BearVault BV450 Solo

I have yet to really use this container but have no doubt that is will do what it is supposed to do.  If you think about it, you would have to have a bear encounter in order to really review it and that could take a long time.  Hopefully never. 

Bear containers are love-hate relationship, something that almost everyone would rather not have to take with. Remember though, that you buy these to save the Bears more than to save your food.  Thinking about it that way is necessary, as it puts the purchase into perspective. A bear that invades campgrounds will be destroyed, and that is a sad thing.

I read that in a national park (I cannot remember which one) that they put down over twenty bears in a years because of this.  Then when the bear canisters were implemented, the very next year only two or three bears were put down.  

The BV 450 Solo seems to be made very well, but it can be a bear to open.  (oops...sorry for the pun) It would be even harder if your hands are cold.  This size is good for one person, and it should hold all the food you need to take with for a few days.

What you need to know is that packing this thing is a royal pain. They are just not shaped for putting them into a pack, and you will find that it is a frustrating thing when you feel that you need a new backpack because of it.  That said, there are very few packs that will carry these well.  So my advice is go into REI and see how it fits in your pack before you buy it. 

If you are getting a new pack, get a lightweight pack, because this thing is heavy.  If you drop a pound off the pack, then there will be no weight gain.  I would like to see a few backpack manufactures make a pack that is sized to hold these things.