Vending

In bear country, there’s a vending machine for that

Photo: Adobe Stock

May 26, 2026

Summarize with

A chance encounter with a lack of bear spray in Alaska inspired two travelers to create Bear Spray Shack, a vending machine system that rents bear spray to hikers and tourists visiting bear country. Holly Longen and Ryder Febo came up with the idea during a 2021 trip to south central Alaska after struggling to find a place to rent bear spray, according to a report in the independent news publication The Pulp. Their machines now operate near major destinations including Glacier National Park, Grand Teton National Park and Denali National Park and Preserve.

The system allows visitors to rent bear spray using a driver's license and credit card, then return the canister to any company kiosk after use. Customers pay $10 for the first day and $5 for each additional day. Febo said the company placed more than 7,000 canisters into customers' hands last season through five machines.

Glacier National Park recently closed several trails after a fatal bear attack, underscoring the risks hikers face in bear habitats. A 2010 study published in the Journal of Wildlife Management found bear spray stopped aggressive bear behavior more than 90% of the time. Longen and Febo said the biggest challenge is ensuring visitors actually have bear spray available when they need it.

Longen and Febo designed and built the machines themselves using engineering and programming skills, overcoming challenges unique to dispensing irregularly shaped bear spray canisters. The kiosks also include QR codes and multilingual safety videos explaining how to use the spray properly. The company plans to expand from five to 11 machines this season, including new installations near Denali and the National Elk Refuge in Wyoming, as it continues building what it says is the largest automated bear spray rental network in the country.