Using the pepper spray is extremely quick and easy – basically it's just like any other pressurized perfume bottle or air freshener. Therefore, it can be assumed that women will have a sure hand given the fact they use perfumes and air fresheners on a daily.
Czech citizens often don't realize how lucky they are to be allowed to carry a pepper spray wherever they want to. In Germany, for example, only policemen can carry such defensive items. On top of that, they are only allowed to use it as a protection against animals, not against a human. Not even in a combat – from the international law point of view, the primary use is to suppress riots.
What are the benefits of carrying a pepper spray?
Unlike firearms, you don't need to think about appropriate calibre. Pepper spray is exactly the one-size-fits-all case. Every mammal has some nose to breathe and eyes to see. Therefore, it works on all mammals (no matter whether it's a dog, a wild boar or a human). That's a really good job considering the fact that pepper spray usually weighs hardly the same as your mobile phone and most of the time you don't even know you've got one in your pocket.
To use the pepper spray effectively, it has to be taken out just before use. Do not even try to threaten the attacker with the spray in your hand! You would risk missing his eyes and you'd certainly miss the momentum. Use the spray as a surprise – while you're pretending to be a frightened victim. Always carry your spray it in a stand-by, especially when crossing a dangerous area, expecting troubles, etc.
Properly used – in the direction of the wind, which increases the range and penetrability – pepper spray ingredients cause mucosal swelling, eye pain, spontaneous closing of the eyes and shortness of breath. Even if one guy from a hundred is absolutely resilient to this kind of pain, you've just got yourself a few seconds to escape or to take another action (kick his knee, attack his eyes, etc.). These few seconds really make the difference when fighting for your life. When someone unexpectedly gets a full dose of pepper right in his face, in the vast majority of cases it's more than they can handle. After a couple seconds, the attacker cannot open his eyes (a body reflex, just as automatic head protecting or winking) and he cannot catch his breath.
Unlike other weapons (telescope, knife, …), pepper spray is not a contact weapon. The range is about 2–3 metres (a distance from which you can still hit someone's head precisely). The advantage of a pepper spray is simplicity. A failure to feed or a magazine failure just can't happen to you, neither it has ten small springs, complex mechanisms and hundreds of components. It can be used by anyone with one hand and a minimum age of four.
Pepper spray doesn't even care about the maintenance – it doesn't require any. When you finish it up (after about 5 seconds of continuous action), you just throw it away and buy a new one for a few bugs. Of course, you need no batteries. Careful though: do not use the spray on a very small distance in closed objects, such as elevators.
Which size is optimal for me?
This is the very first question you should ask yourself. The packages can be obtained usually from 5-10 g for the smallest to 100-300 ml to get protected against bears, and then there are these 1l canisters for dispersing the demonstrators… Although the smallest packages of sprays can still do you some favour, they are on the verge of practical applicability.
It's said it's better to have a 20g package in your hand than a 60g package you don't bother to carry. However, no female - having been under attack - would ever tell you: “I wish I had a smaller package”. More filling inside - more effectiveness!
Which substance is the best?
Probably the first thing that will stop you when choosing a pepper spray is the “OC” or “CN” abbreviation. What does it mean? “CN” describes an irritating gas known to all soldiers and policemen as “tear gas”. This is generally considered to be less effective against people under the influence of drugs or those with a lower pain threshold. On the contrary, “OC” indicates that the product contains chilli concentrate called Oleoresin Capsicum which can be reliably used against mammals (closing eyes, shortness of breath, etc.)
Pepper sprays are much more effective on animals than on humans, because animals – of course – cannot know that holding their breath or closing their eyes would help. The element of surprise is extremely important here – so do not hesitate to practice in front of the mirror!
You don't need to be afraid to use your pepper spray on dogs – it will overload their crucial senses for a short time, the dog will get shocked and let you go (it's the very same feeling as a firecracker ringing in you ear). The spray doesn't burn or destroy the dog's senses in any way.
Whenever you see something like “nerve paralytic” or the label, it just means the manufacturer is lying to you. Only the military has access to such substances and this is definitely not the way they are used.
By the way, it is also advisable to buy at least two (same) sprays and try one of them on either yourself or your friend (both expectedly and unexpectedly) so that you know exactly what to expect, what is the range of your spray, etc. it is crucial not to miss the right moment!
Special functions – does it come in handy or not?
There are many special functions that come in handy. For example, a model containing fluorescent substance that cannot be washed away with soap. This can later help to identify the perpetrator. Models with light torch at the bottom are also available, so that you can blind the attacker by the light right before you hit. Various kinds of cases adapted to specific models are also very popular. Last but not least – a good pepper spray has a plastic buckle to attach to a belt, bag or pocket.
Choose the spray with the highest “OC” concentration if possible. Manufactures naturally like to show off things that set them apart from the others and makes them unique.
How to choose the best nozzle shape?
Nozzle shape is another important aspect of a good pepper spray. You can choose between the “FOG” and the “JET” version. But, frankly speaking, it is better to have the both of them.
“FOG” has a shorter range and gets easily blown away by the wind. The advantage is the penetrability and less accuracy as the “cloud” covers bigger area. In case of the “JET” version, you need to aim more precisely and the range can reach up to 3-5m.
And here comes the final question…
How strong/effective/hot it is?
Every spicy food enthusiast could tell us about the Scoville heat units (SHU). In case of pepper sprays, pepper percentage is usually stated on the label. On the other hand, this value is not all that matters! There are more additives. Capsaicin is an oily substance and emulsifiers allow its use in a spray. This can include e. g. propylene glycol or isopropylalcohol. As a result, you don't really care whether it's a pepper or an alcohol, what makes your eyes sore. If you don't believe, then go for a little experiment – put some chilli in one eye and vodka in the other. Does one of your eyes hurt less than the other? See? And yet there are still cases that some type of spray has only 7,93 % instead of the declared 8 % … as if it really matters.
The same goes for the sensitive noses of animals. The bear (with extremely sensitive nose that can sniff on your snacks from 20-30 km distance) doesn't really care whether it's chilli or alcohol in its nostrils and what capsaicin-alcohol ratio it has been. The attack has been stopped and the predator has enough troubles with itself at the moment.
This looks extremely good in the commercials: “We think of your safety and that's why you find the most capsaicin in our spray!” But as soon as you try it on yourself, you will find that it's more than enough even for limited human senses.
Foam/gel model. To buy or not to buy?
“Foam” or “gel” is something between the “FOG” and the “JET” and combines advantages and disadvantages of both. It makes a compromise. It's up to you to determine which type is the best for you.
Pepper spray in action
As a matter of fact, when you “gel” or “foam” someone's face, the attacker will try to wipe off that strange thing from their face – not knowing that this only makes things worse. Actually, it's something like those arrows we know from the Middle Ages - with backward hooks causing more injuries…sppouches
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