[pct-l] Using the Ursack without the aluminum

[dsaufley]

Gary:

> "The bears in the parks are smart, resourceful and determined."

You are so right about that.  In 2006 I had the good fortune to talk with
the backcountry ranger that was stationed at Rae Lakes in 2005 -- the place
and year the bears figured out how to open the old style Bear Vaults by
popping them open.  The bears were observed on multiple occasions walking
past the newer version, which looked very similar but could not be opened,
in favor of the older faulty version. The bears knew exactly what they were
doing and didn't waste any time trying to open cans they couldn't.  I've
also heard of bears raiding car camper campsites with poorly stored food and
beverages, and the bears only went after the good beer, not the cheap brand.
Gotta love 'em.

I've found my bear can to be a useful, multiple purpose item, used not only
for food storage but for hauling water, washing clothes away from water
sources, and it's an awesome stool. More than any other item in my pack,
it's allowed me to sleep more soundly and have one less worry. 

L-Rod

-----Original Message-----
From: pct-l-bounces at backcountry.net [mailto:pct-l-bounces at backcountry.net]
On Behalf Of gwschenk at socal.rr.com
Sent: Thursday, April 22, 2010 11:26 AM
To: 'PCT MailingList'; Matt Thyer
Subject: Re: [pct-l] Using the Ursack without the aluminum

---- Matt Thyer <matt_thyer at hotmail.com> wrote: 

> On another note, I'm looking at pile of email from people saying that
Ursack
> is no longer compliant with regulations regarding bear protection yet
cannot
> find (even on the NPS site) any reference to those regulations.   Rules in
> this case are appearing to me very arbitrary and the standard for tested
> compliance is illusory as best as I can tell. 

IMHO, the rules are not arbitrary. The bears in the parks are smart,
resourceful and determined. The only thing that will protect your food, the
bear and you is a bear canister, bear locker or sheer dumb luck. The Ursack
doesn't do its intended job in places like national parks. Maybe the bear
won't get your food in a Ursack, but you'll be stuck with a wad of bear
slobbered muck.

Outside of the parks it is an unnecessary expense as simple and cheap nylon
stuff sacks will do the same job of containing your food.

That's my experience, anyway. YMMV.

Gary
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