Do Bear Canisters Work?

BearVault canisters are designed to be virtually impossible for bears to open. If this doesn’t sound that impressive to you, go watch some videos of clever bears opening car doors and getting into trash cans. Ears— and raccoons, burros, marmots, and other wild animals will do anything to access human food, and this includes learning to pry open the door of your Subaru.  

They go through testing at the Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee, where bears are given an hour to break into the canister in question. It’s pretty incredible; you can actually watch bears play hacky sack with your BearVault and still unsuccessfully get to the Snickers bar you stashed for later!

Don’t get me wrong—having a bear destroy days’ worth of meals is devastating for a trip—but there’s also a large component of conservation and safety here. Wild animals who get a sweet taste of human food become obsessed, seeking the next fix wherever they can. Not only is the nutritional content of human food inappropriate for bears, but the search for easy food can also cause bears to lose their fear of humans over time. 

You may have heard the saying “a fed bear is a dead bear”—and while this might sound extreme, it’s the truth. If bears become aggressive and fearless of humans, they pose a risk to themselves and to us, and are often put down. 

Part of enjoying wild spaces is learning to coexist with these ecosystems' native wildlife. Recreating outdoors is playing in the living room of wild creatures, and it’s crucial that we consider how our practices impact the animals around us.

So, how does a bear canister fit into this, and how do they actually work? Just like any other piece of outdoor equipment, the efficacy of a bear canister hinges on proper usage. When used correctly, both grizzly and black bears won’t be able to unscrew the lid and access your delicious human food. Bears are pretty insistent and relentless creatures, so store your canister away from cliffs, running water, or other tempting places for a disgruntled bear to chuck your food stash away for good.

While bear canisters are occasionally tested with something sweet rubbed on the outside, it’s best to avoid getting any smells on the exterior of the canister. I recall one particularly tiring evening at camp when I foolishly used the lid of my bear canister as a makeshift cutting board for vegetables.

 It wasn’t until I was done chopping that it hit me what I’d done, and I cursed myself, wiped off the lid, and thanked the stars that the only animals out that night were raccoons. Don’t do as I did and use your bear canister for food prep, but do use it as a handy seat while you chow down on dinner.

Remember, a bear canister is so much more than a glorified plastic tub. These pieces of gear are meticulously designed to withstand the most persistent grizzlies and the most curious cubs. They are conservation tools and safety equipment, and like all gear we take into the wild, they work best when used correctly. 

For me, understanding how my bear canister works has only further solidified its place in my pack. Use your BearVault properly, store food correctly, and follow best practices of cleaning and caring for the canister, and you’ll have a food storage system that can outlast a multitude of animal encounters. For me, understanding how my bear canister works has only further solidified its place in my pack.