Also known as Oleoresin Capsicum (OC), Mace pepper sprays are one of the widely used self-defense products today. They are affordable, portable, easy to conceal, and when utilized at the right time and place, they can be completely effective in deterring your attacker.
The Advantages and Disadvantages of Using Mace Pepper Spray as a Self-Defense Product
If you are worried about the effectiveness of Mace Pepper spray, you should familiarize yourself first with the pros and cons that come with using it.
Pro: Simple and Easy to Use
Compared to Taser and stun guns, pepper sprays are a lot easier to use. Just one quick press and that’s it. Ease of use however does not completely guarantee results. You’ll still have to practice wielding it, particularly if you have it jammed inside your pocket or placed inside your bag. You want to draw it out as quickly as possible.
Secondly, you’ll need to practice your aim. It’s best to hit your attacker in the eyes at your first attempt because there’s no way to tell if you’ll get another chance.
Another possible problem you might encounter with utilizing pepper sprays is the locking mechanism provided for preventing accidental discharges. They could suddenly malfunction for various reasons and just when you need them to work.
Con: Works at Limited Distance
These are not very far-reaching weapons so you’ll need to risk your attacker coming a bit closer for comfort before you launch your attack. At the most, pepper sprays can work at a distance of fifteen feet, but only if other factors will come to play. You should be using a pepper spray stream, wind direction should be moving towards your attacker, and you better have excellent aim.
As for the rest, small pepper spray models work at a distance of six to eight feet while pepper spray foggers work at a distance of eight to ten feet.
Pro: Prolonged Effect
Provided that you’ve targeted your attacker directly in the eyes or any other vulnerable area, your attacker will suffer from the sting of OC from twenty to thirty minutes; that will give you more than enough time to escape your attacker or shout for help.
Con: Requires Appropriate Wind Direction
Unless you’re clairvoyant or you’re an expert on weather, there’s no way to predict sudden wind movement. It may come at the worst time possible and just when you’ve released pepper spray to the air, the wind moves toward you, and stinging OC ends up blown back to you.
If you think pepper sprays are not enough to make you feel safe and able to defend yourself, there’s no reason why you can’t supplement it with another self-defense product. But most importantly of all, stay alert and prepared to face dangers or, better yet, avoid potentially dangerous situations. Prevention is always the best solution, after all!
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