SABRE Frontiersman 7.9 fl oz. Bear Spray, Maximum Strength 2.0% Major Capsaicinoids, Powerful 30 ft. Range Bear Deterrent, Outdoor Camping & Hiking Protection

Very potent spray. It is easy (in a good way) to get the safety off very quickly with just a little motion of your thumb, if you happen to be in an emergency situation. The holster is a bit loose, but I suppose we are not so worried about retention as we are about a quick draw (for example, if you held the can in holster upside down and give it a little shake, it would fall out). You have to be wearing a belt to put the holster on, and in order to put the holster on your belt, you have to undo your belt.The spray size is big enough that you don't have to be so precise. I would estimate the approximate diameter of the spray area at 10-15 feet or so would be the size of a volleyball or size 3 soccer ball.Be sure to give it a test spray, but be sure to do it outside and away from people/creatures/civilization if possible. If you are considering buying this product, you probably frequent places where there might be bears - those places are probably the best to test this, considering they are probably wooded and somewhat secluded locations. When my wife wanted to test spray this one evening at home, I had her go out to the sidewalk in front of our house and spray toward the cul-de-sac. This spray is potent enough that it will linger for a long time, and even a small amount of "second-hand" or glancing exposure to it will have you coughing, so you probably should not test-fire into your backyard, *especially* if you have dogs or especially if it's a small backyard.

I bought this spray for my trip to the Tetons last fall. I fortunately didn't have to use it, so I can't testify to the effectiveness. However, I liked the holster it came in, so it was right there hooked to my backpack belt where it was immediately accessible. No bear spray is 100% foolproof. You have to know how to use it correctly. I watched several videos by park rangers and hunters on the proper way to use this product. I would highly suggest that anyone going into bear country not only buys bear spray, but then also learn how to use it. It could save your life.

Extremely effective but has a range at most of 15'.Instead of a stream as hoped it has a broadcast spray . If the wind is blowing in your direction you will get a dose of it causing coughing and eye irritation.As a last ditch defensive deterrent it stopped a loose charging pit bull in it's tracks while cycling on a public roadway. While the "owner" attempted to pursue legal charges - this product is legal for defensive uses.This product will cause signifiant respiratory issues as well extreme pain on the animal.Although the canister is rather large , it fits well in the center pocket of a riding jersey and is easy to activate under extreme duress.As an ardent road cyclist This is a must for vicous dog attacks where you will be bodily injured. Be prepared to have a barrage of legal assaults by owners and every animal rights group when used. Call law enforcement immediately and always keep your bike between you and the animal.

I will preface this review by saying that I would not have bought this product except for the fact that I was required to. I prefer to exercise sound practices to minimize risk of aggressive bear encounters in the first place, and I have never encountered an aggressive bear situation in my experience backpacking in bear country before, nor have I actually deployed this product against a bear. That is not to say I have not encountered bears, but rather that I believe the best defense against hostile bears is to arm oneself with good knowledge of bear behaviors prior to venturing into their territory and to use good sense to reduce your risk of encountering aggressive bears and also to minimize your risk of escalating encounters with improper responses from your own lack of knowledge or fears. That all said, I participated in a field school in Alaska where each individual was required to carried to carry bear spray. And I have no problem with carrying this product as a backup defense for peace of mind. We did an initial training/test run to make sure everyone was comfortable deploying their spray. This product was relatively easy to deploy in the training scenario, and I think it is a good idea that if you choose to rely on spray that you should keep it in an accessible location while on the move (it won't do you any good stuffed down in your pack when you encounter an aggressive bear). Also, do practice pulling it out now and then so it is a smooth, muscle memory action so you can deploy the spray when the bear is at the proper distance for maximum effectiveness. You don't want to be fumbling with it and trying to figure it out should you need to defend yourself from an aggressive bear. Another tip: try to make a habit of judging wind during your practice runs so you will have presence of mind to consider wind in the heat of an actual bear encounter. Spraying against the wind can blow spray back into your face as well.My rating for this canister is mostly based on the fact that my practice deployments were relatively smooth so the design is good. Also, the price point seems fair and competitive based of my comparative shopping. If I ever actually deploy the product for real and find it to be effective in action I will upgrade the review to 5 stars. Hopefully I never have to, of course.That said, for the information of customers who may be inexperienced, this product is intended for DEFENSE against AGGRESSIVE bears only. It is not a spray you need to deploy on EVERY bear you may encounter. Most bears will avoid you in the first place, or will clear off on their own if you handle the encounter calmly. Learn about bear behaviors, how to minimize risk of encounters, how to act if encounters do occur, how to recognize aggressive bear signs vs. non-aggressive bear signs, etc. The spray is a fine second line of defense. Many people prefer firearms instead of spray, or as a 3rd line of defense in addition to spray, because a truly aggressive bear hit by spray MIGHT be deterred or MIGHT be provoked. Something to consider yourself beyond the scope of this review.