rangewalker
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Post by rangewalker on Sept 7, 2020 19:11:20 GMT -8
Why would a hiker carry an empty bear canister?
I watched Sunburst (CDT) hiking a empty bear canister in her C-19 unsupported hike, no community contact, on the Tahoe Rim Trail on her video blog. It was pretty obviously a Bearvault BV 500. Her trip plan was for five days. I was puzzled. Kinda shows my framed pack chauvinism.
My impression of the challenge of the ultralight and low volume packs on the current market cannot accommodate a BV 500 internally. The only option would be strapped it on outside, right? No? The idea of eight to fifteen pounds of canister flopping around outside of a pack never appealed to me. Strapping a empty canister to me seemed inspired. I know there are on these forums some that do it, and probably well.
I know there are on these forums some that do it with full canisters, and probably well.
Sunburst had her food in 1-2 dynema food bags in her pack and only put the food and smelly goods in the canister at camp at the end of the day. Who here uses the same practice? I have a Gregory Contour 60 that is great lightweight pack but because of its odd layered compartment design barely accommodates a BV450 internally and has only gone out with an Ursack.
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rebeccad
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Post by rebeccad on Sept 8, 2020 7:25:52 GMT -8
Since my pack can accommodate a bear can, even if only barely (bear-ly?), I haven’t thought of or tried that. But if I had to put it on the outside, I would definitely think about putting it out there empty (now that you raise the possibility), since anywhere you strapped it on my pack would mess with the dynamics, and a full can would *really* mess up the carry.
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rangewalker
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Post by rangewalker on Sept 8, 2020 18:08:33 GMT -8
I would definitely think about putting it out there empty (now that you raise the possibility), I mean it is still a bad "look" for us that like a tight pack, few if no hangers, but it got me to wonder why this is not more popular? Two years ago, I helped my adult daughter fit a pack and I brought along a canister make sure her pack would at least swallow a BV 450. When I watched the video, I checked the comments and sure enough, there was a whole posse mansplaining to the woman (nuclear submarine engineer BTW) how wrong it was. |
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zeke
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Post by zeke on Sept 9, 2020 3:30:18 GMT -8
My first concern would be that any time the pack was left, say for a bush break, the food would need to be put inside the canister. Seems like a lot of trouble. May be necessary in some cases, but still not my first option.
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rebeccad
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Post by rebeccad on Sept 9, 2020 6:07:16 GMT -8
My first concern would be that any time the pack was left, say for a bush break, the food would need to be put inside the canister. Seems like a lot of trouble. May be necessary in some cases, but still not my first option. Maybe in serious bear country you’d need to be that careful, but I never remove, for example, the snacks in the pockets when I drop the pack for a quick break of that nature. This isn’t something I see as a *good* option—but if the can won’t fit inside (as is probably the case for many through-hikers who only need it for a few stretches of the trail and don’t want a bigger pack), it’s a way to make it work. Mostly just thinking that IF the can HAS to be outside, then having it be empty is probably better than full, since less weight will throw the pack off less. |
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Post by High Sierra Fan on Sept 9, 2020 9:30:33 GMT -8
I’d agree. If the can just doesn’t fit in the pack the trade off of an additional step at a break versus the constant disruption of an ill balanced pack load seems an easy bargain to make.
On longer routes I’ve occasionally started off with poorly distributed food loads and hated every step until I got it sorted out.
The one thing I’d be wary of is with the rounded shape of a can getting it solidly attached so it didn’t sway would be a challenge. Even empty they weigh enough having that move would be annoying, to me anyway.
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walkswithblackflies
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Post by walkswithblackflies on Sept 9, 2020 11:27:36 GMT -8
The one thing I’d be wary of is with the rounded shape of a can getting it solidly attached From what I hear, this is a problem with SPOTs as well. |
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rebeccad
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Post by rebeccad on Sept 10, 2020 6:27:56 GMT -8
The one thing I’d be wary of is with the rounded shape of a can getting it solidly attached From what I hear, this is a problem with SPOTs as well. 🤣🤣🤣 |
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Post by tomqvaxy on Feb 15, 2021 5:29:22 GMT -8
a full cannister is too heavy
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ErnieW
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Post by ErnieW on Feb 15, 2021 10:09:43 GMT -8
I tend to follow the rule that anything attached to the outside of your pack can come off without your knowing.
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Post by swmtnbackpacker on Feb 16, 2021 12:06:26 GMT -8
UL packs in the 50L range are often designed to keep a BV500 inside vertically but not all. Getting to 40L ish, I’ve seen packs with top straps to lash a bear canister on the top as a “V” or just two separate straps. I wouldn’t trust just one top strap.
Most UL packs are designed for trail use and not bushwhacking, so a lost bear can may just mean getting to the next trail town faster. Any sort of off-trail endeavor in bear country I’d prefer the bear can in the pack.
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