Food in the Tent

Question:

I take insulin. This means I can have low blood sugar, especially in the middle of the night after backpacking. Do you have suggestions for a glucose boost that I can keep in the tent that will not attract Bear?

Submitted by – Philip, Athens, GA

Answer:

There is not, in my opinion, a great answer to your question since bears follow their noses through life, sniffing out stuff to eat. I do, however, have suggestions, and the first one is to follow the basic bear safety rules including never going out in bear country alone. Next I suggest you keep in your tent the least amount of whatever you like for a glucose boost, and keep it in one of those new plastic bags that are labeled “odor-proof.” These bags cost more than typical plastic bags, but they do trap smells. We like LOKSAK’s odorproof Opsaks (look for a review in Backpacker’s upcoming spring Gear Guide). —Buck