Defense Sprays: Just shoot ‘em?

Our store sells all kinds of sprays and stun guns and knives and batons, all of which are in some way effective forms of personal defense. But as I go down that list of “tools”, I am forced to ask myself where I stand if grounded in reality.

A stun gun is effective, but is a battery powered device, which makes it subject to failure. Dead batteries are the antithesis of serendipity. “Taser”, the gazillion-volt law enforcement wonder that makes attackers dance and wail like a baby, and which is now available to civilians, is frankly cost prohibitive. Aside from requiring “arm’s reach” proximity to an assailant, batons and knives are brutal and require more than just a willingness to defend. You have to be prepared to injure, maim, and yes… possibly kill another human being. The same goes for a gun, which is in a category entirely its own. Obviously, and as anyone rational person would say, I will always do what I have to do when it is in defense of my family. But I would certainly prefer to seek a less “permanent” solution. If not for those reasons alone, think of the legal ramifications of beating, breaking, cutting, scarring, or disabling someone, regardless of the level or nature of their intent for you. Imagine lawsuits or jail for defending yourself. It happens. Sadly, it really happens. So what can you do?

I had the opportunity last year to attend a training seminar for Sabre brand defense spray, to become a certified instructor for their Civilian Safety Awareness Program. I found this to be one of the more enlightening educational experiences of my life. The program is intended to educate participants on the nature and composition of defense spray products and how they compare to one another, how exactly they do what they do, and some easy-to-remember tips on the effective use of defense sprays. I have to say I love their principal statement, "Making Grown Men Cry Since 1975". On the product website, www.sabrered.com, there is some general information about deploying defense spray. Simply put, this stuff works. If you ever get a chance, look up some webclips of poor souls being sprayed with their products. The effect is dramatic.

So back to the initial question: Why not just shoot ‘em? I was raised around firearms and am comfortable with them. But in practically all confrontations that I could possibly find myself in for the rest of my life, I can’t imagine being in a situation that couldn’t either be resolved by just walking away, calling the authorities, or hosing someone down with a little canister of liquid hell. You have to love this stuff. It is cheap, reliable and effective. My personal favorites are the Sabre products. Our store carries a great selection, and they are all very good, but after learning about them, I find their stuff is the greatest average of desirable features. It is what I keep in my house, what my wife, my mother-in-law, and my sister carry.

Defense spray in general is a high value-to-cost product. Ranging typically from $10 to $20, it comes in sprays, streams, fogs (yikes), gels, and foams. It is entirely legal to possess and use (when one feels justifiably threatened, not just hacked off at the fast food drive through attendant). There are several styles of sprayers, from keychains, writing pens, wrist hangers, clip onto the belt, and various sizes of handheld units, including the fogger (double yikes), which looks like a compact fire extinguisher! They come in colors, from subtle and low-key, to bright and highly visible. We actually direct females who will carry it in their purses to purchase bright colors, to help with locating it visually in the bottom of a bag or on the ground if dropped in the dark. We have one really neat unit that is designed for the user to be able to easily spray over the shoulder if grabbed from behind.

The variations in discharge are spray or stream, just like a window cleaner bottle. The spray comes out like a cone and covers a greater area. Just be conscious of the wind! The stream is sort of preferred for this reason. It seams to have a greater range as well. As long as you have the presence of mind to point in the right direction, you will hit your target easily, and with some force, from about 12 feet away. They say to spray from side to side from ear to ear in order to get the eyes. There are also gels and foams. While not for me, they do have their place. If you work in an environment that would not benefit from an aerosol laden with OC, such as a hospital or daycare, foam or gel that only affected what it stuck to would be preferable. Taxi drivers would probably prefer something that would not require the reupholstering of their vehicles as well…

The one I keep in my household, and the one the store sells the most of, is of course the Sabre brand “3-IN-1”. It contains pepper spray, military teargas, and UV dye. This does not send a would-be attacker running away looking like a Smurf… It leaves a dye on the skin from 24 to 72 hours that is visible under UV light. The overall effect is that the recipient’s eyes slam shut, they feel like they are choking, which induces panic, and of course, they want to claw the very skin from their face. I am okay with that. The container label says approximately 25 1-second bursts. My experience with the product is a little different. It is a pressurized container, meaning the more times it is used, the less pressure that will be inside. My feeling is that if you have used it a couple of times and lived to tell the tale, you got your money’s worth out of it and should just buy another one. Also, in adrenaline mode, who is going to measure out one second bursts? Oh no, it is definitely hose-down time. Once you have doused an attacker and headed for safety, make your next stop the sales counter of the friendly neighborhood defense spray salesman for a new unit.

Some people have been talking about wasp spray, which has a range of around 25’. Again, you are back to the legal dilemma. It is not intended for human use. Not only are you opening yourself up to litigation for defending yourself, you may actually blind someone. The same goes for bear spray, used by hikers. But these, again, fall into the moral venue as well. I understand defending yourself and your family, but at what cost to yourself?

Bottom line, there are always options for self defense. I personally find defense spray to be inexpensive, reliable, easy to use, and extremely effective. I trust it to defend those closest to me when I can not be there for them in person. I gladly put it in the hands of persons who may not otherwise have a chance against threats greater than themselves. And I will continue to recommend it first when someone asks for something to use for personal protection.