Review by Mira Brody
I’ve left the house for a run and forgotten some ridiculous things: my watch, a jacket, enough snacks, one time even my shoes. But if there’s one thing that I never forget, running thousands of miles per year in bear country, it’s my bear spray.
Hey Bear’s SCAT Belt makes carrying bear spray super simple. It’s belt that fits snugly around your waist with a harness for your spray, as well as loops for your phone, dog poop bags, dog leash and car keys. Here are a few features I particularly like:
Low profile
I’m a minimalist. I mean, I’ll forego a water bottle whenever I can just to ditch the extra weight and jostle. I’ll start a bit cold so I don’t have to bring an extra layer. I’ll eat my snacks in the car so I don’t have to bring them with. The SCAT Belt check the boxes when it comes to meeting my minimalist desires, while also still carrying the necessities. It sits snug on the hips and has an adjustable belt, and the elastic canister holder is designed in way that there is NO BOUNCE. I repeat—the giant can of bear spray around your body does not bounce even when running. It’s fantastic.
Easy access
There’s a saying in bear country that goes, “If the spray is in your backpack, you might as well have not brought it with.” As much as we’d like to believe a 600-pound grizzly would pause to allow us enough time to unzip our pack or fiddle with straps to get on our defense, they most likely will not. Second matter when you’re in the food chain, and the SCAT Belt allows for quick, immediate access to your spray without question. The spray itself sit sideways on your lower back, and by simply reaching back, pulling the vector, and grasping the canister’s handle, you can have it out in hand in a moments notice.
SCAT Belts are a no-brainer when you need a convenient, pragmatic way to carrying bear spray along our local trails. Come by the store at 11 Lone Peak Drive in Big Sky to see it for yourself, or shop online at heybear.com
