IGBC-approved bear baggage and bear canisters are more and more required all through the USA, together with areas the place, previously, merely hanging a bear bag was deemed ample to stop bears from stealing meals from backpackers and campers. The IGBC, which stands for Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee, is the de facto group that determines whether or not meals storage bear baggage, bear canisters, and different types of storage are ample to stop brown bears, together with grizzly bears, from defeating them and getting a meals reward.
Whereas black bears, not brown bears, are current east of the Mississippi, IGBC-approved storage is now required in lots of japanese areas as a result of extra individuals are backpacking and tenting than ever earlier than, black bear populations have elevated, and black bears have gotten higher at stealing meals from bear hangs. To see if a bear canister is required within the japanese US, test with the Nationwide or State Land Supervisor that oversees the world you propose to go to, to find out whether or not IGBC-approved meals storage is required.
IGBC-Authorised Bear Luggage
Whereas Bear Luggage are considerably lighter than bear canisters and far simpler to pack, they’re not waterproof, so water can leak inside or soak their exteriors. That is problematic if you must pack them in your backpack, as a result of they’ll make your gear moist. It’s usually helpful to hold an additional plastic bag to wrap round a bear bag earlier than packing it into your pack.
Bear Luggage are additionally extra vulnerable to rodent predation as a result of they’ll’t be utterly sealed shut like a bear canister. Their finest use is in drier climates, the place they are often hung or saved in containers that rodents can’t entry. Sadly, the massive steel bear containers discovered at many campsite shelters aren’t rodent-proof. Nonetheless, bear baggage could be a viable bear-proof choice, significantly if tied to timber in areas that aren’t frequented by different campers and the place rodents are much less prone to be acclimated to human meals.
How Many Days of Meals? There’s an previous rule of thumb that claims {that a} day’s value of meals requires about 100 cubic inches of storage (1.6L). Whereas individuals can cram greater than 1 day of meals into that quantity by eradicating extra packaging or selecting easy-to-pack meals, like rice or M&M’s, it’s nonetheless an excellent quantity heuristic for estimating what number of days of meals you possibly can carry between resupply factors.
IGBC-Authorised Bear Canisters
Whereas bear canisters are heavier than bear baggage and might be awkward to pack in a backpack, they’re additionally rodent-proof, and in lots of circumstances, extra waterproof. Bear canisters have additionally turn into out there in smaller sizes in recent times, making them simpler to make use of for shorter-duration journeys, together with weekend backpacking journeys by people who find themselves not thru-hikers.
IGBC-Authorised Bear Luggage vs Bear Canisters
Sadly, there are various situations the place you continue to want to make use of a bear canister, although a bear bag has been IGBC-approved. This happens when native guidelines require a “bear canister” or “hard-sided bear-resistant container.” That is widespread in high-use nationwide parks and common backcountry corridors (for instance, many components of the Sierra, some areas in Rocky Mountain, Olympic, and Adirondack Excessive Peaks). Even when a soft-sided bag is IGBC-approved, many of those locations won’t settle for it as an alternative.
An IGBC-approved bear bag (like an Ursack) is an choice solely the place rules enable it. That normally means the foundations say one thing like “bear-resistant meals storage required” with out specifying hard-sided containers, and the native managers both point out your bag sort by identify or don’t prohibit it. Bear baggage are lighter, extra packable, and nice for long-distance journeys, however they require good anchor factors (timber or huge roots/rocks) and correct tying. Bears could crush the contents, and a few fashions are much less efficient towards rodents.
Canisters are heavier and bulkier however less complicated and extra reliably critter-proof: put meals in, lock the lid, and place it 100–200 ft from camp. When unsure or rules are unclear, select a hard-sided canister and make sure particulars with the related park or forest workplace.
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