Using Your New Backpacking Bear Canister

It did take me some time to get use to carrying the large and bulky backpacking bear canisters required by law in certain areas with high levels of bear habitations. I started hiking in the Sierra's in the 1970's all along the John Muir Wilderness Trail through Yosemite Nation Park and Kings Canyon National Park. Back then we used the old fashioned "throw your food sack over the tree branch method", which did work for the most part but was difficult at best to accomplish and really not completely safe from bears or raccoons. Bear proof food containers can weigh between 2 to 4 pounds and take up 6 to 15 liters of storage space inside your pack, making them at first glance an item not worthy to carry. After getting over the "I don't want to change attitude" and learning to deal with the added weight and bulk, I don't think I am going to backpack anywhere without a canister even in areas not required.

Bear vaults or canisters purpose is to make food and other scented items secure from bears, raccoons, rodents and other critters attracted to human food. They are made with hard sides from plastics (polycarbonates) to aluminum in construction. In most cases the lids are recessed in order to prevent it being pried off and made with tabs to push in while unscrewing. They are designed so that the bear cannot get to the food or get a hold of it and carry the food container off. 

How to use a bear proof food container:

• Simply leave the container a good 100 feet from camp by itself with lid down (incase it rains and the lid leaks).
• Do not leave the container in your pack or anything else a bear could get a hold off to carry it off.
• Do not leave it setting by a cliff or stream where it can be knocked into and lost.
• Make sure all food items, trash, and scented items like toothpaste, lip balm and sun screen travel in the can. Store anything with an odor inside the container
• Strong enough to be used as chair or table at the campsite

 I usually leave the first day's food rations outside of the container to allow more room for storing the rest of my food needed on the trip.  Also in an attempt to maximize space inside the container try repackaging boxed foods into more form fitting containers or bags and plan and package your meals completely by the day. Lay out each meal and divide and repackage the different foods into one bag needed for each meal. This helps avoid taking too much or not enough food and makes it easier to get Wednesday's food out which has been repackaged in to one bag without emptying the whole container to get all the different needed foods to make that meal. The canister will probably be the heaviest item in your pack so the best way to carry it would be in the middle of your pack close to your back. Whether or not each hiker carries their own container or you double up your food rations into one will depend on your needs for that trip.

 Things to remember:

• The container only works if closed and locked! Be sure to keep it closed and locked even while at the campsite before bed time.
• These containers are not completely air tight which means odors will escape and animals can be drawn to the odors. So place the container at least 100 feet away from your camp.
• Choosing dense high caloric foods is always best when expending the energy needed for backpacking and do pack smaller in the vault.
• Check weight and fit: Just because the law may require the use of a bear canister doesn't mean you need to over-load your pack. Weight is still important as well as space within your pack.
• The size of the container remains constant from the start of the trip till the end. As food is eaten from the vault and room becomes available I start putting other items into the can to decrease the overall size of my pack. 

So you can see the real advantage to using a bear canister while backpacking is keeping your food safe. And if you have ever had your food supply stolen by critters you know this is a tremendous benefit. They are a large strong container which can also be used to gather water from streams to bring back to the campsite, used as a table, a chair, etc. And they also make great storage containers while at home between trips for your odd and ends like, GPS, compass, fire starter, etc. But in my mind here is the greatest gift of the crush proof bear container. It keeps my chips form crushing if you can find room for them in the can.