REI Traverse Bear Canister Overview

Backside Line

The REI Traverse is a two-in-one discount that solves the difficulty of needing a single bear canister for any journey size. Its modular design folds down and expands to 2 sizes, accommodating each 2-day and 5-day journeys equally.

This sturdy canister is safe sufficient to resist the perfect efforts of each grizzly and black bears, with certifications from WMI and IGBC. Though it seems to be a light-weight, clear plastic container, the load is noticeable when dealing with the Traverse. It’s a heavy-duty bear canister with a sturdy locking mechanism. We admire the practicality, however after a number of nights of testing within the Rocky Mountains, we consider the primary model of the Traverse’s user-friendliness may benefit from some refinement.

After all, the hallmark and fundamental promoting level of the Traverse is its modular capabilities which permit it to break down as you eat your meals, or morph into a unique dimension solely. This design is revolutionary for the funds backpacker and a tricky worth level to beat. For extra heavy-duty bear canisters, see our information to the perfect bear canisters.

How We Examined

Now we have lots of of hours of hands-on expertise with the business’s high bear canisters, from the lab to the path.

Dozens of nights within the backcountry, from the Rocky Mountains to the Sierras, inform our understanding of an important options in meals storage.

Weight & Packability

Weighing in at 3 kilos 8.3 ounces, the REI Traverse is the second heaviest bear canister on our record. It’s additionally not the best to pack. In its full dimension configuration, the canister solely suits vertically within a backpack. Strapping it onto the surface is okay so long as you have got a V-strap or one strap on every finish, however a single strap can’t successfully grip the slippery, huge stomach of the REI Traverse.

When you collapse the canister to a smaller dimension, packing turns into a lot simpler. The compact model weighs about 2 kilos 7.3 ounces (nonetheless heavy for its dimension) and may match horizontally into most backpacks.

The added bonus of the REI Traverse is that, when you’ve eaten half of your meals, the container might be compacted to its smaller dimension and nested into the remaining half to avoid wasting house.

Ease of Use

The REI Traverse isn’t impractical by bear canister requirements, however this primary model might use some refinement. We’re desperate to see how this new canister develops sooner or later.

We love the finger indentations on the lid, which give a grip if you unscrew it. We additionally admire its distinctive modular options and the tremendous huge opening. The clear orange shade is simple to identify from a distance in low gentle and allows you to see the contents. It even doubles as an important camp stool.

Nevertheless, the entire mechanism simply requires a bit extra effort to function than we’d like. The lid must be turned whereas concurrently urgent each steel tabs with each palms. The lid itself has quite a lot of friction and must be wrestled off.

The canister’s threads are constructed into the inside wall, which creates a wider opening however requires cautious packing. If any meals or packaging will get caught within the threads, the lid can turn out to be frustratingly tough to take away.The primary takeaway right here is that the entire elements are sensible, clever, they usually do work, however with extra effort than different canisters.

Safety

If a canister takes some effort for an individual to open, it normally means it’s greater than bear-proof. As talked about earlier, the REI Traverse’s locking mechanism wants a good quantity of dexterity.

Versus all plastic elements, the REI Traverse’s push tabs that lock the lid in place are made from steel. Which means they nearly can’t be damaged, chewed, or worn down. On the draw back, bears are good, and one might conceivably use the finger indentations on the lid to unscrew it if unintentionally left unlocked.

Though it’s good to see the meals inside your canister, bears can see it too. With clear containers like this one, bears usually tend to persist, placing your canister (and probably your meals) at higher danger of abuse.

Allow CompatibiLity

The REI Traverse is accepted by each the IGBC (Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee) for effectiveness in opposition to grizzly bears and the WMI (Wildlife Administration Institute) for black bears. 

The transparency of the Traverse has a caveat. Locations like Yosemite Nationwide Park and the Adirondacks have traditionally discouraged see-through canisters. Because the REI Traverse is a brand new mannequin, it’s not but on Yosemite’s record of accepted bear canisters. Solely time will inform how different businesses obtain it in the long term.

Capability

Relying on its configuration, the REI Traverse can maintain from one to 5 days’ price of meals. Whereas REI doesn’t specify precisely what number of days it may well carry (although it does record 11.25 liters), most customers report about three to 4 days.

We consider most individuals might most likely squeeze one other day or two for those who pack strategically, however the Traverse admittedly doesn’t maintain as a lot because it seems it ought to. The threaded design requires leaving about an inch of house on the high for the threads to operate correctly. 

The smaller configuration, at 6.75 liters, is sweet for as much as 4 days of backpacking meals. When filled with nothing however dehydrated Good-to-Go meals, the small configuration suits six meals, whereas the bigger configuration suits sixteen.

Ought to You Purchase the REI Traverse?

Due to its two-in-one design, the REI Traverse is an ideal funds purchase for the versatile backpacker. It really works nice for journeys from one to 6 days in size and nests into itself, so that you by no means should take up extra pack house than crucial. 

Solely time will inform if bears will be taught to crack open this clear trove. Up to now this burly, licensed canister has been constructed to resist the take a look at. Though it’s somewhat tough to make use of, it seals up properly and feels safe.

That stated, the REI Traverse is heavier than most. For ultralight thru-hikers attempting to maintain their pack weight down or who don’t want a canister for many of their mountain climbing, there are higher choices obtainable.

What Different Bear Canisters and Backpacking Meals Storage Ought to You Contemplate?

See out full information to meals storage choices for extra light-weight or broadly accepted alternate options.

BearVault BV500 Journey Overview: BearVaults are the opposite clear bear canister choices. They’re equally see-through, however lighter weight and somewhat simpler to open. The BV500 is closest to the REI Traverse’s massive configuration.

BearVault BV450 Jaunt Overview: The BV450 is the closest equal to the Traverse’s small configuration. It suits about the identical quantity of meals, however is simpler to make use of and remarkably light-weight. 

Bear Boxer Champ Overview: The Bear Boxer is lighter than the REI Traverse and holds much more meals than the Traverse’s massive configuration. Due to its tank-like and opaque design, the Bear Boxer is broadly accepted and inspired in essentially the most regulated wildernesses like Yosemite and the Adirondacks.