rltports,
Each National Park and each National Forest has its own supervisor and they may (often do) have different rules for things like Bear Canisters.
There are many Bear resistant storage products on the market for backpackers, campers and packers (horse). Research will reveal that some widely available products have been breached by Bears in certain areas. This includes hanging bags, so called Bear proof bags, clear screw top containers and others. There are a few products that have never been breached by a Bear. Some of these products are heavy and cheap others are light and expensive.
Wallowa (Phil),
Relative to Backpackers, Bear canisters are required in several National Parks. Those Parks typically have an approved canister list.
Hanging food only works in areas with Bears that have not yet learned how to defeat them (one method that has been observed several times is multiple Bears cooperating to bring the hanging food bag into reach by bending a limb or even pulling down the wire far enough that another bear can snag the hanging bag).
I and thousands of avid backpackers would disagree with your comments on carrying a lightweight Bear canister. Consider that a well designed Bear Canister can also double as a stool or small table and the best are very lightweight. I have used mine as a water carrier a few times. And a couple of times as a solar water heater by leaving it in the sun (all the food was transferred to another container carried by another member on our trip). It worked surprisingly well for that purpose.
Biologists have used them to backpack trout and other small wildlife for study.
The lightest weight Bear Resistant canisters for Backpackers and campers are available in several stock sizes as well as custom sizes from small overnight or weekender size to large expedition size. They have been in wide use for nearly 20 years without any food being lost to Bears due to a container failure. To be sure there are cheap heavy canisters out there that Backpackers hate.
I have personally tested Bear resistant canisters with both Black and Grizzly Bears in captivity. Our company also has worked with Park Service Bear Biologist experts and we have real field experience keeping food away from Bears.
Black bears solving simple problems and cooperating to defeat food storage containers has been well documented and the recognition of their intelligence is not a confusion with instinct or 'attitude".
If you don't believe me then maybe the following articles will cause you to reconsider your perspective (there are other articles on this as well).
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/arctic-bears-bear-intelligence/779/
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2012/08/120829-black-bears-cognition-animals-science/
Regards,
Craig