Keeping your food away from bears is one of the first problems any camper or backpacker has to solve in bear country, and YouTube has no shortage of people willing to show you how they handle it. We’ve rounded up the ten most-watched videos on the subject, ranked by actual view count at the time of writing.
Across the list you’ll find a mix of short personal field demonstrations, gear-focused walkthroughs from well-known backpacking channels, a news segment, an outdoor retailer’s tutorial, and a couple of longer deep-dives into camping in grizzly territory. Whether you want a five-minute answer or a fifteen-minute breakdown of your options, there’s something here for you.
1. Why I Never Hang a Bear Bag and What I Do Instead
Jeff Fowler · 480.1K views · 4:55 · 2023
Jeff Fowler's personal take is the most-watched video on this topic by a wide margin, and it's easy to see why: in under five minutes he lays out the storage method he switched to and the two backcountry bear encounters that convinced him. A quick, story-driven watch for backpackers weighing their options.
2. Backpacking Food Storage – How I Store My Food On Trail
Darwin onthetrail · 365.3K views · 14:18 · 2020
Darwin onthetrail is one of the best-known backpacking channels on YouTube, and this 14-minute video is his full rundown of how he handles food storage on long trails. It's a good pick if you want an experienced thru-hiker's perspective rather than a quick clip, with plenty of gear mentioned along the way.
3. Camping In Colorado? Here's How To Stay Safe From Bears
Wilderness Grandpa · 176.7K views · 12:11 · 2023
Wilderness Grandpa focuses on camping in Colorado black bear country in this 12-minute video, walking through how he sets up camp with bears in mind. Best suited to viewers camping in similar terrain, though the creator himself notes where his approach may and may not apply.
4. How I Keep Bears Away From My Food – With Help From My Dog
My Self Reliance · 146.3K views · 4:48 · 2017
Shawn James of My Self Reliance demonstrates his bear-proof food bag setup with an assist from Cali the Golden Retriever in this short sub-five-minute video. It's a light, practical demonstration rather than a lecture, and the dog makes it an easy watch.
5. Collier man has cheap solution to bears getting in trash: use ammonia
FOX 4 Now · 75.3K views · 2:15 · 2017
This two-minute FOX 4 Now news segment covers a Florida man's low-cost trick for keeping bears out of his household trash. It's the only entry on the list aimed at homeowners dealing with nuisance bears rather than backcountry campers, and it takes almost no time to watch.
6. How to Plan, Pack and Store a Bear Canister
REI · 54.8K views · 5:42 · 2025
REI's five-and-a-half-minute tutorial centers on bear canisters, covering how to plan, pack, and store one, from a retailer whose staff teach this stuff regularly. A solid, professionally produced choice for anyone who wants a polished, classroom-style overview from a trusted source.
7. Tips for Bear Country Camping | Outdoor Skills | OSMEtv
OSMEtv · 51.6K views · 5:14 · 2021
OSMEtv delivers a compact five-minute skills video aimed at anyone heading into bear country for a camping or hiking trip. It's a quick review-style watch rather than a deep dive, suited to viewers who want a fast refresher before a trip.
8. Food Storage & Protection: Techniques for bears & mini-bears
SierraDesigns Gear · 49.3K views · 3:18 · 2017
This Sierra Designs video features well-known backpacker Andrew Skurka comparing the main food storage options and their pros and cons in just over three minutes. Remarkably information-dense for its length, it's ideal for someone who wants a credible expert's comparison without sitting through a long video.
9. Prepare for Bear: Tips for Camping Safely
NH State Parks · 32.3K views · 2:54 · 2016
NH State Parks offers a sub-three-minute primer on camping safely around black bears, delivered in the straightforward style you'd expect from a state parks agency. The shortest instructional entry here, it suits families and casual campers who want the official basics fast.
10. Grizzly bears EVERYWHERE | The brutal truth about camping in grizzly country
At Home In Wild Spaces · 24K views · 12:33 · 2025
At Home In Wild Spaces takes on grizzly country specifically in this 12-minute video, blending camping guidance with the reality of traveling where the most feared bears live. Published in 2025, it's one of the newest videos on the list and a good fit for viewers planning trips in serious bear territory who want more than a quick tip.
Ranked by YouTube view count as of October 12, 2026. View counts move around, so the order here reflects the day this list was compiled. All videos belong to their respective creators – watching them here plays them directly from YouTube, so views and any ad revenue still go to the channel.
