Oldie but goodie!

It's a good idea to check the most recent rules where you are going. Grand Teton National Park and Rocky Mountain National Park both started requiring canisters in the last few years. North Cascades National Park is talking about it. Olympic NP requires them on the coast (raccoons, there) and where there are no bear wires, and is talking about removing the bear wires and requiring canisters everywhere. Also, remember that if the jurisdiction requires IGBC-approved canisters, the Bearikade is not allowed.

I think most of us have heard about the Bear Vault problems in the Adirondacks. Yellow-Yellow may be gone, but I'm sure she taught her cubs how to open Bear Vaults!

I, too, will not haul a canister if it is not required. However, I can't hang my food (arthritic shoulders plus I've always been extremely poor at throwing), so I use an Ursack, with an OP sack liner, all the time when I don't have to use the canister. In areas where bears have not been conditioned to think that a hanging bag is a pinata, the Ursack works fine.