Never pack your bear spray inside your backpack. A charging bear moves incredibly fast. The canister must be carried at all times in its designated chest or belt holster where you can draw it in under two seconds.
Slip your index finger cleanly through the physical hole built into the top handle mechanism. Wrap your remaining fingers firmly around the canister body. Always try to hold it with two hands for maximum steady control under pressure.
With your thumb resting on top, pull the orange safety clip straight backwards to remove it. This instantly arms the canister. Do not remove this clip until you are actively preparing to defend against an approaching animal.
Instead of aiming high or holding your arms straight out at 90 degrees, lower your stance slightly to aim at about a 45 to 60-degree downward angle toward the front of the bear. This prevents the pepper blast from soaring harmlessly over the bear's head as it charges low.
Press down firmly on the top actuator with your thumb. Spray a continuous 2 to 3-second burst to form an impenetrable wall of pepper fog between you and the bear. Try to time your deployment to create this barrier when the bear is roughly 10-15 meters away, forcing it to run straight into the cloud.
If the bear continues coming forward through the initial mist, hold down the trigger and aim directly at its eyes, nose, and mouth until it breaks away and retreats.
Once the bear pauses or changes direction, do not run. Face the bear and slowly back away out of the area. Push the safety clip firmly back onto the actuator until you hear an audible "snap" to avoid an accidental discharge on your hike out.