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  1. #61
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    Quote Originally Posted by ant View Post
    Hard to swallow spending nearly $300+ and gaining 2lbs of hard bulk - Bearikade.
    It's not just the weight but the ease of use that I find the Bearikade to be worth it.

  2. #62
    Registered User QuietStorm's Avatar
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    Just got my Bare Boxer. Amazingly light and packable. It’s supposed to be for one person for three days but I put two days in and it’s not even half full. Also easy to open and lock. I carry it in an arc haul zip.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

  3. #63

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    This article has some nice tables comparing the bear canister various options.

  4. #64
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    What brand of canister did that bear at Thomas Knob open? Anyone recall?

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    Quote Originally Posted by ant View Post
    Hard to swallow spending nearly $300+ and gaining 2lbs of hard bulk - Bearikade.
    Not at all.

    That is, when your option is 2.5 lbs

    And, you know you can sell it for $275 anytime.

  6. #66

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    Quote Originally Posted by QuietStorm View Post
    Just got my Bare Boxer. Amazingly light and packable. It’s supposed to be for one person for three days but I put two days in and it’s not even half full. Also easy to open and lock. I carry it in an arc haul zip.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    I put five days worth in, easy. I think they estimate for people packing mountain house-type meals.

  7. #67
    13-45 Section Hiker Trash
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    Quote Originally Posted by Uncle Joe View Post
    What brand of canister did that bear at Thomas Knob open? Anyone recall?
    It was never confirmed, but suspected to be a Bear Vault.

    I highly doubt it was a Bearikade...too many people complaining about the cost of one, so I doubt anyone on the East coast is using one other than myself a few other individuals.
    AT: 2007-2019 (45 sections)
    JMT: 2013

  8. #68
    Wanna-be hiker trash
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    Quote Originally Posted by Uncle Joe View Post
    What brand of canister did that bear at Thomas Knob open? Anyone recall?
    Quote Originally Posted by Berserker View Post
    It was never confirmed, but suspected to be a Bear Vault.

    I highly doubt it was a Bearikade...too many people complaining about the cost of one, so I doubt anyone on the East coast is using one other than myself a few other individuals.
    I very much wonder if user error was involved, especially if it were a BV, as it’s easy enough to imagine someone a accidentally or intentionally storing it without the lid fully screwed down into the locked position. I’ve found it tempting to be lazy and not screw the lid of mine fully into the locking tab from time to time (especially if I think I’m going to access it again soon), which is a bad ha it that I’ve had to force myself not to get into.
    Colorless green ideas sleep furiously.

  9. #69
    Clueless Weekender
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    Quote Originally Posted by Sarcasm the elf View Post
    I very much wonder if user error was involved, especially if it were a BV, as it’s easy enough to imagine someone a accidentally or intentionally storing it without the lid fully screwed down into the locked position. I’ve found it tempting to be lazy and not screw the lid of mine fully into the locking tab from time to time (especially if I think I’m going to access it again soon), which is a bad ha it that I’ve had to force myself not to get into.
    No idea about Thomas Knob. The bears in Eastern High Peaks use a claw to break the locking tab. They actually saw Yellow-Yellow do it, the second or third time they captured her. (Her name comes from the fact that she wore two sets of yellow ear tags.) The DEC won't mention the BV by name but simply states that bear canisters made of transparent plastic are not recommended. Yellow-Yellow has long since been turned into stew, but she taught her cubs and the problem is worse than ever. But only in that one little area. Canisters are still optional (officially recommended, but not required) in High Peaks west of the MacNaughton-Street-Nye ridge.

    For the Bearikade, a human needs a screwdriver, but I bet that one of these years some bear will develop a trick to open it with his bear hands.
    I always know where I am. I'm right here.

  10. #70
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    Quote Originally Posted by Another Kevin View Post
    No idea about Thomas Knob. The bears in Eastern High Peaks use a claw to break the locking tab. They actually saw Yellow-Yellow do it, the second or third time they captured her.
    Since no one uses a canister down in this area I highly doubt the bear at Thomas Knob figured out how to open a Bear Vault. It was likely user error or the bear got lucky...or maybe he and one of the ponies were in cahoots and the pony kicked it open for him
    AT: 2007-2019 (45 sections)
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  11. #71
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    Quote Originally Posted by Berserker View Post
    Since no one uses a canister down in this area I highly doubt the bear at Thomas Knob figured out how to open a Bear Vault. It was likely user error or the bear got lucky...or maybe he and one of the ponies were in cahoots and the pony kicked it open for him
    Never trust a feral pony.
    Colorless green ideas sleep furiously.

  12. #72

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    Quote Originally Posted by Sarcasm the elf View Post
    I very much wonder if user error was involved, especially if it were a BV, as it’s easy enough to imagine someone a accidentally or intentionally storing it without the lid fully screwed down into the locked position. I’ve found it tempting to be lazy and not screw the lid of mine fully into the locking tab from time to time (especially if I think I’m going to access it again soon), which is a bad ha it that I’ve had to force myself not to get into.
    User error is highly probable as is user misuse. Though I have never met anyone who's done it I have seen hikers suggest in other popular online chit-char formats the removal of the locking tabs on the BV. Seems some are too lazy and/or weak to both press and twist the lid.
    I own the Garcia, BV, and a Bearikade. Purchased in that order. The first 2 collect dust now.

  13. #73
    Registered User scope's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by MuddyWaters View Post
    Not at all.

    That is, when your option is 2.5 lbs

    And, you know you can sell it for $275 anytime.
    Optimistic, but still able to sell at good value assuming its not artfully decorated (like my BV is).

    Quote Originally Posted by HooKooDooKu View Post
    ...Constructed of carbon fiber sides, it's lighter than an equally sized Bear Vault, and I love the 3x quarter twit screws to open the lid compared to the tabs you have to squeeze the BV lid past.

    I still recall my 1st morning on the JMT, a fellow camper came over to the group I was in for the night asking for help getting their BV open. Temperatures had been pretty cool that night, and the plastic of the BV was pretty stiff. It took two people to open the BV... one squeezing the sides to get the lit past the two tabs, while another person concentrated on just turning the lid.

    The Bearikade is expensive (3x to 4x the BV). But if you plan to use it on a regular basis, I think the weight and especially the ease of use is worth it.
    So, I am all too familiar with that cold morning circumstance with the BV. Still, its something you learn and move forward from, so its not like every outing is like this. I'm prepared for cold weather with a tool to press the tab, and the fact that I will need some tack/pressure to turn while pressing. Its just not that bad. It is bad, though, when you're not prepared for that sort of thing, especially in the a.m. when coffee is necessary!

    I would imagine that the unscrewing and screwing the Bearikade top open and closed is somewhat conducive to leaving it open for longer periods. Maybe that's just "not that bad" either... HYOH.

    Quote Originally Posted by Sarcasm the elf View Post
    Are you saying they drink the vodka straight?
    If you leave it out, I'm pretty sure that's how they would do it. Gosh, I'd love to see that.
    "I wonder if anyone else has an ear so tuned and sharpened as I have, to detect the music, not of the spheres, but of earth, subtleties of major and minor chord that the wind strikes upon the tree branches. Have you ever heard the earth breathe... ?"
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  14. #74

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    Quote Originally Posted by August W. View Post
    My reasons for not carrying a bear canister are:
    They aren't perfect. I mean the only consistent ways to get them to fail against a bear is to either not have the lid fully locked (BV lid not screwed on completely) or first leave them out in the weather for many months/years until the canister becomes very brittle. Boo...
    Once you eat the food you can't transfer any other items from your pack to the inside of the canister without having to like totally rethink your packing strategy.
    It's true that a fed bear is a dead bear and I know that a bear is much more likely to get a food reward from my food bag/ursack, even if the sack isn't fully ripped open. I just don't like bears and if one is going to chew on my food containment system I want that sucker to get enough food reward that he quickly gets habituated and must be put down.
    I'm ultralight and canisters aren't.
    I'm cheap and canisters aren't.
    Bear canisters don't have that cute rope that ursack has and therefore can't be tied off to a tree to encourage a bear to promote the introduction of pests and disease to that tree by ripping it's bark or breaking its limbs/trunk.
    It's not fair to use a canister in a pillow fight. Food sacks are fair to use so long as you don't put rocks in them.
    Ants have a harder time getting into a bear canister than a food sack. Ants are good protein.
    Carrying a canister makes you look like a do-gooder snob.
    Using a bear canister as a chair is a good way to tip over and get a bruise. Food sack is much safer.
    When you put cool sentimental stickers on a canister it becomes even heavier!
    Bear canisters are the tools of a N.P.S. conspiracy to harass and unduly burden backpackers.
    That's impressive. I haven't seen a complete compilation of the mental gymnastics used to avoid a bear canister until now. Best post in the thread so far lol.

  15. #75
    GSMNP 900 Miler
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    Quote Originally Posted by scope View Post
    I would imagine that the unscrewing and screwing the Bearikade top open and closed is somewhat conducive to leaving it open for longer periods.
    Not really, because it's only 3 screws, and they each only require 1/4 turn (90º) to go from "open" to "lock" (they are more like the locks found on most double-hung windows that a "screw", but they use the slot like a screw to prevent bear claws from being able to turn them).

    So with a Bearikade, you wind up spending more time looking for your 'screw driver' (coin) that you spend locking/unlocking the lid.

    The lid is also attached (like the lid of a Nalgene bottle is, except it's attached to the lid from the inside rather than the outside).

  16. #76
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    Quote Originally Posted by C4web88 View Post
    That's impressive. I haven't seen a complete compilation of the mental gymnastics used to avoid a bear canister until now. Best post in the thread so far lol.


    My own reason: I'm too damn clumsy not to.

  17. #77
    NOBO Mar '21 BowGal's Avatar
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    After reading post after post, viewing videos and comparing canisters, I decided to bite the bullet and buy the Bearikade Wilderness.
    I live in a remote, off-grid area where I not only backpack, but also hunt. Unfortunately, all our trees this far north are all pine or tamarack...no branches for throwing a PCT-style hang.
    For next years AT hike, I have gotten my base weight to 17lbs...so the additional almost 2 lbs adds a bit more for sure. But I know coming into camp at night after hiking 15-20 miles, will be nice not having to hang my food.
    We don’t stop hiking because we grow old, we grow old because we stop hiking.
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  18. #78
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    Quote Originally Posted by BowGal View Post
    After reading post after post, viewing videos and comparing canisters, I decided to bite the bullet and buy the Bearikade Wilderness.
    I live in a remote, off-grid area where I not only backpack, but also hunt. Unfortunately, all our trees this far north are all pine or tamarack...no branches for throwing a PCT-style hang.
    For next years AT hike, I have gotten my base weight to 17lbs...so the additional almost 2 lbs adds a bit more for sure. But I know coming into camp at night after hiking 15-20 miles, will be nice not having to hang my food.
    It's your choice and your calculation, of course, but you'll very likely discover after a few days that a bear can is not really needed on the AT.

  19. #79
    NOBO Mar '21 BowGal's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by cmoulder View Post
    It's your choice and your calculation, of course, but you'll very likely discover after a few days that a bear can is not really needed on the AT.
    No doubt, but once I’ve received it, going to take out with me on some backwoods overnighters to test it.

    Also thinking I have time to re-evaluate my tent situation. Current tent setup is 1643g (3lbs10oz). If I could find the best tent that suits me, I could get my base weight down even with the canister.
    I’ve looked at Zpacks, TarpTent, Six Moon and Lightheart...not sure which.
    We don’t stop hiking because we grow old, we grow old because we stop hiking.
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  20. #80
    Registered User lonehiker's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by BowGal View Post
    Also thinking I have time to re-evaluate my tent situation. Current tent setup is 1643g (3lbs10oz). If I could find the best tent that suits me, I could get my base weight down even with the canister.
    I’ve looked at Zpacks, TarpTent, Six Moon and Lightheart...not sure which.
    You just need to pull the trigger. Figure out what you can budget for a tent and what features are important to you, then make a decision. You can't really go wrong with any of those companies. And, if you insist on carrying the bear canister, the new tent should about offset the weight costs of carrying it.
    Lonehiker (MRT '22)

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