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Place that carriers bear-resistant food containers?
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saguaro_west_photography





Joined: 12 Sep 2007
Posts: 19
Location: Lancaster, Ca

PostPosted: 7/28/2009, 12:07 am    Post subject: Place that carriers bear-resistant food containers? Reply to topic Reply with quote

Is there a place in Flagstaff that carries bear-resistant food containers? If not Flag, then Phx/Tucson would also work.
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azbackpackr
Hi Tech Wizardess




Joined: 31 Dec 2005
Posts: 3639
Location: Needles CA

PostPosted: 7/28/2009, 3:49 am    Post subject: Reply to topic Reply with quote

You can rent them, as I found out by googling. Let's see if I can find it again. Ok, and this outfit is in the Valley: http://www.lowergear.com/product.php?id=160

Arizona Hiking Shack, www.hikingshack.com on Cave Creek Rd. in N. Phx. might have them, or might know where to get them. In Flag you have so many backpacking stores it's a wonder they can all stay in business, especially since most of them have really lousy customer service. So you'd just have to look.

You don't need one in Arizona, by the way. Our bears here are too dumb to climb up and find a hanging food bag. I have never heard of anyone having trouble here in AZ on a backpacking trip if they hung up their food. In fact, even in bear areas, the problem bears are mostly around the car campgrounds and cabin areas, not in the wilderness areas.
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Al_HikesAZ





Joined: 21 Jun 2005
Posts: 263
Location: Scottsdale, AZ

PostPosted: 7/28/2009, 9:39 am    Post subject: Reply to topic Reply with quote

Call Peace Surplus 928-779-4521 or email info@peacesurplus.com. They are on Route 66 just east of Humphreys in Flagstaff.

Our problems are usually with mice and ringtails and we use a stainless steel mesh sack. There was an outfit that produced the RatSack(TM0 but they went under. There is a company now that produces something similar called an Outsak(tm)
http://www.simpleoutdoorstore.com/
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RedRoxx44
Queen of the Walkabout




Joined: 15 Jan 2004
Posts: 1167

PostPosted: 7/28/2009, 9:59 am    Post subject: Reply to topic Reply with quote

I don't have the link but over on SP there is a discussion over a black bear in the Adirondacks nicknamed Yellow Yellow (two yellow tags in her ears) that apparently has mastered opening several "Bear Vaults" the portable backpacking kind. The president of the company in Ca is working on a new prototype and they plan to place it so she can "try" it out. So much for past R & D for them !! Twisted Evil
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saguaro_west_photography





Joined: 12 Sep 2007
Posts: 19
Location: Lancaster, Ca

PostPosted: 7/28/2009, 11:18 am    Post subject: re: bear resistant containers. Reply to topic Reply with quote

Ok, thanks for the info. I was just thinking of looking into getting some, if not for my Oct trip, then for some other time. I want to try and spend at least one night down in West Clear Creek Cyn while in Az, and was just concerned about leaving food in my camp while exploring the canyon.
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azbackpackr
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Joined: 31 Dec 2005
Posts: 3639
Location: Needles CA

PostPosted: 7/28/2009, 11:34 am    Post subject: Reply to topic Reply with quote

Nah--no need. Just hang it up. No one in AZ uses those things! We all have to scramble to find one if we go to the Sierras because virtually none of us own canisters!
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Davis2001R6





Joined: 12 Dec 2003
Posts: 5591
Location: Italy

PostPosted: 7/28/2009, 12:00 pm    Post subject: Reply to topic Reply with quote

Yeah the steel rat sacks work great, I've used them many times in the canyon at popular camp sites. If it's not a popular camping area I normally just use a stuff sack and hang it from a tree/bush.
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saguaro_west_photography





Joined: 12 Sep 2007
Posts: 19
Location: Lancaster, Ca

PostPosted: 7/28/2009, 1:24 pm    Post subject: re: bear canisters. Reply to topic Reply with quote

Ok, I'll just stick to hanging stuff up then. I probably don't need to make the pack any heavier with canisters anyways.
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SedonaSmilin





Joined: 30 Jul 2009
Posts: 9
Location: Flagstaff, AZ

PostPosted: 7/30/2009, 3:54 pm    Post subject: Reply to topic Reply with quote

I second the vote for an Outsak. They are available in Sedona, Tucson, Flag, Phoenix and on a couple websites. Available at a bunch of respectable outdoor shops in AZ. Go to www.simpleoutdoorstore.com My buddy got his at Babbitts.

I have had the chance to go with a buddy who owns an Outsak( I am that gear mooch you all hate). We did 6 days in Grand Cayon in May and we had no problems with critters. Well 4 days we used the Outsak, the other two nights we had those big metal cannisters at the campgrounds.

The bag is big an extremly lightweight device. If critters are a concern, take one along. I think the one we used was 35 or 40 bucks. Much cheaper than a bear cannister...uugghhh carried one of those before, it ws heavy and required a dedicated spot in my pack, I'm not that organized.
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Tom Treks
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Joined: 12 Jan 2003
Posts: 3347

PostPosted: 7/30/2009, 6:19 pm    Post subject: Reply to topic Reply with quote

I had a RatSack (same as Outsak) literally destroyed by ravens in the canyon. Crap all over the place.
I wouldn't trust one of those ever again if ravens are around; they are bastards.

On the same trip, GTG used a rectangular cookie tin with a strap around it. Now, that's the great idea.
No problems at all with his stash.

A simple rectangular or round cookie tin with a lid that just fits inside the diameter of your pack. You can even pack stuff in it.
Crap, they make all sorts of shapes. You even get the bonus of eating the cookies first!

Tough, lightweight, and you don't have to worry about hanging it. Not even the bastard ravens can get in.
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SedonaSmilin





Joined: 30 Jul 2009
Posts: 9
Location: Flagstaff, AZ

PostPosted: 7/31/2009, 8:24 am    Post subject: Reply to topic Reply with quote

The Outsak website specifically mentions ravens and ways to keep them away from your food.

But, yeah...a raven can damage a mesh bag, a backpack, stuff sack, tin can, bullet proof armor...hahahaha.

those are some smart, crafty, fun to watch birds.

I think a cookie tin would work, but how many would you have to carry to accommodate all your food and scented stuff? Sounds heavy when you start adding it up.
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azbackpackr
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Joined: 31 Dec 2005
Posts: 3639
Location: Needles CA

PostPosted: 7/31/2009, 10:46 am    Post subject: Reply to topic Reply with quote

I could fit all my food in the larger cookie tin.

Ravens, yeah. Once at Navajo National Monument I went for a hike, left my garbage bag tied to a tree. Boy, was that ever a mess to clean up!

Once hiking the Grandview Trail to Horseshoe Mesa we left our 5 gal collapsible water jug in camp, which I had laboriously hauled up on my back from Miner's Spring the evening before. (Couldn't get my two pals to carry more than a couple gallons each! Sheesh! Hee haw!) Anyway, glad it wasn't MY jug--the ravens pecked a hole it in, and it was pretty good thick plastic, not one of those thin ones! Luckily not all the water ran out and we were able to rescue a couple gallons of it.
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kurthzone
Thread Killer




Joined: 31 Dec 2002
Posts: 1097
Location: Peoria, Arizona

PostPosted: 8/1/2009, 10:37 am    Post subject: Reply to topic Reply with quote

Tom Treks wrote:
I had a RatSack (same as Outsak) literally destroyed by ravens in the canyon. Crap all over the place.
I wouldn't trust one of those ever again if ravens are around; they are bastards.

Yeah they did spare you the one can of mussels though! But those poor dudes from Utah lost it all. I gave one of them some ramen and a fruit roll-up. One crafty bastard made off with their Triscuits!


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azbackpackr
Hi Tech Wizardess




Joined: 31 Dec 2005
Posts: 3639
Location: Needles CA

PostPosted: 8/1/2009, 6:43 pm    Post subject: Reply to topic Reply with quote

Yeah, uh huh. Nice shop job, Kurthzone! Wink
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kurthzone
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Joined: 31 Dec 2002
Posts: 1097
Location: Peoria, Arizona

PostPosted: 8/1/2009, 10:44 pm    Post subject: Reply to topic Reply with quote

azbackpackr wrote:
Yeah, uh huh. Nice shop job, Kurthzone! Wink


In reality they did make a mess of those Utah "Canyoneers" packs while they were busy rappeling Deer Falls, including their Triscuits!
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