R_Lefebvre
Expedition Leader
Yeah, I don't know if they're endangered or not, but it sounds like they could stand to relearn to have a healthy fear of people...
12V fridge use in Bear Country?
- Thread starter nwoods
- Start date
nwoods
Expedition Leader
Did you find out what attracted the bear to their car?
Fergie
Expedition Leader
The bear was attracted to a few empty water bottles in the back seat of their car. Once in, the bear tore through the rear seat to get to an air freshener in the trunk.
Easiest solutions are the new BEAR PROOF coolers out by both YETI www.yeticoolers.com (tundra series only) http://www.alltackle.com/yeti_fish_coolers.htm and Engel www.engel-usa.com . These companies have developed much higher tech coolers that can keep icey for up to 10 days at a time. ARE lockable and approved by the various Grizzly Bear agencies.
These are on the pricey side. $240 roughly for 45liter versions......but the insulations are much better than the old school coleman coolers and food stays cool 7-10days.
Getting your door ripped off.......small child mistaken for a snickers bar........dog gobbled up...........makes these high-tech items seem like a bargain after the fact.
ALSO- only "on the beaten path" parks have bear proof boxes.......and if you do any sort of boondocking in the wilderness or off the beaten path.....bear boxes and campgrounds are not an option and your children, dogs and spouses are all "snacks" to those higher up the food chain.
Another option- and one i currently have for dry food is from---- http://www.bear-aware.com/newproducts.htm. Aluminum and very beefy construction. They do custom versions and i plan on having one that fits a 45l arb fridge..........mounting it to my rear swingout carrier--and drilling a hole thru swingout-box-to power fridge from inside vehicle...........FULLY Bearproof--unless he can figure out how to rip off my 3500lb swingout spindle thats welded to 3/16" plate steel.
http://bearcountrycamping.com/catalog.html - these seem well built as well and he also does custom sizing. The main glitch will be the 12v cord.........a bear will rip that easy- and the hole for the power cord---unless not exposed---will act as an entry/leverage point for the bears claws.
ONE unforseen problem with all coolers.....is that bears tend to pick up and run with stuff........miles actually. I had a coleman last year that got clawed open- and the bear was able to take it 1/4mi into the heavy brush to dine. A good solution for any of these aluminum boxes would be having a thick padlock tab welded on and then lashing it with some heavy kryptonite sized bike chain to a tree or camp table.
These are on the pricey side. $240 roughly for 45liter versions......but the insulations are much better than the old school coleman coolers and food stays cool 7-10days.
Getting your door ripped off.......small child mistaken for a snickers bar........dog gobbled up...........makes these high-tech items seem like a bargain after the fact.
ALSO- only "on the beaten path" parks have bear proof boxes.......and if you do any sort of boondocking in the wilderness or off the beaten path.....bear boxes and campgrounds are not an option and your children, dogs and spouses are all "snacks" to those higher up the food chain.
Another option- and one i currently have for dry food is from---- http://www.bear-aware.com/newproducts.htm. Aluminum and very beefy construction. They do custom versions and i plan on having one that fits a 45l arb fridge..........mounting it to my rear swingout carrier--and drilling a hole thru swingout-box-to power fridge from inside vehicle...........FULLY Bearproof--unless he can figure out how to rip off my 3500lb swingout spindle thats welded to 3/16" plate steel.
http://bearcountrycamping.com/catalog.html - these seem well built as well and he also does custom sizing. The main glitch will be the 12v cord.........a bear will rip that easy- and the hole for the power cord---unless not exposed---will act as an entry/leverage point for the bears claws.
ONE unforseen problem with all coolers.....is that bears tend to pick up and run with stuff........miles actually. I had a coleman last year that got clawed open- and the bear was able to take it 1/4mi into the heavy brush to dine. A good solution for any of these aluminum boxes would be having a thick padlock tab welded on and then lashing it with some heavy kryptonite sized bike chain to a tree or camp table.
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In fact- im thinking about abandoning my 12v 45liter fridge and bumping up to a 65qt cooler from one of these companies..............lighter than a fridge.7-10days of cooling and dont have to worry about heavy deep cycle batteries to run the fridge for that period of time.
My old school coleman is actually much better than these crappy plastic Longs drug style coolers adn holds ice for a good long weekend easy. If these new YETI and ENGELs are all that they are cracked up to be ---it seems like an easy switch to save alot of weight and bump up in size.
My old school coleman is actually much better than these crappy plastic Longs drug style coolers adn holds ice for a good long weekend easy. If these new YETI and ENGELs are all that they are cracked up to be ---it seems like an easy switch to save alot of weight and bump up in size.
R_Lefebvre
Expedition Leader
Couple things with all this:
While the "bearproof" plastic coolers may not be able to be opened by the bear, they are still going to be A) Destroyed and/or B) dragged off into the bush never to be seen again. Either way, you probably just lost all your food.
The metal panniers might be bear proof, but they could still be carried off into the bush, never to be seen again.
Neither of these solutions will protect you or your family, because bears are still being drawn to the campsite. I think the paniers are a good idea, but should probably be chained to a tree some distance from the campsite. And carry bear spray. Or a gun.
While the "bearproof" plastic coolers may not be able to be opened by the bear, they are still going to be A) Destroyed and/or B) dragged off into the bush never to be seen again. Either way, you probably just lost all your food.
The metal panniers might be bear proof, but they could still be carried off into the bush, never to be seen again.
Neither of these solutions will protect you or your family, because bears are still being drawn to the campsite. I think the paniers are a good idea, but should probably be chained to a tree some distance from the campsite. And carry bear spray. Or a gun.
Most bears will give up probably alot sooner than the bears in the videos on the coolers. Remember-- they used peanut butter and rubbed fish all over it----so those bears had extra incentive. Id be willing to bet 9/10 bears will give up waaaaaaay sooner if you were to keep smelly things in plastic bags to lessen the strength of the smells.
Both coolers need to be padlocked--and probably should be chained to a small tree to prevent them from running off with the food.
The boxes would simply need a padlock point to secure it to a tree.....i plan on welding on some 1/4" hole to secure the box to the rear bumper or a tree.
Both coolers need to be padlocked--and probably should be chained to a small tree to prevent them from running off with the food.
The boxes would simply need a padlock point to secure it to a tree.....i plan on welding on some 1/4" hole to secure the box to the rear bumper or a tree.
Crookthumb
Adventurer
Does using a box of baking soda in a fridge and maybe a few sprays of neutral ozium in the interior of the vehicle help eliminate the odors that would attract a bear? Or does the bear have such a strong sense of smell that this wouldn't do much?
grahamfitter
Expedition Leader
Is there an argument for blocking windows so bears can't see in?
Cheers,
Graham
Cheers,
Graham
nwoods
Expedition Leader
Well, I found a good deal on a new ARB fridge, and though it cost 2x as much as a similarly sized Yeti or Engle rugged roto-molded cooler, it will hopefully prove more versatile in the long run. It's surprisingly light and should be luggable into a bear locker in places like Yosemite where Yogi seems a bit smarter about such things, and its construction is pretty beefy, with tight joints that would inhibit a more wild bear's ability to open it. It is also well sealed, to cut down on odors, and the ARB guys say they actually have tested it in bear country, and the noise (slight) electrical of the refrig in operation seems to ward them off as much as the design features and lack of odor.
With a 7amp/hour cool down cycle and 4amp/hour running in 85 degree weather, I don't think I will "desperately" need to install a second battery system right now. At least, I certainly hope not, as I am already spending money I don't have just to get the fridge.
Damn you Overland community! What have you done to me?
LOL
With a 7amp/hour cool down cycle and 4amp/hour running in 85 degree weather, I don't think I will "desperately" need to install a second battery system right now. At least, I certainly hope not, as I am already spending money I don't have just to get the fridge.
Damn you Overland community! What have you done to me?
LOL
adventurebuddies
Adventurer
This is an intersting thread. I had never considered the need to take my Norcold fridge out of the car. It's fully enclosed in my plywood rear cargo storage setup and the windows are heavily tinted. Technically the odor might be an issue but the fridge (with its rubber gasket) is much better sealed than a normal cooler. Someone made a good point earlier - there is no much residual smell (ie salsa stain on the jacket in your car, french fry between the seats, fragrant leather conditioner on your seats, etc) that you can't possibly eliminate the smell of food from a car. I'm satisfied to just put the dry foods and toiletries in the bear locker and leave the sealed fridge in the truck.
pete.wilson
Adventurer
Hey
This is an interesting and educational thread since some of us have only been exposed to black bears (MI. UP) and I have never had one prowl my vehicle for food. It seems some of the bear boxes/containers are really too small for much use. One question that I have: Are all of the bear boxes at the western parks/campgrounds of the same size? Is there one bear box for each campsite? Buying too big a cooler could be an issue.
Pete Wilson
P.S. One problem is that there are 5 of us to feed in our family which means bigger coolers and maybe a couple of them so size does matter when it come to getting everything into a bear safe box. Suggestions anyone?
This is an interesting and educational thread since some of us have only been exposed to black bears (MI. UP) and I have never had one prowl my vehicle for food. It seems some of the bear boxes/containers are really too small for much use. One question that I have: Are all of the bear boxes at the western parks/campgrounds of the same size? Is there one bear box for each campsite? Buying too big a cooler could be an issue.
Pete Wilson
P.S. One problem is that there are 5 of us to feed in our family which means bigger coolers and maybe a couple of them so size does matter when it come to getting everything into a bear safe box. Suggestions anyone?
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