What do you need to know about buying, transporting and using bear sprays? Every year, hunters, anglers, backpackers, and other outdoors enthusiasts venture into remote wilderness areas with bear spray in hand. Almost every outdoors person has taken the plunge and bought a canister of bear spray repellent. For most, the acquisition is quick and simple … but did we really understand what we were buying? We visited our nearest outdoor store, quickly looked at what the retailer had in stock, grabbed one, and went on our way, thinking we had checked the box for acquiring the best bear spray available in the event of a necessary defensive encounter with a bear. Many of us bought the most economical bear spray option, likely believing that they’re all the same. After all, we consider the odds of having a bad bear (or other wildlife) encounter to be low. In turn, we went to the cashier, signed the requisite waiver, paid and left the store. Feeling that we are now equipped with the all-powerful bear spray, we feel invincible – mostly because someone, somewhere, told us we needed to carry it. Little, if any research, went into learning about the best bear sprays and what we should really be looking for. Believe me, when I say that not all bear sprays are created equal. There is a reason that some are more expensive than others.
As a problem wildlife consultant, and owner of Wild Encounters Ltd., I frequently deliver wildlife awareness and bear safety courses to industry and the public. I spend a great deal of time in wilderness areas, and bears are my business. As such, one of the core components in our curriculum addresses bear spray and the plethora of questions that we field. Allow me to share with you some of the more critical aspects of today’s active bear sprays.
Purchase Options – Best Bear Sprays
Shop around and you’ll find the brand and size that best suits your needs. Active bear sprays can be purchased on their own and in different sizes, but most recently manufacturers have been selling slightly cost-effective packs that include both an inert spray for practice, and an active spray for carrying for bear defense. A better value, I really recommend this latter option.
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The cost of different bear sprays varies greatly. With some variation, price point on these is generally around $34.99 USD for a 9.2 oz. (225-gram) canister of Frontiersman, to $62.50 USD for a 9.2 oz. (230-gram) canister of Counter Assault. By comparison, I’ve also seen combination packs that include both an inert and active bear spray, and active spray/holster combo packs which can save you a few dollars and provide you with a practice canister.
Not All Bear Sprays are Created Equal
Most people don’t have a clear understanding of what they’re buying, how it works, or its capabilities and limitations. Rest assured, they’re not all the same. From the potency of the pepper derivative, to the strength of the aerosol, even the size of the canister – some bear sprays are simply better than others.
What is the Best Bear Spray?
Essentially, bear repellent is an aerosol (typically a red, orange, or yellow spray), made with a derivative found in hot peppers, called Capsaicin. As such, it’s serves as a very potent respiratory irritant. While most commonly sold commercial sprays come in either a 225-gram or 230-gram canister, some are available in larger canisters (e.g., 290-gram) as well. If you’ve read any of the proprietary marketing materials, suggest that their sprays are effective up to 30 feet, and one company makes a canister that they say is effective to an even greater distance. Even still, I discourage anyone from discharging their spray at a bear any further than 10 feet. Each situation is different, but bear spray is designed to be a close-range non-lethal deterrent. There are simply too many variables that can affect accuracy and effectiveness beyond that distance.
In other words, bear spray should always be considered a last line of non-lethal defense. Understanding this, we definitely want it to be effective and reliable. Peruse YOUTUBE videos and you’ll hear all kinds of different advice, but I’m a firm believer in giving a problem bear a full blast directly in the face. To some extent, this means the closer, the better. Your goal should be to discharge the spray directly at a bear’s noise, mouth and eyes. Sprayed in the face at close range, a proper bear spray delivers a powerful irritant so menacing that it readily sends the bear packing.
High Capsaicin Count makes the Best Bear Spray
The most notable disparity between bear sprays is the Capsaicin count. This is the first thing you want to consider when comparing bear sprays. Capsaicin (8-methyl-N-vanillyl-6-nonenamide) is an active component of chili peppers (plants belonging to the genus Capsicum). Some bear sprays have a lower concentration than others. Knowing this, and understanding that it’s the Capsaicin count that determines potency, it stands to reason that, if your life depends on it, you want to carry a bear spray with as high of a Capsaicin count that you can get. To illustrate, there are a number of brands on the market. In comparing different brands, I’ve noted that the percentage across different products can range from as low as 0.857% to 2.0% Capsaicin. Higher is better!
Duration and Strength of the Aerosol
Know that 225-gram or 230-gram canisters generally have between seven-and-eight seconds worth of aerosol in them – and that’s it. Once it’s gone, that’s all she wrote. I’ve experimented with a number of brands and I can tell you that some clearly have a more powerful aerosol than others. In my opinion, the Counter Assault brand rises above most others. This is an excellent choice, both because of the high Capsaicin count, and also strength of their aerosol. By comparison, Sabre Frontiersman, would be a good secondary choice.
Storage & Transport of Bear Spray
Storage and transporting bear spray are also important considerations. When you purchase a bear spray, know that commercial airlines recognize them as both an aerosol, and dangerous goods. As such, they are not allowed on commercial airlines. Even if you are working for industry and flying in a helicopter, for instance, bear spray may only be allowed to be transported in a proper storage container, or in storage compartments or baskets separate from the cockpit or passenger transport area. Bear spray is flammable, it’s explosive, and because it is an extreme irritant, caution should be taken not to expose it to extreme temperature conditions, and it should always be kept out of the reach of children. Temperature extremes should be avoided when storing or transporting bear spray, as these conditions can negatively affect the integrity of the spray.
How to Carry Bear Spray
Just buying a bear spray canister alone isn’t enough. You need a way to carry it on your person when you’re in the woods. It should never be carried in a pocket or in a backpack. Bear spray needs to be instantly accessible and operable, so carrying it in a proper holster is most ideal – but be sure to mount that holster either on your hip or on a chest strap on your backpack. Bear spray holsters come in a variety of designs. I find most people like the almost enclosed cordura holsters with a fold-over Velcro cover. These work well, but I personally prefer to carry spray on my hip using a snug-fitting elasticized holster with an elasticized wrap-over strap that cradles the safety and trigger mechanism of the spray canister. The one I like most is made by Counter Assault because it’s easy and fast to use.
Check the Expiration Date
Last, but not least, always check the expiration date on each canister before you buy. It’s normally marked either on the underside of the canister, or on the side of the canister. Every bear spray has a shelf-life of between three and four years, before it expires.
Read Also:
Armed And Responsible: What Handgun Defends Best Against Bears?
Bear Attack – What Should You Do?
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