[pct-l] Bear Cans

[CHUCK CHELIN]

Good evening, Mike,



I don’t think you can go wrong with any of the qualified bear ‘cans.  I
bought a Garcia some years ago for what is probably not the best reason.  At
that time the tenor of the advertising campaigns was this:



Competitor A said, “We’re just as good as a Garcia.”

Competitor B said, “We’re just as good as a Garcia.”

Competitor C said, “We’re just as good as a Garcia.”



So…. I bought a Garcia.



I carry the ‘can inside my pack; upright, sitting on my ground cloth and
tarp, with the sleeping bag poked around it.  Other stuff goes on top.  The
rounded plastic where the ends meet the sides helps avoid a sharp corner
riding against my lower back.  It seems to ride OK; about the only thing I
notice is the several extra pounds.



For those among you who plan to carry the ‘can outside the pack – tied on
top, for example – here’s a caution:  When leaving the ‘can out at night
it’s important to not have it in anything a bear could grasp in its teeth:
not in a pack, not in a plastic bag, not in a carrying case, and not with
any kind of lashing or handles in place. If a bear ran off with the ‘can he
wouldn’t be able to get into it, but he may carry it a mile before he drops
it. Bear ‘cans are intentionally designed to be kind of round and smooth so
a bear can’t get a grip with his jaws. That makes the ‘can a rather
difficult shape to tie to the outside of a pack. Some manufacturers sell
fabric carrying cases that have handles that can be used as tie-downs, and
I’ve seen hikers make their own strap arrangements – even handles made of
duct tape. These things should be avoided if there is any chance a bear
could grasp them in its jaws.
http://www.trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?id=265401



Steel-Eye

Hiking the Pct since before it was the PCT – 1965

http://www.trailjournals.com/steel-eye

http://www.trailjournals.com/SteelEye09


On Wed, Jan 12, 2011 at 11:50 AM, Mike Jurasius <
debrisflowavalanche at gmail.com> wrote:

> While we're on the bear can discussion, I wanted to get an idea of what
> most found to be the best design. I purchased an aluminum 11-day can with
> removable ends on both sides. As Piper mentioned, these cans are awkward and
> uncomfortable for packing. Some cans are slightly bigger in diameter than
> others, etc. Then there's plastic and carbon fiber varieties.  I'm not
> certain how well any of these cans strap to the top of a UL pack, like the
> Gossamer Mariposa or Six Moon Design. Do most try to fit the can inside the
> pack?
>
> Has anyone tried the Kevlar bags?  I know they're rodent, marmot proof, but
> not sure they could handle mauling on by a bear! Sure would be great to safe
> proof food in a more flexible container, that was approved by the park
> system.
>
> Mike
>
>
>
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