Wondering everyone's thoughts on this. I went on an overnight hike with my 6 year old son in kananaskis Alberta (bear country) for dinner we cooked smokies over the fire. By the end of the day out clothes we hiked in would have smelled of sweat, fire, smokies and other things. The campsite provided food lockers and I chose to put our smelly clothes in their too. (I know those smells were on our body and in our hair as well). So my question is when your in bear country do you typically put your food and clothes away from your tent or just your food. I'm sure if it was just me I wouldn't have worried about it as much. Thanks.

Food, definitely. Clothes, I've always just kept in my tent with me.

If it was your private locker, maybe.

But other people are going to use it after you are gone. I bet they wouldn't be too happy to learn someone kept their smelly duds where they are about to store their food.

I have them in a dry bag not just loose. Also most people seem to keep their food it dry bags as well.

all the places I have hike, storing personal clothes in food lockers is just not done. Space is often tight enough with other people around.

I do this here and there - synthetic clothes absorb food smell quite well while cooking and wearing it... the powerstretch fleece develops a very strong smell. Maybe not when doing freezer bags based on rice, but something like pasta sides. Once I noticed that I tend to put almost everything away (just leave it in the pack - it`s not full, don`t we just carry light and counted stuff, so I like to take the whole pack away, also when hanging).

This place had lots of space. I wouldn't do it if it meant someone couldn't put their clothes in the locker. I simply but my dry bag of food in a locker and set my small bag of clothes on top of it. Space was not an issue, and because they were in another bag I didn't think it would be an issue.

Bear safety experts would likely recommend exactly what you did- don't put the clothes you cook and eat in with you in your tent. I think most people don't bother, but it's acceptable practice in my opinion, especially if you're being extra safe with a kid in tow. Ultimately the more we do to NOT attract bears the better, for us and the bears.