Bear spray at a glance
- Active ingredient
- Capsaicin and related capsaicinoids, 1.0 to 2.0%
- Minimum size (IGBC)
- 7.9 oz (225 g)
- Typical spray time
- About 5 to 10 seconds
- Flying
- Not allowed in carry-on or checked bags (TSA)
- Heat limit
- Can explode at 120 degrees Fahrenheit (NPS)
What makes it different from pepper spray?
Bear spray is registered with the EPA as a pesticide, so every legitimate can carries an EPA registration number and lists its active ingredient as capsaicin and related capsaicinoids between 1.0 and 2.0 percent. Counter Assault, SABRE's Frontiersman and UDAP all sit at the 2.0 percent ceiling, which is why strength rarely separates one brand from another.
Personal pepper spray is built to stop a person at close range. Yellowstone notes that bear spray reaches much further and comes out as a cloud rather than a stream, so it doesn't need careful aim at a running animal.
What does the label say about range and spray time?
Each can's EPA-accepted label states how far it sprays and roughly how many seconds it takes to empty. Mainstream cans range from about five seconds for a 7.9 ounce can to about ten for a 10.2 ounce one, with ranges quoted between roughly 25 and 40 feet or more.
Those are best-case figures. SABRE's Frontiersman label puts its range at 40 feet at 68 degrees Fahrenheit and 25 feet at freezing, and Glacier National Park lists wind, rain, temperature and shelf life as factors that change how well any can works.
How should you carry and use it?
The National Park Service says each person should carry a can in a waist or chest holster, not inside a pack, and hold it in hand in thick brush. Spray in short bursts toward the face of a bear that is charging, creating a barrier, and spray again if it keeps coming.
Bear spray only works as a cloud between you and the bear. Never spray it on yourself, your tent or your gear the way you'd use bug repellent. Glacier warns that sprayed objects can attract bears, so the residue does the opposite of what you wanted.
What this means when you're choosing
- An EPA registration number printed on the front of the can
- At least 7.9 ounces of product, the Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee's minimum
- The spray time on the label, since you will fire more than one burst
- A holster you can draw from with one hand
- An expiration date well in the future
Bear spray vs Pepper spray
| Bear spray | Pepper spray | |
|---|---|---|
| Registered as | EPA-registered animal deterrent | Personal defense spray, not registered for bears |
| Spray pattern | Wide cloud | Narrow stream or gel |
| Can size | At least 7.9 oz | Usually a small keychain canister |
| Reach | Roughly 25 to 40 feet or more, per the label | Built for close range |
Which to pick: Bear spray for bears, every time. Yellowstone tells visitors to choose an EPA-approved product made specifically to stop bears.
The common mistake
Keeping it in the pack
A can buried in a side pocket or strapped to the back of a pack can't come out in the two or three seconds a charging bear gives you. Wear it on a hip belt or chest strap, and practice the draw with the safety on until it's automatic.
Common questions
Can you bring bear spray on a plane?
No. The TSA prohibits bear spray in both carry-on and checked bags, and Yellowstone says plainly that it can't go on airplanes. Buy or rent a can at your destination instead, and before you fly home, leave it at a drop-off kiosk where the park has one rather than in a trash can.
How long does bear spray last?
Every can has an expiration date stamped on it, and Counter Assault, for one, lists a four-year shelf life. Glacier National Park lists shelf life among the things that change how well a can works, so replace an expired can rather than trusting it, and use the old one to practice the draw and the trigger.
Where this is defined
- Bear Spray, National Park Service, Yellowstone National Park
- Bears, National Park Service, Glacier National Park
- Bear spray, Transportation Security Administration
- Frontiersman Bear Attack Deterrent label, EPA Reg. No. 72265-1, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency