Bear Spreay 225g or 325g?

That depends on where you will be hiking. Black bear territory = 225g/none. Hardcore grizzly territory might make you a bit more nervous, but 225g should be sufficient in the extremely unlikely event that you would actually use it.

I've never heard of an encounter where the person was attacked by a bear because they ran out of bear spray. One little whiff is all it takes.

Define "bear country"

Black bear, brown bear, kodiak bear, grizzley, polarbear

As andrew hinted it makes a big difference.

Whats teh difference in advertised ranges of the bear spray?

"I've never heard of an encounter where the person was attacked by a bear because they ran out of bear spray. One little whiff is all it takes."

I've heard from a very reliable source that it's often the last bit of spray that finally deters the grizzly, one little whiff is NOT all it takes. Also, it could take your most of your can before you make solid contact with the grizzly's face, so the longer you can spray the higher chance you have of making a solid connection. Not to say bear spray is not effective, it has by far the great success rate of any bear deterrent.

I would carry a large can in serious grizzly territory. Kodiak territory I wouldn't worry so much since they have so much salmon to eat and are more socialized so are less aggressive.

The location is the Canadian Great Divide trail from Waterton Park to Jasper.
The Frontiersman Bear spray advertises:
225g Fires for approximately 5.6 seconds.Range is roughly 9m.
325g Fires for approximately 8.2 seconds.Range is roughly 10.5m

Ted

225g would probably be adequate, but as someone who has neither been attacked by a bear nor hiked in Canada, perhaps my opinion isn't that useful.

I would contact the local ranger district or whatever is Canada's equivalent and go with whatever they recommend.

I agree with Andrew in that the smaller canister should be adequate. I don't know those trails in Alberta at all, but I've driven that route a few times. I believe that there are lots of griz in the area, and the Banff area seems to have a number of them being pesty. I've seen a couple crossing the highway in Kananaskis Country.

I don't know how many hikers you'll see on that trail. When I hike solo in Glacier and Yellowstone, I try to join another group when walking through dicey areas such as tall grass, blind overgrown brushy trails, or along a noisy stream. Statistically, there seems to be safety in numbers.

Of possible interest, Stephen Herrero of the U. of Alberta (likely the preeminent authority on the Canadian griz) carries two canisters when he goes out to study those bad boys. One is to be used if needed on the way to the observation site, the other for on the way back to the truck in case he used the first one. But of course he and his colleagues are out there looking for bears, not trying to avoid them. Also, since you are on a thru hike, you probably won't encounter the same bear twice.

Your trip sounds like a fine one, through some of the most scenic country in North America. I hope you have a great time.

Rangers in Glacier and Waterton Lakes advised us to each carry the larger canister when hiking there two years ago. More short sprays and slightly greater range. No encounters, but we did as they suggested.

the extra 1 meter really doesn't seem like that big of a range gain to me. the extra 3 seconds though could be handy considering its 60% more spray and pray time.

When I've seen the youtube videos online, the bears react instantly to getting hit in the face. But I've also read a report that atleast with guns most, people cannot hold their hands steady when being charged by a 1600 lb bear. So the trick is actually hitting him…

If the rangers say full size, I'd go full size. At least that way if the bears get you, the rangers can't mouth off in the papers and say "we told him to get the big size…" : P

I've heard plenty of stories of people emptying the canister on a bear, I always carry a bigger can. On a really remote trip I'd probably carry two cans (unless I had friends with their own)

Also be careful with the stuff, don't do anything with the bear spray that you would not do with a loaded handgun. I have heard lots of stories of negligent discharges but I think that has a lot to do with human error. People go on a trip, buy bear spray and don't know how to take care of it. I've had UDAP on my hip for months at a time in grizzly country and never had an issue with it.

I have spent decades hiking, camping, boating, hunting, and fishing in grizzly country and have never carried spray. I have had a gun with me on occasion when hunting. FWIW just yesterday I was hiking in grizzly country in the middle of the “night” all by myself with a load of salmon and with no spray and was thinking about this topic.

Bears, are, by far, the most over-feared danger in the North American outdoors.

Your odds of needing bear spray are very, very low. The odds of a larger can saving your hide vs a smaller can are incredibly low.

If it’s just black bear country don’t carry bear spray. If it’s grizzly country I would recommend splitting the difference between nothing and the large size and carry the small can.

Just saw this posted on another forum. Good graphic on relative danger:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2015/06/16/chart-the-animals-that-are-most-likely-to-kill-you-this-summer/

I appreciate Buck putting the fear of bears into perspective.

I too, just got off the trail in bear country – a pretty (infamously) tough 33-mile trip, the Chilkoot Trail from Skagway, Alaska to Bennett, BC with our 15-y.o., 10-y.o., and her 11-y.o. friend for 5 days / 4 nights. We didn't carry spray. All the kids have heard from us, their schools, camps, and the USNPS – many times – how to react to bears (and volcanos, earthquakes, tsunamis, etc).

I've also hiked in Bannf and we were unsure which route to take until we saw the sign cautioning people about the 5-glacier loop because 3 grizzlies were in the area. That settled it – we looked at each other, nodded, and went there. (It is usually crowded because it is very scenic, and a loop, and that had been our only hesitation. We knew bear reports would dissuade most people.) It went great, we had the trail almost all to ourselves, our pick of campsites, and saw all three bears – heading the other way – my wife is very good about making noise when there are berries, poor sight lines, and background noise.

I wouldn't fault you for bringing spray. (I would fault someone for bringing a gun instead of spray for protection.). If it gives you peace of mind, great. As to the extra 100 grams – in AK or the Canadian Rockies, the weather will kill you long before the bears. Down-size the bear spray, but add a polypro or fleece or wind layer – legs, torso or head – whatever is less well protected now.

You're solo and that is a greater risk. You'll make less noise than a group, unless you really work at it. You're new to bear country and might not behave this well: (Google "YouTube We're not food").

We saw a young grizzly, an adolescent black bear and an adult grizzly on this trip. We watched them each for a bit, then they wandered away. Generally, I worry less about the bears eating me and more about me eating the bear (like pigs, they can carry trichinosis). The only other bear I saw this year, I literally ate for dinner. But I cooked it thoroughly.

And, in Canada, the spray MUST be sold as and marked for use on BEARS. I've crossed the US-Can border six times this week and always got asked about guns and bear spray.

Dave said
"You're solo and that is a greater risk. You'll make less noise than a group, unless you really work at it"

Yeah that is worth remembering, I practically bumped into a rather large grizzly a couple days ago, I was hiking fast and not making enough noise. By the time I had the bear spray out he was already long gone. If he'd gone the other way no can of bear spray would have helped. Next day I made a lot more noise and I saw no more bears even though I was in an area that has been described as "invested" with grizzlies.

I carry the large canister in Yosemite. More than one bear encounter is likely.

Eric,

Just wanted to make you aware that the rules don’t allow bear spray in Yosemite.
I have seen rangers in Yosemite stop people on their way to Half Dome who were carrying bear spray on their shoulder belt. Before that I wasn’t aware of that rule either.

Best Regards,

Manfred

Thanks for all the useful comments. Over the past 40 years I have hiked solo through bear country, and have seen bears at various times. Although I've never felt the need in the past to carry bear spray, I do want to carry it on the GDT hike, as it is recommended by all authorities I've read.

It is interesting that although many of the comments recommend carrying bear spray, I have not found any account on this forum reporting actually having used bear spray. I have read and heard a number of accounts of misuse of bear spray, with people spraying themselves or people nearby, causing severe personal discomfort.

One tip I've seen recommends spraying the air space immediately ahead of a closely approaching bear, rather than aiming to spray the bear, as the spray is intended to disrupt the bears breathing and sense of smell. Here's hoping that in the event that bear spray is needed, there will be time and opportunity to use it effectively.

So my current thinking is to buy the 225g canister, and hopefully report back at the end of the hike, that I did not need to use it.

Ted

I sprayed a charging Kodiak sow once. I was sea kayaking and camping on a beach one evening. She and her two 2-year old cubs approached from the opposite end of the beach I was watching (I had seen a bear earlier in the direction I was facing) and I did not realize they were there until they were quite close, and ditto for them. I got the spray out and yelled, "hey!" It was like a starter's gun going off. She exploded up the beach at me. I sprayed in her direction and a faint orange cloud formed about 10 feet from me between us. She stopped at the edge of it. It's hard to say if it was a bluff charge or not, and maybe she would have stopped where she did anyway (pretty likely, actually), spray or no spray. But I did get the sense she knew the spray was there and it figured into her calculation. This is from adrenaline-shaded recollection, and it's difficult to be objective when reconstructing events like this (eyewitness accounts are notoriously the WORST kind of evidence), but if I were back on the same beach with the same sow running at me again, I'd choose to be holding a can of bear spray (again). When I'm out doing my trips in the Kodiak archipelago, I run into lots of bears. This was the only time it escalated into a full on confrontation.

Two coworkers of mine were walking a salmon stream last fall counting fish doing a survey. A Kodiak bear burst out of the brush where it had presumably been sleeping and had not heard their approach. It knocked one guy down and grabbed him by the shin/lower leg and shook and dragged him. They both were yelling and fumbling for their sprays, and once they got the spray out and gave the bear a good hosing, it broke off the attack. My friend was able to walk out, but needed stitches. Had the bear made its point and was getting ready to leave anyway when they hit it with the spray? Maybe. The guy who got chewed got his Master's studying mainland coastal brown bears, living on Cape Douglas near Katmai NP and McNeil River, and knows bear behavior well. He's totally philosophical about the incident. Bears will be bears. Do what you can not to put them in untenable positions, and have spray as plan B when the negotiations aren't working out.

On Kodiak in modern recorded history, only one person has been killed by a bear, and that attack was not predatory (the bear was defending food). Every year or two, someone gets chewed on. And there are thousands of bear-human interactions every year. Ironically, the high bear density makes this a relatively safe place to be amongst the bears since it has a moderating effect on their behaviors.

Still, I opt for the big spray can.

Manfred,

The rules must have changed since 2008, my last time backpacking up Yosemite's Toulemene (sp?) River. We saw park rangers mule packing and they never said a word to those of us with canisters on our hip belts. Next time I'll be sure to have it totally covered but I WILL continue to carry one. Rather pay a fine than be mauled.

The possession, use, or discharge of pepper spray (including bear spray), pellet guns, and BB guns in Yosemite National Park is prohibited.

I walked the Canadian Great Divide Trail from the US border a little over 600km north to Cascade Pass during the recent 4 weeks. When I purchased the bear spay at MEC in Calgary, the staff automatically gave me the 225g size saying that it is what most people buy. I saw bears on two occasions. First was a mother and cubs about 30m from the trail. The cubs ran off immediately and the mother stood up, looked in my direction, "huffed" and ran off as well. The second was near a campsite at Sunshine Ski Area. A large grizzly was digging for food right on the trail, but a family of 4 hikers who had spotted the bear, called to me, and we moved away and off the trail to maintain non-threatening distance. We made sufficient noise so the bear was aware of our presence and position, then we circled round in the open and continued on the trail beyond the bear, who continued digging without interruption. So, over 4 weeks, there was no need to use the bear spray. I was happy to have chosen the 225g size, as it was lighter, cheaper, and carried conveniently in a velcro pouch suspended from my pack. I was also happy to have seen some bears in natural settings, without confrontation. There were many nights where I random camped with not suitable trees for food hanging. I kept the bear spray accessible at my tent, but never had any animals disturb my food located within sight nearby. The thought, though, of a Sumo wrestler sized wild animal, rushing at me aggressively, with my only defense being a small shaving cream sized can of bear spray was unnerving. Travelling with companions would improve the sense of comfort.

Ted

Had I run low on spray in a rare confrontation, can I spray myself to make me less tasty, so the bear would walk away after first chew, leaving me enough limb to walk away too? Never had any experience with bear spray, just wondering…

Bears love spicy

maybe try rubbing yourself in butter, bears love butter (bear spray works when you spray it in its face)

"Bears love spicy" And jingle bells. Seems to me the smell in my pants in such a situation would deter anything with a functioning nose.