In addition to the POM Original samples we covered last month—thanks to POM Industries—they hooked me up with a POM MK3 unit to try out. At first, I wasn’t sure what to think. I’d never seen it before and didn’t know squat about it. My initial reaction? “Neat! A big can!” It’s not massive or anything, but it’s definitely chunkier than the classic units I’ve been toting around for years. Anyway, I did some digging to get the lowdown. Turns out, it’s not really my jam for everyday carry, but it might just fit the bill for some of y’all. So, let’s break it down.

Quick heads-up before we roll: POM’s an affiliate partner. That means if y’all click a link from this blog and buy something straight from their site, a little cash comes my way. I’ve been rocking POM pepper spray in my self-preservation toolkit for a while, and I trust it enough to use it myself. Long-time readers know I don’t pull punches in my reviews—I keep it raw and real. Still, I owe y’all the full picture so you can weigh my take for yourselves.

Now that we’re on the same page, let’s talk MK3.

Off the bat, it looks like a beefed-up version of the original. How beefy? We’re talking 2 oz versus the 0.5 oz classic unit. Neat, sure, but I wasn’t sold. Time to check the specs.

The formula’s identical to other POM sprays—10% OC (Oleoresin Capsicum) with HPLC-verified 1.4% MC (Major Capsaicinoids) with the exact same shelf life. The good, spicy stuff. Want the deep dive on that? Hit up my POM Original post—this one’s staying short and snappy.

Here’s the weird part: the MK3’s spray duration is 9 seconds, one second less than the 10-second burst of the smaller original units. Sounds odd until you realize it’s pushing an 18-foot stream compared to 12 feet. That means it’s dishing out the hot sauce faster and farther. An extra 6 feet—2 yards—might not sound like much, but it’s a 50% jump. As John Correia likes to say, distance buys you time, and time buys you options.

On paper, it’s a slam dunk: more spray, more range. More is more better, right? That’s what they tell me, and they’re usually spot on.

But here’s the rub—I still didn’t get it. As an armed citizen who carries pepper spray every day, discreetly, the MK3 felt off. It’s bulkier, harder to hide, and the clip’s angle doesn’t let it sit in my pocket for a quick draw. I was stumped.

So, I started chewing on it. If it’s not built for daily carry, maybe it’s a home defense play? That was my next mental rabbit hole. After mulling it over, I could see it working for home or even vehicle defense—especially for folks who can’t or won’t go the lethal-force route. Some people don’t want guns at home but are cool with pepper spray. Others figure the legal risks of using deadly force outweigh the benefits—remember that Fort Worth mom who shot an intruder to protect her kid and then faced eviction from her rental? For cases like that, the MK3 starts to make sense.

Even so, its purpose didn’t fully click until days later when I caught something I’d skipped in the marketing. The MK3 is part of POM’s “Professional Series.” Ding, ding, ding! The lightbulb flicked on. This thing’s designed for law enforcement or security pros who need extra juice and clip it to a duty belt. Suddenly, the beefy nozzle and sturdy clip made total sense. Duh!

I’ll be real—duty use ain’t my lane. But as a decently clued-in layman, I’d say the MK3 delivers. It’s still a top-tier, USA-made pepper spray formula, just in a bigger package with a heavy-duty setup, all for a wallet-friendly $16-17 per unit. That price makes it tempting for those home or vehicle defense niches I mentioned. That said, for the average private citizen like me, the smaller Original units you can pocket all day still win out.