looking to replace the rope we use to hang our food pack. We have used a braided nylon in the past. It is light but will burn the heck out of your hands if not careful. What are others using to hang their packs?

I purchased a few packaged lengths of this 5 mm accessory cord at REI.. I have a length tied to each of my canoe while traveling but, remove it for hanging food once at a camp site. There were thicker options, 6mm, 7mm and 8 mm I think but, I didn't like the weight or bulk.

When backpacking, I carry a 50' length of 2.2 mm Zing-it and a dyneema carbon-fiber food bag. Together they are extremely light but, my backpacking food is also considerably lighter.

Hope you find a solution that works for you.

I have gone back and forth between Lawson Ironwire and Amsteel Blue. With either one I connect the cordage to a stick with a marlinspike hitch and then grab the stick to hang the pack instead of grabbing the rope directly. It is much easier on the hands.

We're a fan of Amsteel. One 100 ft 1/4" spans 2 trees with an alpine butterfly and carabineer midspan. One 50 ft. 1/4" runs thru midspan carabineer, attaches to the pack on one end. Other end used to create a z-drag with 1/8" prussiks and carabineers at the other end. Like St.LouisPaddler, I wrap a stick to save my hands when pulling small diameter line.

I've used Lawson Equipment's Ultraglide Bear Line (3.5mm) for several years now on our canoe trips. Can't recommend it enough. I always bring a pair of leather gloves to help with the hoisting as well as with open fire cooking duties.

When backpacking I use the lighter Samson Zing It rope for bear bag hanging. I also use it for my hammock's continuous tarp line.

Climbing rope, it's light and strong. Get it thick enough it won't hurt your hands. We use two, and a pulley or two. I keep one (the longer/thicker one) in an accessible place while paddling, to double as a throw rope, should it be needed.

Recomendation i found on here last winter was for the pack-a-pull system . It is a lightweight pulley system using dyneema rope. Not the cheapest option but it is compact, light weight, and very effective. Highly recommend, Loved it this past year. We used it to hang a 60L barrel ~50 lbs using the 3-1 mechanical advantage with no problem at all. I did still need to use a stick to help pull the rope. Mostly because the dyneema rope is very slick and hard to hold onto.

I use this 7mm cord for my food pack rope, works great and a good price too. I really like it for the way it is woven, just like climbing rope but lighter. 7mm cord

IndyCanoe: "Recomendation i found on here last winter was for the pack-a-pull system . It is a lightweight pulley system using dyneema rope. Not the cheapest option but it is compact, light weight, and very effective. Highly recommend, Loved it this past year. We used it to hang a 60L barrel ~50 lbs using the 3-1 mechanical advantage with no problem at all. I did still need to use a stick to help pull the rope. Mostly because the dyneema rope is very slick and hard to hold onto. "

I use this same pulley system and like it as well. I use it with the 4:1 configuration, which really makes it easy to hang a pack. The one downside is you need something like 75-100 feet of rope for the line going back and forth through the pulleys to the pack.

BV500's and you never hang again! Its 2022. . .join the non-hangers!

CRL: "We're a fan of Amsteel. One 100 ft 1/4" spans 2 trees with an alpine butterfly and carabineer midspan. One 50 ft. 1/4" runs thru midspan carabineer, attaches to the pack on one end. Other end used to create a z-drag with 1/8" prussiks and carabineers at the other end. Like St.LouisPaddler, I wrap a stick to save my hands when pulling small diameter line."

Having seen CRL's bear hang rig in the field I'm definitely a convert to the Amsteel.

Brian

ockycamper: "BV500's and you never hang again! Its 2022. . .join the non-hangers!"

Ditch the weight and space the BV500 takes up, get a couple Ursacks and tie them to a tree. Have not hung anything for well over 10 years and never will again.

Frenchy19: "

ockycamper: "BV500's and you never hang again! Its 2022. . .join the non-hangers!"

Ditch the weight and space the BV500 takes up, get a couple Ursacks and tie them to a tree. Have not hung anything for well over 10 years and never will again."

We had a guy with an Ursack. Couldn't put as much in them as a BV500. A mouse got inside it along with some water. I also talked to a couple of guys with Ursacks that had bear encounters. The bear did not get the food, but smashed it up so much and drooled all over the bag to the point no one would eat what was inside.

A 3 to 1 advantage but I use leather gloves. I have lifted 150 LBS with it so it is strong enough.

I got this 7mm for tree-to-tree, and then another- i think prob 5mm - for hanging the pack off that.
Blue Water Ropes

i used a climbing rope that was non-stretch for hauling climbing gear up.
just nylon rope would of course stretch and wear out while the other stuff was made for rough work.