Food bag/Hang kit

[Shalom Zohari]

first post see below

[Shalom Zohari]

 

just finished making this food bag. Although it may look simple, designing the pattern was actually quite complicated. While designing it my main goal was to have it all be one piece of fabric. The only seams being the zipper and the ones of the end. That way it will be as waterproof as possible, and if I seam-seal it it will minimize the amount of tape needed. Its final dimensions are 11″ W x 9″ H x 6″ D and its volume is 595 Cubic inches or 9.734 Liters. The total weight over all including the Carabiner (0.2 oz) and the rock bag is 2.0 oz.

I

[Matthew / BPL]

That looks great! Nice size.

[Mike B]

Looks Great, what material did you use for the main bag?

[Shalom Zohari]

Thanks Matthew!

 

[Shalom Zohari]

Mike,

Im not sure exactly what fabric it is. I got it a while back from a local fabric store, and they didn’t specify exactly what kind of fabric it is. However it’s fully waterproof and quite light so I’m guessing it’s some sort of nylon. I used it for my pack it sews and wears beautifully.

[Valerie E]

Nice!  I can see how that would be a tough design to think out for a single piece of fabric.

My only suggestion — if you make a Version 2.0 — is to use a “waterproof” zipper instead of a regular one. I know you have a protective flap, but if it’s a really rainy night, water will likely get in.

[Roger Caffin]

Not a fan of the ‘waterproof’ zips. I usually manage to put a flap over the zip (tents, packs) and I have never had any leakage.
my 2c
Cheers

[James Marco]

I usually take two week trips into the woods several times per year. I would suggest you get a silnylon rock sack/ditty bag. The mesh really gets caught on bark, small branches and stuff very easily. Silnylon slides over the vast majority of that.

Also, it looks sort of heavy, but a good shape. Seams are not really a worry. Generally, by the time you are ready to hang it, the hard work is done. The squared off corners would lend themselves well to fitting in my back. I like it.

A simple roll-top like on the dry bags is perhaps the lightest, waterproof closure. Perhaps a light sleeve to allow rolling will work? This way you can avoid the zipper weight, though a wrapped stiffener weighs as much. It will do a superior job of waterproofing, though.

Again, a silnylon bag coated with a mix of silicone and mineral spirits makes a good food bag. I use a 13L bag that *just* fits into my pack when full. Like I say, many times at the beginning of a trip I have looked for a better fitting food bag. HMG’s pods look good but are tailored to their packs keeping a good shape when loaded. Good thinking!

[Shalom Zohari]

Hi Valerie and Roger,

Thanks for your feedback! I used this zipper just because its what I had access to. I have had a problem with the zipper eating the fabric on the flap, This zipper may also be a little excessive for this application. I’m probably going to make a couple more, one with just a smaller zipper with a waterproof zipper.

I also had an idea of having the zipper run the other way across the bag, so that when its hanging from its end the water will just flow over the flap.

[Shalom Zohari]

Hi James,

I will probably make a Sil-Nylon rock bag as well and see which one works best.

Personally I prefer the the extra weight of the zipper for the added convenience, I also really like the shape compared to a roll top.

As for weight it is a tad heavy, however I am planning on making a DCF version which is the main reason I tried to have so few seams.

[James Marco]

Not to worry. As I have said many times. Good volume control often trumps overall weight.

BTW: You could also use two 1/2″ buckles on the ends with a D-ring for hanging if you go with a roll top…

[Daryl and Daryl]

I use a different method for keeping water off the food.  Not saying it’s better.  Just throwing out an alternative.

I make the bag out of lightweight uncoated nylon.  I then put the food in a waterproof plastic bag inside the nylon bag.  I use the same technique for my backpack.

[Mary C]

Would it be safe to use silpoly, turkey bag (smell proof) big inside, roll tip, to use as a bear hang bag ? My last pack was 34 pounds and I am trying to lighten up !

[James Marco]

A lightweight Cuban bag can work, too. However, it will soon develop small leaks from various packaging corners, bottles, tubes, etc. After 40+ years I pretty much gave up on UL bags because they simply start leaking after 4-5 trips. Coated silnylon (mineral spirits/caulk) work well and save a lot of fussing with two bags…they last a lot longer. An extra coating or two is usually necessary. But, it is a lot of fiddling. Just get some OTC Sea-to-Summit dry bags and use them. A LOT cheaper for the extra ounce in weight.

A typical kit consists of Bear Bag, line and throw bag or rock sack. I have gone through throw bags at about twice the rate of food bags (about 1 per season.) Food bags need good waterproofing and be rugged. And I found they needed to be cheap and replaceable. They will wear, usually from the inside as above. They usually take up to 15 pounds each. YMMV. I just make sure I can replace all parts as needed. Rock sack doubles as a ditty bag. That is about the best I can do for dual use. Cuban bags quickly shred, so nylon just works better.

[Gary Dunckel]

I don’t know, James. I did some beta testing for Lawson when he made cuben roll top bags, and also for David Branderberg for his UL Outsak. I have a place in the open space near my house, which I call the fairway of the critters – raccoons, foxes, skunks, and stray dogs – you know, all of the usual nocturnal food pests. I placed an open cat food can inside a Ziploc freezer bag that wasn’t sealed up all the way (to keep the spilled food off the tested products). None of the test bags were ever breached, although plenty of the critters tried hard.

So 5 years ago, I decided to do a belt-and-braces thing, where I made custom cuben roll tops for each size of my Outsaks. I made a set from 1.0 and also 1.43 oz. cuben. Each spring I reapply some Seam Grip to the places where water can seep in. They are pretty darned waterproof and critter-proof, although the tests revealed that those roll-tops are NOT 100% odor proof. This food storage approach works with all rodents, I believe, but certainly not bears or Valerie’s Grand Canyon ravens. I have had great success in both Yellowstone and Glacier N.P., as well as on my usual jaunts around Colorado where bear canisters aren’t required. I especially like the fact that no rain gets into my food. And the 1.43 cuben bags have shown no real sigh of wear in 5 years (although I am pretty careful about how I treat them). In the past I have had several silnylon food bags get destroyed by big squirrels and raccoons, so this new system is far better (for me).

[James Marco]

Gary, sorry for the delay, I was out for a couple weeks or so. Anyway, I was using UltraUltraLight cuben bags for a short period of time. These were around .54 cuben not the 1.43 stuff. As I said, the light bags shredded easily, more from inside.

1.43 is around the same weight as silnylon (1.3-1.4oz/yd) For the cost of a few scraps, these are relatively easy to make and cheap, on the order of $20 dollars per 3 bags. A typical cuben bag, made with 1.43oz/yd cuben, is around $30 for one bag.

Never had a problem with smellables. I believe the critters know a bag is there and what is in it, they just cannot get at it with a good hang and don’t even try.

[Anthony A]

I also just made some bear bag kits. I am having trouble with water running down into the bag where the webbing is attached. If anyone has suggestions for resolving this issue I would greatly appreciate it!!!

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