Why does nobody talk about how to actually pack a bear canister?

I was at a trailhead in the North Cascades last weekend and saw three different groups trying to force their food in. One guy was just shoving whole bags of trail mix in sideways. It matters because if you pack it wrong, you can't close it right or it wastes space. I learned the hard way on a trip two years ago when I had to eat a cold dinner. Anyone have a good method for fitting a week's food in one of those things?

2 comments

2 Comments

maxm631mo ago

You need to treat it like a puzzle. Dump all your food out and repack everything into ziplocks. Squeeze the air out of each bag. Put the flat, dense stuff like tortillas or bars against the walls first. Then fill the center with smaller bags of nuts or oatmeal. Crush your chips and ramen before they go in.

jordan1341mo ago

Ugh, that guy with the trail mix! You gotta vacuum seal your bags flat, it's a total game changer.