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Thread: Camp alarms?

  1. #1
    Registered User GaryM's Avatar
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    Default Camp alarms?

    Has anyone every used any sort of camp alarm? Either trip wire around tent or pressure release switch activating a light or siren to warn against bears or whatever? Obviously a horrible idea at a shelter but for those who like to set up in out of the way places I can see it having a purpose.

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    i'm sure someone somewhere has done it. is it something many experienced backpackers do? i'd be surprised to learn it is.

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    Had to check if this one was in the humor section....I have sat and given it some thought of what would be required to setup a security station around my tent...String and soup cans is all I can imagine in my head. It would also require a great deal more fear of wildlife then I personally have. my short answer is...no.
    Last edited by Gambit McCrae; 01-21-2019 at 12:10.
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    Default Camp alarms?

    my cook pot, lid, and mug all go in my food bag at night. If a bear was to mess with my food, maybe the clanging of that stuff would wake me.
    You can walk in another person's shoes, but only with your feet

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    Decades ago I had a portable battery powered alarm with a proximity detector as a sensor.
    Only once I tried to use it while stealth car camping in a southern country where we didn't feel really safe. Bad idea.
    It made too many false alarms throughout the night, obviously detecting moving leaves, small animals or whatever - it robbed us the sleep instead of giving us a safe night.
    Several days later we met an old French guy on his pilgrimage to Jerusalem who told us that a thief got some of his stuff the other night, so we were glad to hand him over the alarm device.
    Never got to know if he got lucky using it or if it had been a Danean Present.

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    I haven’t carried claymores since I stopped hiking in the USMC. They did work well for large predators. The biggest threat now is them ticks. They like to sneak up without a sound.

    Thom

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    Quote Originally Posted by GaryM View Post
    Has anyone every used any sort of camp alarm? Either trip wire around tent or pressure release switch activating a light or siren to warn against bears or whatever? Obviously a horrible idea at a shelter but for those who like to set up in out of the way places I can see it having a purpose.
    If you're too scared of bears seriously you need to stay home. You won't have fun.

    bears gingerly step over your tent guy lines when they circle your tents sniffing you , trying to figure out how to get it that Snickers bar in your pocket. what makes you think they're going to hit a trip line?
    Last edited by MuddyWaters; 01-21-2019 at 14:14.

  8. #8

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    You should camp GSMNP. The bears trying to jingle your food bag off the cables will give you plenty of notice.

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    Registered User lonehiker's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by GaryM View Post
    Has anyone every used any sort of camp alarm? Either trip wire around tent or pressure release switch activating a light or siren to warn against bears or whatever? Obviously a horrible idea at a shelter but for those who like to set up in out of the way places I can see it having a purpose.
    It has no purpose.
    Lonehiker (MRT '22)

  10. #10

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    When staying in shelters, I have been known to lay my hiking pole next to me and extended beyond the platform, hoping that if a bear walks up, it will bump the pole and I will be alerted prior to it taking a bite out of my head.

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    I can't imagine any place in the US where an alarm would be necessary, save urban camping in Chicago!

  12. #12

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    I've considered making a backpackers electric fence. Wouldn't be all that hard to do. Can probably keep it under a pound.
    Follow slogoen on Instagram.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Leo L. View Post
    Decades ago I had a portable battery powered alarm with a proximity detector as a sensor.
    Only once I tried to use it while stealth car camping in a southern country where we didn't feel really safe. Bad idea.
    It made too many false alarms throughout the night, obviously detecting moving leaves, small animals or whatever - it robbed us the sleep instead of giving us a safe night.
    Several days later we met an old French guy on his pilgrimage to Jerusalem who told us that a thief got some of his stuff the other night, so we were glad to hand him over the alarm device.
    Never got to know if he got lucky using it or if it had been a Danean Present.

    Leo - Danean Present? A present that really isn't a present, wanted or appreciated?

    Google doesn't even know.
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  14. #14

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    One of the two nights I spent in a shelter was sleepless. One guy caused all the drama. Among his gifts to us that night he wore some sort of medical monitoring device, that beeped if certain conditions were met. The problem was, that he was somewhat hard of hearing, the monitor fell off his wrist and beeped for an hour, and he couldn't hear it. He was the only one in the shelter that couldn't hear it.

    So, if you do wear some type of medical alarm, be certain it alerts you in a manner that you can actually sense.

    Proximity alarm. Hell no. You just know that the owner would hit the wrong button, forget about it, move around themselves, set it off, sleep through it and annoy everyone else within miles. It's like car alarms, they go off, everyone ignores them, gets annoyed, and they prevent zero car thefts, because they're so common.

  15. #15

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    Quote Originally Posted by RangerZ View Post
    Leo - Danean Present? A present that really isn't a present, wanted or appreciated?

    Google doesn't even know.
    I googled it too, came up with nothin
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  16. #16
    Registered User Venchka's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by GaryM View Post
    Has anyone every used any sort of camp alarm? Either trip wire around tent or pressure release switch activating a light or siren to warn against bears or whatever? Obviously a horrible idea at a shelter but for those who like to set up in out of the way places I can see it having a purpose.
    I only camp in WAY out of the way places. Zero trouble with critters of any size. What tent? I don’t always set up a shelter.
    Another question which makes me wonder “Why?”
    Whatever floats your boat is fine for you.
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    Wayne

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    Quote Originally Posted by GaryM View Post
    Has anyone every used any sort of camp alarm? Either trip wire around tent or pressure release switch activating a light or siren to warn against bears or whatever? Obviously a horrible idea at a shelter but for those who like to set up in out of the way places I can see it having a purpose.
    Quote Originally Posted by Slo-go'en View Post
    I've considered making a backpackers electric fence. Wouldn't be all that hard to do. Can probably keep it under a pound.
    Ultralight electric security fence for bears? About 3.7 lbs https://www.cabelas.com/product/UDAP...ce/1242284.uts

    It's shocking what people will buy

    Setting up an NDP (Nightime defense perimeter) for bears is pretty absurd for the AT where ticks are the most dangerous critters and the biggest animal dangers are dogs. Some parts of the western US, especially thinking of Alaska, might warrant such extremes, but if bears are that much of a threat, it becomes a whole different preparedness level - one that should include a 12 gauge loaded with slugs as well.

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    Worried about "Charlie in the wire". Back in Nam we would run a wire around our position and hook it to a flare that has it's pin half pulled. Don't make it too tight or the wind will set it off, Learned that one the hard way....

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    Quote Originally Posted by 4eyedbuzzard View Post
    Ultralight electric security fence for bears? About 3.7 lbs https://www.cabelas.com/product/UDAP...ce/1242284.uts

    It's shocking what people will buy

    Setting up an NDP (Nightime defense perimeter) for bears is pretty absurd for the AT where ticks are the most dangerous critters and the biggest animal dangers are dogs. Some parts of the western US, especially thinking of Alaska, might warrant such extremes, but if bears are that much of a threat, it becomes a whole different preparedness level - one that should include a 12 gauge loaded with slugs as well.

    Haven't thought about NDPs in ages. Fortunately I missed VN, we worried about the Russians coming across the IGB.
    76 HawkMtn w/Rangers
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    18-19,22 AT NOBO 1562.2
    22 Hadrian's Wall
    23 Cotswold Way

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    Step 1) Alarm goes off.
    Step 2) ????

    Quote Originally Posted by GaryM View Post
    ...activating a light or siren to warn against bears or whatever?
    And when the alarm goes off what are you going to do? Are you going to wrestle the bear or bad guy? Do you have an effective weapon? Are you camping with someone who runs slower than you? Do you have a priest on call to give you your last rights? Who you gonna call? 1-800-555-2368 or 867-5309

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