The IGBC-Certified Bear-Resistant logo is widely recognized. If you manufacture bear-resistant products, including backpacking canisters, small storage boxes and drums, panniers, coolers, dry-boxes, food storage lockers, residential garbage carts, dumpsters or other products, consider having your products tested.
For commercial products, testing of bear-resistant products involves a live bear test using captive grizzly bears at the Grizzly & Wolf Discovery Center (GWDC) in West Yellowstone, Montana or the Washington State University Bear Research Center in Pullman, WA. Larger, heavy-duty, metal products like dumpsters and food storage lockers are evaluated using a technical evaluation. Products must meet specific criteria in order to be certified as bear-resistant by the IGBC. Products that “pass” testing or meet criteria set forth in the IGBC Testing Protocol are “certified” as bear-resistant and are added to the List of Certified Bear-Resistant Products.
Certain homemade or modified products may also be used to comply with food storage regulations on public lands. In some instances IGBC will perform courtesy inspections for this special category non-commercial of bear-resistant products.
Arrange to Have a Product Tested
Anyone wishing to have a product tested through this program is responsible for having the product(s) delivered to the GWDC and also for arranging to either have product(s) returned to them at their expense or arranging for GWDC to keep or dispose of the tested product(s). Click on the link below for instructions for submitting a product to be tested.
Products will be tested on a first-come, first-served basis as time and weather permit. Live-bear testing will be conducted between April 1 and September 30.
Updated for the 2024 Season:
Contact the Bear-Resistant Products Testing Program
- For IGBC list of certified products and testing inquiries: Patti Sowka, 406-544-5307;
- For general bear-resistant product testing program inquiries: Scott Jackson, IGBC Advisor, 406-329-3664;
- Or contact us in the form below:
Product Testing FAQs
Successfully passing the required testing at the GWDC is the first step toward IGBC certification of a product. Testing results are forwarded to the IGBC Bear-Resistant Products Testing Program Administrator where test results and product information are reviewed. Products are officially approved when the IGBC issues a unique IGBC certification number in a letter to the manufacturer. The product will also be added to the IGBC List of Bear-Resistant Products on the IGBC website.
Upon notification of approval, an IGBC Certification Number will be provided for each product. This number will be specific to the model of product approved and needs to be displayed in some manner (e.g., etched, stamped, sticker, etc.) on each individual product that is produced.
No. IGBC-certification applies ONLY to the model submitted for testing, as described on the product’s submission form. Each certified model will have its own unique IGBC Certification Number.
Yes. The fee depends on the size and complexity of the products submitted. The fee is payable to the GWDC prior to product testing.
