The 286,000-volt "Bear Blaster" fires fierce 5-inch sparks to scare off bears

Why it matters: Imagine you're deep in the backcountry when a bear suddenly appears, sizing you up. Typically, you'd reach for your tried-and-true can of bear spray – trusted by wildlife experts and often even more reliable than firearms. However, one adventurous DIY YouTuber has built something far more theatrical: the Bear Blaster 5000.

Drawing from over 20 years of experience in high-voltage engineering, Jay Bowles from the Plasma Channel created a device that emits fierce, crackling sparks and flashes. He aimed to make a device scary enough to send most animals packing. The idea is rooted in animal behavior. Many creatures instinctively avoid sounds that resemble natural danger, like thunder and lightning. High-voltage arcs produce similar auditory cues, and Jay decided to exploit that.

The Bear Blaster runs on two voltage multiplier circuits. Jay initially tried a full-wave design, but the arcs could only travel a few inches. So he switched to a pair of half-wave multipliers – one on each side – wired in reverse polarity. That setup produced substantial positive and negative charges, pushing voltage in opposite directions and enabling longer, more powerful plasma bursts. The final result: a sci-fi-looking contraption spitting five-inch arcs and delivering a staggering 286,000 volts. Even humans might think twice before sticking around.

Each electrode is fitted with a nut to focus the electric field and increase arc reliability. A coat of resin also protects the internal capacitors and diodes to ensure safety. Powering all this is a compact battery system that delivers about five minutes of continuous high-voltage sparks, which charges in just 15 minutes. Encasing all that tech is a sleek 3D-printed shell that fans of the Halo franchise would say resembles the iconic Plasma Pistol.

While it doesn't shoot balls of plasma, it does unleash visible electric arcs between two rounded electrodes. Jay notes that just a few seconds of flashing and crackling is usually enough to spook a timid bear or other wildlife.

"I don't know about you, but this? That's a thing of pure beauty right there," Jay exclaims in his video. "Look, there's no way in hell any animal would charge at you with this thing going off. It worked so much better than I actually planned for."

Jay acknowledges that no tool is flawless. While the Bear Blaster offers a creative, non-lethal alternative for those seeking options, it likely won't replace traditional bear spray. Aggressive bears may not be deterred by light and noise alone, and experienced hikers still advise carrying bear spray for added security. However, it is way more dramatic than banging on a pan.