DIY bear resistant canister carry straps

[Johnny 5]

My tripping partners and I have been using DIY carry straps on our bear resistant canisters.

 

[alsg]

Interesting design. Any issue with the canister smacking one's belly while walking with it?

 

[Johnny 5]

YES, if carried on the front of your backpack the canister will bounce with every step if not secured to both the shoulder straps and waist strap of your pack. I was in a hurry and chose not to attach the waist strap on my canister for a short portage and the canister bounced front to back and side to side. I consider the waist straps essential for front carry. My wife uses the hand or shoulder carry and a friend of ours uses hand carry only. I sew the straps to fit the canister and the carry preference of the user.

The front carry has worked well for me. I have never had front visibility issues, it has been quick and easy to attach, and it balances my pack weight. The only negative I have encountered is that it is a little more difficult to lift the canoe onto my shoulders with the canister attached, I have to lift the canoe from my thighs out and over the canister.

 

[Bothwell Voyageur]

Personally I think up top would be the best location, I'll often flip an extra pack up on top when portaging and find it quite easy to carry a heavy load like that. Plus I don't like anything to interfere with the view of my feet.
Don't forget to take them off the canister at camp. Otherwise a bear may take them on a little trip. We met a guy in Alaska whose canister disappeared one night. He figured the bear had batted it into the river, adding straps would make it even easier for Yogi to pick up the load.

 

[Johnny 5]

Personally I think up top would be the best location, I'll often flip an extra pack up on top when portaging and find it quite easy to carry a heavy load like that. Plus I don't like anything to interfere with the view of my feet.
Don't forget to take them off the canister at camp. Otherwise a bear may take them on a little trip. We met a guy in Alaska whose canister disappeared one night. He figured the bear had batted it into the river, adding straps would make it even easier for Yogi to pick up the load.

I am an equipment and procedures enthusiast. I enjoy testing and evaluating equipment and procedures. Discussion and debate can be both enjoyable and informative. There are practical factors that can be logically debated and personal preferences that can not. Intended purpose or how you intend to use an item as well as function are important factors. I test equipment and procedures and adapt them to meet my requirements and goals.

Your " preference " is to carry a food canister on top of your pack, I prefer the front, my wife prefers the shoulder and my friend prefers to carry it in his hand.

My front carry " preference " allows me to distribute the weight and equipment while in the canoe. It also counter balances the weight of my backpack and allows me to quickly and easily transition from water to portage for single carry. I have had no issues with front visibility.

Your point about removing the straps when unattended is valuable and one that I am aware of and employ.

P.S.
My intention with my DIY posts is to introduce ideas or options for others to consider in hopes that they may find something useful or spark ideas. I am not endorsing or promoting the information as unique or suitable for every intended purpose. The canister straps have worked well for me, they are relatively easy and inexpensive to construct and may be adaptable to others requirements and purpose.

 

[Bothwell Voyageur]

I can see that putting the canister on top would interfere with carrying a boat as well. You’ve obviously developed a very efficient portaging technique.
If by preference you mean a decision that I have arrived at by empirical observation over 25 years of paddling well I guess that what it is. I find I can carry more weight, more safely in this way. We have found that carrying gear in our hands to be the most tiring of all and except for paddles nothing is hand carried.

 

[Glenn MacGrady]

J5, I don't use cannisters, but I must say all your DIY posts on the site have been very creative, informative and perhaps inspiring of ideas to others.

 

[Johnny 5]

J5, I don't use cannisters, but I must say all your DIY posts on the site have been very creative, informative and perhaps inspiring of ideas to others.

Thank you for the kind words Glenn.

John

 

[scoutergriz]

I can see that putting the canister on top would interfere with carrying a boat as well. You’ve obviously developed a very efficient portaging technique.
If by preference you mean a decision that I have arrived at by empirical observation over 25 years of paddling well I guess that what it is. I find I can carry more weight, more safely in this way. We have found that carrying gear in our hands to be the most tiring of all and except for paddles nothing is hand carried.

with 60 years of portaging under my belt, I tend to agree with BV, I stopped carrying anything on my front except maybe a mapcase or a few small emergency supplies about 40 years ago, simply because my back/ hips can carry far more weight safely than my abs, especially since that forward weight can make it easy to overbalance and your view of the footing immediately under your feet is obstructed, doubling the hazard. it also restricts the movement of your arms by preventing you from reaching across your chest when there are times that you need a two-handed grip on a sapling on a steep pitch.
It's the same with the thigh- knockers hanging under your pack- a hard enough swing from a heavy tent can take your knees out.
there's a reason the military, porters, and voyageurs carry all the weight behind and high, it's how our bodies are built...
not trying to hassle you, just stating my "preferences" based on over a half century of experience.