Right now I’m hiking the Arizona Trail. No bear canister is required but I’ve just been asked about my trick to open a Bearvault canister. I’ve been meaning to write about this so here it is…..
The Bearvault 450 and 500 are amongst the cheaper options for being legal where bear canisters are required. When it is cold and the plastic is non-pliable they can be almost impossible to open.
A credit card can solve this problem. Or, as I demonstate, a National Park Lifetime Pass, one of the few perks of being 62+.
Just place the card between the lid and the plastic tab and twist the lid. There are 2 plastic tabs so make sure you twist around both. Easy peasy and now you can eat your food.
nancyhikes 
Sure wish I had known this previously. There have been times when I thought there would be no dinner.
Next time…..
Most excellent tip, now if I can just remember that.
That’s how I do it. I find that the discount cards you get from your super market work well. Often retailers, like Bass Pro Shops, give you a membership card that comes with a small key-chain tab and that’s what I use. I just leave it in the canister when I return home from a trip. They are less durable than a thicker credit card though.
Thanks Nancy. Can’t tell you how many broken finger nails this could have saved me!
Thank you, thank you
Bought the canister for my son as a Xmas present and wanted to fill it with other useful stuff, but could not get the @&$/-? thing to open.
Very useful tip, thanx.