Self defense products continue to grow in popularity. They are relatively inexpensive, very effective, and don't require much practice to master. I heard many say you just can't go wrong with non-lethal self defense products. The fact is you can and probably will if you don't do your homework.
So your considering purchasing a self defense product for yourself, a family member or friend. Great, so what is the best product? What do you recommend? These two questions definitely make my FAQ! Most individuals, including myself realize the responsiblity and potential consequences of using a handgun for self defense. On the other side of the spectrum you have martial arts or self defense training. These courses are great and can teach you techniques that could save your life. The only downside is in order to become proficient you need to put in the time. This is a very real obstacle in todays society, not enough time.
More and more individuals are choosing to go the non-lethal self defense route. So what are the different available products and which are most effective? The truth is there are just too many products to list here, the major players are pepper spray, stun guns, and taser devices.
Pepper spray is the number one selling non-lethal self defense product. Pepper spray and Mace are highly effective personal protection products. They work almost immediately against both humans and dogs. The cost of a good OC chemical spray is very affordable, the self life is typically three to four years, and the effective range averages 10 to 12 feet. If you haven't had the privilege of being sprayed, then you just don't know what your missing! All law enforcement agencies count on pepper spray as a first line of defense. That in itself tells me everything I need to hear. Like anything you always want to use what the professionals use.
All of our pepper spray products are made in the U.S. Be very cautious of any pepper spray manufactured overseas. All defense sprays are not the same. Many companies put a lot of cheap junk in their sprays and cut corners with the propellants. Every spray that Guardian Self Defense carries is extensively tested and meets rigorous quality control standards.
Pepper spray does have some cons, as no self defense product is perfect. There are different spray patterns with the most popular ones being a stream and fogger. With a stream pattern a user can expect the spray to come out in a straight line. Typically, the range is a little greater with a stream, but users need to practice as accuracy is critical. For spray to be effective you need to aim for the eyes, nose or mouth.
A fogger pattern comes out cone shaped and accuracy is not a concern. Foggers are great for crowd control or dealing with multiple attackers. Users do need to be concerned with potential blow back when spraying into a stiff wind.
The popularity of
stun devices has increased as the technology has improved. Stun guns are much more effective and reliable today then just a few years ago. High voltage, low amperage make the stun gun a very effective short term non-lethal self defense product. If you've been shocked then you know why they work, if you haven't it is hard to describe the feeling. If you've ever bumped your "funny bone" multiply that by like a million and transfer the feeling throughout your whole body. A two to three second shock will leave the average man on his back, disoriented, and weak. The effects only last about 5 to 10 minutes, which is plenty of time to get to safety. Stun guns are excellent for protection against aggressive animals especially dogs.
The biggest con related to stun guns is you have to actually touch a person to get the desired effect. That means you have to get very close to an attacker which can be dangerous. This is where TASER technology takes over. The Taser once reserved for law enforcement professionals, is now available for civilian use. For example the C2 Taser is small, compact, powerful, and has an effective range of 15 feet.
When you fire a
Taser two sharp metal probes are fired outward toward the attacker. The probes are electrified and have immediate stopping power. Independent testing has compared to stopping power to that of a 9mm handgun, without the potential lethal effects. With the Taser if you happen to fire and miss; you can either pop on another cartridge (takes about 2 seconds) or if you don't have time the Taser becomes a very high powered stun gun. The drawback of the Taser is price which averages over $300 for the C2 civilian unit.
Of course there are many, many other products that work very well, but these three account for over 90% of non-lethal defense purchases. If you are serious about protectinig yourself and family, do your homework, choose the product that best suites your needs, then practice, practice, practice.
