I thought I’d provide an update on using a Ursack. We traditionally used blue barrels and hung them. It got to the point where carrying them was too hard on my body. We always carry a throw bag and I do a pretty good job with a hang bit when we converted to Ostrum packs I originally was going to hang food in dry bags and just wasn’t happy with that option.

We have a bear vault that I bought to try backpacking but I didn’t love that option in terms of space so I bought a 30 L ursack. I bought the kind that is good for both bears and smaller animals. I do hang it.  At this point I’m comfortable with that. I don’t see any difference between the chance that my ursack might get knocked down and stolen and the chance that my blue barrels might get knocked down and eaten. Just a much lower chance that the bear isn’t going to get a reward from the bag vs the barrel. Which is why I protect my food. I can paddle out in a day or two if I lose all my food. My main priority is not contributing to a bear being habituated.

The other thing that really changed my mind is I watched a video by a woman named Chris. They had an issue with a bear who came out of the woods when they opened their blue barrel - like it made a pop as the lid came off and the bear came. They chased it off. Hung a perfect bear hang between 2 trees. In the middle of the night the bear came back, climbed across their rope, tore open their barrel and ate everything. In contrast we saw a video in the US where he barrels are less common and the bear gave up after sniffing out the barrel. What I took from this was novel has some value. And it also reminded me that in order of protection from most to least, it is really: bear vault, ursack, blue barrel, dry bag. A ursack is more protective than a blue barrel - less than a bear vault.

So for me it seemed like the right choice - easier to carry than a blue barrel and more protective. I’ll use a bear vault in locations that require them and ursacks wh

Hey Matteo. While I didn't pass through Sunfish Lake, I did paddle by it (while travelling from Catfish up the Petawawa R to Perley Lake) last Friday (Sep 30) and the channel leading toward Sunfish Lake, while narrow, looks passable and didn't look like it would be much of a slogg. Obviously without actually travelling the channel I can't say that about the entire stretch, but I think it would be worth a try.