Camping and Backpacking GEAR thread

I'd be willing to bet that your Bear Canister has a couple of marks in it from the oh so friendly Bears (Don't you just want to pet them)

 

Sadly, I have the worst luck when it comes to bear sightings! When friends visit or I talk to Yosemite visitors, most report a bear sighting! I usually put my cook pot on top of my can at night, as an alarm/rattle and it's always there in the morning...

 

Here's a bear photo I took while n Yellowstone about 5 years ago...which I guess is redundant, now that I think about it.

 

But very cool!

 

At the southern side of the park, where you go south to Jackson. As I was turning, I saw that a crowd had gathered, so I turned around, parked, and made my way over to a stand of trees with a few other folks. When my wife saw the photo, she asked why I wasn't scared. I told her that I could outrun 2 or 3 of those people, lol.

 

You only need to out run one person.

The National Park Rangers are advising hikers in Glacier National Park and other Rocky Mountain parks to be alert for bears and take extra precautions to avoid an encounter.
They advise park visitors to wear little bells on their clothes so they make noise when hiking. The bell noise allows bears to hear them coming from a distance and not be startled by a hiker accidentally sneaking up on them. This might cause a bear to charge.
Visitors should also carry a pepper spray can just in case a bear is encountered. Spraying the pepper into the air will irritate the bear's sensitive nose and it will run away.
It is also a good idea to keep an eye out for fresh bear scat so you have an idea if bears are in the area. People should be able to recognize the difference between black bear and grizzly bear scat.
Black bear droppings are smaller and often contain berries, leaves, and possibly bits of fur. Grizzly bear droppings tend to contain small bells and smell of pepper.

 

You know, as I was reading your post, I thought of a cartoon I saw that showed two grizzlies talking and one says, "oh, listen, I hear the dinner bell." Then I got to the last sentence and realized that I'd been suckered.

 

Oh.

My setup is pretty basic.

Big Agnes Copper Spur 2
Thermarest Nano Air Trekker (x2)
Snowpeak Stove with GSI Dualist pot
Kelty Cosimic 20* Down (x2)
Sierra Designs backcountry bed duo (Haven't used yet)
The North Face Cobra 52 Alpine backpack- I use it a lot for rock climbing so its a great all around pack for me.

On my Rim to Rim trip we used my buddy's Mid from Hyperlight Mountain Gear

Lately if I know it isn't going to rain I have just slept in the dirt on a piece of tyvex. It actually makes we want to buy a bivy

 

Anybody have any experience with either Alps Mountaineering or Teton Sports backpacks? I've got a trip into the Grand Canyon scheduled for the fall and although I can borrow the correct size pack, I'm thinking about going ahead and buying one. I'm kind of old school, so even though internal frame is the current favorite, I've always liked the external frame models. I just wondered what your experiences might be with either one.

 

I owned the Teton Sports 5400 model backpack (older version) and I made the mistake of taking it last year on a 30 mile trek in the Yosemite area. Bad move on my part. Their adjustability, at least with the older model, was very lacking. The load was unstable side to side, the velcro torso adjustment would come somewhat loose and sag, and the hip belt system was a pain to adjust when buckled. I ended up having to carry too much weight on my shoulders and it was very uncomfortable. Maybe the newer model is more stable, but I decided to pony up the $$ and get an Osprey pack instead. I'm very happy with it, but anything would have been an improvement!

I opted for that old Teton pack about 5 years ago because I was just getting back into backpacking and it was a $65 Amazon deal. I was on a budget, and... well, you get the rest.

Always ALWAYS go to a local retailer who carries a varied selection and try them on. Find what fits for you, have a professional get you fitted for a pack that fits your waist and torso, and load it up and walk around the store. The weight should rest mostly on your hips, and the shoulder straps should just be for stability of the load.

 

Ive got a very basic rei bivy. Let me know if you want to borrow it to try it out.

 

I picked up the Goretex bivy from the military sleep system and it is awesome. Plenty of room for a mummy bag inside, and the thing is bulletproof. Might be a little heavier than other brands, but it will take a beating and you can sleep in the mud with it. I've used it as a stand-alone summer sleeping bag, and it would be a lightweight solution with a bag liner or very light 50+ bag if the weather is iffy.

 

As @Seabass says, get fitted! The SML sizing on packs is NOT the same as clothing. It's a specific length from the top of the hip gurgle to base of your neck. (I wear a M-L in clothes, but a small size pack as I have short torso, but longer legs...)
As for the brands... They're ok. If you're getting it for this one trip, it'll work. If you want something lasting for future use, there's better stuff out there.

 

The stuff on bug repellant clothing is permethrin, I've seen it on Amazon and it's in horse bug repellant. I get it from the feed store. The label says not to get it on the horse's skin but I've gotten some on horses' skin and on my skin and it didn't hurt us. As always on the net your mileage may vary, I have no qualifications to recommend anything.

 

I understand the sizing. Everything I've looked at has a torso range indicated, even the brands like Osprey, North Face and Kelty. I've tried on several different packs and several different brands and its really difficult to tell anything without 35 or 40 pounds of gear in them. I'm more interested in how they hold up with use.

 

I'd suggest going with a more reputable brand then, especially if you'll be using it beyond this trip. Osprey and Gregory warranties are hard to beat.

 

What if the bear likes a more challenging chase and bypasses the slow person?

 

Right, he might be on a diet and would want to avoid the out-of-shape meal in favor of something a little leaner