High Sierra Topix

I have three Bearikades and a Bearvault. None are air tight, never were. All Bearikades will get wet inside if you expose their top to rain for extended periods. Got no experience with the Bearvault in rain, but I assume they will resist rain better than the Bearikades if kept upright. Fresh O-rings for the Bearikade lock pins only go so far to completely seal the canister. A little silicone spray may help get it close to perfect, but it really isn't a big deal unless you try to use it as a floatation device in a lake

anyone who opened their can and found teeny, tiny, itty bitty red ants inside can vouch for them being less than air tight. like me.

I have a bearikade, bare boxer and bear vault. the bearikade has a tighter seal. bear vault sort of floats in a creek, but it'll be soup...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

fishmonger wrote: A little silicone spray may help

O-ring material can be odd stuff and some silicon sprays contain compounds that will hasten deterioration, so be careful. On my Bearicaide, I found the screw O-rings to be in perfect condition, but the lid O-ring was cracked and shot.

My Bearikade would always POP like a big vacuum packed can of food when I opened it after coming out of the mountains. I still found bugs inside occasionally, but I'm pretty sure they didn't get in past the seals. They probably got in on the nights I fell asleep with the can still open.

Don't use silicone spray for o-rings. Go down to a dive shop or somewhere that sells environmental silicone. It's the consistency of grease and will not harm the o-rings.

From the Bearikade FAQ

Bearikade Maintenance
Your Bearikade food canister requires very little maintenance.

The only moving parts are the quarter turn Dzus fasteners with nitrile o-rings under their heads.

When you notice that the torque needed to turn the fastener is higher than you want, work a little silicone grease (or vaseline) under the head to lubricate the rubber o-ring.

Just now noticed this thread. I actually have a big steel military surplus ammo box I occasionally bring along in the Forester. Way too heavy to carry off away from the vehicle as a bear box haha. Modified it for locking shut with cable padlock to wrap around my car seat. Thus at some remote trailhead someone can't toss a boulder through a window then expect to easily grab whatever or carry the box away haha.

SSSdave wrote: ↑Tue Nov 17, 2015 2:00 pm Just now noticed this thread. I actually have a big steel military surplus ammo box I occasionally bring along in the Forester. Way too heavy to carry off away from the vehicle as a bear box haha. Modified it for locking shut with cable padlock to wrap around my car seat. Thus at some remote trailhead someone can't toss a boulder through a window then expect to easily grab whatever or carry the box away haha.

I have a large size ammo box to use as a bear box if I park in a remote area where there are no bear boxes installed. I have a cable that I can use to lock it around a tree. I leave a note that it contains only food and no valuables and by exit date to reduce the liklihood of tampering...