Bear spray vs. Pepper spray

ERdept

ERdept

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I was just wondering, if bear spray is meant to stop animal, especially bear attacks, would it be reasonable to assume that it is more potent than pepper spray that police and civillians use against humans?

I figure if pepper spray is made to be used for people, it must pass certain testing criteria that limits the concentration of OC so that it doesn't harm people, it just stops them by shutting their eyes and making them cough.

So, if the above is true, then bear spray that is intended to stop a wild animal from attacking must be more powerful or have a higher concentration of OC and thus be better at stopping human attacks.

Do you believe that this is the case?
 
I'm not sure, but I think the main difference is that there's more of it. Pepper spray for use on bears comes in something as big as a small fire extinguisher. Pepper spray for use on humans comes in something that fits in your pocket.
 
OC from different manufacturers can be measured in various ways. One is the %. 5% and 10% OC both seem to be pretty common. You can also compare them based on their heat rating. I forget the terminology but it is similar to comparing BTUs on a heating unit.

Also remember that OC designed for use against human predators can come in the form of a stream, a fog, a foam, may include dye markers as well. All the bear spray I have seen comes only in a stream and in larger canisters as mentioned above. Some "canine" sprays can be had in smaller size 1-2 oz.
 
Hey guy's I always found this site to aid me in my purchases of different pepper spays and there uses. they have a lot of info on the subject.I'm sure you will find it useful, :thumbup: , good luck Jules

http://www.macecanada.com/
 
The difference isn't in the concentration of the formulas, but rather in the amount of the spray in the container, and the spray pattern. Bear spray is much larger, spraying constantly from 7-10 seconds, and can spray up to 25-30 feet in a cone-shaped mist. Regular pepper spray on the other hand is significantly smaller, and doesn't have nearly that type of range.
 
Dave568 said:
The difference isn't in the concentration of the formulas, but rather in the amount of the spray in the container, and the spray pattern. Bear spray is much larger, spraying constantly from 7-10 seconds, and can spray up to 25-30 feet in a cone-shaped mist. Regular pepper spray on the other hand is significantly smaller, and doesn't have nearly that type of range.
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I don't know if it has changed, but originally bear spray was 10% and the other stuff was 5%.

Doc
 
DOC-CANADA said:
I don't know if it has changed, but originally bear spray was 10% and the other stuff was 5%.

Doc
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10%? Wow, that is a pretty high concentration. Currently bear spray runs between 1% and 2%, which is pretty much on par with "regular" pepper spray. Where are you getting these 10%/5% figures from?
 
Dave568 said:
10%? Wow, that is a pretty high concentration. Currently bear spray runs between 1% and 2%, which is pretty much on par with "regular" pepper spray. Where are you getting these 10%/5% figures from?
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Interesting question. I just remember that was the figures they used to use. I went out to the truck and grabbed my current can and it says, "GUARANTEE: 0.75% Capsaicin".

I tried to find an old can, but there isn't one here. I think I know where another might be. So I'll check it and get back to you.

Doc
 
Anyway, all you need to do to avoid bears is look for poo. Bear poo has little bells in it and smells strongly of pepper :D
 
I also remember 5% police , 10% bear. Civilian stuff is probably weaker. Don't know about bears but some people are immune to the stuff !! Also it's not like an insect repellent .Do not spray on your equipment , that actually attracts bears !! I've seen film of that.
 
% doesn't mean anything, it's SHU's that are the important number. The more refined the spray the higher the SHU's, Many police carry 2%, many civi's carry 10%, and frequently the 2% formula can be hotter. Most pepper sprays are anywhere from 500,000 to 2,000,000 SHU's. Fox labs makes one that tops at 5,300,000 SHU's, and it's only a 2% concentration. Most bear sprays are lower on this scale because they're generally junk.

Higher % spray's will burn longer, but that's a moot point when you consider it's either a candle for an hour or a blowtorch for 15min.
 
mete said:
I also remember 5% police , 10% bear. Civilian stuff is probably weaker. Don't know about bears but some people are immune to the stuff !! Also it's not like an insect repellent .Do not spray on your equipment , that actually attracts bears !! I've seen film of that.
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I'm glad somebody else remembers that. I just spent the last while going through old paperwork to see if I could find some information.

Doc
 
Found a couple of articles:

".....He says capsicum spray, and specifically a product called Counter Assault (which has the highest concentration of the active ingredient - 10% capsicum), is the best thing he's found to "hurt the bears short-term without hurting them long-term........" from Canoe magazine, July 1989, page 46.

AND...

".....The next major area of distinction between the two products is the percentage of OC they use. Capstun's law enforcement product utilizes a 5 percent solution whereas First Defense utilizes a 10 percent solution........." from American Survival Guide, March 1994, page 65.

Guess the old memory still works. :thumbup: :)

Doc
 
victory said:
% doesn't mean anything, it's SHU's that are the important number. The more refined the spray the higher the SHU's, Many police carry 2%, many civi's carry 10%, and frequently the 2% formula can be hotter. Most pepper sprays are anywhere from 500,000 to 2,000,000 SHU's. Fox labs makes one that tops at 5,300,000 SHU's, and it's only a 2% concentration. Most bear sprays are lower on this scale because they're generally junk.

Higher % spray's will burn longer, but that's a moot point when you consider it's either a candle for an hour or a blowtorch for 15min.
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This is exactly right from beginning to end, guys. Percentage doesn't matter! SHUs are what make pepper spray hot, and it's easy enough to find low-percentage OC that's hotter (got higher SHU) than a higher-percentage OC. It's useless to continue talking about percentage, it doesn't mean anything.

Bear spray isn't stronger than human spray, but there is much more of it. My guess would be that bears, with much more sensitive noses than humans, probably also have much more pain receptors.
 
Here's a link that I found. It says that Guard Alaska Bear spray is the only one registered with the EPA and has the highest concentration of OC 20%! My goodness.

I don't know how much of this is advertising or hype, but it looks potent. I'm just thinking about carrying this for human use instead of the pepper spray because I think it may be more effective.

I may just have to experiment by trying it on a bum. OK that was a joke. Just kidding. My sense of humor is out tonight.

Anyway here's the link.....

http://www.defensedevices.com/bearpepspray.html

cliff
 
victory said:
% doesn't mean anything, it's SHU's that are the important number. The more refined the spray the higher the SHU's, Many police carry 2%, many civi's carry 10%, and frequently the 2% formula can be hotter. Most pepper sprays are anywhere from 500,000 to 2,000,000 SHU's. Fox labs makes one that tops at 5,300,000 SHU's, and it's only a 2% concentration. Most bear sprays are lower on this scale because they're generally junk.

Higher % spray's will burn longer, but that's a moot point when you consider it's either a candle for an hour or a blowtorch for 15min.
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Good post - the next time I have to replace my bear spray, I'm going to do more research.

Doc
 
ERdept said:
Here's a link that I found. It says that Guard Alaska Bear spray is the only one registered with the EPA and has the highest concentration of OC 20%! My goodness.

I don't know how much of this is advertising or hype, but it looks potent. I'm just thinking about carrying this for human use instead of the pepper spray because I think it may be more effective....

cliff
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Just remember that in many jurisdictions, it is considered a concealed weapon and the penalties can be quite harsh.

Codger
 
ERdept said:
Here's a link that I found. It says that Guard Alaska Bear spray is the only one registered with the EPA and has the highest concentration of OC 20%! My goodness.

I don't know how much of this is advertising or hype, but it looks potent. I'm just thinking about carrying this for human use instead of the pepper spray because I think it may be more effective.

I may just have to experiment by trying it on a bum. OK that was a joke. Just kidding. My sense of humor is out tonight.

Anyway here's the link.....

http://www.defensedevices.com/bearpepspray.html

cliff
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I have some Guard Alaska. It isn't 20%, I believe it's 1.3%. I believe it also states right on the bottle that it is illegal to use it on humans. I don't think it would be a very good idea to carry it for self defense, unless you are planning on encountering some bears.
 
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