The locking mechanism is actually much easier than I expected, and it's quite light for this type of bear resistant product.
I've had a Bare Boxer cannister for years and used it very successfully. My recent purchase of a second one is a gift for my daughter. I like that you now if provide a key.
Been hiking in the Adirondaks for years. Up there Bear canisters are mandatory. If you don't have them you will be asked to leave. And yes I've seen it happen.
That said I've had the larger Garcia Machine bear canister. It's great but way too big ,heavy ,cumbersome and bulky.
Enter Bare Boxer.
Haven't tried it yet and will update as I do but it's way lighter,less Bulky and still holds a decent amount of food. 3 to 4 days providing how good you are at packing.
Only bummer is it's not as good of a camp chair as the larger Garcia machine but not having to carry the extra two pounds is huge.
It fits way better in the backpack and I'm sure the pack will be way easier to carry and not so unwieldly.
The latching mechanism is very solid but the way to get it open is poorly designed. The special key is rounded on the end . I had to grind that flat to just barely make it work. With cold and tired fingers this is going to be trainwreck to open. Having any special tool to open anything in the backcountry is a plan for failure.
Presently I'm using my small pocket knife to open so haven't figured the best way just yet.
Just purchased recently and got the chance to use it on a backpacking trip in New York state. The locks were simple to operate with the flat head screwdriver in my multi-tool. House keys or a knife would've worked too. The container was a good capacity for two people for 1 night, and definitely could fit more if we packed lighter and more efficiently. The material feels sturdy and secure and doesn't add an excessive amount of weight to my pack.
This was a tiny can for $80. No doubt it’ll discourage a bear, but I was discouraged as well. 1 liter of space will definitely not hold enough food for two people on an extended backpacking trip. Seriously, $40 would have been a more reasonable asking price - then I could have afforded to buy two.
Perfect for an overnight with my cooking gear inside, or a long weekend with my stove and pot separate. Glad to have it in the central high peaks where my other canister is questionable.
For one person over a long weekend this is the perfect sized bear canister. Operates well and simply. Time will tell if it holds off the critters!
Nice size for 2-3 days and I don’t pack real well. Good weight. Fits in pack well. Had considered another can that is crazy priced. Glad I did this one.
Looks good, functions well. Haven't had chance to use it. May come back once it has been in use.
I have yet to field test this canister but it is a perfect size for my solo quick trips into the Adirondacks and that is HUGE for me! Bear canisters are required in NY State Adirondack high peaks between April and November and the other canisters I have looked at are so huge and heavy. This seems to be perfect in size, weight, construction and ease of access.
This canister is absolutely perfect for solo hikers! Many other options are designed for 2-3 people and are therefore big and heavier. This is compact and fairly lightweight and easily carries 3 days of food and my toiletries. I could probably put 4 days of food in there if I was willing to cook breakfast and eat oatmeal. I did add a bunch of reflective tape to help find it in the dark. And found an old key in the junk drawer that works perfect for the lid. Can’t give it enough praises.
I tried a similar box that was much larger (didn't fit inside the Osprey 50, so I had to secure it under the brain horizontally). Unlike other designs where the bear can get their claws under a twist-off lid, this one seems more bear-proof. It is very lightweight, and will fit either inside vertically or under the brain horizontally. YAY! I don't mind repacking freeze dried foods (or making my own dehydrated foods), so I'll be able to fit 4 nights in it (plus any toiletries that bears might mistake for food). A small key was added (although any key or small flat head screwdriver would work), and I think I'll be able to open it in the dark if needed - as long as I turn all three locks each time (not 2 or 1). Thank you for sending it out so quickly, even with the 4th of July holiday! I am looking forward to using it on my next trip.
Have owned this cannister for a few years now. It is durable, has a tolerable weight, and is good for up to 3 days of solo hiking. However, the Bare Boxer requires something narrow to "unlock" the screw latches, both opening and closing (as opposed to bear cannisters with similar latches that can be opened with a spoon, knife spine, coin, or any other piece of hiking gear with an edge. It would not have taken a lot of imagination to design the locking mechanism with the pin centered in the latch, allowing it to be opened without a special "key" or something pointy. (You can purchase a "key" at additional cost, or just make your own from a coin if you don't carry a multitool and don't like like jamming the tip of your knife into the latch to open it.) Customer support is also non-existent, sent 2 emails with concerns over one of the latches and received zero response. I'll keep using the cannister for now, despite the dissapointment with the latches and customer suppport.
Easy to get in and out of Mariposa lightweight pack. Easily fit 4 freeze dried meals, oatmeal, bars, beef jerky and some toiletries. Ideal weekender.
It works for me. Enough space for 3 days of food & some storage space. Love that it’s so small.
The unit I purchased weighs 729gm or 1 Lb, 9 3/4 Oz
The canister fit horizontally with plenty of room to spare on either side of an older 58L Osprey Exos pack.
I took the canister along for a two night solo trip in warm, dry weather. Food security was important as the first night’s campsite lacked Bear boxes in an area of high Bear activity and the second night’s campsite had Bear boxes but not all were functioning properly.
Prior to departing for my trip, I did not have time to repackage freeze dried food from the manufacturer packaging to smaller Ziploc bags. I could just manage to cram 2x Breakfast, 2x Lunch, various days worth of snacks, 4x instant coffee packets, 2x Dinner as well as smell-ables and toiletries into the canister. I recommend to anyone that its worth it to take the time to repackage freeze dried meals.
I have found that the flat head screw driver on the can opener of the Swiss Army knife works well for opening the canister locks. A similarly flat ended house key I have works well too. The lock mechanism worked without issue in dry, warm spring conditions. Due to farsightedness and my Rx sunglasses lacking bifocals, it can be difficult for me to read the type on the locks indicating the orientation (locked vs unlocked) I found that on two occassions I failed to lock all of the locks due to forgetfulness and my vision.
Its definitely added weight that I could feel over the days of my trip. I mean, it’s a Bear canister after all. I am grateful for the reduced form factor and the associated weight is less than other competitors products. In the future I will look to find other ways to shave grams to offset the added load of the canister.
Easy to use, lightweight and compact. Perfect for short (2-3 day) trips. The latches can be a bit stiff, but a spritz of dry film lubricant makes them glide like butter.
Worked great! I used the bare boxer for an overnight trip and it easily fit everything I needed. I love the size and shape of it. I didn’t realize it would let rain in - my fault! I’ll put it upside down next time.
Alas, I have not used the Bare Boxer because it's not backpacking season yet. However, it is the perfect size for my Osprey Exos 58 backpack. The Bare Boxer needs a key to open the lid, which takes some practice with another tool and could be a problem in the backcountry.
It’s as advertised. I wish it could be made of Kevlar and the unlocking was easier, but neither of these ideas are probably realistic. It’s still heavy, but so are bears!
This is smaller than other canisters on the market, but can still fit enough food for two people and a dog for a couple days. Fit great in my pack. I’m not sure why people have such a hard time opening these locks - I keep my car key in the brain of my pack and just use that. No need for an additional tool. Only downside is the black color can be tough to locate if it does end up getting rolled around by a critter, but nothing a bunch of stickers can’t fix.
Very satisfied with the product. Locking mech is clever and works flawlessly. Just a thought—I know I’m not likely to be out with this thing in weather that’ll compromise my fine motor skills, but a matching forked key would be greatly appreciated regardless.