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Pepper Spray
Pepper Spray is also know as OC spray (from "Oleoresin Capsicum"), OC gas, capsicum spray, or oleoresin capsicum, is great in situations where the attackers are about a few feet away. A typical pepper spray can spray as far as up to 10 feet. For it to be effective, it needs to be sprayed directly into the face and in particular the eyes. Even if the attacker closes his eyes, the burning ingredient will make it painful for the attacker to breath. Furthermore, it will keep the attacker from opening his eyes where if he opens his eyes the chemicals will eventually get on his eyes. This will allow you to get away.
Another advantage of pepper spray is that they small enough for you to hide in your purse or pocket. Most pepper spray models come in small canisters. However, there are a few exotic models that make them easier to conceal. Some of these are the pepper ring and pepper pager models. These exotic models make them a lot better to surprise attackers and will become handy when you are attack by surprise. If you can see an attack coming, the normal canister model would be good enough.
One of the risk of using pepper spray is that it could work against you in certain situation. One such situation is if it is too windy. They spray could be blown back at your face and make you more vulnerable to the attacker. So, you will have to use your judgment on whether too use it in such situation. As such, we recommend purchasing a user manual for the pepper spray. All models of pepper spray do not come with a how to use manual to protect yourself effectively. You can purchase the manual here. However, if you do not want to purchase the manual, you can browse our self defense articles directory to read up learn more about how to defend yourself. These articles will give you some great tips, however, the a pepper spray manual will be more concise and geared for using your pepper spray as a self defense tool.
Stun Guns
Stun Guns on the other hand is great for close up attacks. Furthermore, unlike pepper spray, you do not have to aim for the face for it to be effective. You can simply zap the attacker anywhere on the body for it to work. One zap, the attacker will be stunned for a moment up to about a minute. The zap will send between 80,000 to 300,000 volts of electric, depending on the Stun Gun model used, in the attacker's body. Usually, this amount of voltage will not kill the attacker. It merely just incapacitate him for a while so you can get away. In rare case do any people died from a stun gun.
One of the biggest disadvantages is that stun guns are bigger and harder to conceal than a can of pepper spray. Although there are some models of stun guns that are compact, most stun guns are usually bigger than pepper spray. Another disadvantage of stun guns is that you have to be up close to use it. You will need to press the stun guns right up against the attacker and press a button to activate the gun. Although sometime, you can pull out your stun gun and warn or even intimidate the attacker from a distance, it is most effective when it could be use up close and in surprise. Waiving your stun gun at a distance at the attacker will show him that you are not going to go down easy and may prevent him from pursuing you as a victim. However, it does not always work. Again, it will depend on the situation. It is not effective if you seem weak or could be easily over powered or if the attacker has a weapon with him. So, you will have to use your judgment wisely.
