Bear Canisters

[Nathan Hays]

An anathema to the whole UL ethos, the Bear Canister is required equipment in many places. I've been playing with some composite materials that meet the IGBC testing requirements. From what I calculate, I should be able to knock about 8 oz off the Bearikade products. I'm going to make a prototype or two and would like your opinions.

Rate the following, 1 being unimportant, 5 being most important:
Weight
Fits in pack
Useful as stool/table
Brightly colored
Camo/subdued color
500 cuin
700 cuin
900 cuin

Any pet peeves about current equipment?

[K C]

Weight 5
Fits in pack 5
Useful as stool/table 1
Brightly colored 1
Camo/subdued color 1
500 cuin 4
700 cuin 4
900 cuin 4

[Ryan Wiley]

5
5
2
1
3
4
5
2

Having multiple sizes is nice. I really like the bearikade weekender. My one and only complaint is that its just a little too long to fit in my GG Mariposa sideways. I'll probably buy a 500 cu version of it 8 or so inches tall for that purpose for shorter trips, but I like the bigger version for the 6 to 8 day trips.

[Bill Wang]

Weight – 5 (by far most important)
Fits in pack – 4 (but even berikade exped fits in my GG murmur)
Useful as stool/table – 3
Brightly colored -1
Camo/subdued color -1
500 cuin – 3
700 cuin – 3
900 cuin – 5 (this is what I would buy – unless the smaller ones had same or better weight/volume ratios)

[Erik Hagen]

Weight – 5
Fits in pack – 4
Useful as stool/table – 3 (a nice add but not necessary)
Brightly colored – 1
Camo/subdued color -1
500 cuin – 1 (I have no use for this size)
700 cuin – 5
900 cuin – 5

Thanks!

[Steve B]

Weight 5
Fits in pack 5 (horizontal)
Useful as stool/table 4
Brightly colored 1
Camo/subdued color 1
500 cuin 5
700 cuin 2
900 cuin 2

I can fit 10 days of food in a Bearikade weekender, so 500 would be good.

No chain/cable connecting the lid to the canister. More rounded corners would be great (less wear on the pack). Easy access to pound food in is important.

Steve

[Tony Wong]

Always happy to see any innovation when it comes to the necessary evil that is the bear canister. :)

Weight 5

Fits in Pack 5

Useful as stool/table 1

Brightly Colored: 3

Camo/Subdued Color: 2

All the choices are volumes are good targets to shoot for, but the ultimate factors will be the price & weight differences between them.

If I only had one to buy for the money, it would be the 700 CU IN to allow a week's worth of food.

The assumption is that the weight difference between the 500 and 700 would be relatively small. (Value for money).

Pet Peeves with current system: Bear Vault

Plastic Tabs for locking and unlocking have been worn down from use. Need to replace the whole lid. Pain in the butt to open and close with gloves or cold hands.

Round cylinder shape can cut into back through the backpack (frameless), need to make sure that sleeping pad provides cushion. (Flat on one side design???)

Thanks for asking and good luck to you.

Looking foward to seeing what you come up with.

-Tony

[Ryan Wiley]

Stephen,

I had Zpacks make me a cuben fiber bag for my bearikade that works great. It helps keep the inside of my pack clean as I get the canister dirty by sitting on it and stuff, and then it also adds a layer to protect from cutting/rubbing the edges on the inside of the pack.

[Erik Basil]

Man, I hate these things…but I love the big BearVault for being the lightest one I can afford and for having kept a poor, hungry bear out of our food on the very first trip we used it.

For me: Weight, size, use as stool/table and Translucence. Make us a giant, light, burly container that outdoes the BearVault and Bearikade… and you'll be the toast of trekkers, Scout Troops and UL'ers (make another version the size of Fosters can) around the globe.

[Samuel Kau]

Weight-5
Fits in Pack-5
Useful as stool/table-2
Brightly colored=1
Camo/subdued color=1
All sizes=5

I have a bearvault 500 and the only reason i have that and not a bearikade is purely of price. So i would say price for me is a 4

[Justin Baker]

I consider the fitting in the pack part to be much more important than weight. Choose the one that fits your pack the best, even if its a few ounces heavier than a different canister.

[Charles P]

Weight 5
Fits in pack 5
Useful as stool/table 3
Brightly colored 1
Camo/subdued color 1
All sizes – 5

And yeah, price (lower the better)! 5

[Mary D]

Good luck with getting it approved!

[Warren Greer]

Ya, that's what I was thinking.

[Author]

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