Mylar food bags for "smellies"

[TooOld2Hike_EP]

I read that there are products (LOKSAK - OPSAK) that are supposed to prevent odors (mostly food) from escaping outside the bag so as to not attract bears.

Some reviewers talk about how fragile these bags are. One tear or pin hole and the game is over.

So I bought a pack of Mylar food bags.

I think they're intended for dehydrating and vacuum sealing / preserving your own food.

I've been using two. One to keep my snacks - like Jerky, which has a nice pleasant odor.

The other, the 8 x 11 size, for keeping trash or anything stinky. Granola bar wrappers. Those hydrate-able towelettes after I wipe my face of sun screen, arms of mosquito repellant, etc.

They are somewhat flexible. And so far they have been resilient.

[RedRoxx44]

I have used the aloksak and opsaks for about 12 years now. The older ones take more to seal them but I have never had one tear. They do work as far as I can tell. I have kept food in my tent during backpacking trips including this last trip to the Winds where more black bear but apparently some grizzly presence has been reported. The most critters I saw were squirrels and chipmonks. No problems with attempts at food.
It's interesting when you seal them then open. The odors that come wafting out vs when they are closed are noticeable at least to me.

[hikeaz]

There was no real or statistical difference in the dog's ability to locate drugs enclosed in either a ziplock or OP bag.
https://backpackinglight.com/odor_proof_bags_study/

[chumley]

@hikeaz Well I guess I can save some money on those pfancy dime bags I've been buying for whenever I need to pass through the checkpoint on the way back from the Huachucas!

[hikeaz]

@chumley
https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/gDoAAOSw ... -l1600.jpg

I have successfully used Nylofume Bags as well as anti-static bags* (*- for shipping circuit boards and such) in my Ursack.

[big_load]

Part of the problem in real life is that it's pretty hard not to transfer some food odor to the outside of the bag while filling and closing it.

[RedRoxx44]

Saw this statement a couple of places ; " OPSAK is rated as a biohazard containment bag by the US Government." So of course I have complete confidence!!

[TooOld2Hike_EP]

@big_load
That's true and I try not to contaminate the outside of my Mylar bags.

But even if I contaminate the outside a little, I still think it's better to keep my jerky in a Mylar bag. I can smell it when it's in a ziplock. I can't smell it in Mylar. While a bear could probably still smell it, I'm thinking that reducing the amplitude reduces the range of detection.

[chumley]

I was reading a fun study the other day about how bear spray attracts bears because even in the container it has a scent that bears associate with people, and thus food. The discussion subsequently devolved into the safety of keeping bear spray with you in your tent as it provides a scent that could attract bears, or storing it away from your tent with other scented items thus eliminating your ability to use it in defense. Quite the ursus conundrum.

[hikeaz]

@chumley
Yes....... I was reading about "Bear Bells"........ the new bear DINNER bell.....

[rcorfman]

While a bear could probably still smell it, I'm thinking that reducing the amplitude reduces the range of detection.

More likely the range of, "why bother." Bears can smell stuff, but they can also discern whether there is enough smell to bother whether to search for food or not.