Which Bear Canister?

[BSquared]

Kind of don't understand what "barked a knuckle" means. ?

Scraping the "bark" (i.e., skin) off the knuckle.

[fishmonger]

Bearkade.


I have 4 canisters - one BV500, two weekenders and one Expedition. The BV500 is junk. Almost impossibe to open without using a fine selection of 4 letter words, and that's on a warm day. Cold, I bet I could not get into that thing. It is heavier, smaller and you can't sit on it.

There's that little cost issue, though...

Bearvault BV 500 1150g 700 cubic inches (11 liters) ($6/liter)
Bearikade Weekender 877g 650 cubic inches (10.6 liters) ($21.2/liter)
Bearikade Expedition 1035g 900 cubic inches (14.7 liters) ($18.7/Liter)

Also, stickers look better on a Bearikade

[rlown]

If the weekender was just 2" taller, i would have pulled the trigger and bought it. I just need to see if the expedition fits in my pack where i want it. If it does, it's still lighter than the garcia.

[The Other Tom]

Bearkade.


I have 4 canisters - one BV500, two weekenders and one Expedition. The BV500 is junk. Almost impossibe to open without using a fine selection of 4 letter words, and that's on a warm day. Cold, I bet I could not get into that thing. It is heavier, smaller and you can't sit on it.

I've heard that complaint before. What's the issue with the BV ? Is it dust/sand getting in the threads ? Would a little grease fix it ?

[rlown]

I've heard that complaint before. What's the issue with the BV ? Is it dust/sand getting in the threads ? Would a little grease fix it ?

The one that "cut" me was in the REI showroom. No Sand. It's the tang design for opening. As FM pointed out, i can imagine they get stiffer as they get colder.

[gary c.]

Bearkade.

I've heard that complaint before. What's the issue with the BV ? Is it dust/sand getting in the threads ? Would a little grease fix it ?

The lid works like the cap on a bottle of mouthwash where you squeeze the lid so it clears a catch so you can unscrew it. The problem with the BV is that the tang(more like a saw tooth) is on the outside of the lid. You have to press hard right where the two tangs are and it is easy to scrape your finger across the one on the cannister.
Gary C.

[rlown]

Ok.. called Wild-Ideas, and i can get my 12" canister for 250, and all i have to do is put my length requirement in the 2nd address line.. Guess what i'm buying today.

Russ

[snusmumriken]

On the picture above it looks like the BearVault 700 in terms of size is right in the middle between the Weekender 650 and the Expedition 900. But the specs say the Weekender is almost the same size as the Bear Vault.

I've also compared the Weekender to the Garcia. Both spec at 650, but the Garcia is quite a bit larger.

So I paid big bucks for a canister that is lighter than the competition - but its also smaller than the competition. I think I have buyers remorse.

[fishmonger]

On the picture above it looks like the BearVault 700 in terms of size is right in the middle between the Weekender 650 and the Expedition 900. But the specs say the Weekender is almost the same size as the Bear Vault.

I've also compared the Weekender to the Garcia. Both spec at 650, but the Garcia is quite a bit larger.

So I paid big bucks for a canister that is lighter than the competition - but its also smaller than the competition. I think I have buyers remorse.

the picture shows a Bearvault BV 500. Never seen a 700.

Regarding the "being larger" - the carbon fiber shell and lids of the Bearikade units are super thin compared to the plastic used on the BV500. The internal volume is almost exactly as much as you see on the external footprint of the Bearikade. The plastic units are "fat" to make up for the limited strength of their material by making the sidewall much thicker, wasting some space you can't use for anything.

The BV500 offers minimally more internal volume than the weekender, but weights more than the Expedition. Basically, after using these in the backcountry, you could not PAY me to use the BV 500 again. The hassle to get into the thing is not worth it. I'd probably end up stuffing my sleeping bag into it during the day and leave the food loose in the pack during the day (that is legal), simply because then I'd only have to open and close it twice a day. The Bearkade lid is easy to open, no pain, no cursing, I can leave the food in there while in the pack. When I stop for a snack, I just open the top of my pack, use a coin, and I am grabbing the goodies out of the canister, which much better access to the inside of the can becaue of the larger opening. I can't imagine having to open that BV 500 lid while the thing is in my pack.

Garcia - never looked at it because they are even heavier than the Bearvaults

[ERIC]

Re: Being able to sit on the Bearikade

Do you feel that's an advantage over BV? You can sit on a BV, too. A bear can sit on it for that matter. Makes a fine stool.

Re: Injury from opening a BV...

Wondering if haste may have been the bigger culprit? I've opened many BV's owned by others on the trail, and must have opened and closed my two new BV's 50 times the other night and that's the only explanation I can come up with. Press the lid rim firmly and turn slowly and it's hard for me to see how one could mash a hand.