Had a coworker coming back from fishing that had his pepper spray go off when he was getting into his truck, somehow the safety tab got knocked off and when he sat down and started buckling up he launched the can. We laugh about it now, but it was not funny.

Pepper spray in a tent and you'll be completely incapacitated. Don't know about anyone else, but in a up close nasty encounter with a bear, I don't want to be completely incapacitated.

Bear spray has it's place, primarily areas where you aren't allowed to carry a firearm.

There are no guarantees, but given the choice between something that might not work even in an ideal situation, i.e. bear spray, and a large bore revolver with heavy for caliber bullets that will work I'll take the second choice.