Many people think about what would happen if they were attacked when they go out. By going out it could mean shopping, parties, work, school, or anywhere outside your home. What about inside your home too? Would you follow a natural instinct for your defense or freeze on the spot? Would the natural instinct be the right move? These are all questions that need to be answered in a world that is becoming more hostile all the time.
Crime is actually on the rise in some cities according to different recent news reports. The crime on the rise is not always committed by the usual addict or over imbiber, but by people we already know. Usually by relatives or close friends.
So, what pepper spray would be right for you? A little history on pepper spray may help. Pepper spray comes in many different shaped containers, sizes, and several different strengths. Pepper spray can be an effective deterrent to attackers if a person keeps their head and thinks about what to do. Some spray anywhere from 8 to 20 feet, depending on the model, and have an effect that lasts from 30 to 45 minutes. Remember that pepper spray must be tested regularly to determine if it still works. Pepper spray will not lose its effectiveness, but the container may leak out the pressure over a period of time. Most pepper sprays have an active shelf life from 4 to 6 years.
One thing to think about is, "how "hot" is the pepper spray that hits the attacker?" Pepper spray OC is a derivative of Cayenne peppers. It is pure, non-toxic and non-flammable. Pepper spray is not an irritant like tear gas, but an inflammatory agent. When it makes contact with the nose, eyes, mouth, lungs, and skin it causes an immediate dilation of the capillaries, but does not stop life sustaining breathing. It does cause temporary blindness and constricted breathing and can put an attacker to his/her knees. So, we go back to the question, "how "hot" is the pepper spray that hits the attacker?"
Pepper spray has been measured as a percentage of OC in the active and inactive ingredients of the spray and the Scoville Heat Unit (SHU) of the particular spray. In marketing the effectiveness of pepper spray, some manufacturers stress the OC rating, others stress the SHU as how "hot" their spray is, yet others use both to market their sprays. The range of percentages on the market today is 10% to 17% OC and/or a SHU could be up to 5,300,000 heat units. What is the actual percentage of OC and/or heat units that is in the spray to affect the attacker? If you do your research you will learn from various sources that the SHU of pepper range from 0, like green bell peppers, to the actual 16,000,000 of a Cayenne pepper in pure form. Everything is diluted.
The only true way to measure a spray's potency is to measure it AFTER it leaves the nozzle. I believe that an educated consumer is a wise consumer. What you buy for your personal self-defense and the self-defense of your family is a major concern requiring research and an important decision. The safety of you, your friends, and family is at stake.
So, the question now looks like this. What is the "quality & effectiveness" of your OC pepper spray vs. "quality and effectiveness" claimed?
90% of the pepper sprays on the market claim an unrealistic, false and/or unsubstantiated "true" heat rating. The math you use for this is very simple. If the OC spray claims 10%, then you multiply the SHU rating by 10% and that will tell you what you should get out of the nozzle, or business end of the pepper spray. The formula looks like this:
If the product claims 15% OC at 2,000,000 SHU, you multiply the claimed SHU by the claimed percentage of OC. i.e.: 2,000,000 SHU X 15% (or .15) = 300,000 "true" SHU.
If the product claims 5% OC at 5,300,000 SHU, you multiply the claimed SHU by the claimed percentage of OC. i.e.: 5,300,000 SHU X 5% (or .05) = 265,000 "true" SHU.
You can use this formula on ANY OC spray that claims an OC percent and a SHU rating.
What you will discover is that most OC sprays don't even come close to their claimed heat rating.
Now, even with all this information available to you, the question still remains, "What pepper spray is right for you?" You really have to look at your life-style, environment lived in, and need. It will take some searching, but you will find the one that will suit you and your needs. You can find an effective pepper spray.
Copyright 2006
Ted Marlett has been in the business of safety & security for approximately 22 years. Some for the military and now selling home and office self-defense & security products. Look at some pepper sprays that meet the "heat" requirement going out the nozzle. Thanks for looking.