It’s been a long while since I’ve written a self defense post that isn’t a gun review or about gunfighting. This post is about carrying and using less-than-lethal. More specifically, it’s about OC spray which is often colloquially known as pepper spray. This is something that I haven’t written about before. In fact, it’s a very useful self defense tool that has been mentioned in less than 1% of posts in this blog. That’s a shame because personal protection is one the three tenets of this blog. The reality is that more often than not lethal force is not justified in self defense problems and for those problems less-than-lethal force is the right solution. As Chuck Haggard says, “Pepper spray is somewhere between a harsh word and a gun”.

Pepper spray is somewhere between a harsh word and a gun.

Chuck Haggard, Agile/Training & Consulting

Why Less-Than-Lethal?

As I’ve alluded to already, not every self defense situation calls for a lethal force response. That may hold true in some cases where lethal force is justified. I’m reminded of what Tom Givens said when I attended the Rangemaster Combative Pistol class, “The question should always be ‘Must I shoot him?’ rather than ‘Can I shoot him?’”.

Using lethal force should be a last resort. That doesn’t mean that we must try everything else first before skinning the smoke wagon and neutralize the threat with rapid lead delivery. It all depends on the context. However, if that context allows for anything other than a lethal force solution without creating a greater risk to ourselves or to the loved ones we are protecting, then it should at least be considered if not taken. That’s because the solution without using lethal force presents less legal and liability risks following the incident. There is a common saying that some folks believe some law enforcement officers use when placing a handcuffed suspect in the back of the cruiser: “You may beat the rap, but you can’t beat the ride.” That is often true in jurisdictions where prosecutors hold animosity towards the 2nd Amendment and self defense.

Another thing to remember is that not everyone who values their personal safety is willing to carry lethal force tools and use them. I suspect most folks who read this blog feel that position to be contradictory or even silly. But that doesn’t make it any less prevalent. Even the most serious or armed citizens know someone they care about deeply who holds this position. And those folks still have a right to defend themselves and may be more willing to carry and use less-than-lethal tools for that purpose.

In some cases, an individual may often find themselves in a non-permissive or less-permissive environment where they opt not to carry lethal weapons because the discovery of such items poses too much risk to them. While some may disagree with that personal decision, it is not our decision to make and that decision doesn’t deprive the right to self defense. For folks who make this decision, carrying a less-than-lethal tool might make sense especially if it presents an acceptable risk exposure.

Given these reasons, carrying a less-than-lethal tool for self defense makes a lot of sense for a lot of people even if they already conceal carry a defensive pistol.

Why Pepper Spray?

For those who have decided to add a less-than-lethal tool to their self defense toolbox, the next logical question is: Which less-than-lethal tool should I carry?

As you might have predicted given the content in this post so far, I’m going to strongly suggest and recommend carrying pepper (OC) spray. Specifically a pepper spray that delivers a stream of a quality Oleoresin Capsicum, or OC, formula. While there are some situations and contexts where a fog, foam or gel delivery system may be preferable, a stream is more often the best delivery system for most people in most everyday life situations.

A compact and easy to carry quality pepper spray unit, which can be purchased for right around $12, is relatively inexpensive in the grand scheme of things. A stream will have a range of about 10-12 feet. While that’s not a long distance by any means in the context of self defense, it’s outside of arm’s reach which is always preferable than dealing with a problem that’s within arm’s reach.

They are also pretty simple to use. Apply a half second burst from ear to ear across the eyes. Follow that by a second half burst applied from forehead to chin. This cross-shaped application should get enough of the OC formula in the eyes of an attacker which fairly reliably results in quick incapacitation from severe irritation and involuntary eye closure. The combination of the cross-shaped application and physiological reaction is probably what gave genesis to the saying of, “Bless them with the hot sauce”, that John Correia from Active Self Protection often uses.

You might be thinking, why not use a taser? Don’t they have a range that’s greater than 10-12 feet? Wouldn’t a longer range be preferable in a self defense situation? First things first, tasers are far less reliable when it comes to incapacitation since it requires two probes to implant themselves into the skin of the attacker to complete the circuit required so that an electric current can be sent to disable the attacker. Clothing often prevents the prongs from making reliable skin contact. Even when they do, the electric current doesn’t do the trick as reliably as hot sauce in the eyes does. Also, the greater range of taser units available to private citizens is about 15 feet. The extra three to five feet isn’t worth the reliability trade off in my opinion. Then there is the cost of tasers which start around $300 and can exceed $1,500. They are also significantly bulkier and more tedious to carry than a pepper spray unit that is about the size of a lipstick.

Well, what about stun guns? While stun guns are often more affordable than tasers, but generally more expensive than a quality pepper spray unit. Additionally, stun guns suffer from the same lack of reliable incapacitation problems that tasers suffer from. And then there is the issue of having to be at contact distance to use them.

I’m not telling anyone to not buy a taser or a stun gun. I’m only suggesting that pepper spray is the more prudent less-than-lethal device out of these options. It’s simply a better place to start.

It’s also worth noting that pepper spray, while it has a fairly reliable incapacitation rate which is higher than taser incapacitation rates, isn’t fool proof even when liberally applied directly to the areas it is designed to irritate. It’s uncommon but some folks are affected at a slower rate or to a lower degree of irritation. In rare cases, folks don’t appear to be affected by pepper spray at all. The possibility exists that in these situations the attacker becomes more incensed and escalates the level of force used to attack with. This risk should be weighed as part of the decision making process to carry and to use pepper spray for self defense. It also isn’t a bad idea for a self defense practitioner to be equipped and prepared to respond with lethal force if necessary (once again, as a last resort).

What Brand of Pepper Spray?

Assuming you are in agreement with me with regards to pepper spray being the more prudent less-than-lethal option, then you might be wondering what brand to get.

The two brands I’ve heard recommended more than any others by self defense instructors I’ve trained under are: POM Industries and Sabre. Both of these brands are available at brick and mortar retailers that sell self defense products. They are also available at online retailers like Amazon.

I’ve personally carried POM Pepper Spray for years, ever since I attended KR Training’s Personal Tactics Skills course.

Full disclosure time. POM Industries is one of the most recent sponsors of this blog that I haven’t mentioned before, but you may have noticed advertisements for. I’m very excited about this because it’s a brand that I’ve trusted for many years prior to the start of the financial relationship. Furthermore, they have also sent me some of their other products that I have tried before. As such, y’all can expect a few product reviews to follow here in the near future.

Closing Thoughts

Whether or not you decide to carry a less-than-lethal tool for self defense and regardless of what tool you opt for, it’s important to be aware of the local laws and policies that apply to these tools. POM maintains a list that summarizes state laws that apply to pepper spray which is a good starting point for getting familiar with laws that apply to you where you live and where you will travel. But it is only a starting point, checking your local laws, as tedious and as daunting as that may be, is a good idea. When in doubt, consult an attorney, preferably one practices self defense law.

Having self defense tools is a good start, but it doesn’t fully equip and prepare one for a self defense incident. Tools can be force multipliers especially when combined with skill, tactics, and mindset. This is where training and practice comes in. Not all firearms instructors are self defense instructors and not all self defense instructors are firearms instructors. However, any instructor worth their salt knows the boundaries of the lanes they play in and can help refer you to other quality instructors who can fill the gaps. If you don’t know where to start, then I suggest looking at the training services I offer. More options for quality instruction that may be local to you are listed on this page. Of those listed on that page, Agile/Training and Consulting is one that I suggest folks who are looking for OC/Pepper Spray specific instruction take a close look at.

Remember, lethal force isn’t always the only solution to self defense problems. Sometimes there is no less-than-lethal alternative, but it’s worthwhile to be equipped and prepared to capitalize such an alternative when it is available and more likely to avoid producing a negative outcome. That’s when the pepper spray you are carrying will be worth its weight in gold. Get some. Learn to use it. And carry it.