Just curious as to what people do with their food. As I have seen in many posts it really comes down to one of three choices

1. Hang food in a tree

2. Bear vault/ blue barrel/ ursack or some other Bear “proof” container

3. Not a damn thing. Keep the food in packs and just store away from tents and canoes. Not too worried about bears in general.

Just curious as to what number you fall under.

Personally I fall under category 3. I may be ignorant ( been called that many times for many reasons) but been up there well over 30 trips and never had anybody larger than a beaver in camp.

I’m sure it’s bound to happen, but I just make sure I’m not the slowest person 8n the group and I feel pretty safe. Lol.

Let’s hear from the group........

P.s. this is just for fun. Thanks

I go with #3 mostly and occasionally #1. But I just keep a clean camp and am careful with with what kinds of food I bring and how I pack it. The only problems I have had are several times way back with raccoons (probably due to an unclean camp) and once with a curious and persistent porcupine (?).

I go with #1 or #2. I don't want to be part of the problem leading to a bear having to be put down because it becomes accustomed to being routinely fed by paddlers. I'm not worried about losing the food, I could easily make it out to an EP usually within 5 - 6 hours. The biggest problem in my opinion are the mice, chipmunks and squirrels. That's what originally made me go from #3 to #1 or #2.

Edit: When I use my Bear Vaults I stash them outside of camp. When I use my blue barrel I hang it. I don't ever use just a "food pack" because of the little critters. Last year our dried foods and mixes were delivered to my paddling partners house in the middle of the city in the late afternoon. By the time he arrived home at 5:30 p.m. almost $200.00 in food was strewn all over his front porch and yard (squirrels). There were only two packages of pan fry bread that didn't have teeth marks or punctures. I don't want this happening on a paddling trip.

I've always hung my food pack. Last year I took a vault and liked it. I will take the vault next trip.

I fall into group 2. We've been using blue barrels for about 6 years now and have been very satisfied.

1 and 2

We have always gone with number one. Will stay with what has always worked until we have a problem.

100% #2. Hanging is hard to get right and not especially effective against little critters, and not doing anything is an invitation for a bag full of mice and chipmunks.

mutz: "We have always gone with number one. Will stay with what has always worked until we have a problem. "

+1

Option 1 for us.

Might try option 2 at some point.

I thought I got to choose between food and bears. Definitely prefer food. Can go through a trip without seeing a bear but need food. Of course, prefer not to pick and have both.

#2

#2 - blue barrel for same reasons Northwoodsman cited.

#2, BearVault/Ursack. Used to hang before that.

It should be noted that "blue barrels" are not equivalent to the BearVault/Ursack. They are not (to the best of my knowledge) approved for use in any of the areas where such things are required, although they are widely used in other places such as the BW or places where hanging is not practical.

There should be a 4th category. There is a big difference between bear cans (vaults) and blue barrels with clamp on lids. Bear cans are made so a bear can't easily grab with teeth and run. Barrels can easily be carried off away from camp.
I use bear cans.

Vault and/or Ursack. We travel daily as opposed to base camping, and hanging food is a camp chore I do not miss.

PortageKeeper: "There should be a 4th category. There is a big difference between bear cans (vaults) and blue barrels with clamp on lids. Bear cans are made so a bear can't easily grab with teeth and run. Barrels can easily be carried off away from camp.
I use bear cans. "

I was thinking the same... Blue barrels are either in a class of thier own or #3...
Them I'd be a #2. Blue barrels and pails with gamma lids are a step up from #3, but bearly. Haha.

PortageKeeper: "There should be a 4th category. There is a big difference between bear cans (vaults) and blue barrels with clamp on lids. Bear cans are made so a bear can't easily grab with teeth and run. Barrels can easily be carried off away from camp.
I use bear cans. "

I was thinking the same... Blue barrels are either in a class of thier own or #3...
Them I'd be a #2. Blue barrels and pails with gamma lids are a step up from #3, but bearly. Haha.

Ima 3.

Number 1: This includes hanging over the water from a steep cliff if needed due to tree unavailability.

NotSoFast: "Vault and/or Ursack. We travel daily as opposed to base camping, and hanging food is a camp chore I do not miss."

And one I look forward to. Traditions.

I have always hung my food pack in the past.
The only problems I have ever had were from mice, squirrels and the like, not bears. This past year I tried the blue barrel and liked it because it seemed more convenient. Will most likely continue to use the blue barrel.

Solid #3. We take zero fresh food though, so we're a pretty low/no scent affair.

I have done all three. But mostly one and lately two. But not blue barrels, borrowed bear vaults.

Having seen it, I think you missed one. What number are those that bring coolers?

3 in ursack and keep everything in lots of ziplocks, Lisa adventure hates ziplocks by the end of the trip, but have never had a problem yet.

#2 Blue Barrel

3

Another 3.

Was a #1 until this year. As a #2 I used two bear vaults 500s for a ten day solo with room for some delicate objects. Kept my food well protected and organized. They fit side by side in an old #2 Duluth pack with room on top for my tent and few other items. I did not miss the complication of hanging the food at all!

We do either 1 or 2. I am pretty good at hanging food but on shorter trips I have used a bear vault. Honestly, I enjoy hanging the food and it gets me out of the setting up the tent job which I haven't enjoyed doing for about 20 years now.

We have always hung a food bag, but this year we are switching to a barrel for the mice while we have the pack down. Last year we were constantly having to battle the mice while the pack was down. We will still hang the barrel at night, although probably not as good as we hang the bag.

Guess I'd be in the #2 category (refraining from making a joke about #2). :-)

I've only been up in BW one time, and am getting ready for my second adventure. While I love to see wildlife, I'm really hoping I don't experience a bear in camp (that could result in a different type of #2 incident). I use heavy-duty, food-grade 5-gallon buckets with gamma lids, and have my food double bagged in ziplock freezer bags. I realize this doesn't completely block all odors, I'm hoping it greatly reduces things. The buckets are good for keeping the little critters at bay, too. I take the buckets out from camp a ways at night, just to (maybe) play it safe.

If I were camping in grizzly country I would definitely take it a step further and use certified "bear-proof" containers.

A side note on the 5-gallon buckets: I use two buckets for a 5-6 day trip with my son, to hold dishes and food. I find that the buckets are very stable in the canoe, and I've rigged up a yoke-style method of carrying them with flat bungee-type cords to help when portaging (so far, we've kept our portaging to a minimum). The buckets can also double as a stool or table in camp, too.

2 and 3

2

#2 for us. 2 BV500's for our family is just fine.

Hated looking for suitable pack hanging trees, and now I just stash the vaults a little ways from camp. No worries about yogi or his little friends getting food at night or while we're away from camp.

PortageKeeper: "There should be a 4th category. There is a big difference between bear cans (vaults) and blue barrels with clamp on lids. Bear cans are made so a bear can't easily grab with teeth and run. Barrels can easily be carried off away from camp.
I use bear cans. "

I have a Garcia barrel and a BearVault as well. I put them in a pack. I know, you're gonna say "But it's easy for the bear to haul them away if it's in a pack!"
Not really. You see, I adjust the straps to the tightest setting. By the time the bear can adjust the straps for the pack to fit him properly, I will have heard the commotion and come out and shoo'd him off.

I've always done #1 and learned from the start that #3 is just a bad idea and not ethical. I just bought a blue barrel though and will try out #2. Anything that doesn't fit or has a strong odor like meat will be hung. The idea is that hanging the whole food bag is a pain, but a little sack of food shouldn't require much effort or even a large branch to get it up there.

This way, even if a bear does come into the camp looking for food then there are 2 benefits. First, the bear is more likely to go for the stronger odor up in the tree, hopefully failing to even notice the hidden barrel and leaving in frustration due to the food sack being so high up. Secondly, even if the bear does get something, it shouldn't get everything and we would at least be able to eat something on our way out.

This...
Usually it's not this close to camp, this is the Dacks.

HowardSprague: "

PortageKeeper: "There should be a 4th category. There is a big difference between bear cans (vaults) and blue barrels with clamp on lids. Bear cans are made so a bear can't easily grab with teeth and run. Barrels can easily be carried off away from camp.
I use bear cans. "

I have a Garcia barrel and a BearVault as well. I put them in a pack. I know, you're gonna say "But it's easy for the bear to haul them away if it's in a pack!"
Not really. You see, I adjust the straps to the tightest setting. By the time the bear can adjust the straps for the pack to fit him properly, I will have heard the commotion and come out and shoo'd him off."

Brilliant!

I'm in the #2 camp... unfortunately my good buddy who sterns the other canoe is clearly in camp #3. I just need to make sure I set up the tent in the right spot. I figure at least half our food is safe.

#2 blue barrel and some #1 in a bag

#3 for me, until I actually see a bear in the BWCA, then I'll change my approach. I haven't seen one in about 20 years but I hear they exist.

Number 3 for me as well. I have not had a critter problem in 30 years, so I will stick with what works for me. I saw four canoes with coolers on my last trip. To me, plastic coolers loaded with fresh food are bear magnets and cause a lot of the bear problems.

Has anyone ever studied if there is a correlation between problem bears/campsites and proximity to entry point or easy travel from entry points? My guess is that those coolers of fresh food do not often get deep into the bush. I would imagine that the campsites closest to entry points or within easy travel get a lot of cooler campers and the bears just follow their nose.

We use a blue barrel to keep smells down and be more rodent proof. I still hang it though. I use a three pulley system and two ropes. It works pretty well. I know it sounds overkill to hang a blue barrel but we had a bear in camp our first trip so that is just what I do.

Mike

#1 for me, in a dry/waterproof sack.
I am astonished at the numbers of people that do nothing to protect their food from bears, and nothing to protect bears from their food, despite the sound advice from wildlife experts.

#2 always.

mvillasuso: "#1 for me, in a dry/waterproof sack.
I am astonished at the numbers of people that do nothing to protect their food from bears, and nothing to protect bears from their food, despite the sound advice from wildlife experts. "

I think some people choosing #3 might be doing more than the description in the original post. Packaging food carefully to minimize odors and placing a food pack out of camp and away from animal trails is recommended by some experts such as Cliff Jacobsen.

I do agree that truly just placing a food pack in the middle of a campsite, especially with odors, is asking for trouble (both for your food and the bear). We've watched a bear cruise from campsite to campsite checking out the fire grate and hanging trees. A food pack just left in camp would have made a nice snack.

2 1/2. I generally use a 5 gallon pail with a gama seal lid just left in camp. However I do have a Garcia bear barrel if the food supply is small enough to fit in it.

BTW as far as I know I have never had a bear in camp (nearly 40 years). I have, however, seen many on the edge of the BWCA in campgrounds, at cabins, and even on the roads.

plainspaddler: "We use a blue barrel to keep smells down and be more rodent proof. I still hang it though. I use a three pulley system and two ropes. It works pretty well. I know it sounds overkill to hang a blue barrel but we had a bear in camp our first trip so that is just what I do.


Mike"

Just noting that you had a bear in camp on 1st trip and Bannock has had none in 40 years of camping. Just goes to show how random it can be.

HowardSprague: "

PortageKeeper: "There should be a 4th category. There is a big difference between bear cans (vaults) and blue barrels with clamp on lids. Bear cans are made so a bear can't easily grab with teeth and run. Barrels can easily be carried off away from camp.
I use bear cans. "

I have a Garcia barrel and a BearVault as well. I put them in a pack. I know, you're gonna say "But it's easy for the bear to haul them away if it's in a pack!"
Not really. You see, I adjust the straps to the tightest setting. By the time the bear can adjust the straps for the pack to fit him properly, I will have heard the commotion and come out and shoo'd him off."

Great idea, and since bears hate pink, you could just buy the pink Duluth packs.
You know that Cliff is going to steal this idea for his next book, right?

Personally I use option 3 about 95% of the time. I keep a clean campsite, fillet fish away from camp, dispose of extra food properly and I have not had any issues.

The exception is when I am know problem bear areas. In that case, I go well away from camp...about 100 yards or so, and hang my pack there. I do believe that bears are creatures of habit and know exactly which trees have packs in them. If they are not hanging where they expect them to be, they move onto the next campsite.

Started out with #1 all the time. Now I only do #3. I just have to make sure I have tackle and bait. I can catch dinner anytime.

mjmkjun: "

plainspaddler: "We use a blue barrel to keep smells down and be more rodent proof. I still hang it though. I use a three pulley system and two ropes. It works pretty well. I know it sounds overkill to hang a blue barrel but we had a bear in camp our first trip so that is just what I do.



Mike"

Just noting that you had a bear in camp on 1st trip and Bannock has had none in 40 years of camping. Just goes to show how random it can be. "

It was pretty cool though! We were on Red Rock lake from EP 55. It is not a high bear area and we kept a clean camp because my wife was afraid of a bear in camp. I am amazed after a bear in camp I got her to go back! When we got back to VCO I told them about it so they could tell other campers. A couple overheard us talking and they said that it was their goal to see a bear and that they had been coming for over 25 years and had yet to see one! Luck of the draw I guess. Haven't had one in camp since!

Mike

CrookedPaddler1: "I do believe that bears are creatures of habit and know exactly which trees have packs in them. If they are not hanging where they expect them to be, they move onto the next campsite."

The bear we watched on Kawishiwi Lake was doing exactly that.

#2. I use bear vaults and love the peace of mind when going to bed or leaving camp that the food is protected from all types of wildlife. Also, being clear polycarbonate, it is easy to organize and see what is in each vault. I have built up to 4 BV500's and it is great for 4-5 night trips with 4 guys, or 5 when its my wife, 3 boys, and me. Haven't regretted the purchases at all.

1 or 2 always, i drive 10 hours to get there and want to minimize the possibility of having to go home early. Have never had a bear bother my food yet!

nctry: "

PortageKeeper: "There should be a 4th category. There is a big difference between bear cans (vaults) and blue barrels with clamp on lids. Bear cans are made so a bear can't easily grab with teeth and run. Barrels can easily be carried off away from camp.
I use bear cans. "

I was thinking the same... Blue barrels are either in a class of thier own or #3...
Them I'd be a #2. Blue barrels and pails with gamma lids are a step up from #3, but bearly. Haha."

So the way to get a paw is by double posting!?

2. bv 500's, 2 of them if i go tandem.

I cant help but wonder if the Blue Barrel users understand that they are not bear proof and neither are they odor proof. They have more in common with the folks who do more or less nothing but try and keep a clean camp. Naturally if the blue barrel users pack and organize their foodstuffs so they are odor free then they should not encounter an issue unless a bear has become habituated to blue barrels then all bets are off.

It is somewhat entertaining to me to hear the comments of those who suggest that because they have never encountered a problem then it is not something which should concern them. Ignorance is bliss, as they say.........of course until it isn't and you get your food clipped and your trip is cut short and now you have encouraged a bear to lead a life of crime........which of course effects other trippers and usually results in the eventual destruction of the bear. And it all starts with Mr Bear tasting a Snickers Bar for the first time......there is no looking back.

There are problem bears throughout the country. In Algonquin we were under siege with a bear sniffing through my tent and batting dry bags around, on Sawbill lake we got clipped, out west there are poles for hanging and on some western hikes, like the John Muir Trail, the black bear problem is so bad you legally cannot hike without bear canisters.

So, just because there currently is not much of a problem lets not let out guard down. All it takes is Momma to teach her 3 cubs and they teach theirs etc. Next thing you know they are brazenly walking into camp during the middle of the day and not even waiting until the wee hours of the night (I had that happen in Glacier).

blue barrel tied well to a tree.

Yeah, I know they are not bear proof, but throwing lines across increasingly rarer good tree limbs in camp(loss of campsite trees due to hatchet attacks) would give me rotator cuff, so if a 700 lb bear gets it, well, I guess we head home. What I like about the barrel is it is impervious to the elements and even has a vacuum in it in the mornings. So a bear is going to have to balance the faint, faint scent of the food, with the overpowering scent of human urine and maybe even feces over the general area of the campsite in its decision to raid the camp.

I have taken approximately 25 uneventful trips with the barrel. Not to say it would never happen, but I like the odds.

2.

Well aware they are not bear proof but they are rodent proof and if locked raccoon proof.. Red squirrels are the rodent from hell that is always looking for your food.

I don't depend on hanging cause some trees are more bush than trees and weak.. And there are grizzlies there.

yellowcanoe: "2.


Well aware they are not bear proof but they are rodent proof and if locked raccoon proof.. Red squirrels are the rodent from hell that is always looking for your food.


I don't depend on hanging cause some trees are more bush than trees and weak.. And there are grizzlies there. "

Grizzlies in BWCAW?

Have done 3 but usually use 1. Lost food both ways to bears between 40 and 50 years ago. Since then, once to squirrels in a hung pack.

#2, which is what my bro hustles to do right after the tent zipper sound first thing in the morning.

Harmony blue barrel lids have a lid with inset gasket which seals the lid from water and odors, I would presume. As long as the unit exterior/lid is not slattered with bacon grease hand prints I doubt bears would pay it much attention as a food source. Having stated that I believe there are inferior blue barrels on the market that are very thin-walled and leak scents.

Like humans, some black bears are assertive bullies being very bold while most are not. They are all "hunger wrapped in fur".

billconner: "

yellowcanoe: "2.



Well aware they are not bear proof but they are rodent proof and if locked raccoon proof.. Red squirrels are the rodent from hell that is always looking for your food.



I don't depend on hanging cause some trees are more bush than trees and weak.. And there are grizzlies there. "

Grizzlies in BWCAW? "

no of course not but I camp all over the US and Canada and tend to do things the same way on the tundra as in the woods. For you who canoe camp the BWCA exclusively or similar areas your methods may well differ.

However red squirrels or their arctic brethren the sic sic seem to be EVERYWHERE

#2 blue barrel

Group trips usually number three.
Solo trips use a bear valt or sack.

You could put us in the number two or three category, its up for debate. We do not use an Ursack, but a waterproof, air proof scent tight Seal Line Baja bag. Unlike the Ursacks, we don't have red squirrels chewing through it, punctures by utensils, and don't have to worry about purchasing separate scent proof bag liners as the whole thing is already rubberized. We generally stash it in a secure location outside of camp a good ways tied to a tree.

I have seen too many close calls with tripping partners nearly catching a rock or pulley to the face while trying to get bear bag ropes over tree limbs; a scenario that seems far more likely trip-ender than a bear raid on a clean camp with securely stored food in an airtight bag. My husband and I did discuss bear vaults in the past until he pointed out that we would be carrying the same sized, bulky container out at the end of a trip with no food in it as we would at the beginning of a ten day trip. The bag option just made more sense for us.

1bogfrog: "You could put us in the number two or three category, its up for debate. We do not use an Ursack, but a waterproof, air proof scent tight Seal Line Baja bag. Unlike the Ursacks, we don't have red squirrels chewing through it, punctures by utensils, and don't have to worry about purchasing separate scent proof bag liners as the whole thing is already rubberized. We generally stash it in a secure location outside of camp a good ways tied to a tree.


I have seen too many close calls with tripping partners nearly catching a rock or pulley to the face while trying to get bear bag ropes over tree limbs; a scenario that seems far more likely trip-ender than a bear raid on a clean camp with securely stored food in an airtight bag. My husband and I did discuss bear vaults in the past until he pointed out that we would be carrying the same sized, bulky container out at the end of a trip with no food in it as we would at the beginning of a ten day trip. The bag option just made more sense for us. "

Been there and done that. The one and only time in my life that I saw stars and literally got queasy in the stomach. Was throwing a rope with pulley on it, up into the tree. It got stuck in a crook of a branch. When I tugged (yanked) on it. It came flying back at me with a speed I can only imagine. It nailed me right above my eyebrow and split me open. Blood gushing and stars sparkling and spinning. I literally had a white spot in my vision ( pretty sure most doctors would call that a concussion). Almost threw up and had to sit down for quite some time.

That was pretty close to the last time I hung a bag in a tree. Been pretty gun shy after that one.

Guess that’s the reason I’m a 3 now. We don’t trip enough (and seems to becoming less and less :( to bear country) and we also pack too much food for the investment into enough bear vaults or ursacks to handle our groups food.

While Ursack does sell a model aimed more at little critters, I’ve never had one chew through any of our Ursack dating from their first model. We’ve even had a red squirrel sit on one of ours trying to figure it out and give up.

1 and 2. Before having a blue barrel it was always 1 but finding an adequate tree for hanging could be a problem. Blue barrel tied to a tree in camp but away from tents with pot covers and pots on top as alert for something disturbing barrel. Once we started using a blue barrel there would also be a small pack with overflow items to be used early in the trip that we hung. Learned early from my husband to carefully check potential campsites for signs that bears had been around or that slobby or careless campers left out or spilled food items. As others have said, the small critters,squirrels, etc. can be a problem.

#3

#1, everything store packaged, home sealed with food saver, a couple things in just ziplock baggies. Then everything is put into op sack bags, then into a pack. While I know bears are around, we hang more against little critters. We really haven't been to areas with known high number of bears, maybe we'll change then.

I read in an early post that they had to deal with a raccoon after their stuff. Never have seen a raccoon in the BWCA and hope it stays that way. Hopefully they will hang around state parks instead.

dr bob

dprochef: "

1bogfrog: "You could put us in the number two or three category, its up for debate. We do not use an Ursack, but a waterproof, air proof scent tight Seal Line Baja bag. Unlike the Ursacks, we don't have red squirrels chewing through it, punctures by utensils, and don't have to worry about purchasing separate scent proof bag liners as the whole thing is already rubberized. We generally stash it in a secure location outside of camp a good ways tied to a tree.



I have seen too many close calls with tripping partners nearly catching a rock or pulley to the face while trying to get bear bag ropes over tree limbs; a scenario that seems far more likely trip-ender than a bear raid on a clean camp with securely stored food in an airtight bag. My husband and I did discuss bear vaults in the past until he pointed out that we would be carrying the same sized, bulky container out at the end of a trip with no food in it as we would at the beginning of a ten day trip. The bag option just made more sense for us. "

Been there and done that. The one and only time in my life that I saw stars and literally got queasy in the stomach. Was throwing a rope with pulley on it, up into the tree. It got stuck in a crook of a branch. When I tugged (yanked) on it. It came flying back at me with a speed I can only imagine. It nailed me right above my eyebrow and split me open. Blood gushing and stars sparkling and spinning. I literally had a white spot in my vision ( pretty sure most doctors would call that a concussion). Almost threw up and had to sit down for quite some time.


That was pretty close to the last time I hung a bag in a tree. Been pretty gun shy after that one.

"

Ouch. I've gotten my rope stuck before too and it usually ends up with me climbing the tree to get the rope in place. I'm getting fed up with climbing trees that shouldn't be climbed in the BW. The problem is that I'm good at climbing so it is usually the easier and faster option, just not the safer one (unless you are pulling a weight back at yourself). I've realized that getting up in the tree is easy, the hard part is getting any work done while trying to hold onto the tree. That's why I bought the blue barrel.

#1 (except once when we were #3). I like hanging the ropes and we have gotten pretty good and make games out of getting the perfect hang.

ChazzTheGnome: "#1 (except once when we were #3). I like hanging the ropes and we have gotten pretty good and make games out of getting the perfect hang."

Yes!!! Someone else who finds the sport in it. And tradition.

For those of you who hang, any particular method? PCT? suspend from 2 trees, or just a normal hang from one?
thanks,
RT

We use a combination of a Bear Vault and a blue barrel. We keep a certain number of meals in the BV just in case a bear gets into the blue barrel and destroys or eats all of that food. That way we have some food to be able to get back out with.

RTurner: "For those of you who hang, any particular method? PCT? suspend from 2 trees, or just a normal hang from one?
thanks,
RT"

Normal hang for me. Hang entire CCS delux food pack. Triple purchase rigging.

#2 . Always use blue barrels, stored in camp, inside a UDAP electric bear fence.

I've done all three.

The first few time I went to Quetico, we did nothing. Just kept a clean camp, and kept everything in the food pack. Then I started hanging food when I started going back up to BWCA hiking. This year we used a few small Vittles Vaults to keep the small pests out, and the scents to a minimum.

Worked well for us.

1 and 2

we take longer trips (10+ days) and use 2 Garcia vaults. They are great, but not large enough for all of our food. So, the first 3-4 days we be hangin' until we've eaten enough that the 2 vaults will fit it all.

in either case - well away from camp.

I am in the #2 camp as well.

I have numerous makes/types of smaller bear vaults that I use if the boys are along. Everyone gets their own vault to carry for the trip and usually one per person is enough as they never take very long trips with me.

Most of the time I am solo tripping anywhere from 7-19 days and then I use a combination of the BV500/BV450 canisters and an Ursack. I just pack smaller cook stuff into the bear vaults as they get open space. Most of my food is dehydrated but I always have some stinky cheese and salami along.

I have breakfast and dinner in one BV500 (sometimes breakfast is in a BV450 or the Ursack for longer trips) and lunch/snacks are in another BV500. My thought that my lunch/snacks are stinkier and the most likely to be found? I could survive on 2 meals a days no problem. I hide the vaults/Ursack all in separate places outside of camp. I've never had any issues with bears or mini bears getting my food.

Usually #3 with 5gal buckets and gamma lids. Am going to SAK and Kek in 2 weeks and will probably hang buckets in this area.

Just got back from our trip on Saturday and we tried the bear barrel and we will never go back. So nice not having to hang food everytime you leave camp or at night and plus you didn't have to worry about the mice.