It is an extra item that I don't need so I probably won't be carrying one, but I can see it possibly being useful wrt bears. I forget whether it was Sequoia, Yosemite, or both, but... On this year's tour I was told by the rangers that the recommended procedure if you see a bear in the camping area was to yell, wave your arms, and throw small stones. I think we also saw signs that said that. I think they recommended against aiming for their the head with the stones.