Bears are one of the most dangerous creatures that people can come across in the wild. It’s important that campers and other wilderness-goers take certain precautions as to not endanger themselves. One of the best ways to stave off a bear is with a bear-resistant food storage container.
A bear canister, also known as a bear container or a bear safe, is a cylindrical canister used to store food or other small supplies. These containers are intended to seal away items that bears might smell and find desirable. Made from plastic, carbon fiber, aluminum, or other durable materials, and with a lid requiring somewhat advance motor use to open, They are too strong and complex for a bear to open. They generally range from 6 to 15 liters in capacity. At it’s largest, it could hold enough food to last a week for a single hiker.
One of the most popular models is the Frontiersman Insider Bear Safe. The long, orange tube can only be opened with a screwdriver and can contain up to 11 liters of content. The narrow form makes it fit within most large hiking backpacks. It’s priced at $79.99. You can expect similar products around a similar price range.
Not interested in a container? One common alternative to a bear safe is to string a bag into the air higher than a bear could reach. This can be achieved with a bag and enough rope. Make sure the food inside is contained in a sealed bag or container though, or the bears will still be attracted to the smell.
Mind you, not all bear safes are perfect. There have been reports in the past of a wild 125-pound black bear in the Adirondacks near North Elba, New York figuring out how to open several models of bear safes mad by BearVault. It will depend on how the container opens in the end, though. But hey, bears are smart. We previously reported on a group of bears working together to steal a bird house.