Holy crap! Now that must have been one hell of an outdoor experience. I'm glad it worked out that way.

I EDC a can of pepper spray and have used it before on a hostile animal, worked like a charm! I can also say from first-hand experience it's effective against humans. Still, I was never entirely sure about bears.

I hike all the time in bear country and though I realize the danger is remote, it's always in the back of my mind. While I don't carry a firearm I always have some weapon at hand apart from a can of pepper spray, usually a walking staff and an axe or Cold Steel shovel on my pack. Then there's my Kabar as a last-ditch backup. Can't say it's the best means of defense against a berserker bear but at least I'd do my best to inflict some real damage before dying a heroic death if it came to that. I was never quite sure if the bear spray would actually work so I put more trust into my tools/blades. But it's good to know the spray works! Will get another can soon...