Switched my food storage from a stuff sack to a bear can on the JMT last summer

I always thought bear cans were just extra weight and hassle, but after a ranger in Yosemite told me about a group that lost their whole food bag to a smart bear near Thousand Island Lake, I gave in. Bought a BearVault BV500 and carried it for 210 miles. It was a pain to pack, but not a single critter bothered my food, even when I left it out near camp. Has anyone else had a bear can actually save a trip, or do you still roll with an Ursack?

2 comments

2 Comments

phoenix8456d ago

Honestly I was the same way until a squirrel chewed through my dry bag and stole an entire bag of trail mix at Kings Canyon. That was my breaking point. I caved and got a BV500 too and honestly I’m a convert now. Ngl the thing is a pain to cram into my pack and it rattles like a maraca when I hike but waking up to find my food untouched is worth the extra ounce or two of misery. Tbh I’ll probably just stick with it even if it makes me look like a turtle carrying my house on my back.

uma8965d ago

Fair point. Better a noisy tortoise than a hungry one.