READERS COMMENTS

Get over it and use the canister! You will find in the end that it makes your life easier. Those who don't are just make thing harder for all of us. One other point is that a canister makes decide what you really do and don't need. Like we tell our scout troop, if it doesn't go in the canister, it isn't going. I can get 7 to 8 days worth of food in my canisters.
Posted: May 21, 2011 Ikan Mas

I live in Yosemite most of the year and therefore come in contact with alot of very smart bears. I've even seen a bear pull a move we dubbed the kamakazi: climbing into a nearby tree and jumping out of it so as to tackle a bear bag mid-air and bring it to the ground. If you are anywhere where bears and humans have had contact before, those bears probably already know how to get into a bear bag. I say always use a canister, you can usually rent one for less than $10 at your local ranger station. P.S. don't store your canister anywhere near running water, if a bear bats it into the river you will never see it again.
Posted: May 20, 2011 Ruby

TomL, you are ignorant of how many Ursacks have been destroyed in California. Talk to a few Inyo NF and Sierra NF rangers about that before you pretend they are as effective as canisters. There is a reason they were never approved.
Posted: May 12, 2011 CA backpacker

what about your pack? it smells like food and whatever else was put in it, so what are you folks doing to keep a bear, or other critters from chewing on it?
Posted: Apr 30, 2011 scott

I grew up in New Jersey and have been backpacking for over 30 years; I have camped in the Catskills, Adirondacks, Pennsylvania and New Jersey without a single incident of a bear making off with my food. After years of being more concerned with mice, squirrels, and the long list of other less threatening creatures finding a way to get at my food I switch to a canister. The change has forced me make a few adjustment in how I pack, however, even taking into account the added weight I’m pleased with my decision. As for Kschimt’s comment, “why we are all forced to use bear canisters in the first place because urbanites generally are more savvy with electronic gear but not in the use of bear bags” This “urbanite” from New Jersey knows how to and always has properly use a bear bag. I currently live in upstate New York; however, I believe utilizing a more secure method of protecting your food supply would be referred to as common sense by a simple “electronic savvy urbanite”.
Posted: Mar 29, 2011 camp7chris

My first backpacking trip I did the bagging thing - yeah, with black bears and moisture starved alpine trees in the Rockies. You need two trees to suspend the bag...oh, and within reasonable distance of one another. It was a pain in my you-know-what.
I got a canister and it was a drag in how much space it takes up and the weight, but it was nice not to have to locate proper hanging branches.
As for the extra space as I eat the food - I start stuffing other things in the canister - med kit, rain pants, etc.
I do want to invest in the Bearicade because it is so much lighter.
Posted: Mar 28, 2011 Erin

Personally, I like the idea of a cannister because of those DAMN ANTS!
Posted: Feb 26, 2011 reader

This has been an interesting debate for about as long as there has been canisters. Bears are not even near the top of my list of grub grabbing so-and-sos; that title goes to tree rats, a.k.a. squirrels. You can’t believe what a crow or bucket load of mice can do to a bag either. I learned my lesson (several times) and now the Bearikade is always in the pack. The thing makes a great seat or stove platform to boot. I’ve listened to the arguments and tried them all at one time or another. Except for a steel grub can like in some National Parks a canister is the only way to go. But, don’t stop debating cause I certainly won’t stop listening.
Posted: Feb 25, 2011 GrayBeard

Ursacks are allowed in most of CA. Canisters are absolutely required in only Yosemite and a few areas of SEKI. Tests with real bears have shown them to be just as effective as hard sided canisters when properly used. They are lighter, cheaper and compress down as you use up your food. In Yosemite a lot of what bears get is food that hikers can't get into their canister at the beginning of their trip. This keeps bears habituated. When I hike there, I use a Bearikade, with an Ursack for the overflow; in my view an effective compromise.
Posted: Feb 25, 2011 TomL

I've been using a bear cannister for over 7 years in Yosemite and Mt Whitney area and although it does add weight, as mentioned earlier, it can be used as a stool and a dinner table. You don't have to find a tree with a branch high enough to put the rope over [the counter-balance approach], you don't have to worry about getting the rope stuck in the tree!
Posted: Feb 06, 2011 Dennis Kruse

How many busted out bear bags have I seen blowing in the wind along the of California's wilderness? More than I can count. Get a clue and buy a canister. Those who don't just make it worse for the rest of us.
Posted: Feb 04, 2011 Ikan Mas

Everytime I read the follow up comments I get a good laugh. " i'm an old timer this, I'm Jim Bridger that ". Look dude, it's this simple. If Injuns had gortex and goose down the 75 lbs Buffalo robes would have been dithed quickly. Probaby traded away to some guy like you.
Posted: Feb 03, 2011 Weed is good !

I would have to disagree with the lodging of the canister between rocks and trees. I've actually heard that this has helped bears open them because they now have a way of getting leverage on the canister. Most likely, any bear that comes across a canister isn't going to play soccer for long. Just don't set it near a cliff!
Posted: Feb 03, 2011 TBuck

I would have to disagree with the lodging of the canister between rocks and trees. I've actually heard that this has helped bears open them because they now have a way of getting leverage on the canister. Most likely, any bear that comes across a canister isn't going to play soccer for long. Just don't set it near a cliff!
Posted: Feb 03, 2011 TBuck

I would have to disagree with the lodging of the canister between rocks and trees. I've actually heard that this has helped bears open them because they now have a way of getting leverage on the canister. Most likely, any bear that comes across a canister isn't going to play soccer for long. Just don't set it near a cliff!
Posted: Feb 03, 2011 TBuck

Very presumptuous of the person that is going to categorize all of us from NJ as "urbanites". That is something as a local joke here, funny of how its all the NYers that move here and give us that title. With yellow yellow prowling the daks I would never trust my food to a bag instead of a keg
Posted: Feb 03, 2011 steve

The two containeers I use on the JMT you will not see in the outdoor gear stores. My primary container is the Bearikade by Wildideas. Designed by a areospace engineer, this guy use to build stealth fighters and usese the same materials in this container. Made of carbon fiber and aircraft grade aluminum it is a whole pound lighter than the Garcia and holds more. It cost more but worth it. I Also use on occasion the Ursack to extend my food supply on longer treks when a resuply just isn't going to happen. It is not allowed in certain areas, like Yosemite. If used correctly it seems okay. Uber light and compreses as the food is used up.
Some people on the trail still do not canister their food. Trail gossip a few years ago was that there had been several bear encounters of ultra-lighters around the Thousand Island Lakes area. The bears sniffed out the non secure food in the packs and started to associate all backpackers as a food source. Success at confronting a hiker with non secure food led some bears confront hikers on the trail even with bear containers. Conditioned response. So even if you use a container and scent bag someone elses carelessness can have an effect on you.
Posted: Feb 03, 2011 Bill

I loved hearing a person from New Jersey ask a question about bear bags vs caisters as the local joke is thats why we are all forced to use bear canisters in the first place because urbanites generally are more savvy with electronic gear but not in the use of bear bags which led to alot of bear/food encounters. I have always used a bear bag camping ( 30 plus years in the Adirondacks)in all different circumstances and have never had a problem because I took the time to properly hang my bear bag.
Posted: Feb 03, 2011 Kschmidt

I loved hearing a person from New Jersey ask a question about bear bags vs caisters as the local joke is thats why we are all forced to use bear canisters in the first place because urbanites generally are more savvy with electronic gear but not in the use of bear bags which led to alot of bear/food encounters. I have always used a bear bag camping ( 30 plus years in the Adirondacks)in all different circumstances and have never had a problem because I took the time to properly hang my bear bag.
Posted: Feb 03, 2011 Kschmidt

I have the black canister and glued lash points so that I can stap it to the top of my pack. Is this a problem or does it make it easier for the bear to carry and does it make it not "legal" in some areas? On the plus side it frees up room in the pack. I can even use it with my Osprey 36 liter which isn't big enough to fit it.
Posted: Feb 03, 2011 Wheels

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