Good morning everybody — in this video I teamed up with Counter Assault to raise awareness about bear spray and walk through the basics of how and when to use it. I’m not claiming to be a bear or wilderness expert, but I’ve been hiking in bear country for about 14 years, and I’ve had two bear encounters where I pulled my spray out (but never had to deploy it). The big takeaway: bear spray isn’t something you blast just because you see a bear. It’s a last-resort tool for when a bear is acting aggressively, actively charging, or way too close for comfort. I break down what bear spray is (a specialized aerosol designed to create a wide, powerful cloud that irritates a bear’s senses) and the simple steps to actually use it: keep the nozzle facing away from you, remove the safety clip, point it toward the bear with your finger on the trigger, and pay attention to wind direction so you’re not spraying into your own face. I also talk about carry options (I keep mine in a side pouch, but holsters can be quicker) and how adverse weather like wind or rain can affect effectiveness. I’m using a training canister in the demo, and I explain why the real can performs differently.