Great Hammock night failure of the ursack

**piknchikn** · 05-20-2016, 09:20

Interesting post. I am in black bear country, so I would probably be willing to go with the ur sack. If I have the ability to hang it I will continue to do so. If not, I would rather have the ur sack than a stuff sac. Just my two cents. Maybe the ur sack could be infused with some nasty tasting coating!

**AScott** · 05-20-2016, 09:22

This is interesting and runs contrary to my own experience. Maybe it's a difference between black and brown bears?

On 3 occasions I have watched black bears walk right past my ursack with OP sack that was hanging on a tree. They didn't even look at it. I've also tested the combo a few times with my dogs and the neighbor's dog. No animal has ever even acknowledged that there might be food in my ursack with OP sack.

I have seen Duluth Packs and other type bags that were properly hanged taken from their places of "safety" by very intelligent bears. I'll never forget watching a momma and her 3 cubs working together to get a backpack full of food off of a line that was well over 15 feet from the ground.

I'll keep using my ursack. Others should continue doing whatever it is that makes them feel comfortable in bear country.

**Snydman** · 05-20-2016, 10:00

Originally Posted by GoatHanger

I am curious if you used the opsack also. I just recently picked up some opsacks, and use them to line my dry bag that I use for a food bag. The bears can't get to the bag (PCT hang method), so I use them mainly to keep mice away. It's also just for peace of mind, knowing animals can't smell my food.

I appreciate your post though, and sharing your experience with the ursack. I was considering getting one a while back, so now I know I don't really need it. I've never seen pictures of an ursack that had actually been attacked by a bear either, so thank you for sharing them.

I hope that bear didn't associate white bags with food.

Yes I had everything in the Opsack. What was interesting is all the holes in the plastic were much bigger than the entry hole in the bag. image.jpg

**Snydman** · 05-20-2016, 10:07

Originally Posted by hutzelbein

Well, that's not what it says on the Ursack website. And that's precisely the reason why I bought one: I found it too difficult to find suitable trees for hanging food and to get the line thrown over the branch. After spending 1-2 hours hanging my food every night, I bought an Ursack. But seeing the pictures, I think I wouldn't use it in popular hiking areas and go for a Bearikade instead...

That's exactly why I got the sack as well. Thomas Cohen (CEO & founder) stated in his correspondence said:
"Our hang tag notes the risk of crushed food (not punctured--but we will add that when we reprint). "

I'm glad it was just a overnighter and not day 2 of a multi day trip!
image.jpg

**Snydman** · 05-20-2016, 10:11

Originally Posted by piknchikn

Interesting post. I am in black bear country, so I would probably be willing to go with the ur sack. If I have the ability to hang it I will continue to do so. If not, I would rather have the ur sack than a stuff sac. Just my two cents. Maybe the ur sack could be infused with some nasty tasting coating!

I would recommend hanging it or getting the aluminum lining.. Crushed food is acceptable but shredded could have put me in a bad way if it was a multi day trip!

**GoatHanger** · 05-20-2016, 10:19

Originally Posted by markr6

Same here; sticking with a stuffsack hanging from a branch.

For the OP it technically "worked" I guess but what a mess! It's sort of like using a smoke bomb to flush out a rodent in your attic. After it catches on fire and burns down your entire home...you can say it worked.

I probably will too, if for no other reason than price, ha! Plus, my food will get destroyed either way if a bear does get hold of it.

Originally Posted by Snydman

Yes I had everything in the Opsack. What was interesting is all the holes in the plastic were much bigger than the entry hole in the bag.

Oh wow, that's crazy. I wonder if there was any food residue on the outside of the opsack? Maybe I don't need the opsack either, haha. I had a kind of peace of mind that food smells weren't likely to transfer to my pack from my food bag as long as I had my food bag lined with the opsack. Your experience really challenges that though.

Was the section of mountains you were in, a heavily used section with lots of human visitors? Just wondering if this particular bear had already associated one of those bags with food. I know they are curious by nature and will sometimes mouth things out of sheer curiosity, even more so if habituated to human objects that "may" contain food. Water bladders for example have been bitten many times. Food residue from handling it, or just really curious bears... not sure. All very interesting though.

**OneClick** · 05-20-2016, 10:32

Originally Posted by GoatHanger

I wonder if there was any food residue on the outside of the opsack?

Just a whole lotta bear saliva now. And I bet he didn't even brush his teeth before chewing it up!!

**FreudianSlip** · 05-20-2016, 11:35

It seems that it performed pretty close to advertised. As far as reward that is somewhat uncertain. If the bear had to work extremely hard to get that small amount of calories it may not be all that rewarding.

**OutandBack** · 05-20-2016, 13:13

I use an Ursack tied to a tree but it is mostly for mice and raccoons. If I am in active bear country I would suspend it from a branch.

**12trysomething** · 05-20-2016, 15:14

This is what happened to your Ursack, potentially for hours.

https://youtu.be/079s2CwGn0Q

Although unfortunate that this happened to you, I would say it worked as intended. This (or any bear) isn't going to associate a white bag with food.

When a bear associates a bright colored bag (backpack, tent, food bag) eventually we will be reading a thread about a bear that was put down and a hiking area that is off limits.

When I purchased my Ursack I did so to have a light weight option that would protect the bear from humans, not protect my food from the bear.