Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board Ursack Approval

It looks like the Ursack has been approved for use in the Whitney zone (conditially), per Tom Cohen
"The S29 hybrid is conditionally approved for 2007. Conditional approval is different than tentative in the sense that when I said tentative before it meant that SIBBG hadn't made their decision final. Their decision is now final. Ursack is "conditionally approved" (that's their term meaning it can be withdrawn if there are failures). As of now, you can use it on Whitney or anywhere else in the Sierra. Any approved product can be disapproved at any time. We guarantee our product, but we do not guarantee SIBBG approval--it's out of our hands." -Tom Cohen

How does one fit the typical canister, like the bear vault 400, into a backpack that is anything less than huge? I have tried inserting it into a 4000 cu in pack and it takes up most of the room. Any suggestions on carrying this behemoth? Do I need a much larger pack? I am planning a week long trip and figured a 4000 cu in pack would be sufficiently large until I tried packing the canister.

I believe the conditional approval requires the use of the Aluminum insert which adds 10 ounces and is less moldable than the Ursack alone. An improvement no doubt but not the silver bullet to allowed storage containers.

Good news for fans of Ursack like me. Even with the Al insert, it weighs less than the hard plastic ones, and you have the option of just taking the sack when bear cannisters are not required. I used just the sack most of last year and found that most animals will leave it alone. (Although determined critters are known to chew/pick a hole in it, most of the food will be untouched.) Twice last summer in the Sierra, after returning to camp from a summit day, my partners found their food largely gone (marmots ) but mine were untouched .

Another interesting idea for a bear/critter-proof container is this one which delivers an electric shock (suppose to be out by this June): http://www.wilderness-solutions.com/palisade_est.htm

Dave, I think there is a failure of concept. You don't carry the thing in your pack empty, you put stuff in your can that you would carry, anyway, and it does not have to be food. You only need to put your food in it at nite, or if you are going to be leaving your pack by itself. (as people do at Trail Crest).

If you have the can fully packed, it really takes up very little room, compared with not having it.

I had a chance to talk with several pack manufacturers last month, and they all design their overnite packs to accommodate a bear can internally (by FAR the best way to carry it for most packs.)

I am also eagerly awaiting the newly released electrical bear bag, which protects the food with a small jolt of electricity. It has not gotten SIBBG testing, yet. Interesting concept.

There is also a new product on the market, the "Bare Boxer", which purports to be the lightest and cheapest ($39) can available: http://www.bareboxer.com/products.htm
It is also conditionally approved.

The S29 Hybrid has been legal since 5/11. We most likely were the first one's use that set up legally this season on that weekend.

I've fit a Garcia in my Osprey Aether 60 without a problem and that is 3,600 cu. in. pack. It all depends on your other gear. My stuff is significantly lightweight small cube.