Pepper Spray or Stun Gun?

[brainhulk]

why not walk around with a 5 iron and say you are on your way to play a par 3

 

[BurnItDwn]

Pepper Spray, Aim for Face.
Hearty kick to nutsack to ensure he doesn't get up any time soon. Then Run like hell to secure location and call 911.

 

[Patranus]

Cartridge based tasers are illegal and contact tasers are silly. Any attacker is easily going to overcome a taser or OC spray. A firearm or unarmed self defense training are the only options that actually help against attackers.

Huh? They sell them at Frys here in the Bay Area.

 

[Garet Jax]

Why wont the bank let her get a CCW?

Anyways, a Taser would be her best bet.

Not sure I agree. Each has their advantages, but tasers are only good against one attacker and only if both probes achieve good contact. Thick clothes and/or one missed probe and the taser is worthless. Some tasers have two cartriges, but then you are empty. Once the taser wears off, you have one pissed off attacker. Tasers are great for cops because it lets them take control of the attacker, but not so good for people who want to get away.

Stun guns require very close proximity.

Pepper sprays have some disadvantages too, including that you could end up getting the spray on yourself if the wind conditions are bad or is the attacker gets it on his hand and then touches you.

Either way, each has advantages and disadvantages - make sure she knows them and practices their proper usage. The best defense though above all is staying vigilant. If she thinks something is wrong, then trust her gut and go get help.

 

[gorcorps]

I did a small stint in college working for public safety, and I talked about this very thing with some of the state police that I helped out during some events. The ones that have used mace in the past said that they would never use it again if they had their taser. The reason was that when trying to subdue somebody, you're not able to get a clean shot to their eyes all the time, and a lot of the time in the struggle they ended up getting caught in the some of the splash back. The stuff is so pressurized that there's a big risk of getting hit yourself, especially if there's a struggle afterwards. If you're close to the guy many of them have breathed it in after using it, and it almost dropped them. On top of that, it doesn't just burn your eyes it also burns your skin. When wrestling down somebody covered in mace you can feel it, and it's not fun.

I'll paraphrase the one officer who said it best: The people who would want to use mace are the ones who have never had to use it before, and just don't understand what can happen in such a situation.

After talking to them I've been dead set against mace.

 

[alkemyst]

I think pepper spray is the best daily carry for most. Tasers you better hit or you are screwed and stun guns you need contact plus risk yourself being shocked.

If you miss with pepper spray you can fire again. You don't want to be downwind or in an enclosed space really. Non-direct like these though aren't so terrible.

Brands like Fox and Sabre are the real deals...many swap shop brands and the like are hardly incapacitators.

 

[Apex]

I'd suggest skipping all of the spray bottle shaped pepper sprays and go with an ASP Defender & take a pepper spray course.

It sprays straight from the end (with a thumb safety & trigger), so you don't have to worry about which way the nozzle is facing when in a stressful situation. It's a narrow angle spray with bigger droplets, so you get MUCH better distance and there's less blowback.

It also has reasonable heft and is designed to be used effectively as a kubotan.