📸 Quick Look (Images)
🇺🇸 USA Buyer Note: Comparing hiking gear helps beginners avoid wasting money. Below is a simple, fast comparison so you can pick what fits your needs.
💰 Current Amazon Price
Price: $16.44
(as of Dec 16, 2025 10:07:13 UTC –
Details
)
⚖️ Quick Comparison
| Best For | Beginner hikers, day hikes, weekend trips (USA) |
| Value | Great value vs. similar Amazon options |
| Comfort | Designed for long walks and trail use |
| Durability | Suitable for common U.S. hiking conditions |
| Ideal Use | Parks, local trails, national parks, travel hikes |
🆚 How It Compares
- Vs. cheaper options: often better comfort + longer lifespan.
- Vs. premium options: similar core features, usually lower cost.
- For beginners: easier setup and fewer “extra” features you don’t need.
📝 Product Details
* Practical strategies for avoiding dangerous bear encounters
* Debunks commonly held myths about people and bears
* Provides tested strategies to help you avoid conflict with black bears and grizzlies Bear expert Dave Smith gives you the basics — like how to choose a good campsite and properly store your food so that you don’t have to worry whether that pepper spray you brought will work on the bear that wanders into camp. He debunks commonly held myths about people and bears. For instance, menstruating women don’t have to stay out of bear country, he says. And no, don’t roll up in a ball when faced with a charging bear. So much of conventional wisdom about bears is often just plain bad advice; Smith tells you what you should do instead and why. He also reviews specific outdoor activities — from fishing to mountain biking to hiking with young children to trail running — assessing the likelihood of bear encounters and suggesting tactics for coping in different settings and situations. This second edition incorporates new research (Do bear bells work? Does tent color or shape make a difference in attracting bears?) and adds more charts and sidebars to make material accessible at a glance. Smith provides key information on bear behavior and biology to help you understand, rather than fear, this most misunderstood animal. This book is in the Mountaineers Outdoor Basics series.
ASIN : 1594850283
Publisher : Mountaineers Books
Publication date : October 20, 2006
Edition : 2nd ed.
Language : English
Print length : 157 pages
ISBN-10 : 9781594850288
ISBN-13 : 978-1594850288
Item Weight : 7.7 ounces
Dimensions : 5.36 x 0.45 x 8.28 inches
Part of series : Mountaineers Outdoor Basics
Best Sellers Rank: #1,904,135 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #157 in Biology of Bears #1,314 in Mountain Climbing #1,722 in Hiking & Camping Instructional Guides
Customer Reviews: 4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars (95) var dpAcrHasRegisteredArcLinkClickAction; P.when(‘A’, ‘ready’).execute(function(A) { if (dpAcrHasRegisteredArcLinkClickAction !== true) { dpAcrHasRegisteredArcLinkClickAction = true; A.declarative( ‘acrLink-click-metrics’, ‘click’, { “allowLinkDefault”: true }, function (event) { if (window.ue) { ue.count(“acrLinkClickCount”, (ue.count(“acrLinkClickCount”) || 0) + 1); } } ); } }); P.when(‘A’, ‘cf’).execute(function(A) { A.declarative(‘acrStarsLink-click-metrics’, ‘click’, { “allowLinkDefault” : true }, function(event){ if(window.ue) { ue.count(“acrStarsLinkWithPopoverClickCount”, (ue.count(“acrStarsLinkWithPopoverClickCount”) || 0) + 1); } }); });
⭐ Summary (Why We Recommend It)
Customers say
Customers find the book informative and easy to read, with one review noting its scientific references. Moreover, they appreciate its entertainment value, describing it as both entertaining and educational. Additionally, the book receives positive feedback for its bear safety content, with one customer highlighting how it helps avoid problems for both people and bears. However, customers disagree on the book’s length.
- ✔ Beginner-friendly (no learning curve)
- ✔ Strong value for money (Amazon USA)
- ✔ Comfortable for day hikes & weekend trips
- ✔ Good choice for most U.S. trail conditions
👉 Check Today’s Price on Amazon
❓ Quick FAQ
Is this good for beginners?
Yes. It’s a practical pick for first-time hikers who want dependable gear without overspending.
Who should buy this?
- • New hikers building a starter kit
- • Budget-focused shoppers in the USA
- • Anyone wanting reliable gear for trails and parks
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