Good evening,

I am seriously considering joining the bear canister ranks.

I am looking for a canister that’s easy to use, easy to portage, and will work for a family of four for up to five days. I have no experience with this piece of gear so I need you advice.

Thanks,
CanoeViking

Good topic with LOTS of preferences sure to be shared. :)

Mandatory disclaimer: I acknowledge nothing is truly and completely bear-proof and I've never had a bear actually get at my food. Much bigger issues with squirrels, mice, a martin (once), and occasionally birds.

Of the options I have used, I prefer the Ursack over the bear vault for solo trips but both worked for me. The UDAP (?) container wasn't my favorite and I got rid of it after one use - too heavy, opening it with a coin wasn't ideal, and it isn't waterproof. When I go with a group I use the blue barrels but I don't have a lot of great things to say other than it's now a tradition...they are heavy, cavernous, and awkward to pack in the canoe or portage. I'm not convinced the lid will hold up against a bear but it does great against little critters.

The ursack has the most capacity, the lightest weight, and pairs nicely with an odor bag. It isn't waterproof but I put a simple cover over it at night and it is fine - the food doesn't get wet because of the odor bag but if the ursack gets wet it is heavy and takes a while to dry. Some people don't like the newer models that don't have the velcro zip as reportedly mice can get in but I have the older models that velcro and tie shut so it isn't an issue. I use the all-mighty 10-liter version and it holds enough for me for a week, supplementing with fresh fish, of course!

The bear vault worked well, is easy to open, and I liked that I could see the food in it. Because it is a hard case, it doesn't pack as well. It also doesn't hang easily, in my opinion, but I'm sure people just put it in a bag and raise it up in a tree. I think the one I have is also about 10 liters but it just doesn't quite hold as much, probably due to the rigid case. It is fine and I use it occasionally.

Good luck with your choice and have a great time planning and tripping!

The larger bear cans used for backpacking are only large enough for about 1 person for 5-7 days. You will probably need 1 can per person.

I use a counter assault keg with a coin twist lid. I tied a loop of paracord thru several quarter sized washers and snap them to the outside of all my bags so i don't worry about losing my key. It isn't waterproof, but is easier to open if it's cold out than the bear vault brand. Bear vault brand are clear so you can see thru them and grab stuff easier, and the lid will keep out rain. I don't have a BV but friends do.

I just ordered an ursack to go along as well. Since ursacks are soft, bears can crush the contents. They won't get food, but yours is ruined.

I plan to take both the ursack and CA Keg next time my wife and I go. The ursack has a lot more volume than the keg, so we'll have plenty of space, but I'll put the more smelly items in the canister - jerky, oatmeal, garbage- and put our factory sealed food in the ursack. Hopefully if we have a bear encounter they will be more attracted to the hard container that angels more.

Both the bv500 and counter assault keg are around 11 liters volume, but ursack 2xl is 30 liters, so you may be able to fit 2 peoples food in one ursack.

I have used Bear Vault 500's, a Counter Assault canister, and Ursacks. They all have pros and cons.

I used the Ursacks once then sold them. Although they had the largest capacity, were the lightest, and smallest when empty I thought that they were difficult to pack, hard to locate items inside, weren't very water resistant, items got crushed, and took time to tie up properly. Just when you get it tied up you always realized you needed to add something.

The Bear Assault was okay but needed a coin or washer to open and since it was a solid color it was hard to tell what was in it unless it was labeled or opened.

I ended up with three Bear Vault 500's. They are semi clear so it is easy to see what is inside, it doesn't need a tool to open, the top is flat so it can be used as a stool or small table, two of them fit side by side in my pack easily, or horizontally on top of each other. As I empty them I add other gear so my packs get smaller and smaller. When you are in camp you just loosely screw the lid back on and it keeps mice, squirrels, chipmunks, etc. out. I even empty one out and add water and a few drops of soap and use it as a mini washing machine to wash socks, shirts, and undergarments. It's difficult to get water inside from rain but if you throw them in a lake they would eventually get water inside. At night or when I leave camp I just stash them in the woods. I would NOT recommend tying these up or hanging them in a pack or harness. By themselves the worst a bear could do is push it around, if you put them in a pack or attach a harness a bear will drag it off and you may never find it. Many people, including myself, add reflective tape to the sides which makes it easy to locate, especially at night. I found these to suit my tripping style the best. If it's cold you can depress the small catch with a knife, screw driver, plastic card, or anything thin and flat. I've never once had to use anything other than my finger to open. Just push the little tab in with your finger tip, you only have to do it until the lid passes the first two catches.

BV500. I own 2, have access to 2 more. Figure one of these for every 6 person-nights (eg. my wife and I out for 3 nights use just one). That does mean some judicious planning and probably the majority is dehydrated and freeze-dried food stuffs rather than fresh. It takes a bit of Tetris to get that many items inside and involves some unpacking and repacking for the first few meals. Remember to put your zip locked garbage inside, too. This is where add-water-and-eat meals come in handy. Also use it for smelly personal items - toothpaste, etc. I've applied some reflective tape and we just set them in the woods a bit off from camp overnight... not inside any pack, not secured to trees, no hanging necessary.

Nothing makes me more upset than favorite areas to visit and fish that have become bear picnic sites via careless food handling and storage recently. (Are you listening, Moose R->Agnes Lk and Poplar->Horseshoe Lake visitors?)

I can pack 7-8 days of food for my solo trips in my Ursack 10L. If you use an Ursack, there are a couple key things. First of all, watch the video on their website on how to properly tighten and tie the top of the sack to prevent little critters from getting in. Practice it numerous times at home until it feels natural. Second, I prefer the method for attaching to a tree branch that uses a carabiner and quick release knots: Ursack Quick Release Again, practice at home, because if you do it the wrong way, it will be easy for the bear to take. But I love this method due to the ease of attaching and detaching it from the tree for a person.

Also, if you use an Ursack, put everything into "odor proof" bags like Opsack or similar. I am NOT a fan of Opsacks due to the fragility of the zipper...especially if little kids will be opening it. My preferred bags are 1 gallon Mylar bags: Mylar bags
I sort the foods into them by meal type and then label the bottom and top with either breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, etc. I can fit 4-5 of them into an Ursack. They hold up much better than Opsacks.

I also have a Lil' Sami 300 cubic inch (5L) bear canister from
lighter1.com
I have used it, but I can only fit about 3-4 days worth of food. But the lid is designed to be a frying pan (could debate the pros and cons of this). They also have a larger size (10.5L). The fasteners are reasonably easy for an adult to use.

I have used a Bear Vault BV500 (11.5 liters or 700 cu. in.), an Ursack Major (10.7 liters or 650 cu. in.) with an OPSAK bag, and a Counter Assault Bear Keg (716 cu. in.). All volumes are manufacturer's numbers. All have been easy to use. I like the BV500 best because I can see its contents without opening it and it weighs less than the Bear Keg. The Ursack is very lightweight but you have to secure it more carefully than the other two containers (see comments above).

Last summer I used those three containers plus a small dry bag that I hung in the trees. That small bag was probably about the volume of the BV500. All the food for 3 guys for a 10 day trip fit in those 4 containers. We had a bit of food left over when we came out. The containers are approximately the same size, so a rough calculation of containers per person per day was = 4÷3÷10 = 0.133. Multiply that by 4 people and 5 days = 0.133x4x5 = 2.66 containers. So 3 BV500 containers should be adequate, assuming that you take the same kind of foods we do.

We take freeze-dried, dehydrated, and prepackaged food that I repackage to reduce the volume, including pancake mix, maple syrup, precooked bacon, oil, crystallized eggs, etc. The bulky stuff consists of sandwich rounds, small containers of jelly and peanut butter, nuts and dried fruit. I have kept track of how much food is consumed so that we keep it minimized.

I’m in the Ursack camp. We take long enough trips with enough people, and eat well, that we need multiple bags or cannisters. The weight of the canisters is too much for me. So we use multiple Ursacks and spread them out around camp so no bear is likely to find them all. So far no bear had found any of them.

If I was going to add one canister into the mix I would probably go with a BV. I might consider a Bearikade which are made from carbon fiber to be extra light. But they are also extra pricey.

Our guys have switched to exclusively Bearvaults BV500's. We do trip where we base camp and spend 5 days on site. As a rule of thumb, we farm out one BV500 per tandem canoe to carry. That way no one has to carry much weight. We do pretty much exclusively dehydrated food and BV500's work great for that. As mentioned you can sit on them, use the for tables, and put the trash in them as you go to pack back out.

We tried a Ursack and didn't like it. Too easy for mice to get in, can't see what's inside, has to be tied to a tree, and in the event of a bear, everything in it will be slimed and crushed.

I use the BV, the big ones, actually two of them. They fit side by side in a Duluth pack. I believe it's rated as a 3.5 Duluth.

At camp, one serves as a mini serving table, when the lid is attached.
I can visually see what is inside. That is a big plus for me.

Jim

andym: "I’m in the Ursack camp. We take long enough trips with enough people, and eat well, that we need multiple bags or cannisters. The weight of the canisters is too much for me. So we use multiple Ursacks and spread them out around camp so no bear is likely to find them all. So far no bear had found any of them.

If I was going to add one canister into the mix I would probably go with a BV. I might consider a Bearikade which are made from carbon fiber to be extra light. But they are also extra pricey. "

It's not about the bears stealing your food and leaving you hungry, it's about the bears finding a food source and becoming a nuisance and them having to be put down because of it.

I own the Bear Vault BV 500, Frontiersman Bear Safe, UDAP No Feed Bear and the Counter Assault Bear Keg. The Counter Assault Bear Keg has the space, durability and ease of use that best meet my requirements.

Northwoodsman: "

andym: "I’m in the Ursack camp. We take long enough trips with enough people, and eat well, that we need multiple bags or cannisters. The weight of the canisters is too much for me. So we use multiple Ursacks and spread them out around camp so no bear is likely to find them all. So far no bear had found any of them.


If I was going to add one canister into the mix I would probably go with a BV. I might consider a Bearikade which are made from carbon fiber to be extra light. But they are also extra pricey. "

It's not about the bears stealing your food and leaving you hungry, it's about the bears finding a food source and becoming a nuisance and them having to be put down because of it."

I understand your point but it is pretty much the same thing. If a bear would get into our food the trip is over. We put our food in BV500's tightened down past the first ratchet to prevent that from happening. The side benefit is the bear doesn't get any food and moves on.

I'm also a fan of the Bear Vault BV500. I like being able to see the contents, and like the ease of use. I use two for two guys on 7 day trips. They can be a little difficult to pack items inside, but with use, you'll come up with what works for you. Some items need to be repackaged into zip-locks or vacuum sealed.

Another BV500 fan here. Same benefits already mentioned, plus I've used them as stools.

Northwoodsman: "

andym: "I’m in the Ursack camp. We take long enough trips with enough people, and eat well, that we need multiple bags or cannisters. The weight of the canisters is too much for me. So we use multiple Ursacks and spread them out around camp so no bear is likely to find them all. So far no bear had found any of them.


If I was going to add one canister into the mix I would probably go with a BV. I might consider a Bearikade which are made from carbon fiber to be extra light. But they are also extra pricey. "

It's not about the bears stealing your food and leaving you hungry, it's about the bears finding a food source and becoming a nuisance and them having to be put down because of it."

I’m not sure of your point with respect to my comment. We are keeping the bears from getting any food (barring an unlikely failure of a bag) and even if a bear crushes some of it we still have some to use on the trip out or to keep going but for a shorter time.

I’ve used an Ursack for several trips. On my last trip, a momma and cub decided to give it a go overnight. They only got a taste of almond crumbs before I could scare them off. When I got home Ursack sent me a brand new one since one of the holes was over 1/4”. No questions asked, just here’s your new one. I love the solid customer service.

I wouldn’t trust an Ursack to be left in camp without people in a bear heavy area. If a bear had time, they could likely get into it.

I’ll likely pickup an BV500 or two for areas know for bears. I was on Agnus and knew it was likely. Everywhere else, I’ll stick to the Ursack.

I don’t buy that the opsack, or anything for that matter, is smell proof to a bear. I do like it as a snack bag in my day pack though.



Bear tooth mark through my tortillas

So what I have gathered is BV500 is the way to go unless you want to spend way more money. Also, remember to put reflective tape to find in the dark or finding it after an encounter.

Ursack are the way to go in low bear areas and if you don’t mind crumbs for food if you have an encounter. Also, they have larger liter options and easier to pack in you dry bags.

Thank you for everyone’s input. If anyone else has more to add I’m still open to insight in this area.

I spent many years and many trips without any specific bear proof container. I stored all food in ziploc bags and I paddled the bags and I paddled the pack somewhere off the beaten path to leave it each night away from camp. I did not hang it but just put it in some place where there was no trail and away from camp.

I had 0 issues with bears or even mice.

BWPaddler: " I spent many years and many trips without any specific bear proof container. I stored all food in ziploc bags and I paddled the bags and I paddled the pack somewhere off the beaten path to leave it each night away from camp. I did not hang it but just put it in some place where there was no trail and away from camp.


I had 0 issues with bears or even mice."

Agree, it’s more about keeping smells down and keeping a clean camp, but in the last 2-3 years there have been times where your method would technically be illegal.

I like the BV 500…note it is not waterproof or smell proof. You still need to re-pack everything in plastic bags to keep smells down and waterproofing. If you lie it on it’s side and you get a hard rain you will get water in the canister. I had a quarter cup in mine on my first trip and was a little frustrated. Keep it standing up and it should be fine. I was used to stashing water proof and low smell barrels…which I still prefer but were illegal when I took the BV 500’s. Watch for sales…I got my BV 500 for $50…they are now close to $100? Crazy…

T

timatkn: "

BWPaddler: " I spent many years and many trips without any specific bear proof container. I stored all food in ziploc bags and I paddled the bags and I paddled the pack somewhere off the beaten path to leave it each night away from camp. I did not hang it but just put it in some place where there was no trail and away from camp.



I had 0 issues with bears or even mice."

Agree, it’s more about keeping smells down and keeping a clean camp, but in the last 2-3 years there have been times where your method would technically be illegal.


I like the BV 500…note it is not waterproof or smell proof. You still need to re-pack everything in plastic bags to keep smells down and waterproofing. If you lie it on it’s side and you get a hard rain you will get water in the canister. I had a quarter cup in mine on my first trip and was a little frustrated. Keep it standing up and it should be fine. I was used to stashing water proof and low smell barrels…which I still prefer but were illegal when I took the BV 500’s. Watch for sales…I got my BV 500 for $50…they are now close to $100? Crazy…


T"

For me it’s a combination of keeping smells down, keeping a clean camp and now using the bear containers. I used to only waterproof/smell-minimize foods as much as possible, hang bag in a tree, or stash pack far from camp etc. Never had a single issue with critters of any size, but started using bear containers when I took my oldest to kayak on Saganaga in 2020 and bear canisters were required. We used this one brand that was a tall orange canister with a lid with a gasket and screws to hold it on (frontiersmen bear safe). Says it’s water tight and air tight for smell reduction. Stashed away from camp and stayed mostly dry but did get a little water in somehow during the heavy storm our first night, but no issues after that with water. Sealed up food in plastic bags inside so nothing was ruined but more just an annoyance. Used same canister the following summer with my oldest two kids for 3 nights. Was a squeeze the first day til we ate some meals but doable.

Most recently all 5 of us went and we added a bear vault to the mix. I do like the ease of the bear vault. No screws to misplace. Oldest kid could open it on her own. Clear so easy to find stuff inside. I like the idea of adding the reflective tape! Haven’t had any issues but that could be useful to help find it if needed! We usually bring mostly dehydrated meals, one pot meals, soups, jerky, dried fruit, oatmeal/malt o meal, bay bread, candies like skittles and gummy bears. Our big splurge is a jar of Nutella which is awkward to pack but worth it!

I use the Bear Vault BV 500 and I’m very pleased with it. Very easy to use, you can see in it, and stashing it outside of camp away from trails is so simple to do.. It fits nicely in my Pioneer or Guide Pack while traveling and It also fits nicely in either our Rucksack or Wanderer pack when we leave camp for day trips or to fish.

AceAceAce: "

I wouldn’t trust an Ursack to be left in camp without people in a bear heavy area. If a bear had time, they could likely get into it.

I don’t buy that the opsack, or anything for that matter, is smell proof to a bear. I do like it as a snack bag in my day pack though.

I agree with both these points. We always bring our food along on day trips. In terms of smell proof, nothing is smell proof for a bear. Their noses are 10 times more sensitive than a dog! The goal is to decrease the scent radius as much as possible.

I've been happy with the bv 500, keeping a clean camp is in my opinion the best thing you can do to avoid issues. That being said the chippies and other small critters have been my main problem and the bv solves that and the tortillas don't get smashed

I picked up a couple of Grubcans after the stricter regulations got put in place temporarily a few seasons ago. They were supposably scratch and dent items, but I didn't see anything wrong and it saved me a few bucks. Grubcan scratch and dent

Here is another article I just found. I think other users here have covered the basics pretty well. This article doesn't include ursacks.

Field and stream best bear cans