Bears are big, strong, and love to eat. That’s why you need to keep your food in a bear safe when camping in bear country.
Bears have an incredible sense of smell. Their nasal mucosa is 100 times larger than that of a human. So if you have anything even slightly odiferous hanging around your campsite, it invites four-legged trouble.
In fact, many popular national parks now require backpackers to carry approved hard-sided bear canisters.
But an old-school bear safe can be a pain to rent — and remember to return — at local outdoor shops. Plus, many rental bear bins are rotund, which makes squeezing them in an already organized pack a pain in the rear.
Bottom line: If you adventure enough, buy your own bear safe, preferably one that’s shaped to slide into your backpack. The Frontiersman Insider Bear Safe is tapered for easy packing but has high-capacity 45-liter storage that works for outings with family and friends.