Does This Popular Camping Item Really Work To Minimize Food Odors After Cooking?

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There's something relaxing, yet rewarding about cooking fun and easy meals while camping, heightening your senses and enhancing the outdoor experience. Imagine cooking a steak over an open fire, complete with charred grill marks, while listening to the sound of a fire crackling under the starry sky as the scent fills the air and your nostrils. Surely your mouth is watering right now. What may smell inviting while cooking may have a different effect the next day. Getting away from it all, including leftover smells from your previous day's meal, is what OPSAK Odor Proof food storage bags guarantee. However, does this popular camping item live up to the hype of minimizing odors?

The simplest camping breakfasts always taste best. A buttery croissant covered in strawberry jam, fluffy pancakes doused in maple syrup, or even the classic fried eggs and toast. That being said, leftovers can be enjoyed the next day as part of an addition to a new meal, or simply reheated, but picture this: You placed all the leftovers in sealed bags, which has the food protected from bugs, but when you open your food storage bin, a whiff of yesterday's meal slaps you in the face harder than your hand when a mosquito comes near.

OPSAK Odor Proof food storage bags by LOKSAK claim to not only be waterproof and odor proof, but lightweight and vapor-free, making for a stink-free food storage option. Store your food confidently knowing that the bags won't leach harmful chemicals into your meal, since they are BPA-free and made from FDA and NSF approved food-safe materials. While OPSAK storage bags aren't cheap, what we really want to know is, do they work?

Campers are always looking to take food storage to the next level, and want to ensure that their leftovers are bear-safe and bug-free. The OPSAK food storage bags by LOKSAK aren't exactly budget-friendly, costing $10.99 for a set of two 7"x 7" resealable bags, and the largest 27.375 x 20" bags running a cool $25.49. Now, while these storage bags might not be the cheapest, the real question is, do they truly keep odors at bay?

Camping enthusiasts have weighed in with their honest opinions and experiences with OPSAK bags, and although some don't have positive reviews, the majority of campers seem quite pleased with them. Among 84 reviews on the Garage Grown Gear website, Melanie K. gave the OPSAK bags a five-star review and says "I tested several different smell proof bags but those exceeded my expectations! I typically separate my food by day while I'm on multi-day backpacking trips, and those bags performed great! They feel more flexible than any other smell proof bags which in the long run last me substantially longer."

Not all verified buyers are happy though, despite numerous five-star reviews. Cal left a one-star review, saying "I used this for the first time on a three-day hike, and the seal broke, coming off one side and sticking to the other, rendering the bag unseal-able. I'm very disappointed as I had hoped that the price would mean this bag would be more durable than the cheaper alternatives."

As with any purchase you make, especially camping gear, it's important to check numerous websites and reviews to ensure you're taking in as many opinions from buyers as possible. On the Mountain Equipment Company's website, users aren't exactly impressed with the OPSAK storage bags, giving them a 3.4 star rating based on 19 reviews.

A customer by the name Dougz seems to be pleased with their purchase, saying "I too am surprised that the 1st reviewer expected these bags to last more than a few trips. I replace them after such time, depending on how crunched up they get. They work very well at containing odors like coffee, tea, jerky. The key is not to over-fill them, and seal them up carefully." Another buyer by the name of Wildman27, doesn't recommend OPSAK bags, gives the product a one-star rating, listing the pros of the product being lightweight, while the cons being expensive, flimsy, and unreliable. Another buyer named Ryan Bougie isn't exactly impressed either, calling them overpriced Ziploc bags. "Not worth the price. In my experience they have the same quality you get from name brand Ziploc bags."

While OPSAK bags seem to be received quite positively in regards to masking odors, the main pain points tend to be in regards to quality, dependability, and price. Reddit user u/RichardGansey_6_21 suggests a cheaper alternative odor proof storage bag found on Amazon on r/CampingGear. Finding the best campsite at your campground can be challenging, but choosing durable and cost-effective food storage bags doesn't need to be a stinky decision.