Best Bear Spray 2023 (Self Defense For Campers, & Backpackers)

Camping is wonderful and enjoyable, but these trips contain some risks, and the most famous of these risks is the attack of some bears on camping sites, but you do not need to worry, as there are many solutions to protect yourself from bears.

Bear Sprays is one of the best tools that you can use to defend yourself from the attack of some aggressive bears during your camping trip.

But you do not need to worry because, in this article, we will make many reviews on the best Bear Sprays you can buy and carry with you on your trip and protect yourself and your friends from the dangers of bears.

Best Bear Spray

SABER Frontiersman Bear Spray

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Sprays Up To 35 ft | Spray Duration: 5 seconds | Concentration: 2% capsaicinoids Volume (oz): 9.2 | Weight (oz): 9.2

The SABER Frontiersman Bear Spray from the SABER company is one of the best options. It has a five-star rating on many sites, and it is not difficult to see the reason for these good reviews for this spray, as it is considered affordable compared to its competing alternatives, but the price is not the main reason. The main reason is the strength of the product and its powerful efficacy.

This spray contains 2% capsaicinoids and which is a high concentration to keep bears away from you, and this SABRE Frontiersman Bear Spray is more powerful than pepper spray, and it is the best choice if you are a beginner or a veteran in the wilderness, and the strength of this spray helps repel any bear attack predatorily.

Pros:

Spray range of up to 35 feet to hit bears.
Approved by the Environmental Protection Agency.
Comes with a belt.
2.0% formula provides high stopping power
52g burst in one second

Guard Alaska Bear Spray

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Sprays Up To 20 ft | Spray Duration: 9 seconds | Concentration: 1.34% capsaicinoids Volume (oz): 9 | Weight (oz): 9.17

You will be safe when using Guard Alaska Bear Spray. This spray comes with a concentration of 1.34%, unlike SABER spray, which has a higher concentration. This spray has a range of up to 20 feet. It is beautiful in this spray that it comes with a case made of nylon and metal, as it protects the spray from exposure to any blows.

Who doesn’t mind using a spray with a slightly lower concentration because it is thought to be effective enough to fend off any attack from any bear that could harm you? This spray was approved by the Alaska Foundation for Science and Technology because studies on it have shown that it is highly effective at fending off bears.

Additionally, the Environmental Protection Agency has approved this spray, so you don’t have to worry about leaving any unfavourable effects on the land you plan to camp on. As for concentration, once again, a little concentration can help some as it is helpful for families if you don’t want anyone to get hurt.

Pros:

Comes with a belt holster.
Approved by the Environmental Protection Agency.
Because of its slow spray rate, it can be used to deceive in some situations.

Cons:

1.34% formula concentration is lower than competitors
The spray range is as short as 20 feet.

Counter Assault Bear Spray

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Sprays Up To 40 ft | Spray Duration: 9.2 seconds | Concentration: 2% capsaicin and related capsaicinoids | Volume (oz): 10.2 | Weight (oz): 15

SABER has a range of up to 35 feet, and this range is sufficient to confront any bears, but if you are looking for a greater range and feel like a sniper, then Counter Assault Bear Spray is ideal for you.

Counter Assault Bear Spray is effective on targets at a range of up to 40 feet, 5 feet may not make much of a difference. But it can sometimes save your life when you are attacked by a giant bear.

This spray uses the same concentration of 2% in its composition, which makes it effective on both force and distance, but what is wrong with this spray is its design that may cause some harm to children as it resembles some games, and for that when you buy this spray it is better to keep it out of reach hands of children and put it in a very safe place.

Pros:

High range, up to 40 feet.
2.0% formula will knock down any bear
Comes with a case for safekeeping
Certified by the Environmental Protection Agency.

Cons:

Its design is extremely dangerous for children.

UDAP Bear Spray Safety Orange

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Sprays Up To 30 ft | Spray Duration: 4 seconds | Concentration: 2% capsaicin and related capsaicinoids | Volume (oz): 7.9 | Weight (oz): 8

When talking about Bear Spray Safety Orange, this spray is the most widespread among the U.D.A.P, and sales of this spray have increased by about 9 times, although its range is only 30 feet, the reputation of the product compels consumers to buy it, especially since it is free of defects that encourage it to the purchase.

And just as this airbrush keeps pace with many other products due to its high concentration of up to 2%, so there is no need for its shortcomings, as, unlike cheaper atomizers, UDPA is well-made and makes it easy for the spray to arrive quickly.

One of the most important features of this airbrush is the distinctive colour that helps you find it in low light, its orange colour helps you quickly find it among your belongings.

Pros:

Most reliable and popular UDAP spray
2.0% formula is offensive enough for anyone
Flared safety clip.
The presence of a useful booklet to know how the inhaler works
Easy to pull out of the case

Cons:

The spray range is only 30 feet.

How to choose Bear Spray

After we got to know the most important sprays that you can buy before going out on the camping trip, we will now learn how to choose the best spray for bears, which helps to finalize the purchase decision.

Spray Duration

One of the important things that must be taken into account when buying bear sprays is the spray rate or discharge rate, and bear sprays are usually discharged for a period ranging from 4 to 9 seconds.

So keep this in mind as you will want to keep your batches from 1 to 2 seconds when you spray, meaning when you choose a 4-second spray you only have 2 sprays to finish.

Weight

Of course, you will be balancing both the duration of the spray with the weight of the spray depending on the load you will be carrying for your trekking or backpacking trip, so it does not make sense to carry a pound can of spray if you are backpacking.

The SABER Frontiersman Bear Spray, Guard Alaska Bear Spray, and UDAP Bear Spray Safety Orange are lightweight options to consider and if you’re car camping then the weight isn’t much of an issue for you.

Spray distance

You will also need to know the spray distance of all the bear sprays or the firing range of the spray. The lowest spray is the Guard Alaska Bear Spray, which has a range of only 20, while the Counter Assault Bear Spray has the highest range, which reaches 40 feet, outperforming all other sprays.

The chance of hitting bears from 40 feet away is very slim, while the extra range a spray gives you is good in some tricky situations, and a bear sprays should be effective at deterring bears in sticky situations.

Formula & Capsaicin Concentration

Before thinking about buying the appropriate bear sprays, you should know what types of bears are in the area you want to go to. For example, if the area you want to go to is full of grizzly bears, you need bear sprays.

Both pepper spray and bear sprays contain the same basic ingredient, capsaicin, which is the active chemical in hot peppers. However, bear sprays is a stronger version of pepper spray.

What’s in Bear Spray Both bear spray and pepper spray contain capsaicin or capsaicinoids:

Capsaicin: It is a chemical compound isolated from hot peppers.
Capsaicinoid: It is the synthetic version of capsaicin and usually contains half the strength of capsaicin.

In most bear spray, the exact composition of capsaicin is not detected for the capsaicinoid, but the percentage of the substance is put in the spray, but according to the Environmental Protection Agency, the proportion of capsaicin in bear spray ranges from 1% to 2%.

Easy Of Use

While strength is important in a bear spray, it won’t make any difference in the end if you can’t get rid of the bear menace when you need it most, so ease of use is something that has to be considered while buying bear spray.

Ideally, you want a sprayer for bears that allows you ease of use, and you may also want a case for the sprayer that allows you to withdraw the spray with ease as you can reach the sprayer comfortably to be ready to face any bears on the way, and try to get a somewhat narrow case from In order not to drop the sprayer from you, try to avoid cases that contain a large number of tapes.

But UDAP Bear Spray Safety Orange provides a lot of great features in terms of ease of use, so the company made the colour of the spray visible at the low light level, and that made it easy to locate the spray, and this spray is also considered the easiest to use at all.

When To Use Bear Spray

Using bear spray should be a last resort when confronting bears, but if there is no other way to escape from bears or get out of the area, using bear spray may become a must.

When to use the bear spray:

When the bear is within 30-70 feet of you.
You are being charged by a bear
When you are attacked by a bear
Keep in mind that bear sprays only come in between 4 and 9 seconds of spraying, so only use the spray when absolutely necessary.

How To Use Bear Spray

Well, if you do not have a solution other than confronting the bear using the spray, then you must know how to use the spray for bears, for that, here is how to use it:

Take the canister out of its holster.
Aim the sprayer at the bear.
Hold the can tightly, preferably with both hands.
Remove the safety clip.
Aim down at the bear’s path.
Spray the mist for 1-2 seconds

One of the best ways to use the spray is to direct it into the eyes of the attacking animal, or you can do a spray so that the animal or bear walks through the cloud of spray.

Again keep in mind that you have between 4-9 seconds to unload the bear spray so use it well and only when absolutely necessary.

Bear Spray Safety Tips

When encountering a bear, do not run away while applying the bear spray.
Many believe that running will allow you to get results faster, but unfortunately, it can have the opposite effect, as running will exacerbate the bear, and it will likely overtake you and attack you more ferociously.
Instead of running, keep calm and make sure there are no obstacles between your hand and the bear spray.
Pull out the case slowly to avoid sudden movements and reduce the sound.
If the bear is charging, you should spray ahead of it, so it runs right through the cloud.
The wind is likely to get some bear spray. But, avoid panic because I can guarantee that being stressed will be more painful. Look away when you’re spraying or using your arm to cover the blower.
Do not disperse bear spray at camp for any reason other than spraying only on attacking bears.
Check the expiration date of the spray, and also do not leave it in a hot vehicle.

Bear Spray FAQ:

Does Bear Spray Work?

Yes, bear spray is 95% effective in stopping bear attacks when used correctly. The spray’s job is to distract bears with a high concentration of capsaicin.

Bear spray is a pepper spray with some stimulants added to it, and it will do its job when a bear approaches this spray. Pepper spray is the best option for confronting bears in all their forms.

What Is The Difference Between Pepper Spray And Bear Spray?

The main difference between bear spray and pepper spray is that bear spray contains a higher concentration of the active substance in peppers, which is capsaicin or capsaicinoids.

Where the bear spray was designed to stop any attack by bears using 2% of capsaicin or capsaicinoid, so that pepper spray is supposed to be used as a deterrent to humans, using a small percentage of capsaicin or capsaicinoid, ranging from 0.18% to 1%.

Bear spray is more dangerous than pepper spray, so try to use it with extreme caution and do not direct it into your eyes, mouth, or anyone in the camp.

Is Bear Spray Legal?

Bear spray is legal in both the United States and Canada.

Can You Use Bear Spray On Other Animals?

Yes, the bear spray works with all other animals, as long as the animal has eyes and lungs, the spray will be equally effective, and you can use the spray on lions, dogs, wolves, wild boars, and many predators.

Does Expired Bear Spray Work?

Yes, the sprayer works for expired, but it is not as effective, as the effect will not be strong on bears, and the spraying distance will not be the same distance when the sprayer is new.

Conclusion

In my opinion, SABER Frontiersman is the ideal choice for you, as the value that this spray gives you simply cannot be beaten, in terms of its concentrated formula and long-term, and with its great performance you can also add the enormous explosive power that this spray gives in order to keep bears away from attacking you.

However, you can choose between many great products to protect yourself from any danger from predators, and there is also no great variation in the prices of bear spray products significantly.

We wish you happy camping without any notification, and you can share this article with your friends to protect them as well.

Best Bear Spray 2023 (Self Defense For Campers, & Backpackers)

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