[China Clipper]

Actually, while I share your feelings about large caliber defensive pistols for bear, Yellowstone Park Rangers say that a good bear spray is more useful. More hits against bears, ie more likely to score, and proven effective. Yeah, I know, I would STILL feel better with a large caliber handgun somewhere on my body in bear country, but I would include spray too.

Stay safe

[MarineBrat]

National Park Rangers would rarely say that a gun is the right tool, unless it was their tool. :) Though up in Alaska might be the exception.

I do carry spray while riding my bicycle. I use Velcro to keep it attached to the top of the handle bar post. My friends have teased me that one of these days if I go over the handlebars I’m going to add insult to injury and get a snoot full of capsaicin. :)

[Ghost of Philip Marlowe]

I wouldn’t want to be caught with just spray. I was hiking/camping in the Cascades some years back and a very, very large black bear (very blond actually, I had to check to ensure it wasn’t a griz) crossed our path. I had the spray but sure as heck wished I had a sidearm as backup.

Take both. Try the spray, if it doesn’t work, resort to backup.

[marktwain]

Bear spray is highly overrated. The “studies” are cooked with heavy selection bias, and are promoted by the Bear Spray manufacturers.

http://gunwatch.blogspot.com/2014/10/wybear-spray-v-bullets-flaws-in-studies.html

http://gunwatch.blogspot.com/2014/10/details-of-bear-sprayhandgun-defense.html

[Haytag]

With the sprays you don’t have an option about the wind. Winding up blind, with a pissed off bear in close proximity is never a good situation. I will stick with the firearm.