Clearly, if I didn't stir up a hornet's nest, then I must have opened a can of worms. It's unbelievable how something so simple as a bear canister can generate so much conversation.
Thanks to one of you.....now I know the BV only weighs 2.5#, so it's really not heavy, but it sure is bulky. The first time I carried a BV was in 2005 at Mt. Whitney. Rented two of them from REI for an arm and a leg ($2.00 at the Portal store is decent). I had borrowed an internal frame backpack that really didn't fit me well and the BV took up nearly the entire pack and I was very uncomfortable. (personally, I prefer an external frame pack like I used when I was 20 yrs. old and which I own now).
I think it would be fantastic if the Bear Vault company redesigned the canisters as Tom Dietz suggested and I especially like Steve C.'s idea of how to fit everything into his pack and then inflating his mattress (LOL).
Better yet, rather than redesign the BV, it seems clear to me that there is clearly not enough food in the forest for the bears, marmots and mice so I suggest we all get together one weekend, and go to areas far from the trails and campsites and plant a lot of berry bushes so all the critters will have plenty of fresh, wholesome food and not Cheetoes & Snickers. What do you think about that idea?
