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Next year, after doing 1000 or so miles of section hikes, I plan to finally do the Springer Mountain to maybe Deep Gap section. There are two of us old guys and we tend to amble, so it will be two (or three) nights before Blood Mountain. I am guessing that my Boreas Buttermilk will not handle a useful canister, but I still have my old big Kelty. What do people like for canisters?
You only need a canister if you plan on camping between Jarrod Gap and Neel Gap from March 1 to June 1. Most people camp at Lance Creek then hike through this section to Neel Gap A(only 7-8 miles). YMMV. Good hiking.
For those who wish to purchase a bear canister, it seems the top two styles are the poly-carbonate BearVaults and the CarbonFiber Bearikade.
BearVaults (and a few similarities) is what is mostly sold at hiking retailer (including REI and CampSaver).
+ On the plus side, they are relatively inexpensive, and the clear-sided material makes it easy to find what you are looking for.
- On the negative side, they can be difficult to open... similar to what you might experience with a medicine bottle.
Bearikade is currently the lightest weight bear canister available, but only sold by the manufacturer http://www.wild-ideas.net/.
+ On the plus side, they are lighter than typical bear canisters, and they easily open with the aid of a coin.
- On the negative side, they are extremely expensive, about 3x the cost of other similar sized canisters.
Here is a good comparison guide. It's a few years old, but I don't think much has changed.
https://andrewskurka.com/2012/bear-c...hopping-guide/
Personally I ended up buying a BV500 this year and have been fairly happy with it.
So long as you aren't hiking in the Adirondacks High Peaks Region where the rangers laugh at you and then show you the destroyed Bear Vault bear canisters they pick up behind the shelters in the Marcy Dam area. :-? :(Quote:
Originally Posted by Sarcasm the elf
I loved the Bearikade Expedition I used on my JMT thru.
FWIW: The Bearikade has NOT been certified by IGBC (Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee - the only organization currently provides any certification for bear resistant containers).
This might be important, depending upon where you're going to use the container.
Each place across the U.S. that requires the use of Bear Canister has different rules.
I know a couple of National Parks (Yellow Stone & Yosemite) that list by manufacture and model number the bear canisters allowed in their park.
I believe when this subject came up for that sort section in GA, their rules are something along the lines of any commercial product designed and sold to resist bears.
While I can't think of a particular place off hand, I believe there are other places in the U.S. where the rule is something along the lines of anything certified by IGBC.
I have a BV500 and I quite like it. Had I known about the Bearikade I probably would have considered it due to it's lighter weight. However at time of purchase, I had never heard of it. That being said, the BV500 does the job very well. And as mentioned in a previous post, it can be a pain in the you know what to open it sometimes but once you get the hang of it, it's ok.
For ME, it's all about not having to bother with finding a suitable tree, throwing a rope and tying it properly. Just what I need after a long day of hiking. And if and when I find myself hiking in bear country, I'll be ready.
I am a weight weenie and a carbon fiber junkie but I still couldn't justify the extra cost for the berikade to the bearvault; BV won me with the see through sides and is just a bit heavier but overall cost is dramatically lower. I was hoping that the "hunny" bear containers were gonna make it to market but I guess I lost my $20 dollars on that indiegogo funding project:(Quote:
Originally Posted by Rusty Joints
Yea, the Bearikade is a bit expensive for someone planning a single trip. Makes much more sense for someone who routinely needs a bear canister. While I can appreciate the reasons you prefer the bear vault, if I routinely needed a bear canister, I'd go with the Bearikade for the combination of light weight and easy to use. (Second morning on the JMT, a lady came into our camp asking for help getting her bear vault open... temperatures were a bit cold making the plastic stiffer and she just couldn't open it by herself).Quote:
Originally Posted by poolskaterx
BTW: Anyone contemplating a JMT thru, Bearikade offers discount rentals for JMT thru hikers. The cost of the rental is about the same as the cost of the Bear Vault to purchase. Makes the cost of using a Bearikade for a one-time trip a bit more palatable.
Hadn't heard that project was a flop... until now. Not a total surprise given how "pie in the sky" the original concept sounded.Quote:
Originally Posted by poolskaterx
A quick bit of research found this discussion thread on the subject where the guy behind the hunny claimed he was financially well off enough that he was going to refund everyone's indiegogo money.
Quote:
on the subject where the guy behind the hunny claimed he was financially well off enough that he was going to refund everyone's indiegogo money
also says right on the indiegogo site that the money is going to be refunded...
its under the updates section....
In an effort to eliminate misinformation, Yellowstone only requires bear resistant food containers in areas where food poles are not provided. The last time I looked, Glacier NP had similar rules.Quote:
Originally Posted by HooKooDooKu
Copy and paste from Yellowstone NP web page:
"Campsites
Each designated campsite has a maximum limit for the number of people and stock allowed per night. The maximum stay per campsite varies from 1 to 3 nights per trip. Group size limits range from 4 to 12 people. With the exception of four campsites, we allow only one group at each campsite. If your group size exceeds the campsite limit, you’ll need to obtain a second permit and cook and sleep as separate groups. A food storage pole is provided at every campsite so that food and attractants may be secured from bears. Some sites have fire pits."
Now, if we could get the rest of the Park Service to do the same.
Wayne
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Quote:
Originally Posted by poolskaterx
Well, if you take the resale into account, its hsrd to not justify it.
Yep...I rented a weekender for JMT few years back....few weeks later for some odd reason looked up bear can on Craig's list in Fl....low and behold someone had a Bearikade expedition for FT use and didn't use....think I paid $60-80 and resold for nearly retail...covered my rental and a few $$ more....probably would have kept if was a weekender....Quote:
Originally Posted by MuddyWaters
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I bought an expedition for my JMT... mainly because I wanted something in hand a few weeks ahead of time. (Glag I did, once I had that sucker loaded up, realized I needed to new back pack to deal with it).Quote:
Originally Posted by saltysack
When my trip was over, had no problem selling it at a relatively small loss (equivalent to what a rental would have cost).