How to Use an Ursack

[John S.]

Bearikade has been destroyed too. There is nothing totally bearproof.

[Michael D]

The incident happened at Mile 78 of the CT, in the thruhiker campground on the banks of Jefferson Creek–a beautiful spot, but in retrospect a bad risk, probably due to the nearby Forest Service campgrounds.

[Murali C]

I did the CT in 2020 with an Ursack (with Opsack rolled multiple times like a dry bag). I went back and looked at my journal to see where I camped. I passed the campsite at mile 78 or so with a creek and a spacious campground. I probably would have camped there – but a big party of 6 AT thru hikers were camped there. So, I took water and went to mile 80 and camped – which had great views.

I guess moral of the story is – avoid popular big camp spots – especially near water as those campsites will be very popular. And a habituated bear knows where the easy pickings are.

I didn’t have any bear encounters with my Ursack. But I do know of one Ursack-bear encounter that year 2020.

[Murali C]

https://www.rei.com/product/182980/ursack-aluminum-bear-sack-liner-15-liters

This is 13.6 ounces….maybe need to start carrying this. You can always carry this outside the pack perhaps? if you can then it will be easier to carry than a bear can.

[jscott]

A Bearikade scout weighs one pound 12 ounces. 500 cubic inch volume. The Ursak with an aluminum liner is very close to that in terms of weight. I can’t translate the volume of the liner into cubic inches. I’m guessing they’re similar as well? At that point…if not for the money, Bearikade is the better choice. That said, the aluminum liner looks to solve one big issue with URsak, namely bear chomping on food (the slobber on the sack will remain tho and it’s really nasty.) The Scout fits very nicely in a pack.

[AK Granola]

I want to see definitive proof in a reliable story from a reliable source that is confirmed that showed a bear destroying a Bearikade in the wild. One that was properly sealed. I won’t argue that it cannot happen, because bears in Alaska tear open garage doors and padlocked freezers. But, I want to see the proof. I believe – subject to change if confronted with evidence – that if 99% of hikers consistently and correctly use bear canisters, bears will stop trying to get human food. I think we have pretty much seen that happen in Yosemite, and it has worked well in Denali. That’s the primary goal = don’t feed the bears. Not make your pack lighter or to ensure your food is fresh (i.e., non-slobbered). It’s for the bears.

[Murali C]

jscott – I have a Bearikade Blazer as I will not be able to fit my food in a Scout. Problems with these canisters are they are a pain to fit into a backpack comfortably. I like the Grubcan which is narrow and tall. If that gets approved in Sierras, then it may fit more backpacks. I would take the Ursak with the liner just because I can fit the Ursak better inside the backpack and I am hoping the liner can be carried on top rolled like a ccf pad. Grubcan is approved by IGBC – not in Yosemite yet. I think this may fit backpacks much better and there will be less resistance to carrying a can.

If BV’s have been defeated, then there should be a different solution….not everybody can afford Bearikades – so it is moot how great it is or it has never been defeated by a bear etc.

[Todd T]

That’s the primary goal = don’t feed the bears. Not make your pack lighter or …

Well, I guess that depends on how we define primary.  If making packs lighter doesn’t matter, we should just require everyone to carry one of these:

The simple reality is that weight in the pack matters and it matters a lot.  Drawing a hard line is not exactly straightforward.

FWIW, I’ve seen pictures of failed Bearikades (can’t remember where) and they’re not approved by IGBC, so I don’t think they naturally set a safe weight standard.

…if 99% of hikers consistently and correctly use bear canisters, bears will stop trying to get human food…

I think that’s probably true.  I also think it was at one time true of simply hanging food, even poorly.  It’s the no-protection crowd that ruined it for the rest of us.

[Murali C]

Andrew Skurka has a spreadsheet of bear incidents in this article here: https://andrewskurka.com/bear-canister-failures/

Spreadsheet: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1EC5r-N_pVGMh9YO6h9mRW-4WjjtGI5mzGL8g6t2q51A/edit#gid=1177073923

You will see several – I mean several incidents of bear canisters disappearing in the night never to be seen again. That is the weakness of bear canisters. One doesn’t have to be broken into – it can be carried away while Ursack is tethered to a tree. There is also one incident where a bear got frustrated with the bear can and tore the tent :-)

[AK Granola]

I have to hand it to a bear who learns to roll canisters off cliffs. Nevertheless, looking through these incidents, most are hiker error, not clever bear. I hope I am never camped near the “I left my peanut M&Ms in my pack” people. I did clean up a pound or more of trash left at Paiute creek; it was all scattered about. I guessed that a squirrel or some smaller animal did the trashing, because there was still uneaten food and I doubt a bear would have left that behind. But apparently plenty of people still don’t secure their food. Canister not secured properly is not the fault of the canister.

I’ll continue to use the Bearikade with high confidence.

[Chris K]

Does anyone use the Ursack + liner? I noticed Ursack doesn’t sell it any more…

[Terran Terran]

I don’t think the liner sold well. Adding up the weight and the price, the benefits over a bear can became negligible.

[David D]

A new lightweight competitor to the Ursack:

https://adotecgear.com/product/ultralight-food-locker-grizzly-bear/

• lighter than Ursack (6.7oz vs 7.6oz for the Major)
• Bigger than Ursack: 14L vs 10.7L.  I’m cutting calories on 6-7 day trips using the Ursack, this could be a game changer.
  • My 20L Almight Grizzly weights 14oz so doesn’t get much use
• certified Grizzly Bear Resistant by the Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee (IGBC)
• water resistant.  My 10.7L Ursack Almighty gains 6 oz when wet

One question I hope to see answered over time by users is how effective it’ll be against rodents, like the Ursack Almighty.  Rodents are a more probable threat to my food than bears

[dirtbag]

I have a solution to wet ursacks from rain or snow. I use a dcf or silpoly stuff sack with a small hole in the bottom. I slide it over the Ursack and pull the cords through the small hole,  so basically the stuff sack is upside down.  This has helped keep the Ursack dry when it rains out. It works. I was annoyed with a soaping wet ursack to pack up every time it rained overnight..

[David D]

It works in a light rain using a small kitchen garbage bag too, but I was surprised to find that the Ursack still soaked in heavy extended overnight rain.  Water ran down the cords through the night

I joined the dark side and sleep with the Ursack/Opsak if rain is heavy.

Some people put the Ursack in the Opsak but then you can’t hang the Ursack and it’ll absorb the food smells

[Jerry Adams]

someone in Trinity Alps had their ursack broken into by a bear.  It ripped it open and ate the food.  Maybe this is rare, ursack usually works.

I have never had a bear get into my food, but I have had rodents a few times

I just put my food in my pack and hang it from tree.  It’s waterproof.

I don’t see the value of having an ursack – you still have to hang it from a tree out of reach of any bears.  I may as well do that with my pack.

[DWR D]

If a bear rips open your Ursack, that’s a problem; if you hang your food in your backpack and a bear rips open your pack, that’s a disaster!!!

[Terran Terran]

What’s “out of reach” to a bear? The value of a Ursack is that they’re required in many places where bears are a problem or the people are anyway. In such a place, it’s likely to be found and if left long enough, destroyed by said problem bear.

[AK Granola]

The greatest use of ursacks or bear canisters or hanging one’s food is to prevent a “problem bear” from ever happening. Trying to solve the problem after a bear has become conditioned to getting human food is a lot more complicated, and in some cases impossible. Prevention is key. It’s one of the reasons Denali NP has such a great track record with bears; they started enforcing use of bear canisters right when they first were available.

[George H]

I’m a bear canister user.

Ursacks do not meet the ethical code for wildlife protection I have set for myself. Not even close.

[Todd T]

I don’t see the value of having an ursack …

The Ursack shines in the scrub zone just below treeline.  No trees high enough for a good hang but plenty of small stuff to tie an Ursack to.

…you still have to hang it from a tree out of reach of any bears. I may as well do that with my pack.

If you can keep it out of reach of the bears (most places below treeline), a simple silnylon bag is fine, no need for an Ursack.  Above treeline, only a bear can really works.  Mine weighs 2lb 2oz more than my Ursack.  So for my money, though it’s only a best fit in a few cases, the Ursack is well worth it in those cases.

[Jerry Adams]

That makes sense

And I would feel terrible if a bear got into my food and later had to be euthanized

I use bear canister if required, like at places in Olympic national park.  I have seen bears that are not afraid of humans.  It would be easy to progress from there to getting into people’s food

[Terran Terran]

Responsible use of a Ursack won’t create problem bears.

[Author]

Posts