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  1. #1
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    Default opsak in your ursak?

    Just wondering how many of y'all line your ursak with an opsak. I do. And this is the 2nd time the ziplok thing broke!

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    Default opsak in your ursak?

    I line my ZPacks cuben fiber bear bag with it. Definitely keeps the odors at bay. Haven't had a problem with it breaking.


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  3. #3
    Registered User DownEaster's Avatar
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    Based on all the complaints I read about Opsak durability (or lack thereof), I decided to look for alternatives. Coghlan's Odor Proof Storage Bag 12 x 16 inch (3 pieces) only set me back $4.95. Haven't had an opportunity to put them to the test yet.

  4. #4

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    Yes I do for a few years now. On my just-completed section hike on the CT on one of my last nights when I went to pull the two sides apart on my opsak one half split off for just about the whole width of that side right at the top. It didn't prevent me from ziploking the two sides back together, but when it came time to pry them apart I had to really dig a thumbnail into the seam to get the process started of prying them apart. Is this the failure you are talking about? I've been alternating the opsaks I originally bought in the three pack and have quite a few miles on each one before this happened to one of them.

    Since I started using the opsak within an ursak I don't bother hanging my food and sleep with it in my tent and have had no trouble with critters.
    Last edited by map man; 08-19-2017 at 22:14.
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  5. #5
    Registered User Venchka's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by map man View Post
    ...
    Since I started using the opsak within an ursak I don't bother hanging my food and sleep with it in my tent and have had no trouble with critters.
    Truth be known, that is probably what 99% of folks in the backcountry do. Without the Ursack or the Opsaks.
    Or they hang their food bag and then snack in their tent.
    Wayne


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  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by map man View Post
    Yes I do for a few years now. On my just-completed section hike on the CT on one of my last nights when I went to pull the two sides apart on my opsak one half split off for just about the whole width of that side right at the top. It didn't prevent me from ziploking the two sides back together, but when it came time to pry them apart I had to really dig a thumbnail into the seam to get the process started of prying them apart. Is this the failure you are talking about? I've been alternating the opsaks I originally bought in the three pack and have quite a few miles on each one before this happened to one of them.

    Since I started using the opsak within an ursak I don't bother hanging my food and sleep with it in my tent and have had no trouble with critters.
    Both times my opsak broke, it's like you start to open the bad, and one side seems to be pulling the zipper loose from the other side. Then it's broken and you can't seal it.
    If you are very careful with it, you can prevent it - and now that this has happened to me twice, I may remember that next time.
    But I think I'll check out those Coughlin's (sp) mentioned above.

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    Quote Originally Posted by DownEaster View Post
    Based on all the complaints I read about Opsak durability (or lack thereof), I decided to look for alternatives. Coghlan's Odor Proof Storage Bag 12 x 16 inch (3 pieces) only set me back $4.95. Haven't had an opportunity to put them to the test yet.
    Gonna check that out. Thanks....

  8. #8
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    Here's a link to where I bought the Coghlan's bags: SunnySports.

  9. #9
    Registered User Venchka's Avatar
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    Y'all are delusional and hallucinating if you think that you can hide the smell of food from a bear.
    Wayne


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  10. #10
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    Not worried about bears.

    We've used OP Saks in our food bags for 10+ years, both in the original Ursacks, and lately in the Zpacks food bag. The only one time we've had a mini-bear inside the bag was also the only time I couldn't fit all the food inside the OP Sak. Coincidence? Perhaps.
    Ken B
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    Quote Originally Posted by jefals View Post
    Just wondering how many of y'all line your ursak with an opsak. I do. And this is the 2nd time the ziplok thing broke!
    well for one I dont have an ursack
    I bought opsaks years ago. Deemed them too much trouble. And the known zipper failures were a drawback then.

    So, Ive uses reynolds turkey bags ...like forever. twist neck, rubber band around it.

    When sleeping with my food, its usually inside ziplocks, inside turkey bag, inside cuben stuffsak, inside pack liner too.

    The ziplocks usually arent sealed, they fail. The cuben..not airtight. So basically food inside two nylon bags twisted with rubber bands..

    Ive had mice in shelter....even without food there. Ive been harassed by porcupines and raccoons. Ive had things trip over guylines in middle of night (gets your attention quick). But I havent been bothered by a bear after food......yet.
    Last edited by MuddyWaters; 08-20-2017 at 09:02.

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    I've used the green odor barrier bags to line my food bag for few years without incident...a bear can smell it regardless but minimizing the odor helps....use caution as sharp objects like MH meals etc will poke holes in them...


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    Quote Originally Posted by saltysack View Post
    I've used the green odor barrier bags to line my food bag for few years without incident...a bear can smell it regardless but minimizing the odor helps....use caution as sharp objects like MH meals etc will poke holes in them...





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    first thing I do, is trim the sharp corners off of a MH bag. Use one without tomato sauce contents so you can clean it
    Then that bag is my cozy.
    repackage all MH into ziplocks.

    otherwise no way to carry more than about 2-3 MH dinners

    but yeah, first order of business is cut the corners off regardless.

  14. #14
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    Quote Originally Posted by MuddyWaters View Post
    first thing I do, is trim the sharp corners off of a MH bag. Use one without tomato sauce contents so you can clean it
    Then that bag is my cozy.
    repackage all MH into ziplocks.

    otherwise no way to carry more than about 2-3 MH dinners

    but yeah, first order of business is cut the corners off regardless.
    I've gotten away from the nasty MH meals unless I have dividends to burn at REI....I'm hooked on Skurkas beans and rice meal or the hawk vittles meals but the more I go the more tired I get of fooling w cooking at all....I'll keep dabbling with going stovless as currently only boil 2 cups for dinner the rest is cold...not really worth carrying fuel, stove and pot for one use per day....


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    Quote Originally Posted by saltysack View Post
    I've gotten away from the nasty MH meals unless I have dividends to burn at REI....I'm hooked on Skurkas beans and rice meal or the hawk vittles meals but the more I go the more tired I get of fooling w cooking at all....I'll keep dabbling with going stovless as currently only boil 2 cups for dinner the rest is cold...not really worth carrying fuel, stove and pot for one use per day....
    I prefer hawkvittles to mountain house also. But -- ever try holding the edge of that flimsy pouch open with one hand and trying to pour boiling water in with the other? DON'T DO IT! I have a sturdy little cozy my daughter made me that I can put that bag in first.
    But - I digress. Alright, I'll look into the turkey bags and green odor proof bags -- (is there some reason they're green)? Thanks for the replies!

  16. #16
    Registered User Venchka's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by saltysack View Post
    I've used the green odor barrier bags to line my food bag for few years without incident...a bear can smell it regardless but minimizing the odor helps....use caution as sharp objects like MH meals etc will poke holes in them...


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    Grinning. So Br'er Bear can only smell your groceries from 19 miles away and not 20.
    Wayne


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  17. #17

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    Quote Originally Posted by jefals View Post
    Just wondering how many of y'all line your ursak with an opsak. I do. And this is the 2nd time the ziplok thing broke!
    I have used the opsack in my ursak on a few trips without any issue. Even if the animals can still smell my stored goodies, I can certainly attest that it cuts down on smells from your food bag A LOT!!! I used to feel like I was marinating my gear with food smells when food was only packed in my bv-450.

    I will continue to use the opsacks (with my ursak or bear canister) until I have unacceptable failures and then maybe I'll try the turkey bag idea?

  18. #18
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    Quote Originally Posted by Venchka View Post

    Grinning. So Br'er Bear can only smell your groceries from 19 miles away and not 20.
    Wayne


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    I think it may affect the quality of the odor. So, Wayne, you and I are hiking along, me with my mountain house beef stew in my opsak-lined ursak, and you with yours in your plain-ole ursak. I think the bear's gonna smell em both, but mine's gonna smell kinda "blah" and yours is gonna smell "DAM GOOD"!

  19. #19
    Registered User Venchka's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by jefals View Post
    I think it may affect the quality of the odor. So, Wayne, you and I are hiking along, me with my mountain house beef stew in my opsak-lined ursak, and you with yours in your plain-ole ursak. I think the bear's gonna smell em both, but mine's gonna smell kinda "blah" and yours is gonna smell "DAM GOOD"!
    You're nuts. Grinning.
    Or maybe I'm nuts. I would LOVE to see ursus horribillis in it's natural environment. Not an easy task even in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. From a suitable distance of course.



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  20. #20
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    Best Amazon question I ever read was a guy asking for a "friend" if the Opsack could hide the smell of weed from police dogs. Now THAT would be one hell of a test for the product!

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