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Bears and food storage

IGBC certification

Also called Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee, IGBC approved

What is IGBC certification?

IGBC certification is the Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee's testing programme for bear-resistant products. Containers are tested against live captive grizzlies and by mechanical means, and passing earns a certification number many land managers reference.

IGBC certification at a glance

Run by
Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee
Tested against
Live captive grizzlies plus mechanical attack
Certification is not
Approval by a given park

Who the IGBC is

The Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee brings together federal and state agencies working on grizzly recovery, and one of the practical things it does is run a testing programme for bear-resistant products. Containers, coolers, panniers and food storage boxes all get tested, and products that pass are listed publicly with a certification number.

How the testing works

The testing has two parts. Mechanical testing applies defined forces and tool attacks. Live testing puts the baited product in with captive grizzly bears at a facility for a set period, and the product has to survive without being opened or meaningfully breached. It's a serious standard, and it's why IGBC listing carries weight.

Certification is not permission

The trap is assuming certification equals permission. IGBC certifies products; individual parks and forests decide which products they allow, and those lists are shorter. A canister can be IGBC certified and still not be on the approved list for the unit you're visiting, which is a conversation people have with rangers every season. Check the park's list, not the sticker.

What this means when you're choosing

  • An actual IGBC certification number rather than the phrase bear-resistant
  • Whether the land manager you are visiting references IGBC or a local list
  • The product type, since panniers, coolers and canisters are certified separately

The common mistake

Assuming certification means permission

IGBC certifies products; individual parks and forests decide which certified products they accept. Yosemite and the wider Sierra run their own list. Check the unit you are visiting, not the sticker on the canister.

Common questions

Does IGBC certification mean a canister is allowed everywhere?

No. Certification is a product test; approval is a land manager's decision. Each park or forest publishes its own accepted list, and it's usually narrower than the full IGBC listing.

How are bear canisters actually tested?

With mechanical force and tool attacks, and with live captive grizzly bears given a baited container for a defined period. A product passes only if the bears fail to open or breach it.

Where this is defined

Where this comes up

Guides on Tom's Hiking where igbc certification changes which product is right for you.

Going deeper

More in bears and food storage

Bear canister

A bear canister is a rigid container with a lid a bear can't open, used to store food and scented items overnight. Many parks and wilderness areas require an approved model, and where they do it's a regulation rather than a recommendation.

SIBBG

SIBBG is the Sierra Interagency Black Bear Group, which coordinates black bear management across Yosemite, Sequoia and Kings Canyon, Inyo National Forest and neighbouring lands. It maintains the allowed food-storage container list used across much of the Sierra Nevada.

Bear-resistant

Bear-resistant is the accurate term for certified food storage: the container holds up against a determined bear for a defined test period. Bear-proof is marketing. Given enough time and motivation, a bear can defeat almost anything.

Ursack

An Ursack is a soft, flexible bear bag made from cut-resistant fabric that ties to a tree instead of being a rigid container. It's much lighter and more packable than a canister, and it isn't accepted everywhere canisters are required.

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