California has some of the most incredible backpacking trails in the country. Unfortunately, the majority of the parks where these trails are located require the use of a bear canister.
Personally, I’m not a fan of bear canisters. They’re heavy, hard to pack and take up a ton of space in my pack. The one good thing about a bear canister is that it makes for an excellent camp chair, one of the many comforts I forego on my backpacking adventures.
Sadly, until someone a lot more creative than me comes up with a better solution, or the Ursack is finally approved for use, bear canisters are a necessary evil.
As I continue to work at lightening my load, one of my many considerations is finding a lightweight backpack that is capable of carrying a bear canister. I own a BearVault BV500 bear canister, which is large enough to carry 3-4 days worth of food for two people. At some point in the near future, I will likely buy the smaller and lighter BearVault BV450 Solo bear canister for solo trips lasting up to 4 or 5 days.
Read: Lightweight Hiking: My 5 Strategies for Becoming a Hiking Machine
Recently I started looking for a lighter backpack, preferably under 3lbs with a capacity of about 50 liters that is also bear canister compatible. To date, the following list of backpacks is made up of lightweight backpacks I have found where bear canister compatible is listed in the manufacturer’s description, on a retailer’s description, or in a user’s review.
I’ll continue updating this list as manufacturer models change and new backpacks are found. If you know of a lightweight backpack that is bear canister compatible, let me know about it in the comments and I will add it to the list. Conversely, if you own one of the backpacks listed and have experience using it with a bear canister, I’d like to hear about that as well.
Gossamer Gear G4 54 Backpack
Weight: 16.5 oz
Capacity: 54 liters
Base price: $125
Gossamer Gear Gorilla 40 Ultralight Backpack
Weight: 26 oz
Capacity: 40 liters
Base price: $200
Gossamer Gear Mariposa 60 Lightweight Backpack
Weight: 29.1 oz
Capacity: 60 liters
Base price: $210
Granite Gear Crown V.C. 60
Weight: 36 oz
Capacity: 60 liters
Price: $199.95
Klymit Motion 60
Weight: 41.4 oz
Capacity: 60 liters
Base price: $148.62
2014 Six Moon Designs Fusion 50
Weight: 36 oz
Capacity: 50 liters
Price: $100 (closeout)
2014 Six Moon Designs Fusion 65
Weight: 39 oz
Capacity: 65 liters
Price: $110 (closeout)
2015 Six Moon Designs Fusion 50
Weight: 49 oz
Capacity: 50 liters
Price: $230
2015 Six Moon Designs Fusion 65
Weight: 52 oz
Capacity: 65 liters
Price: $250
ULA Catalyst
Weight: 48 oz
Capacity: 75 liters
Base price: $260
ULA Circuit
Weight: 41 oz
Capacity: 68 liters
Base price: $235
Title photo by daveynin
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Now, Getgo Outdoors!
Robb Keele
Latest posts by Robb Keele (see all)
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