Backpacking Food Storage - How I Store My Food On Trail

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[catherinegabriellajohnson]

One of my favorite bear stories is from my dad:
He was camping in the Boundary Waters alone for about a month. Unlike hiking the AT or PCT, you can go days and days without seeing another person up there. So he really was alone. One evening he was by his fire and suddenly smelt the "ranger box" very strongly, so he got up, walked along the little path to check it out, to find that the seat had been knocked over. He fixed it, then walked back to the campsite to find a young black bear, probably in his first year alone, rummaging around in my dad's things. My dad, who's a pretty big guy, raised his arms, made a noise and scared the little guy off.

He thought that was it and settled back down.

About ten minutes later, he smells the box again, checks it out, sees that it's been knocked over. Again, the bear was in camp when he came back. This continues for a while, and soon dad and the bear are going around in circles, my dad is heading behind trees to jump at the little guy. Basically, they spend about an hour just playing this game, but eventually, the bear goes off.

Now he really thinks it's over, but while he's in his tent that night, he's woken up by noise outside. He takes is light and peers around to see what's up.

The little bear had climbed the tree where his food hung, climbed along the limb and was hanging with the pack. Even better he had dug his claw into the bottle of maple syrup and was by now completely covered in sticky sugar, licking himself like the happiest creature on the planet.

So yeah, bears can get packs down sometimes, but it might just be worth it.

[robertclark]

For the newbies what Darwin failed to mention is that all things that smell, e.g. toothpaste, need to be included in your hang, canister, etc.

[lindakennedy]

Hello Darwin, after viewing your videos, I wanted to reach out to give you a little background on our OPSAK odor barrier bags. It is important not to contaminate the outside of the OPSAK bag. So many users don't think about that. I say well, "If you touch wet paint, and then touch an object, you see the paint. Unfortunately, odors are invisible, but you get the same transmission from odors. There is a life to our hermetic closures as we use two different films to make our bags. The body of the OPSAK bag uses an odor barrier film. It has a high heat tolerance, higher than our aLOKSAK as well, and is durable and has 5 layers. When we heat seal the pliable closure to the bag film, we are using a high heat to make the seal connection. Because they are different films, as the pliability of the closure is what makes out zippers airtight and waterproof, we need to make the zippers pliable to make a 100% connection across the entire seal. The Closure and Zipper Tracks are separate. Yes, because they are a softer different film, they will be the first to go. The bags must be replaced after extended use. Our bags are used by K-9 handlers. They have been used by NASA in the spaceships in the toilets. We work with the FBI Hazmat unit for transport and storage of deadly chemicals. I created that bag when I lived in the mountains in Park City, UT. I filled 8 bags with various foods and left them on a trail for over a month. Nothing was ever touched. They have been tested for emissions by MRI Global, an independent company that tests worldwide for government agencies, military, industrial, etc. You can pour boiling water in the OPSAK to rehydrate food, but the bags cannot be put into boiling water to heat the food. Sounds like you have our OPSAK bags. I would be happy to send you additional OPSAK to test, and some aLOKSAK. aLOKSAK are not odor barrier, but they are 100% hermetic seals and 100% water/air/dust and humidity proof. All electronics work while protected in our aLOKSAK. Linda. Owner and founder of LOKSAK. ALL ITEMS ARE MADE IN THE USA never using any harsh chemicals. The bags are FDA and NSF approved.

[Happymars]

Just took a big heavy bear can on a trip in Montana. On day 5 of 6 I realized that I could sit on it. 😖

[jaymontgomery]

As you use up your food, you can start filling your bear canister with other items freeing up space in your pack. Can also use your bear canister as a washing machine . No worries about finding the right tree, in some cases there are no trees. Worth the weight to me.

[somehappenings]

3 days ago, back country with my 14 year old, taught him how to hang his first food hang, couple dry bags, rope, carabiner. But difficult to find an appropriate tree. Looking at an ursak with op bag. That is the hardest thing about a bear hang, .... finding a tree hat fits the criteria.

[adventureswiththecrazyvet]

Tape the big Ziploc. Works great. We did it in the Marines during boat raids

[davidfranson]

I've done fine with the Ursack and Opsak combination the last few years, and when regulations require it, the bear can. So far, no problems with any critters, big or small. I always struggled with the food bag hang, although they can be pretty effective if done properly (which I usually couldn't accomplish!). Thanks for the great review, Darwin!

[brads.]

I’m in a four year love-hate relationship with the Bear Vault. Before that, used to hang bags that were intended to be filled with sand (to make sand bags for flood water control). It’s hard to hang a bag when you’re surrounded by granite and low brush or chaparral. Thanks for emphasizing that hikers have a responsibility to protect wildlife from human food. In some places a fed bear is a dead bear.

[ricktimmons]

I constructed a 4" pvc tube and was amazed how much food can be stuffed in them. the tube is easy to fit on a pack. a sealed end and a screwed end, length is up to you. either knot or eyelets work great for lifting.

[sherriwright]

Darwin it's my mission to have the TP or charmin flower issue out to as many people and share the info to all. Please consider a campaign to teach hikers that leaving tp on the side of trails, at trail heads and campsites is not the polite or LNT thing to do.

[LuisGodinez]

I last backpacked in 2003 and been meaning to get back into it. Back then I was big into ultralight. I was in scouts and while everyone’s pack was 40-60 pounds, mine was 28lbs. Heavy for today’s standards but astonishing back then. I haven’t kept up with the gear trends and so glad I found your channel to help navigate current offerings. Also, glad to hear ursack is still around. Remember getting one back in the early 2000s.

[danrose]

I gave up on hanging a bag when the damn squirrels still managed to get to it and chew through to my food. I ended up going with the rodent-proof ursack. It's bulkier and more rigid than I'd prefer but it does the job and slightly more versatile than a barrel. And I love not having to search for the perfect tree to hang my bag.

[mikecarlin]

Thanks for the video. I was wondering if you would ever consider doing a video on your process for an in town food resupply, and how the food would then fit into either your food bag or bear can.

[chriskp]

I appreciate the inclusion of metric units 👍 makes it much easier to understand. Thank you

[rogerharris]

Another storage option for places like the Grand Canyon is an Ursack Minor ("Critter Resistant"), as backcountry permits often require one to use a campsite that is occupied almost every night of the year. I also use an OPSACK inside it. In the canyon, ravens will shred a hung bag and rodents will gnaw there way into most bags. The Kaibab squirrel is a high-wire act. Also, rodents will also bite through your water cache as well, and you'll find it drained when you return on your loop hike. Thanks for the video!

[dakkarocka]

Was literally just looking at what food bag to buy. Nice.

[andrewjohnson]

Darwin, thank you so much for this video and stressing leave no trace principles! I've shared your video with my son's scout troop as another vital lesson for when they go out on their campouts and hikes.

[gratefulhikes]

So glad you brought up about protecting wildlife by protecting our food. Huge point that is forgotten or ignored by hikers. I still want a OE branded food bag lol. You have to do a run someday. Great video as usual. Be well Darwin.

[cali]

I picked up a Garcia bear cannister in Bishop, CA. 20 years ago. At 44 ounces, not a pleasure. Still have it. It is a bulky pain in the neck, but bombproof. I have switched out every piece of gear, except for that, my ice axe and mountaineering glasses.