Nunatak Bears Ears Pack

[Brad Rogers]

I have no experience with this pack, but I just noticed a new pack from Nunatak that I thought was interesting and pretty innovative.  Obviously this is designed for carrying bear canisters, but for that niche it seems like it has potential.   The rest of the pack doesn’t have a frame, but with the majority of your weight in the bear can that is right on the hipbelt it might not need one.

I like to see innovative ideas, and this seems to be an innovative pack.

https://nunatakusa.com/bear-canister-compatible-ul-packs-spring-21/232-bears-ears-50.html#/bears_ears_sizes-medium_18_19_/bears_ears_hipbelt-medium_32_34/bears_ears_foam_panel-include_foam_panel/bears_ears_water_bottle_holder-one_liter_smart_water_style_bottle/bears_ears_shoulder_strap_pocket-no_pockets_needed

[Diane “Piper” Soini]

Bear canister on the bottom would hurt me.

[Michael B]

Diane, it seems like it is in an optimal location from load-carrying perspective and well-padded from rubbing on the user, why do you think it would hurt you?

[BlackHatGuy]

that is an interesting concept. I’m not a fan of the water bottle carrier, and I like hipbelt pockets, so this pack isn’t for me, but I like the thought behind it.

[Dan @ Durston Gear]

“it seems like it is in an optimal location from load-carrying perspective”
From a purely load carrying perspective, the conventional wisdom is that you want the heavy stuff up high (hence the top heavy look of most external frame packs from the 70’s).

Having the weight up high means you only have to lean forward slightly to center the mass because bending forward a few degrees at the hips might move your shoulders forward a few inches whereas your lower back hardly moves. Putting the weight low requires more forward lean while walking which tends to mean more lower back soreness and staring at your feet.

I suspect the rationale for the Bear’s Ears 50 is different. I doubt it’s about better load carry in a traditional sense (if it was, it’d probably have other load carrying features like load lifters and a frame). Rather, there are other reasons why it could make sense:
1) If you’re on difficult terrain like scrambling talus, a top heavy pack is less stable as it leverages you from side to side. A lower center of mass is preferred for nimble pursuits.

2) If you’re a lightweight hiker, you’re not carrying so much weight that factors like center of mass are that important. As the pack get lighter, other considerations come to the forefront like useability. Here the Bear Ears looks to make a lot of sense, as you don’t have a canister on top (that you have to remove every time you open the pack) or inside (where it’s hard to pack stuff around and get stuff from underneath). From a packing/organizational perspective, the bottom carry sure looks superior. I suspect this the primary rationale.

[Michael B]

Likely. I carry a BV450, and I don’t like to work around that even. I was thinking a lower center of mass would be better, but wasn’t thinking about the other items you mentioned. The bear can does make a good quilt compressor in the pack though, so buyers of this pack will get to deal with that…😁

[Alex Wallace]

Here’s a link to a review of the prototype that was posted to Reddit a few months ago: Nunatak’s “Bears Ears” Backpack Prototype Review.

[Robert Spencer]

Nice to see something new and innovative.

The review mentions how the bear can protects the pack from abuse, but I’m not too excited to see my Bearikade getting beat up like that.  (Maybe it’s the steep cost, but I like to keep my bear can pristine for some reason.)

I also wonder how hot my food would get after a day of sun exposure.

Water bottles on the hips could be a good carry spot, but do they swing around at all? If so, not good.

[Michael B]

Maybe one could wrap the bear can with their EVA foam pad if they had one, would protect the can and help keep it from getting too cooked.

[David Chenault]

Lots of innovation going on there (check out the hipbelt tensioning rig).  And vintage axe bonus points.  I am struggling to see how anything short of seriously cramming the sculpted bit of the main pack full down around the bear can would not result in serious torso collapse and hinging around the bag/can interface.  Jan, care to comment?

[nunatak]

Hey all,

This is not for everyone, thank god. I developed it as my dream one quiver pack that does what I want it to do on any type of rugged trip, bears or not. The earliest iteration is now five years old; so that’s as long as I have been using this concept.

It’s working pretty good, even sloppily packed and lightly loaded in the top compartment.

It carries really well with an Ursack, packraft or other type gear bag instead of a canister.

The low location of the bear can is perhaps the only placement that allow both a frameless design and effective weight transfer to the hips.

The easily accessed bottle holders swing, yes, but they do not drop bottles when tying your shoes.

If the Bearikade can’t be scratched, one can bundle a Thinlight pad or sit pad underneath to cushion the  blows.

Hipbelt pockets are in the works.

Having no frame and no ‘bottom’ makes it durable and long lasting. Belt (or belt foam only) can be replaced. Shoulder straps can be removed with a seam picker in 5 minutes without tearing into the pack body. The back panel foam can be removed. The bottle holders can be replaced. The shoulder strap pockets are removable.

 

 

[obx hiker]

Crap. One more really interesting gear item that seems to deserve attention and consideration. I took a bearicade 4 days through Salt Creek a couple of years ago using that harness rig expressly designed for the purpose attached to the top of an MLD Burn 38. Also used a hammock with a nunatak arc as my top quilt BTW but that’s’ a side track. Anyway The Burn has the center over the top strap and the 2 side tensioning straps so along with the harness there were good and well spaced attachment points for the bearicade harness and I got it really snugly attached. It never came close to coming off or getting out of whack/kattywhumpus in a way that I had to stop and re-configure or straighten something out. Still it couldn’t help but move from side to side and back and forth. With the inevitable ups and downs and etc and especially doing off-trail side trips in the side canyons and situations requiring hands there was some movement. Disconcerting a bit when you get hit in the head (or tapped really) by the bearcan and rig while doing some “4-wheeling” downclimb with your pack on. Plus it’s that weight flopping around like Dan Durston mentioned. Just the wrong time to get thrown off balance.

This looks like a good solution to the problem off hauling along your bearcan without needing some super big pack! As more and more public lands are requiring cans any ideas to help accommodate that necessity are interesting.

[Flat Hat]

I really like the idea of being able to carry my bear can (Bearikade Blazer) fully loaded and accessible throughout the day.  I’ve looked at all the pics and info available on the nunatak website.

Things I’d like to have as options (for me):

Some compression cords for the sides, and some elastic cords crossing the mesh pocket (to reduce pack size depending on loads, and to hang my daily washed underwear and socks to dry, or maybe cary a pair of crocs easily accessible for water crossings season dependent.

Hip belt pockets that are waterproof with water proof zippers.

Load shifters (not load levelers because this pack if frameless), to cinch the top of the pack closer to my body .  Not having these straps as an option is what had kept me from buying HMG packs for instance.

Maybe the “option” of being able to insert some flat aluminum pieces into sleeves inside the pack to function as sort of a frame, that can be formed to the shape of my pack for instance on the JMT after an MTR resupply, I’m carrying an extra 20 lbs of food/bear can weight, plus water (sometimes 2 liters, depending on conditions/weather could be 3L)

I wonder how the pack can carry the advertised “35 lbs” max, I guess the bear can adds some support.

The pics I saw on the website showed a pretty bulky pack, extending far away from the models back – I think compressions cords/straps would be able to tighten that up a bit.

All in all, the Bears Ears looks like a pretty innovate piece of kit!  Kudos to Nunatak for solving the UL pack problem of the bear can dilemma :  Small pack can’t fit a full size can inside, full can too heavy to strap on top. (I’ve been putting my food in an odor sack deep in my pack and strapping the empty bear can on top.  Chinese fire drill 2x a day with the food bag shuffle.

Count me in to buy one!

[Doug Coe]

I love the innovative thinking! I too would not want my expensive Bearikade to get scraped up, nor would I want it to get mud and water around the opening when I set the pack down.

Whether it feels great when carried, there’s no way to tell without trying one, I figure.

My approach is to make a MYOG pack that can hold a bear can horizontally inside at/near the top—and make the rest of the pack below it much less deep.

I haven’t used it for a trip yet, so I don’t really know how well it will carry. But it has promise and I think it’s pretty innovative too!

[Bonzo]

I hate to ask this, but since two people have now said:

The review mentions how the bear can protects the pack from abuse, but I’m not too excited to see my Bearikade getting beat up like that.

I too would not want my expensive Bearikade to get scraped up…

…what happens if a bear gets their paws on the bear canister?

;)

On the subject of the pack: I think it’s pretty innovative.  I like the idea and execution, although I’m not sure that it would function well for me, personally.

[James L]

I had the chance to borrow two Bears Ears prototypes for a couple weeks. Of course, it was winter and I didn’t have time to take it on a real trip 😔. We loaded them with about 30 lbs and went for a day hike. My wife didn’t find it comfortable but fell in 😍❤️😍 with the water bottle holsters. Sure, they hit the ground, but with the bear can on the bottom you’re probably changing how you set down your pack anyways.

I found it comfy and really liked it. Jan sought out quite a bit of feedback from a number of testers on this pack. Honestly, I had my doubts not having suspension but the bag was stable and spread the load nicely. And it’s so nice having easy access to the bear can and no bear can lump from the can inside a pack.

As far as Bearikades go, I emailed them and Allen said after 22 seasons of rentals, “You should be fine.”

My wife had the Bearikade on the one she was carrying. Jan either made the pockets bigger or stretchier after this prototype. These two prototypes were different materials and weighed about 3 oz different

[Geoff Caplan]

Two thoughts.

First, weight distribution. Unless I’m missing something, there’s nothing that says you have to carry your food in the can during the day. You could pack your food wherever you feel is optimal inside the main pack and use the can for your quilt and clothing.

Second, use without a can. I’ve been giving some thought to how to design a pack that allows quick access to my down gear during the day so it can be aired during rest periods. Normally the best place to pack it is at the bottom of the main compartment, so getting it out is a hassle. With this design, you could use the can straps to carry your down in a light drybag with very easy access.

As always, innovative thinking from the folks at Nunatak…

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