(Part 2) Best camping bear protection products according to redditors

There are several articles 1 2 that show bear spray is a better deterrent than a gun in bear encounters. If you meet up suddenly with a bear, cougar or just a simple wild dog, most likely your adrenaline is going to be too pumped up to make a clean lethal shot. Bear spray is so effective because it sprays in a cloud, you don't need pinpoint accuracy. On that same note in order to do any effective damage to a grizzly you will need a very heavy caliber to hinder the momentum of it in attack mode. A small firearm will do nothing but further enraged it and most likely get you killed. I personally carry this and successfully deployed twice. Once during a camping/canoeing trip in the UP a couple years ago when a large bear decided our dinner that was just cooked would better serve him than us. The bear fled, we packed up and moved to another site and never saw it again. The second time on a section hike of the AT in PA, when a large angry dog came at me and my son. It charged fast out of the woods and my son blasted his spray 2 feet ahead of it and that was enough to make it turn tail and run. I have nothing against guns, I just think people who carry unnecessary weight are silly.

Here are my recommendations:

• An orange traffic vest over your other clothes. Available at numerous places.
  
• Check the hunting clothes at a sporting goods store around you (even some Walmarts carry some stuff). Hunters are required to wear a certain amount of orange when hunting so it is easily available in a number of different styles, colors and sizes. Some will be camouflaged (with orange) but much of it will just be normal material.
  
• I also wear one of those multi-use face masks in bright orange on my head when I run. It can be rolled into many shapes and is open on both sides and I know many different places sell them. I bought mine here (SA Fishing) which had been spamming my ads every where but I got like 5 of them for like $15. They have tons of colors and options and have fleece versions as well. Mine helps to keep a bit of sweat off my head but mostly its reflective and I don't care if I look weird. I originally bought to use when fishing or kayaking but I use the orange one running way more often than any others.
  
• You can get a bear bell. It is an auditory alert meant for scaring off bears before they see you, but may be helpful in this situation as well. They are cheaper else where but here is an example on Amazon. Any bell might work well. Basically be loud when you run in areas you are concerned about. Your safety is more important than the hunters' desire for quiet (and I have no qualms about hunting).
  
• Definitely loose the gray and teal. Grab an athletic hoodie, fleece or running jacket in a bright color. I have bought some Russell Athletic hoodies in bright colors at Walmart near me. Most running / athletic stores will have reflective stuff but a lot of may be meant for on the road and not quite bright enough but I have found some things over the years that work. At New Balance stores, Under Armor stores and Nike stores.

I use a Bear Canister I bought from Amazon. It’s kind of large but fits all my food plus garbage

Counter Assault Bear Keg Food Container, 716 Cubic Inch https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0009PZW7C/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_Orz6CbQK9Y7EH

Hi, I have never tried cannabis, but read posts in here sometimes as I might give it a try sometime if it is made legal here.

Anyway I have seen storage options discussed frequently and whenever I do, I think of these bags that I have for storing food while backpacking. They are odor proof bags, designed to prevent bears and other wild animals smelling your food and trying to get it while you are sleeping. I wonder if they would work. I just thought I would throw it out there as perhaps an idea to consider. Here is a link to some on Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/LokSak-OPSAK-Odor-Barrier-12x20/dp/B007S3PN18

That's something you need to bring. Basically a dry bag and a good length of paracord. You'll want to go at least 100 yards from where your tents are and find a good limb: bag needs to hang 10 feet plus off the ground and 4 feet out from the tree trunk.

https://www.amazon.com/Liberty-Mountain-Ultralight-Bear-Color/dp/B001OPEZRE this is what you're looking for

BeFree is great. Nitecore Thumb is on my wishlist. You could get a 4" phone cable, Dance pants, Toothpaste Tablets, Ursack.

I don't know of any 59" trekking poles. Maybe one of those extenders?

I like to sit around camp for a while before dark just to listen to and identify whatever is making sounds.

Having a nice flashlight or headlamp helps when you can't help but try to see what's making sounds in the dark. /r/flashlight can help you find a good one...but I'll say that Zebralight is a great place to start looking.

Then you can (grudgingly) accept that whatever is making the sounds isn't going to hurt you, and ignore them by putting in earbuds and taking some melatonin to help fall asleep.

Or you can go completely bonkers and use sentry tripwires and a portable electric fence. I mean these do work, but you shouldn't have to go to this extreme just for camping in Florida.

I couldn't find any male to male. I think your best bet is going to by buying a couple of [these] (https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B001J4LM6W/ref=pd_aw_fbt_468_img_2?ie=UTF8&refRID=0GHZ0GE39AKHZ0JFSCH0) and some nylon staps to make it yourself

I thought about a timber bell, but decided to try the concept on one of these first: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000IZDZZY/ref=asc_df_B000IZDZZY5165110/?tag=hyprod-20&creative=394997&creativeASIN=B000IZDZZY&linkCode=df0&hvadid=194884170462&hvpos=1o1&hvnetw=g&hvrand=14510662031398009018&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9032569&hvtargid=pla-315856916821

It was $3. I slap it on my bars when I'm riding solo, especially in the pre-dawn hours when I ride before work. Bears are actually rare where I typically ride, but I happened across one about 2 weeks ago. Not sure if it was the bell or just visual contact, but he saw/heard me from a few dozen yards out and took off in the opposite direction.

The ringing can be annoying, but well worth that drawback if it alerts any critters to your presence even a few seconds in advance of a confrontation. Obviously don't rely entirely on it and keep your wits about you.

bear sprays can be less potent indeed but same are pretty much standard pepper spray labeled as bear spear such as this one (and many others on amazon)

https://www.amazon.co.jp/モチヅキ-371487-カウンターアソールト-熊撃退スプレー-02194/dp/B001MOY6S0

Yeah, I suppose there are different ones. This one, for instance, says 15 to 20 feet: https://www.amazon.com/Guard-Alaska-Bear-Spray/dp/B0002WRM5M/

Hey thanks a lot for this really well though out response. The only thing however is that it seems like you're restricting a lot of parts of Baltimore as unsafe, which may actually be the case but that kind of sucks. Like Charles St. and Calvert are really big parts of the city and going from Pratt to further north of the city would require passing through Lombard and walking on Charles or at least St. Paul which is only one street down. So I'm not sure, I guess just overall be more aware?

Also, would you say mace guns are better (allow further distance from mugger) or just sprays? The problem with guns I suppose are they can be misunderstood to be real guns and that's dangerous and also, sprays can be easier to just "spray and pray" whereas the pellets in the mace guns are more likely to miss. (mace pepper spray gun)

OHH Your talking about the actual bear canister. They are hella expensive. That is why parks had to start renting them out.

This one is only $60 Udap NO-FED-BEAR Bear Resistant Canister but I don't think your pot will fit.

This one's lid is also a pot Lighter1 Lil' Sami Bear Canister $95

Okay. I've seen bells occasionally, they're definitely not common. I'm not afraid of bobcats, nor was I talking specifically about them. Bear bells are definitely a thing.

Get yourself a good purse that can carry a really bright flashlight, a big can of pepper spray (OC spray), and perhaps even a firearm. A really good one right now is the one just released by 5.11:

http://www.511tactical.com/lucy-tote-lx.html

if you want to carry a firearm in that purse, make sure you get the 5.11 velcro backed holster to go along with it:

http://www.511tactical.com/tactec-holster-2.html

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I suggest UDAP bear spray for OC spray:

http://www.amazon.com/UDAP-12VHP-Safety-Orange-Spray/dp/B0018A1QVI

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For a flashlight, I suggest either a Streamlight Protac

http://www.amazon.com/Streamlight-88040-ProTac-Professional-Tactical/dp/B007RB82CS

or a Fenix TK35UE(2015):

http://www.amazon.com/Fenix-TK35-Ultimate-Flashlight-Black/dp/B014SSY0N2

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For a small firearm, Sig Sauer P238 in .380ACP (I suggest getting the stainless steel "HD" version for less recoil). If you want to go the .22LR route, my best recommendation, and a very simple to operate firearm, is the Ruger LCP in .22LR. If you use a .22LR gun, make sure you only use CCI 40 grain round nosed copper jacketed ammo.

Always remember that using something generally considered non-lethal, like pepper spray, ALWAYS comes with less repercussions, all-other-things-being-equal, than using a firearm. You can even "warning shot" with pepper spray, generally, with little to no repercussions.