Review: Rapid Rifle Cover Bear-Spray Holster

A pissed-off griz can be on you in seconds, which makes your pepper spray pretty much worthless if not instantly deployed. Problem is, ease of access leads to ease of accident, as branches snag the bottle or it slips out when you drop your pack. Enter the new Bear-Spray Holster by Manhattan-based Rapid Rifle Covers, a handy carrier that gives you a Doc Holliday–style quickdraw with the ain’t-comin’-out-on-its own fit of a cowboy boot. An elastic neck draws tight below the nozzle, with an optional drawcord on the safety, offering even more peace of mind in thick brush and on rocky scrambles. The 500D Cordura construction means it’ll outlast your best boots, and the MOLLE webbing system allows it to be strapped to a belt, pack, bike, or anywhere else—including upside-down on your shoulder strap, for the quickest deployment possible. It’s a tight squeeze getting the bottle in initially, but it’ll be there when you need it, and that’s what matters. $29; rapidriflecovers.com.