Bear Canisters

[Bob]

Ursacks and anything that keeps smells in if crushable will not pass IGBC.....if place requires IGBC approved containers. I would use them to help keep odors to a minimum where you hang food. They also help for rodents getting into food, say ringtail cats, raccoons, marmots, etc...

 

[Corona]

taken from URSACK website- looks like they are making progress to it. not certain how long to get the cert.

April 18, 2014
We are still awaiting the official certification letter and number from the IGBC, but can share some of the details. At IGBC insistence, we baited an Ursack S29 AllWhite, knotted it securely and placed it on the ground with no aluminum liner and not tied to a tree. The first two grizzlies went at it for an active 57 minutes. One of the bears was nick-named "The Destroyer," but neither he nor his sister were able to compromise the Ursack. The Grizzly Wolf and Discovery Center rotates bears in and out at approximately one hour intervals. So the Destroyer went back to his quarters and five, count 'em, five more grizzlies came out to work on the same Ursack. The IGBC testing protocol requires a total of 60 minutes of active bear encounters, so even though we needed just a few minutes more to pass the test, there was no way to get the Ursack out until the five bears finished their shift. Not to worry. Ursack made if for another hour. A total of seven grizzly bears and two hours of active clawing, biting and scratching--yet Ursack survived. After washing the Ursack one could barely (bearly?) tell that it had been attacked.

 

[steve]

that would be great news if the ursack gets certified.

 

[andyjaggy]

Cool. That looks like a lot better option than a canister.

 

[Bob]

I remember seeing close to the same from Ursak back in 2012...... don't hold your breath. The problem is the bear crushing and puncturing the container.

 

[steve]

For the ursack users out there:

If I had a can of tuna in there, and a bear bit the ursack it 'till it punctures the tuna, I assume the tuna juice would flow out the bottom?

 

[Bob]

probably......instead of separate food packets you would have one big conglomerate of food in the ursak after a bear bites it, smashes it and mauls the sack......

 

[Nick]

For the ursack users out there:

If I had a can of tuna in there, and a bear bit the ursack it 'till it punctures the tuna, I assume the tuna juice would flow out the bottom?

Yep. I believe it would. There is a waterproof liner you are supposed to use with it. I'm not sure how that or a can would hold up to bear teeth crushing the ursack, but it definitely seems like a determined bear could squeeze some juice out. They also have an optional metal tube liner that is supposed to cut keep it from getting crushed.

 

[steve]

probably......instead of separate food packets you would have one big conglomerate of food in the ursak after a bear bites it, smashes it and mauls the sack......

That's ok, that just saves me steps of food prep. Before I had to mix the tuna, peanut butter, and hummus by hand. Now I can just open up my ursack and my meal is ready to go. It may even be rehydrated with bear saliva.

That being said, I'm glad somebody is trying to come up with a lightweight bear canister. 3lbs empty sucks.

 

[steve]

Yep. I believe it would. There is a waterproof liner you are supposed to use with it. I'm not sure how that or a can would hold up to bear teeth crushing the ursack, but it definitely seems like a determined bear could squeeze some juice out. They also have an optional metal tube liner that is supposed to cut keep it from getting crushed.

Bummer. I would think that juice or dust would condition bears to seek out ursacks for food. I have the OP sacks (the waterproof, odor-proof liener). They're like super thick ziplocks that lock out the odor. I think I could bite through it if needed.

From the info on their website, it seems like the sacks do better without the aluminum insert (contrary to what I would have assumed).

 

[Bob]

Ya, I use opsaks too. I have a large one that fits in my food sack I hang....extra precaution. I also use them when bping places not so much bears around but for rodents. I've seen where they say they are not smell proof, but rodents didn't bother mine in the GC, and they did others that food wasn't in a opsak. I use the opsak for toothpaste, medicines etc.

 

[steve]

I've seen where they say they are not smell proof

does OPsak say this, or someone else? I'm not surprised to hear this, but it'st he first time I have heard it.

 

[Bob]

Other people have posted it........ Haven't really looked into it. I still use them. You have to be careful not to get stuff on the outside of the bag.

 

[Mike K]

As a side note, I did find some places online that rent. And I did notice that the newer Ursack 29 is IGBC approved. Although I'm not sure if you're required (or if it's a good idea) to use the aluminum liner and/or OPSak. Anyone know? The price and weight seem better than the canisters.

 

[Yvonne]

As a side note, I did find some places online that rent. And I did notice that the newer Ursack 29 is IGBC approved. Although I'm not sure if you're required (or if it's a good idea) to use the aluminum liner and/or OPSak. Anyone know? The price and weight seem better than the canisters.

Mike, it seems they do only offer the Garcia. That one is even heavier than my bear vault BV 450 or the larger BV 500.