Mace/Pepper Spray. You ladies carrying?

[MrsFS]

I am not quite ready to go the CCW route but I do carry pepper spray. Are you ladies carrying? What do you carry? Ever had to use it?

I am carrying a spitfire key ring. It easily pulls off the key ring so that even if your keys are in the ignition it breaks away quickly. It's very discrete. In fact, one of my co-workers almost sprayed himself because he did not realize what it was and was playing with it. It would have been funny considering I don't care for him.When I discuss this with other females around me(co-workers, family, girlfriends), I often get eye rolls or giggles. They then proceed to tell me a story about something creepy happening to them where it might have made them feel safer to have had some. Apparently close calls are not enough to encourage them. They admit it's probably a good idea but none of them take the extra step to get some.

[Steyrlp10]

Not I... I'm always thinking about Murphy's Law with the wind and my lack of luck in such things.

However, I try to be vigilent about my surroundings and things of that nature...

[BK Akitas]

no- if it sprays back at you, you're screwed. the nozzles are small on commercially available retail units and tend to get clogged easily. also tend to be harder to depress if you've got longer nails. things seem to go off when you really don't want them to.

though I admit to liking the nice large triggers on bear mace. it's not legal to use on people though. just sayin'

[OHOD]

Benchmade Mini-Barrage

[OHOD]

I do have an NAA Mini-Revolver in 22lr, but I don't have a CCW. So I don't carry it.
Hate it when that happens.

[8bitnintendo]

Nope, I basically just pay attention to my surroundings and move like I'm going somewhere, like Steyr. I have never experienced a worrisome situation though. Maybe I just don't get out enough

[movie zombie]

Nope, I basically just pay attention to my surroundings and move like I'm going somewhere, like Steyr. I have never experienced a worrisome situation though. Maybe I just don't get out enough

ditto. i had one situation where someone attempted to stop me in a parking lot once..........i kept moving and told him to leave me the **** alone....he still approached and said all he wanted to do was talk to me....my response was that he didn't know me and he didn't want to know me, that i was in a really bad mood and even i didn't know what i'd do if he didn't leave me the **** alone.....he seemed to be surprised and decided it wasn't worth the trouble.....

i find that the best defense is often a good offense. i walk confidently and with my keys out. i look like i know where i'm going and i do. i'm aware of who is where and don't sit with my back to a door.

living in stockton i learned a lot of street smarts.......

[MrsFS]

Nope, I basically just pay attention to my surroundings and move like I'm going somewhere, like Steyr. I have never experienced a worrisome situation though. Maybe I just don't get out enough

I don't think that it's because you don't get out enough, you probably just avoid things that are sketchy. Maybe we all share the commonality of looking like we aren't afraid of the world and carry ourselves that way. People usually assume I am a total b**** until they get to know me. Who knows? Maybe it's just the vibe we all put off.

[VL221]

Nothing beats this:

[Mari]

I carry pepper spray. We live in Oakland and while we live in a nice part, you can never be too careful! Ive practiced spraying it in different scenarios (wind, pulling it out of bag quick, etc) My boyfriend (@J2Tactical) got me a really cool bag that has such a convenient compartment for it, such a breeze to pull out safely! I refuse to be afraid to go on a walk alone or to ever be unprepared in general. Now if I only had a CCW...

[masameet]

Late at night/early in the a.m. I am sometimes out and about, herding cats. Wasn't until a few summers ago, when a carload of guys kept circling the block to look at me, did I think about carrying a weapon. First I carried a knife. Then opted for a spray thingee on a key chain. Then began carrying an aluminum monopod. Finally I stopped carrying anything while walking with my feline friends. After a bunch of coyotes started howling in the nearby hills, I began carrying a knife again.

Honestly if I had a kubotan with a spike, I'd be carrying that.

[nosuchagency]

just throwing this out there & you can take it for what it's worth - the 2 times that i've had to deploy pepper spray were both against pitbulls; one attacking another dog, the other charging at me from approx. 20 ft away. it stopped both dogs in an instant.

spray has its place and in my opinion you're only depriving yourself of an effective 'option' by not considering carrying a canister with you. yes, backwash can be an issue, but the stream versions help mitigate against this to some degree (using indoors, you're likely screwed regardless). i prefer fox & sabre red brands. .02...

[Steyrlp10]

I don't think that it's because you don't get out enough, you probably just avoid things that are sketchy. Maybe we all share the commonality of looking like we aren't afraid of the world and carry ourselves that way. People usually assume I am a total b**** until they get to know me. Who knows? Maybe it's just the vibe we all put off.

Think it's a Calguns attitude? (I remind myself that the moon seems to be full more often with nutjobs...)

[jdberger]

A couple years ago I was walking a couple blocks to go to a PTA meeting. It was January and pretty cold. It was dark. 5 guys tried to rob me (here's the thread describing the event).

I saw it coming. There wasn't anywhere to run. I was also wearing the wrong shoes for it.

I was carrying a knife - but because I was wearing gloves, I couldn't deploy it (or was actually afraid that I couldn't - or that I'd drop it while trying to open it). I yelled and kicked a car in someone's driveway to set off the car-alarm and no one bothered to come outside to see what was happening.

The next day, I bought a knife that would open when I pulled it from my pocket. I also bought the Spitfire 10% for my keychain. The spray button can be used with gloves or even long nails. Finally, I bought a small bright flashlight that I can use to temporarily blind someone - but doesn't seem as confrontational as an opened knife or can of OC.

Note that I'm not a small guy. I also live in a pretty decent neighborhood. The event all happened on a sidestreet. I'm also well aware of my surroundings - I wasn't caught off-guard. I saw the event going down - I simply couldn't avoid it.

Get the Spitfire. It points naturally and sprays naturally. It's unobtrusive. It pops off if you're boarding an airplane or if your keys get snagged. And being on your keys, it's always with you. Liz - I'll show you mine next time I see you.

(Oh - I had a valet spray himself with it, too. Straight up his nose.)

[Steyrlp10]

Josh, glad you're here with us in one piece and yes, please show and tell next time -- as long as you don't use me as a guinea pig

I don't want to be like that valet!