Backpacking is all fun and games until you realize you’re packed with food. Food is a necessity, but it can attract unwanted visitors. If you ever went backpacking and spent a few nights out you know what we’re talking about. If you plan on doing it, you need to be careful and read this article. To have a good time, you need to take good care of details. This is vital because you could have a bad time instead of a good one.
During the day, when most of the walking around is done you probably won’t have too many issues. But, when it comes to backpacking, the night can be problematic. The main thing with backpacking is to be in touch with nature. It is all about that adventure and being out. As we said, it’s all fine during the day, but at night, it’s when the wild beasts come out. You’ll be asleep. To have a good night’s sleep you need to have your food stored properly. Do not miss on storing your food the right way, or you could find yourself under attack.
As we said. At night is when some of the animals come out. Even those that are day hunters could be attracted by the smell of fresh food. The worst scavengers are the bears. Be ahead of them and equip yourself with a backpacking bear canister which you can find on this site. Once you do this, the majority of your problems will be solved. But, we’re not going to stop there. Keep reading to hear a couple more good ideas on our part. Read our 2024 guide on what to do with food at night when backpacking. Let’s start.
Keep it in Bear Canister
We already stated it, but this subject deserves a whole paragraph. When backpacking, you could find yourself in situations that require you to survive. Be it for a few hours or a few days. That’s why you must have plenty of food by your side. If you’re an adept hunter that’s another story, but let’s say that you’re an amateurish adventurer. To make sure that you’re safe from wild beasts, and predominantly massive all-eating bears you need a proper container to store your food. The best course of action would be to have a bear canister. We’re talking about fasteners that have locking mechanisms created to prevent anyone other than you from accessing your food.
They are also tightly lidded so the smells won’t be leaving the canister. They are bulletproof protection from animals. They are also made from hard materials so they won’t break if you accidentally fall or drop them on a hard surface. It doesn’t matter what your adventure is, or how many things are you carrying you’ll always find a place for this type of canister. They come in all shapes and sizes and are created with outdoor adventure in mind. Keep your food close, and your bears far away.
Leave it at the Campsite
This is another option. You don’t have to carry it around. Campsites are usually well-guarded and secluded from animal access. At least the big ones. If you’re planning to do daily rounds of backpacking, and go back to your campsite at night this is the best option. Also if you’ll be out for a few days, bring enough food for yourself, and that timeframe, but leave the rest at the campsite. This is an ideal option. Your food will be safeguarded, and you won’t have to think about it when you’re out. As we already stated, backpacking is most dangerous at night, and it is all because of the food you have on yourself. So, leaving it behind while you’re on an adventure might be the ideal course of action. Also, you should keep it in containers even if it is not on you. Better be safe than sorry.
Hanging Your Food
This sounds childish or cruel. But, it’s neither. It is a great idea. When backpacking you’ll be surrounded by trees. That’s for sure. All you need to do is to pick the right tree. Yes, some animals can climb trees but they won’t have reasons to do so. You won’t have to carry all your food with you, and leaving it hanging on a tree is a great course of action. Trust us. Of course, first, you need to store it properly. It is essential that the food you carry is either properly sealed or that it doesn’t have any odor. If you cover these two dots you are all set to go. The one thing you need to do is to remember the tree. If you’re not using one of the trees on the campsite you must map the one where your food treasure is left.
Bear-Proof Sack
As you can see, storing food while backpacking mostly exists due to bears. Yes, they are not afraid of people, and they tend to enjoy our food. You have plenty of people who are not doing the right thing and feeding the bears. Later on, bears approach people seeking food and many accidents occur that way. That’s the way two things remain important to this day – store your food and do not feed the bears. If you follow these rules you’re a good backpacker. That’s why we’re going to help you with your food. One of the best options you have at your disposal is the bear-proof sacks.
They’re ideal for what we’re trying to achieve here. What makes them an even better option, in some opinions, than bear canisters is their versatility. It is all about the material these sacks are made of. Even if a bear smells the food, he won’t be able to penetrate the material. They are made with the intent to keep the bear out. Yes, the massive beast will probably mesh your food, and make some of it uneatable, but at least they won’t get away with it. In the end, when in nature, even the food prepared by a bear this way is still edible.