Originally Posted By: AKSAR
Originally Posted By: jzmtl
Could it depends on what type of spray you have? Like ours can only has 1% legally, which I'm sure works more like appetizer to the attacking animal.

Legally the EPA requires that the pepper concentration be between 1% and 2% for bear spray. Any products labeled and sold as "Bear Spray" in the US will be within this range. As indicated in links I posted upthread, this concentration has been shown to be effective by actual experience.

Also, jzmtl, confusion about the potency of US vs. Canadian bear spray comes from the differences between how the active ingredients are labelled and regulated in the 2 countries (similar to the Canadian vs. US beer alcohol content labeling differences that brought rise to the stronger Canadian beer myth).

As ASKAR quoted, in the US the EPA requires a concentration of 1% to 2% of capsaicin and related capsaicinoids. Health Canada, on the other hand, doesn't recognize related capsaicinoids so our products are regulated based on the percentage of capsaicin only. For example, the spray I carry is marketed as a 1% spray (the maximum in Canada, I think) but if you look at the actual specs, you'll see it is 1% capsaicin and .84% related capsaicinoids.

So our bear sprays are likely as potent and effective as those sold in the US, they are just labelled differently.
_________________________
Victory awaits him who has everything in order — luck, people call it. Defeat is certain for him who has neglected to take the necessary precautions in time; this is called bad luck. Roald Amundsen