Svalbard is the only place on earth I have been where locals carry weapons when they get out of the main settlements at all times. They carry (usually unloaded) weapons for a good reason: polar bears. Also, it's forbidden to carry any weapon inside bars and markets.
While polar bear attacks are pretty rare, those animals are extremely dangerous. Some documented polar bear attacks can be read here:
https://factsanddetails.com/asian/Northern_Asian_and_European_Animals/sub2_8d/entry-4924.html
Without being an expert, here is my advice from what I have heard from locals here and from what I have read:
* Tents don't prevent attacks at all.
* Walking in the arctic without weapons is a bad idea.
