The BVOne Bear Canister is one of the hottest and most innovative products to come to the backpacking market this year. It’s made by BearVault, which is the leading IGBC-approved bear canister manufacturer. Like their other bear canister models, the popular BV500, BV475, BV450, and the BV425, the BV One is made with transparent blue plastic so you can see its contents. It improves on BearVault’s existing bear canisters by being much easier to open and by shrinking in volume as you consume its contents, making it easier to pack with the rest of your gear.

• Weight 1 lb 15.6 oz
• Diameter: 9 inches
• Max height: 8.5 inches
• Min height: 5.6 inches
• Volume: 8.3L/505 cubic inches
• Capacity: 1-5 days of food

Bear Canisters and bear-proof food storage have undergone a major revolution in recent years, with a slew of new products and product technologies that make it lighter and easier to protect your food from wild animals in the backcountry and to prevent them from becoming habituated to human food.

The BVone opens in the middle instead of having a top lid like other bear canisters.

One of the key drivers behind this innovation is the increase in the number of backpackers and campers entering the backcountry on weekends and for shorter trips, rather than on multi-month thru-hikes, for which larger-capacity storage solutions were required. Let’s face it, there are a lot more weekend warriors than long-distance thru-hikers, so it’s about time that the outdoor industry focused on their needs!

While all of BearVault’s other bear canisters are fixed in size, the volume of the BVOne shrinks as you eat more of the food it holds. Instead of a lid, the BVOne has top and bottom cylinders that screw together and lock closed with a simple push-button mechanism that bears can’t defeat. Each cylinder holds food, and a lid-like divider between them prevents the contents of one from spilling into the other, so you can screw them together, and you don’t have to unpack the entire canister to find an item. It’s really a brilliant design.

The two halves are separated by a divider, which makes it easier to screw them together.

I happen to own all four BV425, BV450, BV475, and BV500 bear canisters. But by using the BVOne, I can give away the BV425 and 450 because the BVOne has just as much capacity, is lighter, and is easier to open. Volume-wise, it also overlaps with the BV475 and can be used for shorter trips that don’t require the full capacity of the B475.

To open the BVOne is easy. Squeeze the bottom section between your knees, press the side buttons, and twist.

How to open the BVOne Bear Canister

If you’ve ever struggled with opening BearVault’s other canisters, the BVOne will be a breath of fresh air. It has two push buttons on opposite sides of the canister that you need to press simultaneously to unlock the top. Simply squeeze the bottom section between your knees, push in the buttons with both hands, and twist. That’s it, plus it is easy to remember how to do it, even if you don’t use the BVOne frequently.

Easy to close

Closing the canister is equally easy. Simply thread the top half into the bottom and twist until you hear a click.

Reduce the Volume

As you eat through the contents of the BVone, you can screw the top down tighter and reduce the amount of “emptiness” it holds. This makes packing for the rest of your trip easier, since the bear canister will take up less volume in your pack.

Keep spinning the top half and it will shrink the overall volume.

Position the wider half of the canister over the narrower half and turn until you hear the lock click. Depress the side buttons again and keep spinning the top lower and lower until it won’t go any further. To open, just reverse the turns. It’s very intuitive for people, but not for bears!

Limitations

While the BVOne is IGBC-approved and can be used as a bear canister in most areas that require one, it’s not approved for use in Yosemite, Sequoia, or Kings Canyon national parks. It’s also not approved for use in the Adirondack High Peaks region, where transparent bear canisters are still forbidden.

The BVOne is not waterproof and must be stored with the wider section on top to prevent rain from entering. The threaded sections are also susceptible to dirt, and it’s best to keep them as clean and grit-free as possible for smooth operation.

Why do people cover their bear canisters with stickers?

Good question! It is so that people with the same model bear canister can tell which one is theirs. You could tape your name on the outside, too, but what fun is that?

While you can remove the internal divider, it does make it much easier to pack the bear canister

Highly Recommended!

The BVOne Bear Canister is best for shorter backpacking trips ranging from an overnight or weekend to five days if packed carefully. Given its limited capacity compared to the BV475 and BV500, it’s not ideal for extended backpacking trips that require a higher-volume canister. But it’s ideal for the vast majority of backpackers who can resupply more frequently or who take shorter trips. For a complete list of the bear canisters and soft bear bags available today, visit our article How to Protect Your Food from Bears. 

Disclosure: Bearvault donated a BVOne for review

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