Hello all, first post here. So I’m going canoeing in Mauricie National Parc and the camp sites I will be frequenting will have a pole for hanging a bag of food.
I’m just wondering what kind of bag would be suitable. I originally thought that the bag containing my tent would be ideal, but then the MEC store clerk mentioned that the bag and thus my tent would get the smell of food so that is a major no no.
What kind of bags would you recommend? (BTW, bear canisters are not needed my park) Ideally some kind of lightweight collapsible bag?
bag
I’m guessing that you don’t want your food to get wet. So, some sort of waterproof bag would be good. Also, you’d want to put your dirty dishes, used napkins, etc. in the bag, as they all have food scent on them. Wash your hands after handing food and before handling things that aren’t going in the bag, since you don’t want everything to smell like food. (Don’t carry your sleeping bag as you’re licking mustard off of your fingers!). I personally use a cheap waterproof bag for this purpose. It will not withstand being submerged, like a boat bag since it doesn’t have a roll top. I simply fold over the top though, so water entry during a storm is not an issue. I’d get a durable bag, not a disposable garbage bag. These bags are not only better for the environment, but also far stronger. From my experience, it’s better to get a bag that’s larger than you think that you’ll need. Also, don’t have the bag up against the trunk of the tree. Have it out a ways, and hanging below the branch over which it’s suspended so a bear can’t reach it from the branch. Hang the bag and do your cooking away from where you’ll be sleeping.
I bought my bag at EMS a long time ago. It’s similar to, but quite larger than, this:
http://www.amazon.com/BINGONE-Waterproof-Drawstring-Storage-Different/dp/B00VM4HS1M/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1440984938&sr=8-1&keywords=waterproof+nylon+bag
$10 set
I use this set for several things, they aren’t the highest quality but they do work.
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Outdoor-Recreation-Group-Set-of-3-Ultimate-Dry-Sacks/10928125
I would use one for foods and one for dishes/trash if needed. This is a nice little set for the price to have.
OR
I use this
http://www.outdoorresearch.com/en/accessories/stuff-sacks-and-dry-bags/durable-dry-sacks.html
gonna have to buy another dry bag!
Great suggestions everyone! Thank you so much. I already bought a dry bag for my sleeping bag. I’m starting to regret just not buying a large 55 liter dry backpack right from the get go as buying individual bags is getting expensive.
Please note I’m only doing lake paddling and not whitewater canoeing so the amount of water getting in should be minimal (hopefully)!
I think I’ll just have to bite the bullet and buy yet another dry bag. It is pretty much essential to keep food and food smells quarantined from my gear! The one I bought from MEC for my sleeping bag does have a little ring I can attach to a line to hang it. The food hanging poles are provided by the national park (woohoo, all the darn park access fees do go towards something) and bears are very rare this close to civilization so I don’t have to worry too much about finding a good tree 
Walmart Has Dry Bags
And stuff sacks.
Collapsible food bag
That’s what I used to call my youngest kid
I do not recommend the three pack of dry bags from Wal mart, two of them are too small to be of any use. The largest bag is what Inwould consider minimum size. Nothing against Wal mart gear, but I bought that three pack when I first started and I don’t think I have ever found a use for the two smallest bags.
For canoeing consider a 5 gallon paint bucket. Available clean and new from all the hardware stores for under $5. Watertight, rain proof, crush proof, floats if not overloaded, doubles as a camp table, triples as a stool. You can even buy a snap on toilet seat but you may want a dedicated bucket if you go that way.
Last time I went canoe camping everything in the boat that wasn’t in a drybag or bucket was soaked from paddle drip and waterlogged shoes collecting in the bottom.
oudoor research waterproof Sil
Decided to go with the Outdoor research waterproof sil bag. I hope it will be durable enought. My sleeping bag drybag is a sturdier MEC dry bag so I didn’t want to start adding too much weight with a heavyish dry bag. I believe the Sil material is very resistant and I shouldn’t have any loose metal knifes or forks so I should be alright. I got a 20L bag which should be enough to contain my MSR whisperlight and Quick 2 cooking system and 2 1/2 days worth of food and snacks!
Some canned food can be stored out of the bag until they are opened after which they will be cleaned and put in the food bag and brought back to civilization. I’ve got at least 2 portages totalling about 1.5 km so I don’t want any loose items or canisters.
The only loose item is my trusty Coleman naphta lantern. I was on the fence about bringing it but it’s such a nice comfort item around camp at night that I’ll get my buddy to hand carry it. The paddles will be strapped to the thwarts during the portage.
Rain will make
The waterproof bag look smart. You might want to keep your stove etc elsewhere. Friends of ours lost their entire food pack with kitchen gear to a bear in the boundary Waters. The bear apparently just dropped onto the pack from the branch above, chewed the rope and carried the pack away. They later learned that the PolyLake bear was a well-known food thief .