That's a Good Question!

Grubcan is approved in all National Parks across the United States EXCEPT Yosemite and Sequoia & Kings Canyon (SEKI) National Parks. This is not a representation of Grubcan’s efficacy in protecting food and bears, but rather because approval of any new bear resistant products in those parks has been closed since 2015 due to a lawsuit that a different bear resistant product company brought against Yosemite.

From the beginning of Grubcan in 2018, we have worked closely with bear biologists to ensure that when approval for Yosemite and SEKI opens again, our bear canisters meet all the requirements. For more information about the situation you can read this blog post from one of Grubcan’s founders.

The biggest difference is weight and look! The Carbon/Kevlar Grubcan weighs 1 lbs. 8 oz. while the Wave Grubcan weighs 1 lbs. 15 oz. So, if you’re really counting ounces, the Carbon/Kevlar canister will save you a few.

The Carbon/Kevlar is slightly stronger, but for overall wear and tear, the Wave Grubcan, made of polycarbonate, is hard to beat. Both will scuff as they are used.

Of course the Wave Grubcan is clear so you can see inside and it is less expensive. Both will protect your food from bears and other critters, so the right one for your backpacking experience is up to you!

The Gravity Latch Grubcans are out of production. That model was a great piece of gear and we still get messages from people who love their tall, slim profile! Their production was very costly, though. We’ve rethought the Grubcan, listened to customers, and evolved our concept into the current Wave design that you see in our polycarbonate and Carbon/Kevlar Grubcans with its patented combo latch.

We no longer make the Gravity Latch Grubcans or lids for them, but we are happy to repair them! The most common problem we’ve seen is the inner shroud breaking off inside the lid. This does not affect the bear resistance, but it is important to keep things from getting stuck in the latches.

If you need a repair contact us at [email protected] with your address. We’ll send you a prepaid shipping label to ship the lid back to us and will repair it in 1-5 business days, then send it back to you free of charge.

If you’re tight on time there is an at-home fix you can do with JB Weld and we can share instructions for that, but our repair will hold up better.