Less-Lethal Self-Defense Options

The term “everyday carry” takes on different meanings to different people. While daily carry in some states can include a handgun, an extra magazine and an auto-opening knife and flashlight, other states seem to restrict you to a piece of string and chapstick. The biggest hurdle in some states is a prohibition against carrying a firearm. With state laws varying greatly in their restrictions, it is important to know what some other less-lethal options may be. Given the chance that a handgun may be out of the picture, there are other options you can make part of your everyday carry (EDC) self-defense arsenal. - 

 Stealth Defense

One item that is benign and overlooked is a pen. When made of the right material and in the correct design, a pen can be a very effective self-defense tool. The design of the pen must be around its use as both a functional writing tool and a potential stabbing weapon. The average ballpoint pen simply is not up to the task. The material the pen is constructed of is equally as important. It must be hard enough to be used in a fight yet light enough to carry effortlessly. This is where the use of titanium is useful. Titanium is a solid choice because while it is 45-percent lighter than steel and only a little heavier than aluminum it is functionally stronger, more corrosion resistant and more resilient than either steel or aluminum. It is the perfect material for your serious everyday carry pen. 

Pepper Power

Years ago, one of the first chemical defense sprays was trademarked as “Chemical Mace”, The word “Mace” is still a trademarked word today and is owned by Mace Security International, a company that manufactures many types of defense sprays. Defense sprays are formulated from many types of agents ranging from chemical tear gases to naturally occurring substances such as oleoresin capsicum (“OC”). OC is the most common agent in use today and is the oily resin derived from chili peppers. Its common name, “pepper spray,” comes from its origins, and upon contact will make the eyes slam shut and cause inflammation of the respiratory tract, resulting in coughing, gagging, production of excess mucous and extreme burning pain around the eyes, mouth and nose.
There is no shortage of pepper spray manufacturers. The Kimber PepperBlaster II is a unique twist on this reliable tool. Built to function similar to a pistol with a trigger and sights, it provides a very comfortable and effective launching platform. Another advantage with the PepperBlaster II is that it delivers its punch at a high velocity, hitting 112 mph at 13 feet. The unit is a gel, not a traditional aerosol, which gives it a four-year shelf life and makes it essentially leak-proof. Small, lightweight and effective, the PepperBlaster II is capable of delivering two separate blasts should the need arise during an attack.

Taser Takedowns

Like chemical sprays, Taser weapons have been around for years. These devices are designed to deliver an electrical shock that interferes with voluntary control of muscles and ultimately leads to incapacitation. Generic stun guns require that you actually jam the top of the stun gun into the assailant and then press the button. While painful, a better method has been developed. Taser International is the innovator of a remote stun gun that fires two individual probes that stick to the assailant. The weapon then delivers an electrical charge and causes the subject to collapse with lack of muscular control. Taser has also developed a civilian model for use as a self-defense tool, the Taser C2. The C2 allows you to stun an attacker as far as 15 feet away thus giving you time and room to escape. The C2 should be at the top of any EDC list. 

This article originally published in SURVIVOR’S EDGE® Spring 2015. Print and Digital Subscriptions to SURVIVOR’S EDGE® magazine are available here.