If you’ve ever been backpacking in bear country, or are considering backpacking in bear country, you’ve probably asked yourself – should I bring bear spray? The answer is – it depends.

Bear spray being sprayed
Lettin’ that bear spray rip, my dude

I know that’s a cop out, but it really does depend on your specific circumstances. Ask yourself these questions to determine if bringing bear spray is right for you. This blog post assumes you aren’t bring other bear protection such as a gun. Totally fine if that’s your plan! Nothing wrong with that. But this post assumes you aren’t bringing a gun into the backcountry.

Are there only black bears where you’re going?

Black bears are far and wide the most common bear in America. If the only bear you may face is a black bear, bear spray may not be necessary but is still nice to have. In general, black bears are skittish and can spook easily. It shouldn’t take much to scare off a nearby black bear should you find yourself in that situation. But, that won’t always be the case. So if you answered “yes” to this question, then maybe you should consider bear spray. But I wouldn’t call it essential.

A black bear eating plants
Black bear munching on some roughage

Are there grizzly bears where you’re going?

With the exception of Alaska, there are not many places in the U.S. that have grizzly bears. If you’re going into grizzly country, then yes you should bring bear spray if you aren’t bringing another method of protection. Probability is on your side of not being attacked by a grizzly, but it can and does happen so go ahead and bring some bear spray.

Map of grizzly bear populations in continental United States
Ain’t many grizzly bears in the continental U.S. – this is it

Will you keep the bear spray holstered and ready to deploy?

How do you plan to pack your bear spray? Putting the bear spray inside your pack is basically useless. A bear attack is going to happen within seconds. You don’t have time to take your pack off and dig out the bear spray. You should only bring bear spray if you have a plan and the gear to keep the bear spray holstered and ready to deploy at a whim. If you aren’t going to holster it, don’t bother bringing it. There are all kinds of holsters available, so you have to determine what’s best for you. But here are some examples:

Conclusion

Based on your answers to the above, you may or may not have decided to get bear spray, If you decided to bring bear spray based on this article, the two best options in the industry are the SABRE Frontiersman and the Counter Assault Bear Deterrent Spray. If you don’t bring bear spray or other bear protection methods, you have probability on your side – bear attacks are very unlikely. You’ll probably be fine (until you’re not!).

Grizzly bear
Grizzly don’t play tho

How do you carry bear spray? Share your setup with our readers in the comments below!

NOTE: This article applies to North America only. If you’re facing polar bears, just pack a 10mm please.