It can be:

a seat
protect your food
footstool
table
washing machine
ice chest for the last day out when you caught trout and have snow handy
stepstool

anything I missed?

a bear canister can also be used to wrap gorrila tape, duct tape, or even leuko tape around.

[i]washing machine[/i]

Nice! and yea, it makes a great footstool, coupled with a sleeping pad chair kit, its like being in a lazy boy... ( well close enough ;)

My can's lid would be reflective enough to use as a signaling device if I polished it a bit.

I want to use my can as a drum, but the occasion's never come up.

The ones I've used would probably make a nice packraft anchor...

Though hopefully without the food in... don't think any are waterproof.

You could make ice cream in it... Would take a 2nd smaller container and ice (snow?) but I bet it could be done!

Possibly by using the pot from your cook kit, if it was the right size and had a lid?

http://www.makeicecream.com/makicecreami1.html

Fix your back up somethang guud!

You can use it to mail something home. Just slap a label on it. No need to put it in a box.

Float for scuba diving/river crossings

Rainwater collector when used with rope off the side of the tarp trick

Soaking injured foot/hand in hot saltwater

If you paint it black or it is black, could make a nice solar shower.

I was just getting ready to make a kite/sil screen for upright stoves - looked at the measurements and began to wonder if my can would work. I use a big one (bv500 i think) - inside diameter is 8" and height is 12". I started envisioning slipping is over stove with sp600 mug on top, propping it up on rocks.

Any thoughts re: the potential for melting the polycarbonate or other drawbacks?

Heating/Cooking a BearVault is specifically Not recommended by Wild Ideas. Something about the epoxy bond holding on the ends....

Bear Vault isn't a Wild Ideas product... that's the Bearikade.

In any case, I wouldn't try it with any bear canister. Warping or melting sides or top edge or bottom would make it unusable. Making a burner screen out of aluminum or making a kite screen is safer.

Do not risk compromising your bear canister by putting it near fire.
Bearikades are also unstable seats. I also would use a stuff sack for a washing machine before the canister. Food and soap are not a good combo.

They make nice land-fill decorations.