Bear Vault (Read 4031 times)
gfy_paddler
Inukshuk
Offline



Posts: 178
Location: evanston, il
Joined: Jun 8th, 2007
Bear Vault
Dec 4th, 2009 at 7:46pm
Quote Quote Print Post Print Post  
Somebody gave me one of these. 

(You need to Login or Register to view media files and links)


Does anyone use something like this?  I was thinking because it is air tight it would control food odors and I could just shove it in my regular pack on a solo.  This way I could just have one pack.  I suppose, I could hide it or hang it, too.  Anybody?
  
Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
db
Web-lackey
Inukshuk
Voyageur
Offline



Posts: 5408
Location: Just off the beaten path.
Joined: Sep 14th, 2002
Re: Bear Vault
Reply #1 - Dec 5th, 2009 at 8:21am
Quote Quote Print Post Print Post  
FWIW - I've always thought food and clothing/sleeping/tent type stuff were better off separated and extra care could be needed if they were not. Luck plays a part, as does opportunity.
  
Back to top
IP Logged
 
Mad_Mat
Inukshuk
Offline



Posts: 1532
Joined: Apr 21st, 2003
Re: Bear Vault
Reply #2 - Dec 7th, 2009 at 2:23pm
Quote Quote Print Post Print Post  
IF you can get all of your food into one of these, then they would be a good way to go.  That's a big IF, though - the larger sizes run about 700 cu in.  I use a 2700 cu in pack for my food for solo trips, and the main pack is stuffed full when I'm packing for 11 or 12 days - no way I could use just one Bear Vault or whatever - I'd need 2 or 3, and that gets really heavy and expensive.  A typical day's worth of food for me is about a half to 2/3 rds of a breadbag (I put each day's food into a breadbag - organized that way so I don't have to hunt for anything) - so visualize a volume that is 10 or 12 times that.  I've always wondered how much food you could stuff into one of those bear cannisters - to maximize the use of minimum space, you'd have to have everything "loose", as opposed to organizing by day, or by meal type.

If you do use one of these bear vault types, you don't need to hang it, or really hide it - just put it somewhere where a critter can't roll it away or knock it into the lake.

Maybe if bears were more of a problem for me, I might consider a bear vault, but I've never had any critter of any kind get into my hung pack - so "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" - I'll stick with what has always worked for me.  I do the same if I'm backpacking, i.e. just hang a food bag.  
  
Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
gfy_paddler
Inukshuk
Offline



Posts: 178
Location: evanston, il
Joined: Jun 8th, 2007
Re: Bear Vault
Reply #3 - Dec 7th, 2009 at 4:19pm
Quote Quote Print Post Print Post  
Thanks guys,  I appreciate both responses.  My main hypothetical use for this would be so that I could get by with just one pack on portages.  I recognize the issue about keeping food separate, and your point is well taken DB.  I am certain I can get all my food in here.. I'm a just add water + a fish guy, so my food doesn't take up too much room.  I'd sure like to be confident, though , about food odors and shoving it in my main pack on portages.  I'll let you know if i figure out a way to feel good about it.  So far I'm not there.
  
Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
db
Web-lackey
Inukshuk
Voyageur
Offline



Posts: 5408
Location: Just off the beaten path.
Joined: Sep 14th, 2002
Re: Bear Vault
Reply #4 - Dec 8th, 2009 at 7:15am
Quote Quote Print Post Print Post  
They ARE pretty small so here's a suggestion from a point of view. I have smelly food and not so smelly food. In my case, two pounds of coffee is what I smell every time I open the food/cook pack. (I could open it right now and still smell coffee.) At breakfast it's mingled with the smell of garlic summer sausage because I stick my day food in the main food/cook pack to hang at night.

I haven't thought this through for you but when I come to a portage I put on the food/cook pack and simply toss the dayfood pack on top of it and go. If it starts to shift I give it a poke to stabilize it.

Since I do three loads when solo  Grin this isn't advice as much as a kernel of an idea you may be able to adapt or expand to fit your own style. If all you took for food was FD and oatmeal -  and it fit - it could probably work. Although, the one site I had the longest bruin type conversation at also had what I originally was old FD packages from sloppy campers in one area. Now I know a little better....  Cool

FWIW - last I heard the bear population is down. Fewer moose is my guess.
  
Back to top
IP Logged
 
gfy_paddler
Inukshuk
Offline



Posts: 178
Location: evanston, il
Joined: Jun 8th, 2007
Re: Bear Vault
Reply #5 - Dec 8th, 2009 at 1:51pm
Quote Quote Print Post Print Post  
Thanks again DB.  Winter is here so i'm going to have plenty of time to work this out!  Will definitely come back with my solution at some point.

GFY
  
Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
solotripper
Inukshuk
Offline



Posts: 7970
Location: clarkston MI
Joined: Mar 14th, 2005
Re: Bear Vault
Reply #6 - Dec 8th, 2009 at 11:50pm
Quote Quote Print Post Print Post  
 Since your an add water and fish guy, these might do the trick. Different brands, same principal.
Put your freeze dried items and food items in these and then just hang or cache at night in stuff sack, or one of these waterproof clear roll down bags? If there certified too carry human waste, they must be pretty good  Tongue

(You need to Login or Register to view media files and links)

(You need to Login or Register to view media files and links)
  
Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
OldGreyGoose
Inukshuk
Offline



Posts: 106
Location: Southern Illinois
Joined: Feb 12th, 2007
Re: Bear Vault
Reply #7 - Dec 9th, 2009 at 5:42pm
Quote Quote Print Post Print Post  
For what it's worth, I had a problem awhile back with a botachtactical order, and will not do business with them again.
  
Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
azalea
Inukshuk
Offline



Posts: 1084
Location: North Carolina
Joined: Jan 13th, 2004
Re: Bear Vault
Reply #8 - Dec 12th, 2009 at 7:58pm
Quote Quote Print Post Print Post  
I use a similar item along with something called an ursack which is lighter and adapts to packing better (although less bear resistant than the hard shell containers.  On a thread discussing time to portage, the external frame pack issue came up.  I use an external frame pack because it is better able to help me carry a load.  I also like that it had two large main compartments that would come in handy in your situation.  I see no problem with packing your gear you want to keep odor free in one compartment (presumably protected in something waterproof) and you smelly stuiff in another.  The pack may have some smells but I would not worry about a bear messing with it if it was left out empty (I would not bring it into the tent).
  
Back to top
 
IP Logged
 

 
  « The Put-In ‹ Board  ^Top