6 Non-Lethal Weapons to Carry Instead of a Gun

Many of you have heard the saying, “Your freedom ends where mine begins.” A majority of us prefer to live in a peaceful, non-threatening lifestyle. That said, there might come a time when you will need to defend yourself. Self-defense can range from having a small defense weapon such as a tactical pen in your pocket to concealing a firearm for safety. For those who feel strongly about using non-lethal defense, consider the 5 following non-lethal alternatives.

6 Non-Lethal Ways to Protect Yourself

While it is important to know how to defend yourself, it is equally important to remember not to make yourself a target, always engage in being aware of your surroundings, avoiding dangerous circumstances and be ready to act at a moment’s notice. To said, there may come a time where you will find yourself in a serious situation and self-defense is the only recourse. The following items are ideal to carry in a purse and should be easily accessible at all times. Check with your state laws to make sure you can carry these items freely.

1. A quick, convenient method for protection is carrying pepper spray. The small size makes it ideal for walkers and joggers and you can’t really find a more simple method of protecting yourself. Even children and the elderly should have no problem simply pointing and pulling the trigger. Assailants will immediately experience temporary blindness, have difficulty breathing and go into severe distress. Brands like this one have a non-abrasive sleeve that stretches to fit your palm and a formula that delivers a stream with minimal blowback on the person doing the spraying.

2. To take pepper spray to an even greater level, you might be interested in a pepper spray gun. The concept is the same as the hand-held variety, but a pepper spray gun is shaped like a traditional handgun and it is filled with several rounds of spray to create a chemical cloud. This allows you to be 10 times the safe distance (150+ feet versus 6-10 feet) away from danger while still being incredibly effective. Rounds on a pepper spray gun are powered by a CO2 cylinder, which is activated when a trigger is pulled. In addition, pepper spray guns have a kinetic impact with a round traveling approximately 320 feet per second (the equivalent of getting kit with a 50 mph fastball). Be sure to check the laws in your state, as pepper spray guns are not legal everywhere.

3. A stun gun is another non-lethal method of defense you might want to consider. This one is small and attaches to your car keys to protect you when you are in vulnerable situations (such as a parking garage late at night). Stun guns use high electrical voltage to stun attackers, but because the amperage is low, no permanent damage is caused. Most are powered by regular 9-volt batteries and are usually the size of a small flashlight or smaller.

4. A self-defense keychain is a small, portable stick that is highly effective at channeling the force of a blow and causing pain or shock to the attacker (it’s something similar to brass knuckles in that it strengthens your force). It may not be the ideal tool if you are uncertain or unwilling to hit someone and it potentially requires more skill than mace or a stun gun. Still, it’s affordable, discreet, and can be used in close quarters if necessary and unlike mace it will never expire or malfunction.

5. Tactical Handcuffs can come in handy if an assailant can be confined or detained by surprise. These can be especially helpful in situations of theft or assault where you are certain no weapons are involved. If you want to press charges for something such as vandalism or trespassing and you are waiting for police to arrive, you might want to consider using these. *Remember that in most circumstances, your best bet is to get out of harm’s way before resorting to the use of handcuffs.
   
6. Kuba Kickz are the only non-lethal self defense tool available for your shoes and will deliver a strong “don’t mess with me” message. If you are strong on self-defense basics, these covert and lightweight weapons will be a great addition to your everyday carry items.

Knowing How to Defend Yourself is the Last Line of Defense

I am a large advocate for having security layers in place to prevent criminals from making your home their next mark. These items listed above are ones that you can carry and help you when you are out and about. Above all, know that self-defense is your absolute last line of defense and it’s important for you to know how to handle the situation. If you’re caught without any of the above non-lethal implements, it’s important for you to know (at the very least) a few basic self-defense moves. Here are a few articles on the subject.

• 5 Improvised Weapons that Won’t Get You Arrested
• Fight Like Jason Bourne: 7 Key Points to Surviving a Serious Fight
• Hard Core Chicks: Eight Self Defense Tactics Every Women Should Know
• Fight, or Flight? Basic Self-Defense Tips

In a split second, anything can become a weapon when you need to defend yourself. Here are some great ideas for finding items in your home to use for self-defense. What kinds of non-lethal self-defense items do you have to protect yourself with?

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