Bearikade Scout or Small Bearvault in a Gorilla Pack?

[Paul Andronico]

I love my Bareboxer Contender, and it fits easily in my Gossamer Gear Gorilla pack. However, I am hoping that a Bearikade Scout or Bearvault BV450 will fit in the Gorilla (current version w/ over the top closure) without stretching the pack significantly or ruining the carry comfort. Can anyone with personal experience give me some feedback?

Thanks!

[David H]

I can tell you that a GG Gorilla will accept a Bearikade Weekender vertically. Not really any room to spare but it isn't difficult to slide it in either. Haven't tried any other bear cans but you can look up the diameter and compare I suppose.

[J R]

I own a BV450 and ordered a new Gorilla Fri (25% off sale), I called GG before ordering and asked about canister fit, the guy on the phone had a full-size canister with him in the shop and slid it into a Gorilla no problems (that's what he told me on the phone anyway). So it darn well better fit, I'm counting on it. When the pack arrives in the next few days that will be one of the first things I'm testing and will let you know.

[Jennifer Mitol]

I can fit my weekender in the gorilla…but honestly had no room for much else. I am amazed people can carry bear cans comfortably in that pack…my favorite pack, by the way……

[Paul Andronico]

Jennifer and David: Thanks for the info on the Weekender. I have used a UDAP bear canister (8" diameter by 10" tall) vertically in the Gorilla, and it fits fine but makes the carry a little less comfortable. Nothing to change packs over :) I am hoping to fit the Scout so the biggest part of the canister (i.e., the 9" width) is taking up vertical space in the pack and the smallest part (i.e., the 8" height of the canister) is taking up horizontal space in the canister. Sorry, it's hard to describe in words and is not really placing the canister "horizontal" or "vertical" in the way I think of most canisters that are longer than they are wide. David's post means that I can at least least fit the Scout vertically, and I know how much room that will take vertically in the pack because the UDAP canister is an inch taller.

JR: Please let me know how the Bearvault fits when you get the pack. I am pretty sure it will work ok, but I am obviously not sure or I wouldn't have posted the question.

[J R]

My Gorilla arrived today, first thing after assembly was to try the fit for my BV450 bear canister. I tried it with the hipbelt, aluminum stay, and sit pad installed.

The canister does go in all three ways, but some easier than others. I took some photos but for some reason they aren't uploading to Picasa — I click upload in Picasa and drag the photos over, but no download occurs and I get a greyed-out icon for each photo with a little "X" in the lower left corner of each. Not clickable. Anyone know what the problem could be?

Anyway, to describe without the photos:

– The BV450 goes in easiest with the flat sides facing up/down. In this orientation the canister slides in and out easily, and there is room inside the pack around it.
This orientation also is more convenient for some because the canister lid is facing up in the pack, making it possible to get into the canister without taking it out of the pack. This also is the orientation that could accommodate a taller canister.

– Next is with the flat side facing your back. This works, and could be the most comfortable way to carry (by having the flat side against your back). A little work to get it out of the pack this way.

– Last is with the flat sides facing the sides. This is a very tight fit and stretches the front of the pack, at first I didn't think I was going to get it in this way, and I had a tough time getting it out. Not the way I would plan to carry the canister, given how I had to wrestle it out of the pack.

I want to load up the pack tonight with everything I took on my most recent multi-night trip (which includes the bear canister) to see how it carries. And if anyone can help me with the problem I'm having with Picasa I'll upload photos.

[J R]

OK, without me doing anything Picasa suddenly decided to start working, so I've got the photos up, here's a link.

https://picasaweb.google.com/105606850440568518114/2013GorillaUnboxing?authuser=0&authkey=Gv1sRgCOi8ue-E-Ln4uAE&feat=directlink

The first few are just unboxing/assembly photos, you'll see the bear canister photos after those. And yes I did spray-paint the bear canister with fluorescent orange markings.

[Brian Johns]

You'll need to upload them to BPL anyway so it's easier if they are on your computer but it doesn't matter if you use a third party to host them online. Save the pics in a file destination of your choosing and use the "insert image at cursor" button/link to open up a download window and provide the image file location in response to the BPL request, and add a BPL file name (separate box and mandatory). Click "upload photo" to complete the task.

I have a Mariposa (2012) and it accepts the BV 450 no problem, any direction. No help on the Gorilla, though.

[Ken Thompson]

It's snug in there isn't it? Thanks for the pics. Very helpful.

[Stephen Parks]

I've been wondering the same thing about the Gorilla. Thanks for posting the pics, and please let us know how it goes with the rest of your gear.

[Paul Andronico]

Thanks, JR!

The Bearikade Scout is .3 inches wider and .3 inches shorter than the Bearvault (at least according to manufacturer specs). So I would expect the Scout to fit a tiny bit better compared to the Bearvault with the flat side facing the back of the pack (i.e., like your second canister pic). It seems there is enough extra width in the pack for the 9" diameter of the Scout (vs. the 8.7" of the Bearvault) while the shorter height of the Scout (8" vs 8.3") may fit a little better between the front and rear of the pack.

Thanks again for posting the pics.

[James Marco]

The BV450 will fit in my Murmur.

Murmur Specs:
Height 22"
Width 11"
Depth 4.5"

Gorrilla Specs:
Height 22"
Width 11"
Depth 6"

Note that neither has the required 8" depth. With the Murmur, it creates a bulge. I put it at the bottom, cushioned by a 3 layer NiteLite pad. With the old MiniPosa, this is less important and is about the same as the Gorilla. I would suggest caution when putting in a bear ball and using some extra padding between it and the small of your back…at least two layers of foam, though the frame helps some. I sort-of wish they would go back to the older arrow shafts as a frame. These worked as well and were a lot lighter at about 12gm (<1/2oz) each. In the MiniPosa, they prevent the bulging from sitting on your back. I expect the new frame to work about as well.

I avoid putting the sharper edges of the top or bottom of the BV next to my back. I always put it in sideways. I tried the other way, since both dimensions are close, but I got a sore spot through the padding. Slightly off-level and the top, or bottom, will slip between the frame members, bitting you. Sideways means that even of it does slip, you have a rounded surface and padding against your back.

[Nick Gatel]

I can't imagine a big bulky item like a bear canister could be comfortable in a pack like this.

I have a Mariposa Plus (circa 2009), which has a "Y" strap at the top. Does the Gorilla have one? I notice they have top lids.

I played around with this pack and a canister. I could sorta keep the canister outside the pack using the "Y" strap, which didn't thrill me. Then my plan became to keep my food inside the pack and carry the empty canister under they "Y" strap. Never got to try it in the field, opting for a new pack that was designed to carry a canister under the lid.

Could you carry the canister under the lid? It might work best to keep the food inside the pack. Just some thoughts.

Also when I was experimenting with this I needed a larger canister, which at the time was an old Garcia. I replaced it with a BV500.

[Paul Andronico]

Nick, I hike the Sierras where I almost always need a canister. My Bareboxer Contender has very little impact on the comfort of the pack. I carry it horizontally inside the pack, at the top. Most of my trips are two nights, so it generally works fine for me. I have carried a UDAP canister (8" wide by 10" tall) vertically, inside the pack, at the top, for longer trips. It has a modest impact on the comfort of the pack, but not enough to make me want to get a different pack. My hope is that the Scout or BV450 will have even less impact on the carry comfort, but they may be similar to the UDAP.

[J R]

Nick, the new Gorilla does not have a Y strap, I wish it did, in fact it does not have any kind of strap at all coming over the top of the bag. And it doesn't really have a lid, it's just the extension collar that folds in on itself and flops over the top of the bag, giving the benefit of a lid but not being a separate, floating piece like a "real" lid.

Basically, I don't see how you could carry a bear canister on top of a Gorilla. I'm sure it's been done, but it does not have any straps or any secure loops to use for lashing a Gorilla up top.

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