Where they are made: Brooklyn, Ohio
Gearmaker: MMI Textiles Inc/Bear Saga LLC
Do you love the ritual of finding the perfect tree at least 200 ft away from your camp, for a regulation-perfect bear bag hang of at least 18 ft off the ground and 6 ft away from the trunk? How about getting your rope over that 18 ft high branch without tangling it and getting it stuck? And doing this all after a long day of hiking? Me neither!!!
Let’s be real, not only is it a pain to go to all that effort, reality is you often won’t find a tree where you can even attempt a proper bear bag hang. A poor bear hang doesn’t protect your food from bears, or the bears from the consequences of becoming habituated to human food. If you need more convincing that hanging your food may not be right for you, read Andrew Skurka’s controversial and potentially insulting article “Ineffective and Outdated: Six Reasons Not to Hang a Bear Bag”.
While a bear canister (see a US-made one below!) is a great way to protect your food and toiletries from bears and other critters, most of us aren’t going to carry something so awkward and bulky unless it’s legally required. An Ursack, on the other hand is basically just a heavy- duty stuff sack that is made out of UHMWP “bulletproof” fabric, and in the case of the Ursack AllMitey, a Kevlar laminate is added. Touted as “bear resistant”, they do live bear testing at the Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee (IGBC), a bear rescue for injured and problem bears.
Make sure you get the right Ursack for you. The Major series is solely bear-resistant, not rodent-resistant. Rodents can use their smaller teeth and claws to get in between the fibers on the Major, in a way bears can’t. For bear AND rodent protection (I’m looking at you ground squirrels, mice and trash pandas) get the Allmitey series. Each series has multiple sizes, depending on the amount of food you generally carry. I opted for the XL, as it will fit all I need for a long weekend with the family, or a longer solo trip. Pair the Ursack with a smell proof OpSak to optimize your system.
When I started using an Ursack last year, I was amazed by how easy it was to properly tie it closed and secure it to a log, the base of a small tree, large rock, or underside of a bridge or picnic table. Make sure to read the directions so you are closing and securing it properly. As Becca mentioned in the section on the Bear Vault, please abide by the regulations for the location you’re in; use food lockers when available and bear canisters when required.
