The bear canister: an essential piece of Pacific Crest Trail equipment that reminds thru-hikers of what they're truly afraid of out in the wilderness – being torn to pieces by a ravenous bear in the middle of their night (but we all there know there's scarier things than bears out there). If you're planning on a PCT thru-hike (or maybe just heading to Yosemite) and you've done your research, then chances are you've heard about this bear canister; if you haven't, then allow me to introduce you to the concept.
A bear canister is a bear-proof container used to store all the food and smelly, bear-attracting items in your pack. Generally, these are made from hard plastic, although some lighter (and much more expensive) carbon fiber models are available. They are rigid, bulky, heavy, and generally disliked by hikers. However, they are also mandatory in many areas, and so in lieu of risking a huge fine (and putting bears into danger of having to be put down) hikers endure the annoyance of bear canisters in their packs.
On the Pacific Crest Trail, thru-hikers must carry bear canisters in Sequoia, Kings Canyon, Yosemite, and Lassen Volcanic national parks. The stretch between Sequoia and Yosemite usually means that (northbound) hikers pick up their bear canisters in Kennedy Meadows and then ship them home from Sonora Pass (this is where you can hitchhike to Bridgeport). If you plan on stopping in the 19 mi / 30.6 km of trail that passes through Lassen Volcanic National Park, then you will also need one here.
But what is the best bear canister for the Pacific Crest Trail? Which of the many options available will do the most to ensure your survival in the mountains? The short answer? None. As in no bear canister will do any more or any less to keep you as a person protected from bears – it's for protecting your food.
All the bear canisters listed here are approved for use on the PCT.
BV500
- Weight: 41 oz / 1.162 kg
- Dimensions (in): 12.7 x 8.7
- Dimensions (cm): 32 x 22
- Capacity: 11.5 L
- Material: Polycarbonate
- MSRP: $80
The BV500 is the most popular PCT bear canister according to the PCT Hiker Survey. It's made of polycarbonate (i.e. transparent blue plastic) and has a capacity of 11.5 liters. Yes, it weighs 41 oz / 1.162 kg (aka 2 lb 9 oz) and will occupy a huge amount of space in your pack, but this is the nature of the bear canister. To open the bear canister you need to push two different tabs on the lid down (one after another) to move them past a plastic stopper. It's not that complicated. The lid of this bear canister comes all the way off. The opening is slightly more narrow than the rest of the bear canister.
PROS: Uniform shape, transparent, bear-proof, don't need tools to open
CONS: Heavy, can be tough to open when cold
BV450
- Weight: 33 oz / 935 g
- Dimensions (in): 8.3 x 8.7
- Dimensions (cm): 22 x 21
- Capacity: 7.2 L
- Material: Polycarbonate
- MSRP: $70
The BV450 is the smaller version of the BV500 – for those of you looking to save a bit of weight or who are on a diet. It's made of polycarbonate (i.e. transparent blue plastic) and has a capacity of 7.2 liters. With ~60% the capacity and 80% of the weight of the BV500, it weighs 33 oz / 935 g (aka 2 lb 1 oz). It's advertised as being holding up to four days worth of food, but as with all these canisters, you can more if you're smart about your packing (i.e. ditch it all). This canister has the same two-notch lid as the BV500 and can also be opened without the use of any tools (or coins).
PROS: Uniform shape, transparent, bear-proof, don't need tools to open
CONS: Heavy, can be tough to open when cold
Garcia Model 812 Backpackers’ Cache
- Weight: 43 oz / 1.219 kg
- Dimensions (in): 12 x 8.8
- Dimensions (cm): 30 x 22
- Capacity: 10 L
- Material: ABS polymer
- MSRP: $75
The Garcia Model 812 Backpackers’ Cache is different from the previously mentioned bear canisters because it is not a perfect cylinder – it has a bulge in the middle making its use as a horizontally placed seat limited. However, it works well as a seat when placed vertically. The opening is slightly smaller than the other models listed here, and since it's not transparent you can't see what you're digging for. You will also need a coin, screwdriver, or incredibly tough nails to open this bear canister. Honestly, this is my least favorite of the bunch.
PROS: Bear-proof
CONS: Heavy, not transparent, need a coin (or tool) to open, not uniform shape
Bearikade Expedition
- Weight: 36 oz / 1.021 kg
- Dimensions (in): 14.5 x 9
- Dimensions (cm): 37 x 23
- Capacity: 14.7 L
- Material: Carbon fiber
- MSRP: $350
The Bearikade Expedition is different from the previously mentioned bear canisters because it is made of carbon fiber – and costs $350. Honestly, this is an awesome bear canister, but the price is a bit absurd. Compared to the BV500, you're paying $54 per ounce of weight savings. That said, the capacity of the Bearikade Expedition is larger than the BV500 (14.7 L vs 11.5 L). The BV500 costs you $6.96 per liter; the Bearikade Expedition is $23.80 per liter. The opening of this canister is nearly the same size as the rest of it, but you will need a coin (or something similar to open it). Also, the lid does not detach all the way – it's tethered to the canister (sorry, no frisbee).
PROS: Bear proof, carbon fiber, large capacity, opening the same size as the storage area
CONS: Not transparent, sharper edges than the others (pack wear), need a coin (or tool) to open
Bearikade Weekender
- Weight: 31 oz / 879 g
- Dimensions (in): 10.5 x 9
- Dimensions (cm): 27 x 23
- Capacity: 10.6 L
- Material: Carbon fiber
- MSRP: $288
The Bearikade Weekender is the lightest, but also the most expensive bear canister available to PCT hikers. In real dollars, it is $62 cheaper than the Bearikade Expedition, but as far as dollars per liter of space it's the most expensive ($27.17 vs.$23.80 for the Expedition). The opening of this canister is nearly the same size as the rest of it, but you will need a coin (or something similar to open it). Also, the lid does not detach all the way – it's tethered to the canister (sorry, no frisbee).
PROS: Bear-proof, lightest option, carbon fiber, opening the same size as the storage area
CONS: Not transparent, sharper edges than the others (pack wear), need a coin (or tool) to open
LIGHTER1 Big Daddy
- Weight: 43 oz / 1.219 kg
- Dimensions (in): 13 x 8.7
- Dimensions (cm): 33 x 22.1
- Capacity: 10.5 L
- Material: Polycarbonate
- MSRP: $100
The LIGHTER1 Big Daddy is the heaviest option available. I am only including it here because there are a fixed number of bear canisters approved for use on the PCT and this is one of them. The only thing that sets this bear canister apart from the others is that the lid doubles as a pan for cooking. But then how are you supposed to use your bear can as a stool (basically its primary function) while you're cooking? If you're thinking about getting this, you should probably just get the BV500.
PROS: Bear-proof, lid doubles as a pan, transparent
CONS: Heaviest option available, do you really need your lid to be a pan? How will you sit on your canister and cook?
LIGHTER1 Lil' Sami
- Weight: 43 oz / 1.219 kg
- Dimensions (in): 13 x 8.7
- Dimensions (cm): 33 x 22.1
- Capacity: 5 L
- Material: Polycarbonate
- MSRP: $95
The LIGHTER1 Lil' Sami is a smaller version of LIGHTER1's Big Daddy with less than half the gear capacity. Despite this dramatic difference, the canister costs only $5 less than the larger version (which is a lot more than the comparable capacity BV450. The opening on the Lil' Sami is the same size as the Big Daddy and it uses the same size pan as a lid. The canister's overall shape is a bit more cylindrical compared to the BV450 (which is a bit boxier) which may mean easier packing depending on how expert you are at organizing your pack.
PROS: Bear-proof, lid doubles as a pan, transparent
CONS: Expensive, do you really need your lid to be a pan? How will you sit on your canister and cook?
All of the bear canisters listed here are approved for use on the Pacific Crest Trail. There are a few other bear canisters approved for use (that I don't think are worth your time, but you might) – they are the Bear Keg from Counter Assault, the Bare Boxer Contender 101, and the NO-FED-BEAR from UDAP.
Please, respect the laws and carry a bear canister (they are for the bears as much as they are for you). Don't be a bag.
If you have any thoughts or questions, please comment below.
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