BearVault BV500 Bear Resistant Food Canister | For Extended

Needed this to hike on the john muir trail. I firsthand watched a bear try to get into another backpackers bear vault, it rolled it around, pushed on it with all its weight, and it never got in, I dont even think they screwed the lid on all the way, maybe that how the bear smelled it. Obviously it will last forever then you have it when its needed. Its bulky, id say very heavy at almost what, 4 pounds? Yeah heavy and takes up so much room in my pack. But it worked. Served its purpose and it was needed. Where its not required I would use a bag and hang it any day. But it's well made, up to the task, and it was worth not getting fined on the trail. If not backpacking and easily carried to campsite its a great item, and if its required its a great item. I was able to cram about 8 or 9 days of food into this thing, had to repackage everything into it. But it can hold a lot if packed properly.

This compared to those Solid Colored Canisters are night and day. This Can hold enough food for 2 people for probably 5 days or so. You can see what you have left without opening it. It can be a little frustrating to open it if you're hands are cold or you're tired but its definitely sturdy. It does take up a pretty good amount of space so recommend buying the bear keg bag and straps. Really makes a difference. Be careful to not fill it to heavy because it can get pretty heavy depending on what you put in there.

I spend a lot of time reading reviews before I buy anything. The hardest part is that there are always negative reviews for everything and you can't tell if some people just like to complain or if there really are issues with a product. The negative reviews for the BV 500 are how hard it is to open especially with cold hands. It definitely is harder than some of the other tool required cannisters but if you take your time and open slowly it isn't that hard. The trick is to apply pressure to the grooved area before getting to the stop. If there is already pressure against the stop from turning the lid all the way than you have to fight the tab down and around the stop. It takes a second to do properly but then again so does turning a screw for the garcia and cache. As far as the cold hands issue (I currently live in Alaska) the same goes. Dont rush just pay attention to what you are doing and there are no problems. The size, weight, lack of a required bag to attached to the outside of your pack, readily available ease of access from a clear and wide opening container far make up for the few downfalls. Don't miss out on a great product because some people struggle with it. Try it for yourself and trust in Amazon's return policy if you can't open it.

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 purchased my BV500 in July 2015 for a trip to the Olympic peninsula where bear canisters are required. I used it on only that until the weekend of 7/13/2018 when mn BV500 failed on the 1st night of a 3-day backpacking trip in the Gifford Pinchot wilderness north of Mt. St. Helens where bear canisters are also required. The entire top of the unit cracked off when it was accidentally dropped waist-high while in camp, making it unusable for its intended use. In my opinion, I cannot understand how a bear-resistant canister cannot withstand a simple drop while in camp and remain resistant to bears. Given the reputation of BearVault, the only reasonable conclusion that I can come to is that it was a freak occurrence on a unit that may not have been 100% up to BearVault's usual standards. I submitted a warranty claim and will update this review once I hear the result.8/1/2018 UPDATE: I submitted my warranty claim and was sent a mailing label so they could inspect the damage Bear Vault. What they discovered was that my unit did not meet their minimum specifications for wall thickness and should not have made it out of the factory. So, they are sending me a replacement unit. So, I am updating my review from one star to five stars. Great customer experience!! BearVault BV500 Bear Resistant Food Canister | For Extended Multi-Day Hikes, Backpacking, Hunting, Fishing, Kayak and Canoe Trips | Large, Lightweight, Crush Resistant Outdoor Food Protection | LockinBearVault BV500 Bear Resistant Food Canister | For Extended Multi-Day Hikes, Backpacking, Hunting, Fishing, Kayak and Canoe Trips | Large, Lightweight, Crush Resistant Outdoor Food Protection | Lockin