If you spend any real time in the backcountry - whether you're running a river, hunting the high country, or camping in the mountains of the West - you already know that bears and coolers don't mix. Or at least, they shouldn't. So, when we had the chance to take two of our IGBC Bear Resistant Certified coolers to Bearizona Wildlife Park in Williams, Arizona, and let their resident black bears have a go at them, we didn't hesitate.
Here's how it went, what we learned, and what you should know before your next trip into bear country.
The Setup
At Bearizona, we loaded up a Canyon Coolers Prospector 85 and an Outfitter 35qt V2 with some of the most irresistible bear bait we could think of - breakfast cereal, peanuts, and maple syrup - locked both coolers up, and headed into the bear enclosure with the wildlife park's experienced staff.
Bearizona is a drive-through wildlife park in Williams, AZ, that is home to a large population of North American black bears along with a wide range of other wildlife, most of which are native to the region. Their team was incredible to work with. The keepers drove us through the park, kept the environment completely controlled, and made sure both the bears and our team were safe throughout the whole thing. No direct contact between people and bears - just cameras, coolers, and very motivated animals.
The bears went to work quickly. They sniffed, pawed, pushed, leaned on, and investigated every inch of both coolers. They knew something good was inside. And they couldn't get in.
The Certification Behind the Claim
Not every cooler that gets called "bear proof" actually is. There is only one organization in the country that officially certifies products as Bear Resistant, and that's the Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee - the IGBC.
The IGBC has been providing guidance on bear-resistant containers since the 1980s. Their testing program is a partnership between the Grizzly & Wolf Discovery Center in West Yellowstone, Montana, and the Washington State University Bear Center in Pullman, Washington, where products are put through live testing with grizzly bears. It's a real-world standard, and it's the one that matters.
A couple of things worth knowing: IGBC certification does not mean a product is completely bear-proof - it means the product has met minimum standards for how much effort a bear has to expend to try to get in. And a certified cooler still has to be used correctly. An unlocked cooler is not bear-resistant, no matter who made it.
Both the Prospector 85 and the Outfitter 35qt V2 carry that IGBC certification. When those bears at Bearizona couldn't get in, it wasn't luck.
What This Means for You in the Field
A bear getting into your cooler isn't just a bad day for your food supply. It's a bad day for the bear, too. Once a bear associates human camps with food, it becomes a problem animal - and that rarely ends well for the bear.
Proper food storage in bear country protects your food, your gear, and the wildlife around you. Here are a few things to keep in mind when you're camping or recreating in areas with bear activity:
Lock your cooler - every time. A certified cooler that isn't locked is not bear-resistant. It sounds simple, but it's the most important step. Latch it and lock it every single time you close it.
Secure your cooler in camp. Use the tie-down points on your cooler and anchor it to a fixed object when possible. Don't leave it sitting out unattended in an open area.
Keep your whole campsite clean. A certified cooler handles your food and drinks, but it doesn't do anything about wrappers, dirty dishes, cooking grease, or scented trash. Bears are opportunists. Take care of your whole camp, not just the cooler.
Know the regulations where you're going. Many national parks, wilderness areas, and backcountry zones require bear-resistant food storage. That said, IGBC certification doesn't automatically mean a product is approved for use on every piece of public land - check with the specific land management agency before your trip to confirm what's required.
Don't leave your cooler in a vehicle overnight. Bears are more than capable of breaking into a vehicle to get to food. Store your cooler in a hard-sided, locked area or use a bear box when one is available at your campsite.
About Bearizona
If you haven't been to Bearizona, it's worth a stop - especially if you're driving through northern Arizona on I-40. Located in Williams, AZ, Bearizona is a drive-through and walk-through wildlife park that's home to black bears, wolves, bison, and dozens of other North American species. Their staff and animal care team are passionate about what they do and created a safe, well-managed experience for us from start to finish. We're grateful to them for making this test possible.
You can learn more about Bearizona and plan your visit at bearizona.com.
The Coolers That Held Up
If you're heading into bear country this season, here are the two coolers we put to the test:
Canyon Coolers Prospector 85 - An 85-quart rotomolded hard cooler built for serious backcountry use. IGBC Bear Resistant Certified. This is the cooler for hunters, river runners, and anyone who needs to keep large quantities of food cold and secure for days at a time in the field.
Canyon Coolers Outfitter 35qt V2 - Our updated 35-quart rotomolded cooler, part of the redesigned Outfitter V2 Series. Compact, tough, and IGBC Bear Resistant Certified. Great for weekend trips, base camps, and situations where you need serious performance without hauling a massive cooler.
The bears were motivated, the coolers held up, and if these coolers can handle a bear, they can handle whatever your next adventure throws at them.
