Ursacks - good investment?

[Excursionista]

Started a new thread rather than hijack the discussion about food protection.

Sarbar said:
"I use an Ursack bag (www.ursack.com) or a Bear Vault canister. I have been using the Ursack since around 2002. One of the few places where I have had an animal test one of my two Ursacks was on Eagle Creek and it was a small bear."

Naturally, Ursack's website lists a bunch of glowing backpacker testimonials. I'm wondering if anyone on the forum has used these products before. I've been casually looking for a bear canister (mostly to protect against rodents) but I hate the weight; is an Ursack a good investment? Strangely, this is the first I've heard of it.

[Spoonie_B]

I've used an Ursack for a couple years and never had anything get in. Of course, I can't tell you whether anything's tried. I've also not really backpacked in grizz country.

[Grannyhiker]

I've used an Ursack for several years now. Since I'm the world's worst thrower, it would take me half a day to hang a bear bag, with resulting severe arthritis in my shoulders. The only testers of my Ursack so far have been squirrels, and it seemed to foil them.

National parks where bears (or, in the case of the Olympic coast, raccoons) have been habituated generally require hard-sided canisters. They can be rented quite cheaply ($3 in Olympic NP). The Ursack seems to be a failure in the Sierra, where the bears have all been conditioned that anything in a bag = pinata and keep working and working until they finally get it open. But elsewhere it seems to work just fine when used as directed.

One amusing story re bear-bag hanging: I was hiking with a group on the Panther Creek trail in the North Cascades. About 2 miles from the trailhead I spotted a bear up on the ridge on the far side of the creek. About an hour later another member of our party spotted another bear. Our trip leader insisted that both were the same bear and that we'd better hang our food. So everyone's food bag was tied to one rather flimsy-looking rope and hoisted part-way up to a branch. Then the rope broke. Some of our food was in rather interesting condition thanks to exploded plastic bags. Nobody ever saw any sign of a bear the two days we were camped at Fourth of July Pass.

[Paul]

I've been using an URSack for a couple years. I got mine because I was tired of not having good trees around at or above timberline. Plus, that old fry, mossy wood does not allow the rope to slide very well and I lost a good rope and biner at Cloud Cap. I got the URSack as soon as I got home.

[turtle]

I have one of the original green/gray Ursacks. I use it on most trips. If I were heading into heavy Griz country or areas where canisters are required I would go with a canister. I don't consider the Ursack bear proof but it is really conveniant to just tie it to a tree and go to bed. That rope throwing thing is a lot harder than it looks. Don't cook right in your camp site and keep a clean camp and you should be okay. YMMV

[sarbar]

I have been accused of being part of the Ursack Mafia due to my love of them But here are my feelings:
In many cases when people hang food they don't get it quite right. It isn't easy either without a LOT of practice. Add in snow, darkness, rain....it gets harder.

So, for me, anything that helps is good. I bought my first Ursack a long time ago - the original ones were yellow btw. The later version (and well known) was the greenish ones. When the Iraq war went into hyperdrive they couldn't get the fabric (used in flak vests if I remember right). Then came the Vectran yellow-white ones. Now back the green fabric!

As for rodents, the Ursacks have been tested by squirrels, chipmunks and marmots and most likely mice. I have had my Ursack covered in poo pellets in the morning.

I think it is now 6 years on Ursack #1 and 2 or 3 on #2. Ford uses one, me the other. As Grannyhiker points out, the only place I don't use it is the Olympic Coast due to rules.

In areas with normal bears and other critters, the Ursack can work quite well. Just follow all directions carefully.

[Grannyhiker]

Sarbar, if you're part of the Ursack mafia, so am I! I've seen squirrels and birds (camp robbers, ravens) get into the best-hung stuff sacks. The Ursack solves that problem and you don't have to hang it, just tie it to a tree. Just make sure the opening is closed really tightly (you have to work a bit to do this when the bag is new).

[Excursionista]

Okay, okay!

Remember that line in The Lord of the Rings movie, where the hobbits discover beer comes in pints? Well, the same line applies to Ursacks as well: "I'm getting one!"

Thanks for the feedback!

[drm]

I have no personal experience, but I was told by a national park ranger that the newest Ursacks are completely bear proof, all kinds of bears. But he also said that some rodents have sharp enough teeth that they can chew into them. Clearly, a lot of users here have seen their Ursacks survive rodent attacks, so I don't know what kind of rodent it takes.

So, with an Ursack, do you leave it on the ground, or hang it anyway?

But I always wonder if a bear might drag it a long ways away in the attempt before leaving it behind - somewhere you can't find it at. But I also think it's true that most people who hang food have no idea how to do so properly, and a determined bear would usually get the food. Even if you know how to, there may not be an adequate tree available.

[sarbar]

DRM, unless it is outright banned by a park, the method is to use the Kevlar laces on the bag and tie it to a tree. If a bear grabs onto it, it tightens (it is all in the knot by the way!), hence the bear cannot walk away with it.

Now, having said that....there are a couple places in Ca that won't let you tie it to trees, claiming tree damage could occur (which I don't buy personally). They make you park them on the ground like canisters there.

As for hanging - I do if there is a bear wire or pole, otherwise no, don't. If hung too low you could have a pinata for the bears to bat