brulu: "If you're pretty confident you won't have bear issues, and willing to accept the small risk that you could (zero encounters for me in 40+ years), then they are a good compromise solution.
They wouldn't stop a bear from mashing up your food, but they are less visible to bears than a traditional hang, easier to stash for the night than a traditional hang, easier to pack than a barrel/vault, and they keep the bear unfed, and you in compliance with the USFS."
Yep, they are considerably more convenient, light, and cost effective compared to bear canisters. If a bear finds it, yeah there's a good chance it would destroy what's inside. Determined claws and teeth can even penetrate them. But there are plenty of stories of them getting into BearVaults as well. Use odor proof bags and basic precautions and it's very unlikely they'd ever bother it.
As for rain, you need to use plastic bags for BearVaults too, since they aren't watertight.
I used to subscribe to the Cliff Jacobson stash philosophy. An Ursack is just a better version of that, really.
I love my Ursack. I wouldn't depend on it alone for a long trip where getting out is a multi-day task. I understand that if a bear does try to get into it, I could lose everything inside. It's a risk I'm willing to take, in most instances. One reason is because if we ever do have a bear encounter, I highly doubt the wife would allow us to keep camping, lol.
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