# What is the best way to keep Bear's and rodents from your Tent and Panniers?



## RollingNoMad (Apr 21, 2018)

What is the best way to keep Bear's and rodents from your Tent and Panniers?

What would you do with Food, Snacks when you are on your Bicycle Touring Trip?

Feedback is helpful and Appreciated.

This what I am going to put it on my Surly LHT 26in 52cm 2008 Touring Bicycle.

I don't think that I am going to hang my food?

This what I have found on Google over the weekend.

Outsak ul kits. a backpacking food storage system is what I have to buy. And This is what I am looking at for the Pacific Coast Bicycle Route or my Bicycle Touring Trip in the Pocono Mountains in Pennsylvania has Black Bears and North West of New Jersey has Black Bears like California also has Black Bears

Outsak ul kits. a backpacking food storage system




Outsak ul kits. a backpacking food storage system Outsak ul kits. a backpacking food storage system
Outsak UL Kits | Combine and Save | SimpleOutdoorStoreOutsak UL Kits | Combine and Save | SimpleOutdoorStore


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## She&I (Jan 4, 2010)

Just feed them some spam. They will run the other direction.


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## leeboh (Aug 5, 2011)

I have an outsak for my upcoming NH trip. Wash you hands as to not get the smell on the outside before handling .


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## albeant (Feb 24, 2004)

I've used OPSAK odor-proof bags on many trips, and have yet to have any critters show interest in them, even when the bags are stuffed with salami and cheese. I hang a bear bag when I can, but even when I've had to leave an OPSAK on the ground overnight, I've awoken to find my food unmolested. I don't use a critter-proof bag--just the OPSAKs and a light dry bag for hanging.

The other nice thing about them is that you're not transferring food odors to your bags, so the bags themselves don't end up getting destroyed by an animal that thinks there's food in them even if the food's been removed.


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## fotooutdoors (Jul 8, 2010)

I just use standard stuff sacks to hang my food every night. I have food in zip lock bags in my frame bag while riding, so certainly not scent proof. The only time I have ever had animal problems (a raccoon) while on bike was one night in a frontcountry campground (habituated animals are more likely) when I was too lazy to hang my food. Likewise, when canoeing, the only time I have had issues was when we left down our food bags while walking around the island we were camped on. Came back to camp and a squirrel had gnawed though the dry bag and was eating sunflower seeds. The short: use the trees if you have them.


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## alias (May 9, 2005)

''I don't think that I am going to hang my food? ''


Well friend, therein lies your problem. four bucks worth of P cord and a high branch will solve your problems better that all of us here behind our screens will.

Hanging food is the easiest way to keep your camp bear free, yet you actively choose to stray from this route?

good luck.


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## Harold (Dec 23, 2003)

I use an ursack with opsaks where risk is low-moderate. Haven't gone anywhere high risk that requires more robust systems like canisters, but I am pleased with how the system I use works. I have not had my food storage molested by anything that has left visual evidence of their visit.

The ursack method involves tying it to the base of a tree. No hanging involved. Critter sacks might work for rodents, but they won't do **** for bears.

Sent from my VS995 using Tapatalk


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## wahday (Mar 23, 2012)

This weekend I came within 50 feet of a bear cub (which fortunately was running away. But where was mom?! Scary) This was in an area where the Ranger had just told us that he hadn't seen any bears at that altitude all summer and didn't feel it was a big concern. I'm so much in the habit of hanging bear bags, I just do it and don't even think of it being a hassle. I also spent some time in the backcountry of Alaska and in the forest lands they make you go through a LOT of bear preparedness training. They are not messing around so I figure I shouldn't either.


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## Harryonaspot (Oct 5, 2004)

Prepping for bears is smart, but don't forget the raccoons. I always hang my food, but it's not always possible. Three times I have had ***** either destroy stuff sacks and all my food or actually drag them away. Tie it up somewhere if you can't hang it. And don't forget your shower kit and sunscreen and lip balm


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## veloborealis (Oct 25, 2009)

Use the Outsak (it works for the smaller critters ) and reconsider hanging your food when you can. It's easy. Check youtube. In addition also consider:

Keeping a clean camp;
Cooking in one location, camping in another;
Never eating in your tent and sleeping bag;
Try not to handle your gear with dirty hands;
When you can't hang your food, rig a pot to fall if the bag is tampered with. It will startle the critter and/or wake you to scare it away.

Protecting your food is much more important when you are going deep into the backcountry and resupply is days or weeks away. If you are on a road, even a dirt road, you can often get to a town in a day or two to restock if you have to. Conversely, problem animals are more of a problem closer to human habitation, where they have easier access to garbage and sloppy campers.


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## verslowrdr (Mar 22, 2004)

Here in Wa state our bears are usually pretty well behaved... or they get shot during hunting season. So most of the time when you see a bear it's a furry butt running away, and while it's possible to have one get into food it's mostly rare.

But the little varmits? Mice, voles, packrats, squirrels, chipmunks, ground squirrels... I've done war with them on the trail AND at home, and I swear they are Satan's Army. Especially after paying some Hvac guys a pretty penny to repair the holes they put in our heat ducts. <insert profanity string> I would recommend at least throwing food in a dry sack and hanging that at night in hopes of keeping your stuff further off their radar.

Early this spring one night hammocking in some sparse locust trees next to the Columbia river, I suddenly heard a scribble scrabble twang on the taunt Dyneema whoopie sling line behind my head. Whatever it was flailed at staying on the line and then apparently fell off. Somehow that felt like a small victory for mankind, lol.


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