Bearvault Bv500 Bear Proof Container Bear Vault

I review these products from the point of view of a sea kayaker intending to use a bear resistant food container on the Inside Passage from Vancouver Island, BC to Glacier Bay, Alaska, where I have to interface with the containers twice a day for 90 days. I compared the Garcia Backpacker's Cache and the BearVault BV-500 because they're both top of the line, readily available, and they're the two that most long-range voyagers through bear country would likely consider. On the west coast, raccoons are as problematic as bears, and mice everywhere are equally frustrating. Both containers weigh essentially the same, about two and a half pounds, and both are approximately 8.75" in diameter and each about 12" long. The Garcia is the standard loaner/rental used in State and National Parks. It has a more pleasant shape than the BearVault but has only a 600 cu/in capacity, while the BearVault holds 700 cu/in. The BearVault has a screw lid, while the Garcia closes with twist latches. While some reviewers state that you need a coin or object to open the lid latches on the Garcia, on mine I need only my fingernail, and I easily could open the lid without a tool of any kind. It's a matter of reasoned technique that becomes easier over time. I compared the Garcia Backpacker's Cache and the BearVault BV-500 side by side for several days and ultimately chose the BearVault over the Garcia because (1) it has a greater carrying capacity for the same weight, (2) because it's made from clear (bluish) polycarbonate that you can see through (and which light can enter through) and because the lid opening is significantly larger. Neither container is claimed to be odorproof or waterproof, however the BearVault seems more waterproof from ordinary rain than the Garcia. Both units require use of some kind of odor-proof plastic bag inside, such as a 12" by 20" Opsak, and the bags are easier to put into and remove from the BearVault (because the opening is larger) than the Garcia. Although the Garcia seems easier to fit into a backpack or kayak compartment hatch because it is less angular, the BearVault was my choice because light enters the container through the translucent sides and bottom, and it is easier to see inside than the Garcia, so things are easier to find. A bear or raccoon can see inside too, but seeing won't get him the food, and I'd rather avoid the frustration of continuously digging for things I can't see. Although the BearVault is a bit harder to open, overall the increased visibility and accessibility of the BearVault make it easier to deal with than the Garcia. I covered my BearVault with disks of black reflective tape to obscure some of the contents and make it more stealthy, as well as to make it easier to find at night with a headlamp. The reflective tape stickers still let in enough light to see the interior. It's probably a small consideration, but I liked that the BearVault lid was large enough to put things in (contents being emptied from the vault) to keep them off the ground, and that the BearVault had a broader lid to sit upon as a stool. On a long trip I can easily envision using the wide mouth BearVault as a bucket to wash clothes, which would be more difficult with the Garcia due to the narrower mouth of the container. I think both containers are really nice products and the ultimate choice is one of aesthetic and personal preference. Aesthetically, the Garcia was my favorite. One think is certain: On long trips through bear and raccoon country, walking a bear canister 100 yards downwind of camp (and stashing it on the ground) is less difficult and time consuming than rigging drysacks to hang food in, especially where vegetation is dense and good tree branches are scare. Hanging food properly is daily drudgery, and the task gets old really fast.

I used the BV500 Bear Vault in the BWCA and it worked well。 To open it there are 2 tabs that have to be passed, one at a time, past a barrier。 It is not hard to do。 But as far as reports that bears are learning the system, having spent 2 weeks with several BV500 vaults (which gave ME no problems), I do doubt many bears are learning the system that opens these. Vault also keeps chipmunks out of my food.

I used these for a canoe camping trip. I bought two of them for two people and a dog for a four day camping trip. Everything including dog food, our food, snacks, bug spray for us and the dog, sun screen, and medications all fit. We could have probably just done one for the two of us without the dog, so they have a decent amount of room. The locking lid is a little hard to figure out at first. I found it is easiest to push the locking piece down as you spin the lid toward it so that it is already down when the piece reaches the lock. The lock will also be stiff at first, and it will get easier with time. It is also relatively easy to clean. My fishing bait spilled in it, and I was able to wash it up and remove the odor of the synthetic bait. I would not use it for a stool though. It is durable enough, but it really isn’t comfortable to sit on, and I ended up sitting on the ground. I didn’t buy it to be a stool as its primary purpose though, so that’s okay. I can’t say how it would hold up with a bear. It seems durable, and based on the way bear barrels are certified using problem grizzlies from Yellowstone at a facility to test and certify them, I think it would do rather well with the black bears I have in this region. It is heavy to carry in a backpack, but I prefer that over hanging my food because its hard to find a good enough tree to follow regulations in the Boundary waters to secure the bag. The bear barrel follows all regulations and makes sure you aren’t accidentally feeding bears and other wildlife, causing them to become a problem and require removal. These bear barrels will make sure you are keeping you safe, other campers safe, and wildlife safe. I will buy again in the future if I need more for a larger group. I will also add that they do somewhat mask the odor of your food. I had gulp bait spill in it, and I couldn’t smell it until I opened it. Obviously a bear would likely still smell it, but at least it seems to dull the smell a little.

Bear proof for sure… the small one is a “bear” to open. Definitely worth it.

Just took my BearVault on a two-week trip down the John Muir Trail. First things first. This product was completely unnecessary, because there are only smallish black bears on the JMT. For some reason, the rangers insist that you carry a bulky, heavy bear canister to do a job that a well-hung bag would do just fine. Now that that is off my chest ... This product works exactly as advertised, with three major problems. 1) The reviews stating that it can be difficult to open on the trail are correct. I had dismissed these reports soon after my vault arrived, because I found it to be very easy to open .... at home. Turns out there is a big difference between opening one of these things at home and opening one on the trail with cold, dried-up hands. I found that I needed to have a small, strong stick of just the right dimensions on-hand, and even then it was a pain each time. 2) Use as a seat. It can be used as a seat, but it specifically says not to do this unless it is fully closed (to protect the threads I guess), and because of problem 1, I tried not to close it completely unless I really needed to. So it ended up being sat on much less than I would have liked. 3) sheer bulk. This is probably a problem with all of these cylinders, but the BearVault seems especially big around. There seems to be no good comfortable way to fit it in a standard backpack. If it is empty you can carry it on top easily enough, but when it is full of food this causes an enormous weight imbalance that I cannot tolerate. Same situation for strapping it to the outside. So down it goes in the bottom of my pack, but then, even with a well-padded waist belt, I was still getting painful pressure on the small of my back. I was able to compensate by stuffing some clothing articles in between, but this was an annoyance throughout the trip. So, for its primary mission, keeping out critters, I guess it did just fine, although I was unaware of any critters trying to get in. It does hold (with devoted cramming) at least 7-10 days of food for one person. But the other annoyances keep me from giving it a full 5 stars.