In this situation, most backpackers would say, “no.” Photo: BearVault
Is $95 a fair price for two pieces of plastic? During a recent web surfing session, I came across a flurry of strong-worded comments griping about the cost of bear canisters. The anger was directed toward the company BearVault – probably pegged as the scapegoat since they are the most popular canister company (at least from what I see on the trails in California).
Bear canisters range in materials, from plastic for $75, to carbon fiber for $650. At least in the U.S. and Canada, they are required in many areas with bear activity. Among the companies that produce canisters, BearVault’s products are actually competitively priced between $75 and $95. But back to the original question: Why do two molded pieces of plastic cost almost $100? I shot off an email to BearVault to get some insight. I received a response from Grant Breidenbach, BearVault’s marketing manager.
“Our products are made entirely in the United States and each unit is finished by hand,” Breidenback told me in an email. “We use specialty plastics that are carefully formulated to be as strong as possible while also remaining lightweight.”
Breidenbach explained that BearVault is not a corporation pumping out pieces of plastic at a sweatshop overseas. They’re a Colorado-based, family-owned company with less than 10 employees. While he couldn’t disclose details such as sales volume, production techniques, or input costs, Breidenbach shared the philosophy behind their products.
“Bear canister design is a really unique challenge because people are not your first priority,” said Breidenbach. “Canisters need to be designed for bears first and foremost. While other gear can push even lighter if users are willing to make certain performance or durability sacrifices, bear canisters do not have this luxury. We have worked over the years to optimize the intersection of bear resistance, user experience, and cost.”
“Bears are only becoming more food conditioned in many areas,” Breidenbach added. “We need to produce products that we are confident will outlast and outsmart bears. Over the years, we have seen several new canisters in the industry that offer exciting new people-focused features, however, these canisters do not prioritize bear resistance so they are quickly defeated by bears or do not even pass preliminary testing. With our tool-free locking mechanism, transparent body, large opening, and great weight/volume ratio, our canister offers a lot of features that make it easy for users to use the canister while also keeping bears safe and healthy.”
It brings up an interesting train of thought that I myself have been guilty of. Why, as backpackers, are we willing to drop exorbitant amounts of money on other gear – tents, jackets, shoes, poles, packs, etc. – but we roll our eyes at the cost of a canister on which a bear’s life depends? It feels illogical. A troubled bear that learns that humans have accessible food usually gets put down.
“We recognize that a bear-resistant food container needs to be at an approachable price point for backpackers of all backgrounds,” said Breidenbach. “We are always taking a look at the newest developments in materials science, but new materials with the strength-to-weight ratios necessary for bear resistance usually come at an astronomical cost. I think we all wish canisters were lighter and less bulky, but at the end of the day, a bear canister is a really unique item in your pack because while it protects your food, it also protects the life of a bear and the character of the ecosystems that we love to recreate in.”
BearVault says its canisters have lifespans of 10 years – probably longer if you take good care of them. But as with all plastics, they degrade over time, especially under UV exposure. Still, if you buy the biggest canister they offer, it comes out to less than $10 per year of use over its lifetime. It’s really not a big cost if you’re going to be hiking frequently in bear country.
I may not have gotten the itemized list of expenses that I was hoping for, but it’s true, bear canisters are one of the most – if not the most – important pieces of equipment in the backcountry. In the grand scheme of things, the price doesn’t seem unreasonable. Plus, many places that require canisters offer cheap rentals if you don’t want to buy one yourself. Maybe we should redirect the canister frustration I found on the internet towards our inflated car insurance and electric bills.
