A Review of My Three Favorite Personal Defense Devices

 

Self defense items are very important to have if you spend time in dark parking lots, parking structures, at ATMs, bars or in high crime areas.  There is such a huge selection of these types of items, you can buy them anywhere:

• Big Box Stores like Walmart
• Army Surplus Stores
• Hardware Stores
• Sporting Goods Stores
• Online Retailers like Amazon

Most of these items are not very expensive, there is no reason not to have at least one.  Some of them are less than $10 and when you are out or even at home you never know what could happen!  Remember......

It's better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it!

I used to have a job that would sometimes take me into some pretty iffy neighborhoods.  We were not allowed to carry guns, so I set about looking for something I could defend myself with.  It had to be fairly small so I could carry it in my pocket or briefcase.  The first item I bought was a personal safety alarm.  I wanted something that didn't look like what it was, so I settled on this blue bear rechargeable alarm.  No one ever suspected what it was!

Rechargeable Personal Safety Alarm with Strobe Light

Click here for more information on this device

Product Information:

1. Rechargeable, comes with a USB charging cable and there is a low battery light that flashes red when you need to recharge the battery.
2. 130 decibel alarm, set off by pulling the body from the head.  Alarm will continue for up to an hour or until you rejoin the body and the head.
3. High Intensity LED strobe light also is turned on when the body is pulled off the head.  There is also a smaller LED light you can use as a flashlight.
4. The Bear model comes in black, blue, and white.  There is also a dog model.

I used the keychain to hang it on my purse strap or my brief case handle.  I only had to use it once, while working.  I just grabbed his body and pulled it away from his head and it immediately began wailing like a banshee!  Trust me, no one will ignore this siren, I pretty sure they heard it blocks away!

Though I really liked my bear, i decided I wanted something with a little more protection for me physically.  After shopping around for a while I happened to be at a hardware store and I saw a display of a pepper spray cannisters that also had a personal alarm and a strobe light.  I felt like I had hit the jackpot.  I could have pepper spray without giving up my alarm or having to carry two separate items!  

3 in 1 Personal Safety Alarm Keychain with Pepper Spray, Siren, and Strobe Light

Click here for more information on the keychain     Click here to buy a pepper spray refill

Product Information:

1. Rechargeable with the included USB cable. (stays charged for up to a year if not used)
2. 130 decibels siren alarm. 
3. Extremely bright strobe light.
4. Pepper spray is good for 23 to 30 squirts of up to 12 feet and is a liquid gel that adheres to skin.  Pepper spray is refillable, cartridges are about $6 each.
5. Safety cap to prevent accidental triggering.

The two things I liked the most about this item was the fact that the pepper spray cartridge was replaceable, you didn't have to toss out the entire piece if the spray ran out or expired.  I also love the fact that it is rechargeable and holds a charge for a really long time!

Once worked as the manager of store in a shopping mall, and every night I had to take the day's receipts to the bank after work.  The trip from the back door of the store to my car and from my car to the bank drop box was a really scary.  I worried about getting robbed because the bank bag usually had quite a bit of cash in it, sometimes as much as $10,000.  I decided I needed some protection a bit more heavy duty than just pepper spray and an alarm.  This time I went to a specialty self defense store and this is what they recommended to me:

Tactical Stun Gun with LED Flashlight

For more information or to buy, click here

Product Information:

1. Flashlight is very bright at 130 lumens.  Nothing on the exterior to give away it's anything other than a regular flashlight.
2. Stun gun delivers a 2.517 microcoulomb charge.  Very painful!
3. Has a safety switch to prevent accidental discharge
4. Rechargeable
5. Comes with a small holster
6. Item comes with links to free training videos that show how to use the device safely and more effectively.

If you are wondering if stun guns are legal, the answer is:  it depends on where you live.  They are legal in most states.  Hawaii and Rhode Island are the only two states that outright ban them.  In Michigan, Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin, you must get a permit to have one.  In all the other states you can buy them as you would pepper spray.  It is always wise to check locally to make sure they don't have any ordinances against them.

You cannot bring a stun gun on an airplane in your carry on luggage, but you can pack them in your checked bags.  Again, I would call the airport to make sure, you never know when an airport might change their rules.

A stun gun works by sending an electrical shock into the body's neurological system, usually knocking them to the ground and temporarily incapacitating them.  The effects of being shocked by a stun gun are temporary muscle immobilization, loss of balance and confusion.  These effects last anywhere from a few minutes to half an hour.  The effects are designed to be non-lethal, but if the attacker has pre-existing medical conditions, there is a chance of death.

As you can see, there are many different types of personal protection devices.  They range from simple siren alarms to items that can actually hurt your attacker.  Which of these you should use is really up to you, however, if you feel that you need some advice, a specialty store may be the best place for you to go, though you will pay more for your device in a store of that type, it is the best place to obtain experienced knowledge and advice.

Many people don't think that self defense items are necessary, or that they are overkill. Everyone has the right to an opinion but I feel personal safety is very important.  I know I felt a lot safer when I had my stun gun on those dark nights at the bank.  You can also use them to ward off dog or other animal attacks.

Please think about it, it could save your life.

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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