Gear Review: Lighter1 Bear Bin
A bear canister with a built-in cooking pan and bowl -- for you, not the bear.
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Verdict
On paper, the 5-liter Bear Bin isn’t the lightest bear canister—until you factor in the weight savings afforded by its simple-yet-sly design trick: The 6-ounce lid doubles as a cooking pan and bowl. On brutal off-trail scrambles in the North Cascades, I kept pack bulk and weight down by eviscerating my camp kitchen into just stove and spork. The no-frills handle holds the pan steady enough to stir soup and serves as an interior crossbar that connects to the outer lid and supports the canister structure. The lid seals with tiny finger screws attached to the can on flexible plastic leashes. They can be fiddly in cold weather, but they require fine motor skills that will foil even the craftiest bruins, and the canisters are approved for use everywhere. Also available in a 10.5-liter size ($90; 2 lbs. 4 oz.). $85; 1 lb. 5 oz.; lighter1.com
Perfect For
Ounce-counters who want failsafe food storage for bear country
Tester Data
Ted Alvarez
WhenAug. to Oct.
WhereNorth and Central Cascades, WA
“My butterfingers sent the can on a 20-foot talus tumble, but the polycarbonate canister endured and still looks brand new.”
