Originally Posted by
abdon
That is, if you don't mind your food being mushed into the consistency of baby food.
I forage in Alaska, I come across black bears all the time. Young ones look like squirrels when you spook them and they go running up a tree. Older ones don't have the same spring on their step but they are every bit as capable climbers. If you look at an empty bag and just think about food they'll be able to smell that. If they come, see it, and can reach it, they will mess with it something fierce.
I think there is quite a difference between Alaska and continental USA that is east of grizzly country.
The first of my two photos in a previous post in this thread, the first photo with Ursack tied to a tree was on a hiking trail that is somewhat wilderness, but only a short distance from major highway and residential. There are several hiking parties on virtually every foot of that trail every day. I am sure there are bears in the area, but the bigger hazard there is small critters looking for a free meal.
The second photo where I had it hanging, that is in Boundary Waters Canoe area, a designated wilderness area where bear precautions are much more important. Where I can, I do hang the food there, but some campsites lack good food hanging trees. I bought the Ursack to use where I can't hang food, but since I carry it, now I put the hung food in the Ursack anyway.
You are correct, a bear can crush your food in an Ursack when tied to a tree, which I noted in my first post in this thread. I only tie it to a tree where I am more concerned about small critters than bear, or where there are no practical places to hang the food.
Photo below, a state park in Alabama near the Natchez Trace parkway. The Ursack hanging in the tree is more intended to prevent critters from getting into it. But at a campground like this, for decades I have left food in a dry bag on a table or in my tent vestibule or hanging from a tree branch. Now that I have the Ursack, used it here for a bit of extra protection. This photo was taken in April this year.
I have not bought the aluminum sheet that Ursack makes for them, that is not really needed where I camp. If I was depending on the Ursack to be bear proof much more often, I might buy it to make the food less crushable.
https://www.rei.com/product/182980/u...iner-15-liters