 3/14/05 11:21:39 AM”

“in the Smokies you have cables at every campsite so just hang your entire pack.

I am looking at a trip going to Big Frog/Cohutta Wilderness. Lots of bears in that area so I have been told. I will probably take my canister with me there.”

“Dack bears have figured out how to open Ursacks....”