Bear Spray Holster Specialists Help Grizzlies and People Share the Landscape
***UPDATE: To kick off our partnership, Scat Belt is offering Vital Ground supporters free shipping to U.S. addresses! Shop at scatbelt.com and use code “vitalfree” at checkout.***
Bear spray is a vital part of allowing grizzly bears and people to coexist in the Northern Rockies. It keeps rare encounters from turning deadly for humans and bears alike, helping grizzlies stay wary of people and away from trouble as their fragmented populations expand and reconnect in the Lower 48.
But all those positives disappear if you can’t access and use your bear spray quickly and effectively during an incident. That’s where Vital Ground’s newest business partner, Scat Belt, comes in.
By pioneering a comfortable, accessible bear spray holster belt, Scat Belt gives recreationists in grizzly country—particularly those who like to travel fast and light—an important safety resource. If you’ve ever found your bear spray tangled up in backpack straps or swinging uncomfortably against your hip or chest, this is the item for you.
“Scat Belt is in the business of personal protection for people while they enjoy their outdoor adventures and occasionally cross paths with wildlife,” says Mark Winston, head of business development for Scat Belt. “Preserving outdoor spaces for this and future generations of people and animals is good stewardship that makes sense. It is a goal of ours to protect the land, people and animals at the same time. We are confident that this partnership with Vital Ground will assist in attaining that goal. We look forward to a long and strong relationship.”
Vital Ground has supported many conservation partners that provide bear spray training to communities and recreationists in grizzly country. With the addition of Scat Belt and another recent business partner, UDAP Bear Spray, we’re excited to promote the safe and effective use of bear spray to an ever-larger audience.
As quiet but fast-moving outdoor activities like mountain biking and trail running continue to grow in popularity, safety for people and wildlife must remain a priority. These sports carry extra risk in grizzly country, with a 2016 incident near Glacier National Park providing a well-publicized example. For recreationists who engage in these activities, a light, compact and quickly-accessible way to carry bear spray could make all the difference during an unlikely encounter.
“Scat Belts are perfect for any outdoor adventure—trail runners particularly love the slim fit and no-bounce design,” wrote Outside Magazine reviewer Wes Siler. “Try this lightweight bear spray holster if you mountain bike, hike, fly fish or just want to get outdoors and feel protected.”
Based in Jackson, Wyo., Scat Belt offers a pair of belt designs, the superlight “Cub” belt for bear spray only and the slightly larger “Griz” belt, which also provides a smart phone holster, tactical straps and a front zip pocket.
Now, as a Vital Ground business partner, Scat Belt won’t just help people and wildlife stay safe with its products—it will also provide financial support for Vital Ground’s work to protect habitat for grizzlies and all that share their range. In return, it will benefit from promotion to Vital Ground’s conservation-minded audience of more than 80,000 supporters and followers, joining a growing list of stalwart Vital Ground business partners helping advance the cause of grizzly and biodiversity conservation, including UDAP, Kodiak Cakes, Montana Coffee Traders, Young Living Essential Oils, and many more.
“Business partners like Scat Belt are key in our efforts to conserve spaces for grizzly bears, moose, bull trout, Canada lynx and many other sensitive species,” says Kevin Rhoades, Vital Ground’s director of communications, marketing and membership. “Partners benefit by identifying with the iconic grizzly bear and the goodwill that flows from protecting and connecting wildlife habitat for animals and people alike.”