On a recent trip to the Sierras, we packed the Bear Vault along with two run-of-the-mill 'Backpacker's Cache' bear canisters. The Bear Vault was much easier to use with a wider mouth and clear plastic made it easy to find what I needed before stuffing my hands in it.

We were able to pack plenty of solid, hardy, and light foods into this canister, roughly enough to last 2 people for 5 days/4 nights.

Well I have to say that I was very excited about the idea of having a bear canister...it's so much easier than hanging your food, which is what I've always done on backcountry trips before (with no problems, I might add).

However, the fact that I am sitting here in a hotel room typing this review instead of sleeping peacefully in my tent is a testament to the level of security this canister provides. One of the rangers we ran into on the trail warned us that bears had been getting into this particular brand of canister. Sure enough, on the very first morning I awoke to find my canister broken into, and all of my food gone (though the bear was thoughtful enough to leave me plenty of empty but slightly damaged ziploc bags).

Moral of the story: Don't buy this canister. The slight inconvenience of some other types that require tools is well worth it compared to having to cut a trip short and hike all the way back out on an empty stomach.

It works. Lid is easy to use and seals well enough. Someone should figure out a shape for these things that keeps bears out but also fits better into a backpack. I wish they didn't cost so much. I think someone is making a killing on these cans!

This cannister is huge. One should have no problems storing food for three people for two nights. Very nice stool, but trying to find a place to stow it on your pack will prove difficult if you are going lightweight or using an internal frame. It looks much larger than the pictures show. I might get two of the smaller ones instead, but I don't want the added weight of carrying two, so I'll live with it.

I've either hung food in the past, or used an older product from another vendor. I loved this product because: While in the pack you do not need to screw the lid down all the way past the locking tab, this makes it easy and quick to unscrew the lid when getting out lunch, or making camp. At camp this made a great table or chair. I liked that it's clear so you can identify food items in the can before opening it. On a cold morning it can be a little difficult to open, however, the key is not to rush, and to practice opening it and then doing it the same way every time.

Much better than black ABS plastic bear canisters for all of the obvious reasons. They are not very easy to open, though, but I guess that's the point...

My first experience with this was in the backcountry of Olympic National Park. It was also the first backpacking I did without hanging food. Big improvement! Seriously, it has many benefits. 1) Condenses all your food into 1 container and seals. 2) Perfect for sitting on while you cook or hangout. 3) Just drop it on the ground 100-200 feet from your camp.
Note: Food takes up a lot of room. I found it easy to fill for a 4-day backpacking trip. Even with minimal toiletries (toothbrush and paste. Eye drops), and this is the big one! I would say it would be hard to get more than 2 people on a 3 night backpacking trip on this.

We used this bear canister when backpacking last month in the eastern zone of the Adirondack Mountains where canisters are required. It was much nicer than the canisters that you can rent from the DEC and doubles as an excellent seat. We were almost hoping to encounter bears just to see how it would hold up, but that didn't happen. It easily held all of our food for 3 days with room to spare. It was easy to strap onto the packs as well. Great buy.