Opsak-Loksak Odor-Proof Bags: I'm a Believer

[alsg]

If you aren't familiar with these odor-proof, water-proof, reusable, heavy-duty, zip lock-style bags, you might want to check them out. https://loksak.com/opsak-archive2/

They are not cheap, but I am a believer.

On my recent Allagash Lake trip I took three of 12" x 20" bags with me. One bag I used for all my toiletries, which I like to keep in my small backpack in my tent. One bag I used for all my food (granted this was freeze-dried food in factory-sealed foil lined plastic bags which are themselves odor proof). And one bag I used for all he garbage I generated, including opened/used freeze dried food containers with rehydrated food residue, coffee grounds, used paper towels, etc.

I put both the food and garbage bags into a single 30 liter dry bag which I stashed at night on the ground behind a log on the edge of the woods by the lake about 100 yards from my campsite. There were LOTS of red squirrels at Allagash Lake and I had concerns that if they smelled the food or garbage through the Opsak-Loksak bags, they would chew right through the dry bag and the Opsak-Loksak. I needn't have been concerned. My dry bag was never touched . Perhaps luck. Perhaps not.

I don't think of my toiletry kit as containing a lot of scented stuff -- just toothpaste & deoderant, some advil, antacids, and odds and ends. When I opened my backpack, I got no odor. But when I opened the toiletries-dedicated Opsak-Loksak, wow, I got quite a shock. There's actually a ton of odor that is being generated by just those things -- but it was being totally captured by the Opsak-Loksak.

Same with the garbage bag. When I opened the dry bag, I got no odor. But when I opened the Loksak-Opsak that was in it, whew, I did get a lot of odor from the garbage.

I left that garbage-dedicated Loksak-Opsac in my dry bag until I got home to Maryland. While these are washable and reusable, the seals won't last forever. Since I had used the garbage bag on 2 other trips, I decided to retire it and instead of cleaning it, I threw it in the garbage bin in my garage. As it turns out, we've been having issues with our trash service, so yesterday, more than 2 weeks since getting home and tossing it, I had to retrieve that used Opsak-Loksak from the bottom of my trash bin and take it to the county transfer station. Amazingly, there was still no smell associated with that Opsak-Loksak.

I'm sold.

 

[PeteStaehling]

If you aren't familiar with these odor-proof, water-proof, reusable, heavy-duty, zip lock-style bags, you might want to check them out. https://loksak.com/opsak-archive2/

They are not cheap, but I am a believer.

On my recent Allagash Lake trip I took three of 12" x 20" bags with me. One bag I used for all my toiletries, which I like to keep in my small backpack in my tent. One bag I used for all my food (granted this was freeze-dried food in factory-sealed foil lined plastic bags which are themselves odor proof). And one bag I used for tall he garbage I generated, including opened/used freeze dried food containers with rehydrated food food residue, coffee grounds, used paper towels, etc.

I put both the food and garbage bags into a single 30 liter dry bag which I stashed at night on the ground behind a log on the edge of the woods by the lake about 100 hundred yards from my campsite. There were LOTS of red squirrels at Allagash Lake and I had concerns that if they smelled the food or garbage through the Opsak-Loksak bags, they would chew right through the dry bag and the Opsak-Loksak. I needn't have been concerned. My dry bag was never touched . Perhaps luck. Perhaps not.

I don't think of my toiletry kit as containing a lot of scented stuff -- just toothpaste & deoderant, some advil, antacids, and odds and ends. When I opened my backpack, I got no odor. But when I opened the toiletries-dedicated Opsak-Loksak, wow, I got quite a shock. There's actually a ton of odor that is being generated by just those things -- but it was being totally captured by the Opsak-Loksak.

Same with the garbage bag. When I opened the dry bag, I got no odor. But when I opened the Loksak-Opsak that was in it, whew, I did get a lot of odor from the garbage.

I left that garbage-dedicated Loksak-Opsac in my dry bag until I got home to Maryland. While these are washable and reusable, the seals won't last forever. Since I had used the garbage bag on 2 other trips, I decided to retire it and instead of cleaning it, I threw it in the garbage bin in my garage. As it turns out, we've been having issues with our trash service, so yesterday, more than 2 weeks since getting home and tossing it, I had to retrieve that used Opsak-Loksak from the bottom of my trash bin and take it to the county transfer station. Amazingly, there was still no smell associated with that Opsak-Loksak.

I'm sold.

I have heard great things about these but have not used them. On most of my recent backpacking trips a bear canister was required and on most of my bike tours there were bear/critter lockers in the places where there were real issues. Further back where I mostly hung food and garbage with good success, but we all know that is a really challenge and never foolproof, so I really should invest in some of these for trips where I either lack the capacity to put everything in a bear canister or don't want the weight of a canister (or canisters).

 

[alsg]

I have heard great things about these but have not used them. On most of my recent backpacking trips a bear canister was required and on most of my bike tours there were bear/critter lockers in the places where there were real issues. Further back where I mostly hung food and garbage with good success, but we all know that is a really challenge and never foolproof, so I really should invest in some of these for trips where I either lack the capacity to put everything in a bear canister or don't want the weight of a canister (or canisters).

If I had a bear canister, I'd still use one of these inside it. These bags weigh almost nothing and I'd rather not have a hungry bear smelling my food, knocking my canister around and potentially getting pissed/furstrated and looking for other things to eat...

 

[Guest]

If I had a bear canister, I'd still use one of these inside it.

ARRGHHH, these kids with their newfangled inventions and I-phones and such.

Oh, wait, I can see a use for a couple of the medium sized Opsak’s when using a barrel, or even a bear vault/canister.

Despite having (mostly) minimally odoriferous foods I’m sure there are some delicious smells wafting at times, and if I’ve made a lunch for a day paddle, or just stashed some cashews, hard salami and cheese in a day pack for a wander away from camp, I’d rather the odor be well contained and not transmitted to my day pack or small dry bag for future late night investigative nibbling.

How much better at containing smells are Opsaks than two tightly rolled and sealed Zip-locks, one inside another? Who knows? Whose nose?

On most of my recent backpacking trips a bear canister was required

That seems an increasingly a common requirement, and I really should have a bear canister, at least for the delectable salami, cheese and well fermented Rakfisk.

But, not only do “bear proof” canisters seem crazy expensive, I don’t see me getting a week’s worth of food that I’d want to eat into a single canister. Maybe I could squeeze most of my smelly food into an 11.5L Bear Vault

https://www.rei.com/product/768902/b...E&gclsrc=aw.ds

If there is a hard sided 10L (or better) 20L container that meets current “bear-proof” regulations, one that that doesn’t cost $80, I’d be interested.

FWIW I know from a companion’s experience that the 10L Garcia container can be a PITA to get open after elevation changes.

https://www.rei.com/product/624081/g...E&gclsrc=aw.ds

Also, is something peculiar with that product photo. $75 for a “bear proof” canister in which to store vacuum sealed, unopened freeze dry meals?

Safety first; that’s why I wear two PFD’s at once, and have 500 hats


https://www.amazon.com/Hats-Bartholo...a-450324827245


I will store my Mt. House inside an Opsak inside an Ursak inside a bear canister inside a blue barrel, just to be quintuple safe.

Kids today ;-)

 

[alsg]

How much better at containing smells are Opsaks than two tightly rolled and sealed Zip-locks, one inside another? Who knows? Whose nose?[/FONT][/FONT]

Kids today ;-)

Having tried both, a lot. Also good luck getting zip locks in some of the larger sizes.

 

[PeteStaehling]

If I had a bear canister, I'd still use one of these inside it. These bags weigh almost nothing and I'd rather not have a hungry bear smelling my food, knocking my canister around and potentially getting pissed/furstrated and looking for other things to eat...

Yeah, I agree that they would help a lot with that. Not sure if could stuff as much in the canister when using them though. I have never tried so maybe...

I'd always thought that using them with the Ursack would be a good way to go, but they were never able to get certified many places where I was going.

 

[Guest]

Also good luck getting zip locks in some of the larger sizes

How big do ya need?

https://www.target.com/p/ziploc-jum...p8abCvvLqt0FNSHCchxoCpuwQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

[alsg]

How big do ya need?

https://www.target.com/p/ziploc-jum...p8abCvvLqt0FNSHCchxoCpuwQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

LoL!

You buy that, Mike, and I'll lend you one of my Opsak bags and then you can do some of your OCD testing on them to see which is odor proof/water proof.

 

[Guest]

You buy that, Mike, and I'll lend you one of my Opsak bags and then you can do some of your OCD testing on them to see which is odor proof/water proof.

I used something similar back when I was carrying both my own full change of clothes and the Clown Suit & Bridesmaid’s dress from Goodwill on off-season daytrips.

That was before I had compression bags and that collection took up a lot of room in a dry bag, so I bought a cheap vacuum storage bag, one of those clear plastic things with an aperture for a shop vac.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Hefty-Shr...-Bags/49840419

It stayed vacuumed down all winter long, so I guess it was air-tight.

If you just bring your battery operated vacuum on trips you’ll be all set, and can have the cleanest tent floor in camp to boot.

 

[Bob B.]

I have used the Opsak-Loksak Odor-Proof Bags for years and really like them. I place my food in them, then place the bags in a 20 litre bag ... then hide in the woods. So far so good. HOWEVER be diligent on how clean you keep the zip lock so it seals tight ... if you can sqeeze air out - it ain't sealed. Also make sure to wash the bags after each trip - inside and out ... and make sure both levels of zip lock are clean and unbent - I fill with water and give a good shake and upside down test ... if water leaks out, so will odors.

I like that as my food gets consumed, the packing space, not just the pounds, become reduced. A bear vault is the same size full or empty.

Anyway, my takeaways on these bags. I really like them.

Bob.

 

[Mason]

A bear vault is the same size full or empty.

But you just fill it with other stuff as you eat the food, so volume remains the same. Still heavy and rigid, though.

 

[Turtle2]

How are these better than other airtight bags? I always dubble bag my food i ursac or canaster. I use some cheep HD military plastic bags.

 

[alsg]

Not all plastics are created equal and many "airtight bags" have gaps small enough to block water and seem air tight but O2 molecules and volatile organic compunds eventually seep through. pass through. This is something most folks who have put a cut onion or a piece of fish in a ziplok in their fridge know first hand. Those smells make their way through the bag and into the fridge.

Opsak claims to be formulated of a thicker plastic that will not allow O2 transmission.

 

[PeteStaehling]

Not all plastics are created equal and many "airtight bags" have gaps small enough to block water and seem air tight but O2 molecules and volatile organic compunds eventually seep through. pass through. This is something most folks who have put a cut onion or a piece of fish in a ziplok in their fridge know first hand. Those smells make their way through the bag and into the fridge.

Opsak claims to be formulated of a thicker plastic that will not allow O2 transmission.

I know that plastic bags are definitely not created equal in this regard. I used to have a dog that could tell not only what was in a garbage bag, but apparently where in the bag it was located. When walking past a garbage bag I had to watch her like a hawk, because she could do one quick plunge of her snout and come out with a bone. No rooting around required.

Folks who have used both ziploc and Opsak swear by the Opsaks after having had experiences with bears in camp. The thing that would concern me is that it would seem fairly easy to contaminate the outside of the Opsak or whatever pack or container it was is. I'd imagine some care needs to be taken about that.

 

[Glenn MacGrady]

I've used Opsaks exclusively with my Ursack, which recommends and sells them. I use two Opsaks, one for my food and one for my garbage. Since my food is mainly just commercial freeze dried packets and wrapped protein bars, the garbage is mostly rinsed aluminum foil. I tie my Ursack to a tree about 25 yards from my tent. Never had a problem with ground rodents or bears.



The benefit of an Ursack with Opsaks to me, versus bear vaults, wannigans, pack baskets, barrels or other hard containers, is light weight and decreasing gear volume as they collapse. The Opsak was obviously created for the very purpose of being a more air and odor resistant version of the typical commercial Ziploc bag, so I believe it's undeniably superior in those regards as long as it's sealed and cleaned properly.

 

[Guest]

I've used Opsaks exclusively with my Ursack

In the style of

wimps like today's electrified, plasticized and petroleum-dependent canoeists.

 

[alsg]

In the style of

Don't you mean "kids today."

 

[Guest]

Don't you mean "kids today."

No, some of those electrified, plasticized and petroleum-dependent canoeists are older than dirt.

 

[alsg]

No, some of those electrified, plasticized and petroleum-dependent canoeists are older than dirt.

By the way, aren't all your canoes plasticized...

 

[Glenn MacGrady]

I'm not sure I understand the purpose of taking a quote out of context from another thread on a different topic and posting here where the topic is Opsaks.

Okay, I actually do: It's to imply that I'm an old wimp for using plastic and Kevlar products. Compared to the historic voyageurs and native Indians, and even the many true bushcrafting wilderness trippers of today, I readily accept that as a comparative description and have never claimed otherwise . . . even though I don't own a petroleum canoe named the "Sea Wimp".

Before I bought my Ursack and Opsaks about 10 years ago, I simply used a dry bag inside my Duluth pack for my food. Occasionally, I would hang the dry bag, but usually not. Never had a problem with that method either. My solo tripping food since the 80's has almost always been commercial and factory sealed, and I never carry or cook real food. Boiling water is the extent of my cooking skill and interest, an hence I'm arguably a kitchen wimp, too. But, to drag in my words from yet another thread, I think of it in terms of acting in accordance Occam's razor and the principle of least action.