The Greatest Bear Canisters of 2024, Examined By Us and Bears

Whether or not we prefer it or not, touring into bear territory typically means carrying a bear canister. These hardshell (and one softshell) containers are examined to resist bears utilizing probably the most rigorous testing procedures: precise bears. The sheer power, would possibly, and ingenuity of bears must be not underestimated, which makes choosing your storage vessel that rather more necessary. Listed below are my picks for the perfect bear canisters out there for buy right now, all licensed by the Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee. 

How I Selected the Greatest Bear Canisters

For this story, I solely checked out bear canisters accepted by the Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee. These cans have been examined by a talented (and motivated) set of bears on the Grizzly & Wolf Discovery Heart. Whereas these testing protocols certify that bear cans are extraordinarily bear resistant, staff on the middle are fast to remind you that no bear canister is fully bearproof. Bears have gotten into bear canisters which have been improperly locked up to now; they’ve additionally damaged into bear canisters that had been correctly locked and saved. By no means underestimate how good and chronic bears could be. 

Learn Subsequent: How Are Bear Cans Examined? They’re Mauled, Stomped, and Chewed by Hungry Grizzlies

Whereas the IGBC is probably the most broadly used company for approving bear canisters for backcountry use, a number of parks have their very own lists of restrictions. Simply because a bear canister has been accepted by the IGBC doesn’t imply it’s universally allowed in every single place within the backcountry. Earlier than you make a purchase order, examine that the bear canister you’re contemplating is accepted by the related land company. That is particularly necessary in high-use areas like Yosemite Nationwide Park, Yellowstone Nationwide Park, and the Adirondacks, because the bears listed below are expert and accustomed to breaking into your meals stash, based mostly on previous successes. By correctly storing your meals, you aren’t solely defending your self and your stash, you’re additionally defending the bears. When the bears in these scorching zones change into too habituated to sourcing meals from backcountry campsites they finally need to be relocated or killed. 

Nonetheless, simply because a canister isn’t accepted by a specific land company additionally doesn’t imply it’s inferior to others on this record. Varied causes exist for approving or not approving specific bear canisters, together with the identified conduct of specific bears, a want to err on the facet of warning, the restricted time assets of the businesses themselves, and a lawsuit. 

Along with trying on the certifications for bear canisters and contemplating the place they’re or usually are not allowed, I additionally thought-about weight, practical capability, issue of opening and shutting (in addition to any instruments required), and value. Lastly, I checked out how practical every bear canister was as a seat. 

Greatest Bear Canisters: Evaluations & Suggestions

Greatest General: BearVault 

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Key Options

• Accessible Sizes: 5 liters, 7.2 liters, 9.3 liters, 11.5 liters
• Weights: 1.75 kilos, 2.1 kilos, 2.25 kilos, 2.5 kilos
• Supplies: Specialty rugged polycarbonate and different sturdy resins
• IGBC licensed
• No instruments required
• Performance as a Seat: Truthful

Professionals

• Fairly light-weight
• Very straightforward to shut 
• Can see all of your meals inside
• Accessible in a variety of sizes
• Licensed to be used nearly in every single place

Cons

The BearVault is the perfect bear canister for many backpackers. Even first time backcountry campers can really feel assured that they may be capable of grasp the toolless opening and closure in a comparatively quick period of time. Its polycarbonate design makes it one of many lightest hard-sided canisters on the market. These options have made the BearVault the popular selection for thru-hikers on the Pacific Crest Path for years, particularly because it’s accepted to be used in Sequoia Kings Canyon and Yosemite Nationwide Parks, a few of the most restrictive land businesses there are.

The opening and closure mechanism of the BearVault makes use of a sequence of tabs that run across the screw-top lid. When a bear tries to open the lid of the BearVault (sure, they will use screw high lids), black stoppers on the lid will hit blue nubs, stopping them from getting any additional. However you, together with your opposable thumbs, can push the black stoppers beneath the blue nubs to get the lid open. Closing is even simpler, because the black stoppers are designed to slip behind the blue nubs with none extra effort. This is among the few bear canisters that is really easy to make use of that it gained’t elicit a groan out of me after I understand I’ve forgotten to pack up a sweet bar from my hip belt pocket. 

Even the most important dimension of the BearVault could be positioned inside one of many finest backpacking backpacks sideways. Nonetheless, people utilizing one of many finest ultralight backpacks could discover that they need to get inventive with how they get it in or strap it on. 

Greatest Light-weight: Grubcan Carbon 6.6

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Key Options

• Accessible Dimension: 6.6 liters solely
• Weight: 1.75 kilos
• Supplies: Reclaimed carbon fiber and kevlar
• IGBC and WMI licensed
• No instruments required
• Performance as a Seat: Poor

Professionals

• Extraordinarily powerful for its weight
• First bear can licensed by the WMI
• Partially produced from reclaimed supplies

Cons

• Tough to open the primary few instances you employ it
• Not accepted in all nationwide parks
• Very costly

If there may be one draw back to the BearVault it’s that bears have found out tips on how to get into it up to now. Most notoriously, a bear named Yellow-Yellow within the Adirondacks cracked the code and began focusing on these canisters particularly. Whereas BearVault made some modifications to the mechanism in response to this, the opening mechanism remains to be basically the identical idea. 

Grubcan is a more recent bear canister that takes a special strategy to toolless entry. There are three orange rings working across the center part of the lid. To open and shut the bear canister, the three tabs on the orange rings have to be completely aligned with the arrow on the high of the lid and a faint notch on the canister physique. To lock the canister, you merely spin the orange rings to completely different positions.

Whereas I’m impressed with how troublesome this might be for a bear to determine, it’s value noting that it’s a bit difficult for individuals, too. The rings actually have to be completely lined as much as each open and shut the canister, and the lid lifted on the appropriate angle. Within the privateness of my house with loads of time and house to determine it out, I received there in the long run. If I used to be chilly and hungry within the area, I may see myself getting a bit pissed off. However the potential for added safety in opposition to bears (this design was created after quite a few discussions with bear biologists) is actual, so in case you take pleasure in mind teaser puzzles this could go to the highest of your record. 

However that’s solely a part of what makes the Grubcan particular. The opposite issue is its weight to power ratio—becoming, for the reason that founders have 20 years of expertise making bulletproof panels for airplanes. It weighs the identical because the smallest BearVault, however holds 1.6 liters extra in capability. Holly Jaleski, co-owner of the Grubcan, informed me that not solely did their Carbon 6.6 mannequin go the IGBC normal take a look at, however that it additionally survived an unintended 15-minute encounter with Sam, a 1,000-pound Alaskan grizzly. (Sam is usually not used for testing on the IGBC middle except particularly requested.) Additional, it’s the first bear canister to go the a lot newer Wildlife Administration Institute (WMI) black bear take a look at. This new program hopes to higher perceive what (if any) systematic variations there are within the ways in which black bears and grizzly bears try to entry meals within bear canisters. 

Greatest Ultralight: Ursack Main

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Key Options

• Accessible Sizes: 10.6 liters, 15 liters, 30 liters
• Weights: 7.6 ounces, 8.8 ounces, 10.9 ounces
• Supplies: UHMWP
• IGBC licensed
• Knot-tying expertise required
• Performance as a Seat: N/A

Professionals

• Extraordinarily light-weight
• Versatile material could be rolled up in order that it takes up much less house in your bag
• Pairs properly with Opsaks for added smell-proof safety

Cons

• Should be in a position and keen to tie safe knots
• Not accepted in all nationwide parks

The Ursack Main is all I exploit after I head into the backcountry, except I’m headed to a nationwide park with strict necessities about what’s and isn’t allowed. The explanation for that’s easy: The smallest dimension weighs lower than half a pound and I can match 5 days of meals for myself inside. One other perk is that the longer I hike, the much less house it takes up in my pack.

Whereas the opposite bear canisters on this record are made from unbelievably powerful polycarbonates or carbon fiber blends, the Ursack Main is produced from a cloth akin to Dyneema that’s unbelievably powerful. It’s powerful sufficient to resist the grizzlies on the Grizzly & Wolf Discovery Heart in the course of the IGBC take a look at. 

Whereas the Ursack doesn’t require any instruments to open, there’s a studying curve to utilizing it correctly. Whereas the knots used to correctly safe it usually are not particularly sophisticated (Ursack recommends the double overhand knot), you do want to recollect what you’re doing when you find yourself out within the area, with no web reception to jog your reminiscence. I’ve seen loads of individuals merely tie their bag like a birthday current round a tree department and name it good; that’s not going to chop it. If the effort of coping with an Ursack isn’t value a pound of weight financial savings to you, then go together with another choice on this record.  

Most Extensively Accepted: Counter Assault Bear Keg

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Key Options

• Accessible Sizes: 11.7 liters
• Weights: 3.6 kilos
• Supplies: Polymer mix
• IGBC licensed
• Coin or different software required
• Performance as a Seat: Truthful

Professionals

• Accepted nearly in every single place
• Basic design matches properly into most conventional backpacks
• Vibrant yellow shade is simple to identify
• Reasonably priced 

Cons

The Counter Assault Bear Keg, just like the Garcia Backpacker’s Cache, is a traditional design that has withstood the take a look at of time and is accepted in every single place. Regardless of needing a software to open (a easy quarter will do), it is among the best bear canisters to function on this record. The brilliant yellow makes it straightforward to identify in quite a lot of completely different terrains. It’s additionally fairly inexpensive. 

The catch is that it’s bloody heavy, the heaviest bear canister for its quantity on this record. For those who don’t thoughts a bit of additional weight, that may not be a limiting issue for you, however light-weight or ultralight backpackers can be happier with the BearVault in nearly each atmosphere besides the previous stomping grounds of Yellow-Yellow within the northeastern forests of the USA. 

Greatest Seat: Frontiersman Insider Bear Secure

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Key Options 

• Accessible Dimension: 11.9 liters
• Weights: 3.5 kilos
• Supplies: Polypropylene
• IGBC licensed
• Coin or different software required
• Performance as a Seat: Good

Professionals

• Easy opening and shutting mechanism
• Designed to suit upright in backpacks, making it simpler to suit gear round it
• Tall sufficient to make use of as a seat
• Reasonably priced

Cons

• Heavy
• Not accepted in all nationwide parks

One thing individuals all the time say when they’re attempting to encourage you to hold a hard-sided bear canister is that you need to use it as a seat. I’m 5-foot-5 with quick legs and even I can’t use most of these items as seats. The exception to that is the Frontiersman Insider Bear Secure. This one actually is tall sufficient to make use of as a seat. It’s even higher in case you can place it near a rock wall or a tree to lean in opposition to.

A part of that is due to the design of the bear canister. Whereas bear canisters are sometimes quick and squat, the Frontiersman Insider Bear Secure is lengthy, tapering on the backside. The concept is to enhance the burden distribution inside your backpack. Relatively than having a heavy bear canister on the left-hand backside pulling in opposition to your left shoulder uncomfortably, you place the Insider Bear Secure within the middle of your pack after which distribute different gadgets round it by weight. This helps to maintain the heaviest weight (the bear can and your meals) within the center middle of your pack, which is good for weight distribution. Entry-level backpackers who’re engaged on getting their gear to suit comfortably of their pack will profit from this out-of-the-box design, however most skilled backpackers may have a method in place already for distributing the burden when they’re carrying a bear canister. 

Issues to Think about Earlier than Shopping for the Greatest Bear Canister

Approval and Certification

Earlier than you buy a bear canister, examine that it’s accepted to be used in your land company of selection. (For those who spend loads of time within the backcountry of California, examine twice.) There are sometimes excellent the explanation why solely choose bear canisters are accepted particularly areas, and you’ll and can be fined for utilizing a canister that isn’t accepted. That’s, if the bears don’t get your meals first.

Ease of Opening

A bear canister that you just don’t use correctly isn’t value buying. The convenience of use between a few of the heaviest bear canisters I checked out and their light-weight counterparts was typically important. Know your self: For those who aren’t up for studying and tying knots, don’t buy an possibility that requires it. If you realize that on the finish of the day your motivation for twiddling with sophisticated closures is proscribed to non-existent, go together with one thing that closes simply. Whereas bears have up to now and can sooner or later break into correctly secured bear canisters, nearly all of incidents contain an open or improperly secured canister.

Weight

Whereas there may be loads of hand-wringing amongst backpackers over the burden of bear canisters, that is one space the place I’m going to encourage you to take much less inventory of it. Approval and proper use are an important components in your selection. As soon as these are squared away, then you possibly can filter by weight and packed dimension. 

Lifespan

Virtually the entire finest bear canisters are produced from plastic, which degrades and weakens over time. Per Randy Gravatt, container testing coordinator on the IGBC, it’s finest to switch bear canisters each 5 to seven years to make sure it’s really able to withstanding the uncooked energy of a bear intent on breaking into it. 

FAQs

Ultimate Ideas on the Greatest Bear Canisters

For those who spend time in bear nation, having a plan to guard your meals—and by extension, your self—from bears is a should. Whereas the bear cling was as soon as thought-about a vital ability for backcountry journey, there may be rising consciousness that it is a much less efficient technique than land managers had hoped (the exception to this are the bear pole hangs arrange by the park businesses for guests).

Each black bears and grizzly bears (though not polar bears) can climb timber. Profitable bear hangs must be excessive sufficient off the bottom and much sufficient out from the trunk {that a} bear can’t leap over to it. Not solely are there loads of locations that don’t have timber with limbs excessive/shut sufficient, lengthy sufficient, or sturdy sufficient to make this work, there are even bear habitats that hardly have timber in any respect. Making an attempt to make a bear cling work in these environments is asking for a bear to interrupt into your meals. It’s definitely worth the funding (and the burden) to have an awesome bear canister. Listed below are our high picks: