Cookie tins for desert food storage

1) yes, it may attract rodents.
2) they won't be able to get into it.
3) those tins are often available at thrift stores for about $1, saving you from buying 2 gallons of "gourmet" popcorn or Danish "butter" cookies.

I carried a saltine tin early in my backpacking to discourage mice and chipmunks.

You MIGHT want to consider buying an empty paint can to use for your food. One TX based company used to sell a 5-qt paint can as an "animal resistant canister." I intentionally set it out, filled with food in places known to be frequented by pesky raccoons and other critters. The can was not disturbed. This can was painted OD green on the outside and white on the inside. White paint made it easier to see what was inside, the green helped it be less conspicuous. On either side, the paint slowed rust.

I can stand on my can, and usually do so to close it completely. It could also be used to haul water or wash dishes and clothes, if needed. Of course, while the can is being used for another purpose, my food needs to be in something else and safe.

Good luck!

Saguaro National Park?

If you're sleeping with your food, I've never had a problem using a plastic container. These would be lighter than a paint can (an empty gallon paint can weighs 12 oz), and possibly lighter than a cookie tin (I've never weighed one). In theory mice could chew threw it, but in a single night, with me sleeping nearby, that seems unlikely.

I have two that I use:

One is a one-gallon wide mouth container that once contained buttermilk ranch dressing. It weighs 4 oz and I got it from a restaurant. Good enough for me for a shorter trip.

The other is about twice as big, a bit awkward to pack, and once contained "Serious Mass" weight gain powder. I found it on the side of the street near my house. It weighs 8 oz, IIRC. Still a bit lighter than a ratsack of equivalent volume, doesn't require a separate stuff sack, and keeps my food dry.

Know any body builders? I'm sure you could find a container of whatever size you want from protein, weigh-gain, carb powder or whatever.

I just keep mine in a cuben sack. Freezer bag for individual meals that will be boiled. Bulk stuff in a large ZipLoc. I just leave it next to my sleeping bag whether sleeping under a tarp or under the stars. I never camp in a designated campground or other high use/impact area.

Along rivers like in the CG, that is where I have a problem. I have one of those mesh bags, I think it is an Outsack bag. I keep in in my pack at night and use the pack as a pillow, otherwise a raccoon can carry it off. Again, I try not to stay in heavy use areas.

>"'m sure you could find a container of whatever size you want from protein, weigh-gain, carb powder or whatever."

When looking for plastic containers, just go dumpster-diving at the recycling center.

Yeah, but in my experience, anything larger than a medium rat can chew through a plastic container.

Cheers

For many years I used the aluminum pot and pan that was made for the Coleman 502 single burner stove to carry food in my pack. The stove itself was way too heavy to pack, but the pot and pan was very handy for storage. It was thinner than most aluminum cookware, but the shape made it quite strong.

Yeah, but in my experience, anything larger than a medium rat can chew through a plastic container.

Roger, did you have rats chew through a container during a single night, or was it a cache? I'll admit that I don't tend to sleep in popular campsites, so I don't know how thoroughly I've tested my "Arizona Bear Cans".

You'll find more discussion/detail (incl. photos) in this thread:

http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/forums/thread_display.html?forum_thread_id=97981

And there have been other BPL threads on the subject — a quick search will help.

> Roger, did you have rats chew through a container during a single night, or was it a cache?
A bit of everything. Anything short of steel seems to get 'bitten'.

The funniest case was when someone ELSE left his aluminium cooking pot outside the tent overnight without washing it. Some animal decided to clean the pot out in the night. In the morning the pot was found to have tooth marks/holes THROUGH the aluminium right around the rim.

Cheers

"Some animal decided to clean the pot out "

It was probably one of those damned drop bears.

In the southern U.S., we used to have the same problem with Swamp Rabbits. Vicious things.

–B.G.–