If a container passes a visual inspection, a field trial will be conducted using captive black bears at a California zoo. The Zoo test is the first step in getting the canisters in the hands of bears. It's a preemptive strike to see how well the canister will hold up in the field. The container must pass the following test:

A container is filled with odorous foods, weighted to approximate actual use conditions, smeared with honey on and around entry points and others seams, and presented to one or more black bears who have had their daily meals withheld on the day of the test. Over the course of the test, the bears need to perform the following acts on the container:

• Biting and clawing at the container for a combined period of 30 minutes or more.
• Rolling, dropping, shoving and other rough play with the container for a combined period of 1 hour or more.