Boundary Waters, Message Board, Forum, BWCA, BWCAW, Quetico Park


BWCA Messageboard

BWCA and Quetico Park Books and Magazines

Find Outfitters for the Boundary Waters Quetico

Boundary Waters (BWCA) photo gallery and individual photo journals

Boundary Waters Message Board and Forums.

username

password

Remember Me

Gunflint Northwoods Outfitters
Site Search
	Contact Us
	Route Guide

Chat Rooms (1 Chatting) | Search | Login/Join

* For the benefit of the community, commercial posting is not allowed.

View BWCA Photo and Trip Report Contest Page

Poll: What is your favorite month in the BWCA/Q?
(499 responses)

2012 BWCA Photo Contest Results

Boundary Waters Quetico Forum

Gear Forum

ursacks

Author:

Date/Time: 05/24/2013 12:14PM

Subject: ursacks

Enter Lake Name*:

* Help stop spam. Please enter the lake name you see over the flying moose.

Previous Messages:
Author	Message Text
andym	10/14/2010 05:58PM RiverRunner: Which model Ursack was it (the fabric has changed over the years) and did you tell Ursack about the failure? They are pretty open that some failures have occurred and discuss them on http://www.ursack.com/ursack-update.htm . I think it is a question of risk vs. weight. I've thought of adding one canister to the mix. Reading this year's info on that web page, I might add an aluminum liner to one of the ursacks. I agree that the Bearikade's look great and am glad to read your opinion. But our trips usually involve about 40 person-days and so it would take a lot of money and weight to switch to them. One, however, is tempting just to have some extra-safe food.
RiverRunner	10/14/2010 01:30PM Have had experience with ursacks and bears. Lets say that not much was saved after being chewed on by a bear. Teeth punctured ursack and food inside with little problem. Bears out west have learned to pick the stitching with their claws and i believe are no longer approved in the NP's. The aluminum insert might help, no experience with it. I also have experience with Bear Vault and the Bearikade. If you have the money, buy the bearikade and don't look back. Bearvault is a good choice on a more limited budget.
andym	10/13/2010 12:41PM After the point where you realize you have a bear resistant container that weighs 8 oz rather than 3 lbs what is left for a selling point? And tying them to trees is quick and easy. I also like having our food broken up into multiple bags so that there is no one thing with all the food in it. Might not get that benefit with only one for a short solo trip. Or you could use two just to use two. And then the ease of fitting them into a pack. Really just like the things. One thing I don't like are that the seals on the odor proof bags are finicky. This isn't his fault as the bags are made by OP Sak and are truly excellent seals and other odor proof bags seem to have the same seals too. But sometimes at night in the cold or with bugs attacking, they can be hard to close well. We generally take a spare or two on a long trip in case we tear one. Yeah, a bear could crush the food inside one. I'll take the risk for the benefits. Tying them up in camp: we do put them outside of the camp. After all the bears know to look in camp for food so why make it easy on them. Hmm. First the carbon fiber paddle. Now, maybe the Ursack. I'm thinking in a few more years we may have you using a knupack.
boonie	10/13/2010 07:01AM What about the Everclear, Jan :). Keep it in a metal flask?
BWPaddler	10/12/2010 09:35PM quote kanoes: "i think the best scent test is instant coffee. ive triple bagged using freezer ziplocks...could still smell it." just pick a menu without any garlic, coffee, lutefisk, poop, raw meat, etc. you'll be fine. promise. ;)
kanoes	10/12/2010 09:02PM i think the best scent test is instant coffee. ive triple bagged using freezer ziplocks...could still smell it.
OBX2Kayak	10/12/2010 08:56PM quote Koda: "quote BWPaddler: "quote TomT: " Pardon me if this is a bit tasteless, but I'd suggest a more foolproof test of odorproofness. Pick up a fresh dog dropping ..." Skip the dog droppings ... just insert a helping of lutefisk. It's the best smell test I can think of.
Amok	10/12/2010 11:51AM hahaha. That's how my buddies feel when I tell them "I'm just going to bring my barrel and leave it in camp."
wetcanoedog	10/12/2010 10:58AM i bought one of these for a canoe buddy in Canada,the one with the liner.he went up with us taking only non-cook food in that sack while the rest of us had "normal" camp food.he was so over confident in the sack that he hung it shoulder high right in the camp.we never had any bear action but the rest of us would have been much happier if he hung it away from the center of the campsite.it felt like "bait" in that white sack at ground level.
gutmon	10/12/2010 08:15AM Heck with keeping the food safe from bears- what I want is a Kevlar sleeping bag!
gutmon	10/11/2010 03:20PM I bought one two seasons ago and really love it. It is big enough to fit food for a week for one person. The fabric is semi-rigid so it stands up on its own so you can dig through it easily. The cinch cord is bear-proof and is long enough to tie the sack to a 2-3 inch diameter tree so it doesn't get carried off. I started tying mine up in a tree a ways so a bear can bite and swipe at it, but can not stomp on it which I'm sure they would do if it was on the ground. There is an aluminum liner available to make them more crush-proof. It is great that it takes up less space in a pack as you use up your food. I highly recommend them.
Amok	10/11/2010 03:11PM Well I didn't suggest putting it in your sun room ..... I was thinking somewhere in the backyard.
Koda	10/11/2010 01:47PM quote Amok: "quote Koda: "quote BWPaddler: "quote TomT: "At the website they sell oder proof "ziplocks". Using these with the ursack, I think stashing the food along a shoreline away from camp would be unbeatable. And no tree hanging fuss either." I have some of those odor proof bags - still haven't used them, but just bringing them on trips (for kiddo's dirty clothes, but too lazy to use them) and I have pinholes in them. Just know they're not as tough as pack liners, etc. I'd be worried a MH foil corner would puncture it rendering it worthless." Pardon me if this is a bit tasteless, but I'd suggest a more foolproof test of odorproofness. Pick up a fresh dog dropping - preferably from a good-size dog - and place it in the supposedly odorproof bag. Put the bag in a cardboard box, close the box, and leave it for a day or two. When you open the box, you will know if it's odorproof or not. A more tasteful method, and one for those without handy access to dog offal, is to put a piece of raw meat in the bag, seal it, wash your hands - and the bag - and show it to someone else's dog, or else a cat. If there's no reaction, put the bag in the cardboard box and try again in a day or two. I'd be very interested in the results." Interesting idea, Koda. I'd add that you should place it in a sunny area for that day or two..." Eewwwww ... gag ... retch ... There's no need to do that. The gassing-off process from tightly-tied plastic sandwich bags works quite well without added heat or light.
Amok	10/11/2010 12:50PM quote Koda: "quote BWPaddler: "quote TomT: "At the website they sell oder proof "ziplocks". Using these with the ursack, I think stashing the food along a shoreline away from camp would be unbeatable. And no tree hanging fuss either." I have some of those odor proof bags - still haven't used them, but just bringing them on trips (for kiddo's dirty clothes, but too lazy to use them) and I have pinholes in them. Just know they're not as tough as pack liners, etc. I'd be worried a MH foil corner would puncture it rendering it worthless." Pardon me if this is a bit tasteless, but I'd suggest a more foolproof test of odorproofness. Pick up a fresh dog dropping - preferably from a good-size dog - and place it in the supposedly odorproof bag. Put the bag in a cardboard box, close the box, and leave it for a day or two. When you open the box, you will know if it's odorproof or not. A more tasteful method, and one for those without handy access to dog offal, is to put a piece of raw meat in the bag, seal it, wash your hands - and the bag - and show it to someone else's dog, or else a cat. If there's no reaction, put the bag in the cardboard box and try again in a day or two. I'd be very interested in the results." Interesting idea, Koda. I'd add that you should place it in a sunny area for that day or two...
nojobro	10/11/2010 12:44PM quote BWPaddler: "quote TomT: "At the website they sell oder proof "ziplocks". Using these with the ursack, I think stashing the food along a shoreline away from camp would be unbeatable. And no tree hanging fuss either." I have some of those odor proof bags - still haven't used them, but just bringing them on trips (for kiddo's dirty clothes, but too lazy to use them) and I have pinholes in them. Just know they're not as tough as pack liners, etc. I'd be worried a MH foil corner would puncture it rendering it worthless." I've used these. I can't really see a foil bag beaking it. Though I don't know that I would use them over and over and over again.
BWPaddler	10/11/2010 12:30PM C'mon Corndog, this sounds like a job for you... where are ya man?
Koda	10/11/2010 11:25AM quote BWPaddler: "quote TomT: "At the website they sell oder proof "ziplocks". Using these with the ursack, I think stashing the food along a shoreline away from camp would be unbeatable. And no tree hanging fuss either." I have some of those odor proof bags - still haven't used them, but just bringing them on trips (for kiddo's dirty clothes, but too lazy to use them) and I have pinholes in them. Just know they're not as tough as pack liners, etc. I'd be worried a MH foil corner would puncture it rendering it worthless." Pardon me if this is a bit tasteless, but I'd suggest a more foolproof test of odorproofness. Pick up a fresh dog dropping - preferably from a good-size dog - and place it in the supposedly odorproof bag. Put the bag in a cardboard box, close the box, and leave it for a day or two. When you open the box, you will know if it's odorproof or not. A more tasteful method, and one for those without handy access to dog offal, is to put a piece of raw meat in the bag, seal it, wash your hands - and the bag - and show it to someone else's dog, or else a cat. If there's no reaction, put the bag in the cardboard box and try again in a day or two. I'd be very interested in the results.
BWPaddler	10/11/2010 07:24AM quote TomT: "At the website they sell oder proof "ziplocks". Using these with the ursack, I think stashing the food along a shoreline away from camp would be unbeatable. And no tree hanging fuss either." I have some of those odor proof bags - still haven't used them, but just bringing them on trips (for kiddo's dirty clothes, but too lazy to use them) and I have pinholes in them. Just know they're not as tough as pack liners, etc. I'd be worried a MH foil corner would puncture it rendering it worthless.
TomT	10/11/2010 06:47AM At the website they sell oder proof "ziplocks". Using these with the ursack, I think stashing the food along a shoreline away from camp would be unbeatable. And no tree hanging fuss either.
ClarkPeters	10/11/2010 06:18AM If you use it correctly, a bear can't drag it off because you use the cinch cord to tie it to a tree. You don't need a separate cable. Nearly all (if not all) of Ursack failures have been due to operator error. Be sure to check out the Ursack.com website for instructions and videos on correct use. Pete
bumabu	10/11/2010 01:14AM Two things I like about the ursack; 1-Shape is changeable which will allow you to condense pack size as trip progresses 2-Lightweight, 8 oz is very attractive. Two things I dont like abot it; 1-Very easy for a bear to walk away with it, dragging it by the cinch cord, and if you cable it to a tree then you just nullified your weight savings. 2-Would definately limit what I pack for food in respect to the whole crushing thing. Sorry if that wasn't the best sales pitch, I dont have one, so I am prolly not a great person to give an opinion.
Koda	10/10/2010 10:31PM quote kanoes: "sell me on the concept. ive poo poo'd it in the past but looked at buttheads at wingnight, having second thoughts now. i like the idea of a bear proof container weighing 8oz empty, not over 3 lbs." Jan, do you have a BearVault? The bigger one weighs 2.5#, maybe a tad less.
BWPaddler	10/10/2010 10:14PM good point, does mh lasagna taste any different in smaller particles? Long as it stays inside the bag I guess. Wouldn't like the thought of all crumbs together - raspberry crumble not meant for mixing with lasagna!
kanoes	10/10/2010 09:45PM depends on what you pack for food. for me it would just be noodles crushed to a finer consistancy. :)
BWPaddler	10/10/2010 09:20PM Heard the same thing too, but still interests me. My "stashing" approach depends on bear not smelling obvious dinner and not thinking to look where I hide it. If he finds it, he's got a feast. If I cached it in a kevlar bag, he wouldn't get fed no matter what, but my result would be the same I guess - time to catch fish or head out.
PortageKeeper	10/10/2010 08:54PM Some backpackers use them. They are critter proof but from what I've read, a bear will usually detroy your food by chewing the crap out of the bag itself. It may not get in, but the contents may look like they've been run through a blender. OTOH, how often does a bear ever bother? As far as I know, I've never had a bear in camp. There used to be a bag on the market that you put your food in and then sink it in the lake. Haven't seen that one around lately. Maybe the northerns or otters got it.
kanoes	10/10/2010 07:26PM sell me on the concept. ive poo poo'd it in the past but looked at buttheads at wingnight, having second thoughts now. i like the idea of a bear proof container weighing 8oz empty, not over 3 lbs.

BWCA Messageboard