High Sierra Topix

The last time I was backpacking in Yosemite I saw a guy with his BearVault strapped on the outside of his pack—and the BearVault was empty! Of course I asked him about it.

He explained that it didn’t really fit well inside his pack, so he just stuffed all his food into a plastic garbage bag in his pack (no problem fitting that!) and then carried the BV on the outside, as if it were a Zrest mattress or something. When he got to camp he put the food into the BearVault, and everybody was happy.

I’m not sure I’d want to travel that way, but I do give the guy credit for thinking outside the box…or the backpack!

I've done that for years. Didn't realize it was unconventional.

Here is a funny story!

Several years ago I brought a bunch of friends on their first real backpacking trip. It was into Yosemite, so I told them they needed to use bear cans and that they can rent them from REI. When we met up at the trailhead they had bear cans fully packed as well as backpacks fully stuffed with all of their "essential" gear. The bear cans were not packed into the backpacks. They assumed they would be carrying them under their arms. They ended up carrying them that way.

I learned the importance of being a bit more involved with preparation for a trip when inviting folks for the first time.

This approach seems especially common with folks using a Zpacks Arc Blast. Apparently the pack shape makes fitting the bear can, particularly in a good spot for center of mass, rather difficult. But this is all hearsay since I've never used one!

Another funny story-- near the top of Pants Pass, I watched a bear can wiggle loose from the securing straps and bounce a decent amount of the way back down. Any knowledge I have on this subject comes from grilling my friend about securing a bear can like that for the next few days, and him trying to defend himself.

rormisto wrote: ↑Tue Sep 28, 2021 5:42 pm Another funny story-- near the top of Pants Pass, I watched a bear can wiggle loose from the securing straps and bounce a decent amount of the way back down.

That's a good one. And now if I'm ever in a similar location and hear someone shout "Can!" instead of "Rock!", I won't be caught completely off guard.

I heard a story from a park ranger where they would rent out bear canisters, this group of 5 backpacker had rented 3 of them who were new to backpacking. Anyway, the second night out a bear stroll into camp and had gotten ahold of one of the bear canister and in the prosses of trying to get it open the bear canister rolled down the hill and into the river, they never got that bear canister back, but I still think it did it's intended job.

I myself use a food stuff sack and stuff the food into the backpack and then carry my Wild Ideas can, filled with lighter things, on top like I used to carry my sleeping bag or tent. The only drag with that is having to put all the food into the can every day but, it is still better than counter balancing. In my opinion jamming the bear canister into the body of the pack seriously limits my ability to distribute the weight properly.

I carry a can when its required, horizontal in the pack or sometimes strapped on top. If I'm not taking a canister, I pack the food in a smell proof bag (if there is really such a thing) and sleep with my food, my snoring probably scares most critters away I think. Haven't hung my food in years and when I did, I probably wasn't doing it correctly anyway since I camp mostly above or at timberline in the Sierra. In July I was in Ducy Basin, carried a can, there were a lot of people on the trail, but no one was carrying a can that I could see.

I've always carried my can inside my pack. most of the time upright but occasionally om it's side. I pack extra close and smaller gear around the sides to to secure everything and keep the load balanced. Larger items go on top and are held down by the pack lid.

Carrying the bear can outside the pack and using a stuff sack with food inside is a good method if you carry a smaller pack. The problem is keeping the bear can from falling off. They are designed to be difficult to hold on to. Perhaps put the bear can in a mesh sack so the straps grip better. I would have no problem with food in my pack while hiking, but you should put the food inside the bear can if you leave the pack for any reason.

Re-packing the bear can every day is a pain and fussy. It means the first thing you do when in camp is put the food back in it. If coming into camp late, this is one more delay before you can set up the tent and do other camp chores. I usually do not touch the bottom half for the first few days, or I would not be able to get it all back in the bear can when it is totally full.

Women's x-small is the size pack I should use but they do not fit a bear can horizontally, so I size up to medium just for the bear can. Not ideal, but it works.

As for weight balance, I am very careful to put heavier food items in one vertical half and put that side close to my spine. Also as the food is eaten, I put light item both on bottom (usually used food bags, TP) and top (pot cozies). This seems to work well for balance.