Leaking bags

[Mike1ranger]

2020 I replaced at least 50 of my 71 bags. Had a good year and its painful to think about what could have been with the sap lost due to bad seals.

2021, so far I've replaced 20 or so. Each day 2 or 3 more are leaking.

Bags from CDL. Anyone else having issues? Any recommendations on a better option to supply the bags? I've been doing this for 15 yrs and prior to last year only bags replaced were due to the occasional squirrel and the dead mouse floating in the bag.

[wobbletop]

I put duct tape on the bottom corners of my bags as that's where I've seen the most chew holes. Last year was worse for me. This year I have had zero chew holes. I probably just jinxed myself.

Edit: I've never had anything dead floating in the bag. I use home made pvc hangers.

[Pdiamond]

I use the bags from Smoky Lake that have the gallons marked on them. They seem to be heavier duty.

[ka9bxg]

I also had quite a bit of problems of rubbing against silver maples . Someone recommended to use old washed bags from last year and double bag them . I have tried it
this year and it is working quite well

[Maple River Sugar]

I used bags for two years and ran into a couple of problems which were during a storm the bark would wear a hole in them causing a leak and squirrels. This year I replaced all bags with buckets and really the benefits have been: Almost double the storage of sap at the tree giving me options to boil, sap quality is better at the end of the season due no sunlight penetrating the bucket, clear sap and no squirrel damage. Our loss of sap at the tree has gone way down.