Granite Gear Nimbus Core & Vapor Flatbed

When heading out into the wilderness there are many factors to take into consideration. We all worry about how to keep ourselves warm, dry and comfortable and rightfully so. One topic I overlooked for years was how to properly transport food into the woods. Wherever you may be headed, odds are that there are critters there that would love to share whatever you brought with you. From mice to bears, all the furry creatures would love to score a free meal. To provide maximum protection and safety, smell & animal proof canisters and barrels do the best job in my opinion, but carrying them can be a pain. Granite Gear has two packs that are designed for this purpose specifically.

The Nimbus Core was built to carry bear canisters in its center "core" section, while still allowing you to utilize the two large vertical pockets on either side for the rest of your gear. What they created was an incredibly versatile pack, which may be the makings of an entirely new pack category. That center section is ideal for tents, sleeping bags, camera gear, fishing rods, basically anything that has a hard time fitting into a normal pack. Like all of Granite Gear's packs, this thing is incredibly comfortable to carry and the combination of the 3D TopoFlex frame and the Advection back sheet make it all but disappear behind you. MSRP: $289.95 (bear canisters not included)

Have a larger crew or headed out into the wild for an extended period of time, this is the ticket. Snag yourself a giant 60 liter barrel like this one from Harmony and the Vapor Flatbed from Granite Gear and you have a bear proof cave to carry enough food to feed a small army. We used this set-up for our BWCA trip last spring. 7 guys for 5 days in the woods, steaks, potatoes, and even ice for a couple of cocktails fit no problem. We were pleasantly surprised at how well it kept the food cold for our whole trip. The barrel weighed a ton, and getting it up on your back was a challenge, but once secured it was easier to carry than any of the canoe packs. MSRP: $149.95 (plus the barrel $85)

Bomb proof protection for all your food and being able to comfortably carry it to your destination, Granite Gear has it figured out. There will be no more chasing mice away from a food pack or coming back to camp to find that a bear thoroughly enjoyed a buffet while you were away. Brilliant!