I know this has been discussed AD NAUSEAM, but I got really freaked out about those unfortunate recent black bears mauling in Alaska. To carry/not carry bear spray, there are three views: 1. Not necessary and overkill. chances to get mauled are minuscule (majority) 2. Don't get into the woods without it (minority) and 3. Do whatever feels right for you (which can be said practically on every issue in life). So, this is me; I live in NYC, which means that i'm surrounded year round by people, most of them i do not care about. So when i'm in the woods, i like to be by myself, with my thoughts and my demons. Now, let's say i'm in front of a black bear alone in the woods. Let's say this bear, and i do not care if it is a male or a female, made up it's mind that i'm going to make a tasty and nutritious meal. What to do? They tell you to stand your ground. So you shout, yell and scream, and the bear is unfazed. Then you throw sticks and stones at him/her, and now the bear is really pissed off. If you have a bear spray, then you have one more line of defense/attack. if not, it is your bare hands against three inches of claws and teeth in a 300.00 lbs body. So the question you have to ask yourself is: How bad DO I NOT want to become a statistic? Two footnotes: 1. I read somewhere the the black bear population in the east coast is record high. if that's true, that means more bears=less food. Less food=more desperate bears. 2. pepper spray can be useful towards other unwanted companions such as humans, aggressive stray dogs, rabid animals, just to name a few.