I imagine it was a ringtail cat, coyote, or maybe even a Pokemon. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. > Durable The material on this bag may look flimsy, yet it is a lot tougher than you realize. The AllMitey gains critter resistance, whereas the Major is limited to bear resistance. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. I also liked to use them with other types of bear bags to hang them from trees when needed. Any links you use will have no additional cost to you but we will receive a small advertising percentage from your purchase. Both bags carry the same volume 10.7 liters, or 650 cubic inches. A critters chews through it on the 101st night. We also give the gear a rating. Brad is an Australian who has completed the hiking Triple Crown after he hiked the Pacific Crest Trail, Continental Divide Trail and Appalachian Trail. Your email address will not be published. > Sizes These bags come in various sizes and all fit easily in your backpack for easy traveling. While many people will carry a Bear Canister for Backpacking Trips and Bear Spray, a good bear bag is also a good idea. To add even more protection to your food from bears. A few lightweight carabineers always come in handy on the trail. You can purchase these bear bags in various sizes so that you will be able to find a bag that suits your needs. While they are not bear resistant they can keep your food supply safe when you use a bear hang method to hang a bear bag from a tree. I found this product to be lightweight and easy to carry and best used when you put the bag inside another storage bag. These bear bags offer a level of bear resistance and are approved by the interagency grizzly bear committee and will be almost as bear-proof as bear canisters. In this case, any old stuff sack will do. For places where bears are not a serious problem, a true ultralight backpacker will forego the idea of a critter bag altogether. Cons:> The Zip Lock seal can break easily so the bag doesnt last that long. The Ratsack, unfortunately, does not produce a similar volume. All you need to do is pull the drawstring closure closed and tie it to a tree trunk with a special knot and it is bearproof. Theyre also made with tear and puncture-resistant fabrics that protect your food from bears and critters. Ursack bear bags also have reflective properties that make your food cache easier to spot when you need that midnight snack. The Ursack Minor is made of Kevlar and stainless steel fabric. Kevlar, by the way, is whats used to make bulletproof vests! 2001-2022 Trailspace. 1 American Road Yet, it is a rule of thumb that if you are to hang your food, you should hang it 200 feet from your camp. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright 2022 Down The Trail - All Rights Reserved - legal statements - contact, Thru Hike Like a Boss With My Ultimate Backpacking Gear List in 2022, ULA Catalyst: The Ultimate Review (I Used this Backpack for 10+ years), Hyperlite Southwest 3400 Backpack Review (DETAILED) 2+ Years of Use, Here's Your Best Power Bank for Thru Hiking & Backpacking in 2022. The Best Bear Bags are a great way to protect your belongings while backpacking and camping. It is a waterproof bag and lightweight but not as light as the Zpacks dry bag. With the exception of preinstalled bear boxes and cables, a hard-sided bear canister is the most tried and true method for carrying food for overnight use in the backcountry. The "tied" and true, Bear discouragement, food containment system, the Ursack Spectra 29 AllWhite, may very well be your best available option for food containment, food protection, and food safety, as well as, ease of use, Full review. So while planning a 30-mile trip in the Grand Canyon I became aware that rodent-proof wire mesh bags are required just like bear cans are required in the Sierras. It comes in sizes from 10L to 30L, I like the 15L the best. But this is no longer allowed in many wilderness areas and isnt a viable solution where trees are small. 44144, 2022, Ursack Overall, these make a addition to your bear safety routine. In mid-July I was joining a buddy of mine for a few days during his through hike of the Colorado Trail. Stores' prices and availability are updated daily. Dry sacks are nice to have to keep the contents of a backpack dry. The Bearikade is the lightest bear canister on the market making it the best backpacking food storage system for those who spare no expense. This is overkill unless you are crossing the country in a covered wagon or are taking an entire boy scout troop into bear country. Ive never tried the Opsak, but these are essentially just glorified Ziploc bags that protect against odors. Background: When I first got into lightweight backpacking, DCF (formerly known as Cuben Fiber) was all the rage. Cost and weigh a bit more more, but last longer than the main alternative. To deter this behavior, many National Parks require you to carry a bear canister when backpacking. Sea To Summit is a really reliable brand, which is why I love to use their products. Almost all Colorado wilderness areas now require hard-sided bear canisters. The smell is not as strong as if your food was only stored in a stuff sack so it is still a good idea. However, the Ursack is the best backpacking food storage solution when camping in areas with tall trees and that do not require bear canisters. I was hoping LokSaks would solve my food organization needs with a reusable eco-friendly bag as well as work as a scent barrier while traveling areas with a decent bear population. I've never had rodent problems where I've been until this last year where I've had two campsites bothered by relentless deer mice in Joshua Tree and a tent ruined by squirrels eating the zipper in Malibu. I attempted to return a product, and the retailer refused to accept it stating it was damaged (it was not). Hike smarter, not harder. This means If you make a purchase after clicking on these links, a portion of the sale helps support BikeHikeSafari to present top quality information about the outdoors. I liked how resealable these bags are and how easily I could fit them in my backpack. But they're really good plastic bags! All Ursack bear bags fit more food than their rigid, hard-sided alternatives and roll up to fit in any pack. This site feeds you cookies and is peppered with affiliate links. So maybe Im wrong, and maybe the active backcountry rangers on the ground at numerous National parks are wrong, too. This makes it easy to locate a particular item, without having to empty the contents of the bag fully. The bear-resistant bags can hold around 5 days worth of food for one person and weighs 7.6 ounces which is quite a bit lighter than bear canisters. In other instances, carabineers make hanging food bags really easy. They can clip wet gear onto the outside of the bag or onto the nylon rope at camp to dry gear out and make sure the wind doesnt take it away. The quality of the materials that go into making each bag also alters its cost. The intent here isnt necessarily to keep it out reach (though that helps), but to eliminate a sturdy position from which a critter can go to work. The Zpacks Big Food Bag is made from durable Dyneema Composite fabric, which is known to be one of the lightest materials being used in the backpacking and camping industry at the moment. Pros:> Waterproof This bag will keep your contents safe and dry. This write up is a complement to the LOKSAK OPSAK write up I've also provided. I'm the guy behind DownTheTrail.com. I originally bought these aLOKSAKs thinking they'd work for my food storage, but the food odors were coming through so I ended up going back and getting the OPSAK for that purpose. Use a specialized critter-resistant food bag. The good news is that you can be somewhat lazy about it. I found that the material on these bags is quite strong and the light weight of these bags will make them best suited to ultralight thru-hikers or those wanting the most weight saving possible. Why not use one of these as your food bag? This food may not be suitable for the bear and the bear could begin to cause danger to humans. The Loksak Opsak is a different kind of bear bag. This will affect the size of the bear bag that you will need. They are nowhere near as heavy duty as I was looking for. Also, consider if your bag is odorless or not. You can see inside the bag, due to the nearly transparent material. Make sure you know if an area allows a tree hang, has bear boxes provided at designated campsites (Canada mostly), or requires a bear canister before you set out on your adventure. I was actually planning on going to a camp with family and friends, and trust me; this was the exact article I needed to read. This is OK for most hikers but thru hikers will not like this lack of durability. I dont recall the circumstances of the most recent breach, but Id wager that I left the bag on the ground, like the first incident. This is because most other jurisdictions allow hunting, which cultivates a natural fear of humans. If youre desperate for more space, some creativity goes a long way. Overall, this has been my go-to bear bag for thru-hiking and bike touring for years. They work well inside bear canisters or or with one of the other bear bags in this review to hang from a tree in bear country. However, there are many types of bags available to choose from. You can be extra cautious and carry a bear can anyway (prepare to be judged by the ultralight sector). Some reviewers report having problems with the closure, which raises a notable point every single one of the methods here (even a hard sided bear canister) will occasionally fail. You essentially have 3 options for how to carry your food: Your ultimate choice will vary, depending on your destination and preferred backpacking style. Go to the about page to see more about me and this site, or go here to see the latest posts. You need to ensure you properly hang the food storage bag to prevent bears from getting your food. The cost of Ursack products has gone up significantly over the years, and these bags are often out of stock and hard to find. For example, a jar of peanut is impenetrable by mice, and therefore only needs to be protected at night with some sturdy rocks. You dont have to hang your bear bag from a tree, yet some people feel safer. So, before selecting one, make sure you consider the factors below.