PCT Bear Bag Hanging – no biner

[Sean Krajacic]

I've got a bunch of 1.75mm Zing-it left over after making guylines for my hammock tarp and figured I should make a new bear bag line.

It's fairly easy to splice, so I could make a fixed loop on one end where I would attach the food bag by running the bag through its own draw cord. The fixed loop could also be used in lieu of a biner for the pct stick/twig stopper.

Has anyone tried this? Comments?

[W I S N E R !]

I imagine it would be a pain because you'll have to pass all 50' (or whatever length you're using) through the fixed loop every time you set it up/take it down.

With a carabiner you can clip in anywhere.

[Daryl and Daryl]

Sean,

Here's another way to accomplish the no-biner set-up.

I've used this for several years now and it has always worked well. I've never had a bag slip out of the loop holding it to the line.

The temporary knot used to grab the bag is called a larks head. Very easy to make. Holds like a snapping turtle under tension. Comes loose easily when tension removed. Google it if you need more help in tying it. Kite flyers use it a lot.

The role of a tree is played by the lamp.*

The white bag represents a bear bag.

The black cord is a bit larger than I usually use so you can see it easier.

I connect the bag midline so I can then use the tail of the cord to pull the bag away from the tree trunk.

The photo creates the illusion of a double line in places. Must be a reflection or something. You are looking at a single line.

No biner. No permanent knots or loops. No special attachments or hardware on the bag. Has worked on every bag I have used. Larks head can be applied anywhere on the line. Can use additional larks heads to hang laundry.

*For safety, do not plug the tree in during testing.

Hang in there.

Daryl

[Matthew Swierkowski]

I've been using the PCT method for a while, and in my opinion the caribineer is part of what makes the method somewhat easy to use. There are a few things that the caribineer does. First off it allows you to clip onto the line as the poster above stated. It also provides a solid base for the stick that the clove hitch is tied around to sit up against. And the final thing it does is it makes pulling the bag (or bags) back up in the morning easier cause there is not much for the line to bind on (although maybe the type of line you are using will not bind easily?). I'm not saying what you are proposing may not work, but I have actually had my line get so bound up due to the weight on it, the fact that it was wet, and the texture of the bark that I couldn't get it down. My buddy and I had to pull a Cirque de Soleil move to get the bags down from the tree.

[tim hower]

I don't use a biner on my bear bag. There is almost always a knot that can accomplish the task of a biner or most mechanical fasteners. Tying a bear bag without a biner is hardly any more complicated than doing it with one.

Is a biner faster/easier? Probably.
Cheaper? Nope.
Is it lighter? Nope.
Stronger? Nope.

So is a biner better?

One problem with super thin line like zing it is that it can cut into the branch and get stuck. The heavy the bag the more chance it can happen. I know Zing it is pretty slick but it may be something to be aware of. You don't want to damage the tree or get your food stuck. That's a problem regardless of using a biner or not.

[Daryl and Daryl]

While on the subject of the PCT Bear Hanging technique I'd like to add something.

If I understand the PCT method correctly the line is looped over the tree limb like an inverted U that hugs the tree branch. This creates a lot of friction and makes it hard to hoist the bag.

I prefer methods where one hoist from a position horizontally as far from the tree limb as possible. Visualize something close to an inverted L with the pulling line being as horizontal as you can get it. This makes it a lot easier to hoist heavy bags.

[Aaron Benson]

Agreed with the angle concern if you're pulling the line straight down to raise the bag. To avoid this, simply walk out a ways to pull up the bag then walk back underneath when it's time to complete the rigging.

[Author]

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