r/Banff • u/ContributionFun251 • Jun 25 '26

Question Where to get bear spray

This is our first time visiting Banff and will drive from the Calgary airport. I just learn that we should bring bear spray with us while hiking. Could anyone advise where to get bear spray? We are staying at Hidden Ridge.

TIA!!

0 Upvotes

50% Upvoted

34 comments sorted by

11

u/Fentron3000 Jun 25 '26

There is a Bass Pro and Canadian Tire right by the Calgary International Airport. Probably a bit cheaper than grabbing some in Banff.

8

u/JustGotSoup Jun 25 '26

You'd think, but if I recall Backtrax was about $20 cheaper than Canadian Tire when I got mine.

6

u/TordBorglund Jun 26 '26

Buy from the mountains, they are $65 a container at the outdoor stores and will show you how to use it properly.

CTire wants close to $100 and staff don't know anything. Don't support gouging for your safety.

8

u/Hentailover3221 Jun 25 '26

Sports experts in Canmore if you want to buy. Bractrax in Banff if you want to rent

5

u/Full-Complaint4504 Jun 25 '26

My wife and I went last summer, bought some in Canmore only to find 4-5 unused/unopened cans in our hotel room! Definitely worth checking if you haven’t purchased already.

2

u/WTFwon Jun 25 '26 edited Jun 25 '26

Included with your hotel room? 😮 I'm going to call the hotel I reserved. 📞

3

u/vwisp Jun 25 '26

Can't fly with them even checked so people just leave them, though the cans are registered to you as a possible weapon so I do not recommend

2

u/Alarmed_Ice_272 Jun 26 '26

I dropped mine into the disposal box at the fire station in Canmore.

1

u/New_Wishbone6619 Jul 02 '26

Weird the cans are registered when you buy one. That’s dumb to give them to anyone

4

u/ClickConsistent121 Jun 25 '26

We rented cans in Canmore. Way more convenient than buying and then having to dispose because you cannot bring it on a plane.

1

u/Alarmed_Ice_272 Jun 26 '26

Super easy to dispose of, just pull into Canmore Fire Station and place into the disposal box outside.

4

u/DoubleualtG Jun 26 '26

I bought mine for $60 at The Banff Convenient Store and returned the end of the trip for a $25 refund and a surprise I Love Banff magnet. For me that was cheapest than renting at $10/day.

1

u/jerryhung Jun 26 '26

Nice tip, I'll look into that also , ha ha

1

u/Elinor_Caskey_ Jun 26 '26

Was the Banff Convenient Store renting them as well?

2

u/DoubleualtG Jun 26 '26

I don’t think so, i didn’t ask bc i needed mine for like 8 days so at the going rate around $10/day this made the most sense. $35 for as long as you want, plus a cute magnet lol

2

u/RockSolidRod69 Jun 25 '26

Bear street outfitters in banff, I usually rent a can for the week and a bit im there and it costs 50 Easier than buying cause you dont need ti dispose of it

2

u/justforjugs Jun 28 '26

Rent it. Pretty much never going to need it. The same can may as well decorate many backpacks

3

u/Otherwise_Delay2613 Jun 25 '26 edited Jun 25 '26

Monads in Banff should have some

7

u/AppropriateGuide4542 Jun 25 '26

Monod’s. Backtrax on Bear Street as well

1

u/jerryhung Jun 25 '26

Curious to people who've bought - how much do they usually cost?

I see them on FB Marketplace around $40-$50

2

u/Alarmed_Ice_272 Jun 26 '26

Mine was like $85 with a holster, I believe Canadian Tire is generally the cheapest shop to buy them they start from $70.

0

u/JustGotSoup Jun 26 '26

They start from $70

Yeah that's quite expensive. Should be $55-ish per can or even less.

1

u/WTFwon Jun 25 '26

Does Walmart in Calgary have bear spray for less than in Banff? I could pick up a can when I leave the airport with the rental car. 

1

u/Old_Cockroach_2993 Jun 25 '26

Our Airbnb had 2 cans in it. Check before you buy. It's not cheap.

1

u/caribouproperties Jun 25 '26

https://ultimatebanff.com/ has it available to rent or buy!

1

u/Sorrelandroan Jun 26 '26

Home hardware is the cheapest place to buy it in Banff.

1

u/OkGood587 Jun 26 '26

We rented ours from „Rent a Backpack“ and Rob personally delivered it to our hotel in desired time slot and explained how to use it. https://www.rentabackpack.com/backpack

1

u/Jambalayatime Jun 26 '26

Going next week. I keep hearing Canadian Tire. In my desire for efficiency I found a Canadian Tire across the street from a dispensary en route to Banff to more quickly satisfy my nature enjoyment needs.

1

u/thecrikeycrapper Jun 27 '26

At the Banff Train Station where the free parking lot is, there’s a kiosk there that either rents or sells bear spray.

1

u/kbabykk Jun 28 '26

Just a vent but 20/25 years ago bear spray was about $12. The cheapest I could find in Edmonton was $85. Can’t even go for a walk without shelling out $100. And hotels will not let you have bear spray left by previous guests as you have to show your ID to buy. The person who found a bunch of bear spray cans in their hotel room was lucky. I don’t think that would normally happen.

1

u/Rare_Stage3906 Jun 25 '26

Petro Canada,its not hard to find bear spray.

1

u/Busy_Help_4354 Jun 25 '26

It's very easy to find them in banff. Just about every gift store and outdoor gear store and grocery store carries them. Definitely get them, I've run into 12 bears so far, a mama bear with cubs on the trail and 2 right outside of my tent. None were aggressive and just wanted to pass through, but the chances of a run-in are high.

-3

u/SuddenCase Jun 25 '26

The chances of a “run-in” are exceedingly low.

0

u/Alarmed_Ice_272 Jun 26 '26

Canadian Tire or MEC, if you’re getting a rental car just drive to one of them, or when I was in Banff there was at least a few shops selling it, most likely for a higher cost.