Safety’s Arsenal: the Basics of Self Defense Products

Self defense proudcts are by their nature intimidating. For those unfamiliar with their use and operation, they can be just as foreboding by their looks alone as for their deterrent on criminals. This is actually misleading, because many of the self defense products commonly available to the public are conceived and designed with both safety and ease and quickness of use deliberately in mind.

The following five defense devices are by no means a complete list of the self-defense products available to the consumer, over-the-counter market. However, they are routinely the most popular and are also widely available online.

Stun Guns and Tasers

Stun guns and tasers use powerful electric shocks to disable opponents by constricting their muscles to the point of temporary disability. Many are small enough to fit inside a woman’s purse or within an inside jacket pocket. They are battery operated.

A taser is a stun gun that uses two powerful pitons and flexible wires to deliver the electrical charge. A stun gun is routinely shaped much like a woman’s razor and contains powerful conducting needles that deliver the shock.

Pepper Sprays

Pepper spray, sometimes referred to as OC spray, capsicum spray, or OC gas, uses powerful irritants to inflame the eyes and sinus passages. Pepper sprays commonly use some form of capsaicin, an irritant found within chili peppers of Central America. Very common in riot control among police agencies worldwide, the effects of pepper spray are both nonlethal, but also very painful and discomforting.

Pepper spray routinely causes coughing, watering of the eyes, spastic sneezing fits, and other allergy-like effects. Capsaicin is not soluble in water, and removing it from the face and sinus passages usually requires considerable effort. Nasty stuff to say the least!

Mace

Mace, like pepper spray, is a form of tear gas or lachrymatory (tear-inducing) agent. It’s typically delivered via aerosol spray can. Its volatile nature has made it illegal in many countries, and pepper spray has largely replaced it for civilian use. MACE is also a brand name of pepper sprays that include gel and foam solutions.

The term “mace” is often used interchangeably with “pepper spray,” though the two have important chemical differences.

Personal alarms

Similar to a car alarm for the body, personal alarms include handheld sirens, whistles, and other accessory-ready items that are easily carried on the person to alert of danger.

Many personal alarms are electronic, while some whistles retain the timeless mechanisms of such items of yesteryear. Some electric models also include strobe lights, flashlights, and other distracting effects that improve visibility even while working to disorient an attacker. Still other classes serve as dog repellants and early-warning home safety alarms.

Diversion Safes

Remember the spy TV show where every routine item housed a secret compartment or gadget? Diversion safes work on the same principle, allowing security items such as spare keys, money, or valuable information to be stored “hidden in plain sight” with a replica façade.

Some diversion safes take the appearance of weathered car fluid containers, making them perfect for camouflage use in the garage. Others are designed to resemble light plugs, book, flowerpots or wall sockets.

With an array of self defense products, new options available to combat crime and deter theft many Americans can now protect themselves and loved ones.