Self Defense Products: Which One Is Right For You?

If you’re interested in self-protection and go online, you’ll see a bewildering array of self defense products to choose from. You can buy pepper spray, a wide variety of stun guns, TASERs, fighting knives, key chains and of course, instructional DVDs that show you how to apply techniques with each of these products as well as your bare hands. So which should you choose? Atlanta region self defense products firm Self Defense ATL specializes in helping consumers find the right product for their respective lifestyles. Company president David Brackman demonstrates products at gun shows and other seminar and trade venues for a wide variety of customers but he concentrates on connecting ordinary Americans with the self defense products most likely to benefit them, based on the following guidelines.

The Law: First and foremost, Mr. Brackman ensures that products conform to local laws. "If you want to avoid being victimized by criminals," he says, "the first step is to avoid anything that might send you to jail!" Self Defense ATL keeps abreast of applicable state and federal law, and so should consumers, especially if they’re making purchases across state lines.

Practicality: Some self-defense products are known to be effective in a number of situations. Others are better suited to fantasy and wish-fulfillment, not self-defense. Examples of the latter are martial arts instructional videos that show flashy acrobatic techniques or exotic looking weapons. "A good self-defense product is designed to meet your needs as much as possible," says Mr. Brackman, "not convince you to work even harder to make the best out of something impractical."

Role Compared to a Firearm: "One of the big mistakes people make is to look at a given self-defense product as a straight substitute for a firearm," says Brackman. "The truth is a little more complicated." He points out that while buying pepper spray may provide an alternative that would not be available if you were armed with a handgun in a specific situation, you should never consider it a straight replacement. "If you exercise your right to protect yourself with lethal force, a handgun has its own role to play when you absolutely require lethal force. If not, pepper spray or a stun gun comes into play as less lethal self defense weapons."

Fitness, Ability and Size: Pepper spray and the recently released C2 TASER gun are both useable at ranges of several feet. If you have good aim and understand how to use them, they might compensate for a deficiency in relative strength or size since you can use them on attackers before they make contact. Stun guns are close range weapons, used in situations where the attacker will be able to grab or hit you. If you have confident aim but less strength, a ranged weapon might be more appropriate. Nevertheless, you should always be prepared for the possibility of close contact with an attacker so that you retain the will to fight and prevail.

Job and Lifestyle: Self defense products include items for both security professionals and the general public. A security guard may get the most benefit from a large, reinforced flashlight stun gun. Professionals in office environments or even people trying to avoid alarm may prefer a cell phone stun gun: a product that looks like a modern mobile phone, but packs the punch of a stun gun.

The Moral Dimension: Ultimately, you choice should rest on what you are prepared to use with little to no hesitation to protect yourself or your loved ones from harm. If you can’t get motivated to use a self defense product, you’ll have a much harder time making it work. "Examine your values," says Brackman. "Once you raise and answer questions about what you’re prepared to do, doing it becomes much easier."

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