I saw a show about self defense for women in NY city. The instructor said to always carry a sucker. One of those tootsie pops or the like. If in trouble, hold the ball in your hand, turn the stick outward, between your middle and ring finger and punch at something soft and fleshy like stomach or face (eyes, mouth). It’s nice because it works everywhere. Even the TSA will let you board a plane with a sucker.
A lot better than that horrible “use your keys like Wolverine” idea.
A walking stick, maybe with a steel spike on the bottom for grip. Could be weighted.
Smart idea, actually.
Plus it looks cool AF
Hardwoods will be heavier than softwoods, better for self defense, but softwood are usually more straight.
Used to carry a tactical pen disguised as a ballpoint pen.
Like people said, the best answers are the boring ones.
Best defense is being deescalating and avoiding dangerous situations, second is fast legs, third best is going to the gym, fourth best is probably pepper spray, and I would say the fifth best is a knife if legal. But most fights are over in under a second and there are no winners but only survivors with less severe injuries, and then it’s almost always weapon > muscles > luck > technique > stamina.
Oh yeah and don’t forget fighting is never cool. Everyone looks dumb, everything hurts and you will almost always regret it if you are sane.
I’ve also heard one of the best home defenses is a good dog. Just the act of it barking, I hear, scares people away because the house is now alerted.
Pepper spray is good. Especially for dogs.
Make sure you are aware of how your spray comes out. There’s the traditional type that comes out as an aerosol cone and the recipient can’t really block (it just goes around their hand) but there’s also the kind that comes out as silly string that can be blocked but won’t be affected by a stiff breeze and just blow back into your face.
The nice thing about pepper spray is you and your friends can get together and do jackass routines on each other to figure out how you’ll actually fish it out of your pockets or purse when you need to use it and get comfortable spraying it. You can also subsequently figure out how to counteract the effects so that if it blows back on you or gets smeared on you you’re not experiencing it for the first time in a “I bet you’re wondering how I got here” type freeze frame.
It’s also good to come home to the wife filled with adrenaline smelling like a five pepper curry plate mixed with spoiled milk making your most amorous advances.
Your best non-firearm self defense object though is a gun. I know that sounds crazy, but stay with me. Self defense is staying alive, in most places, legally speaking. When some crap happens and a month later you and the other person are in front of some law authority, that judge is gonna be trying to figure out if one of you claiming self defense can reasonably be considered to be in fear for your life or safety. So it’s not like there’s a legal obligation not to use a gun if you’re allowed to have one and a firearms generally considered status as lethal force acts as support for your claim of life and limb, if you credibly have one.
But didn’t you just fucking say “non firearm”? Yes. Yes you did. At least in the United States, but also in many other jurisdictions, some guns aren’t firearms. In the us, cap and ball revolvers for example, even modern reproductions, are not considered firearms. For the question of viability, see the many YouTube videos of gun influencers dressing up in cosplay and shooting the gel torso man with uberti’s latest product.
So you can generally use a gun in self defense and if for some reason you are barred from carrying a firearm, guns are an option.
Make sure to schedule similar fun time with friends to figure out how to safely carry, draw and reholster your blunderbuss. Do not point guns at people you don’t intend to kill.
Okay here’s the thing to actually read:
If you haven’t been in a situation where you’re scared for your life, don’t go seeking one out. Develop a way to express your emotions and practice everyday saving them up for that release instead of being goaded. Avoid every fight as much as possible. You do not get stronger from fighting, you physically destroy your body and mind. Using a self defense object will cause you to experience deep and lasting trauma whose consequences will have an effect on every relationship you hold.
Retain the services of a lawyer in your area to obtain specific advice for your situation. They will be familiar with the local authorities, laws, training organizations and you will be protected from scrutiny by their client confidentiality.
Again, go directly to your local legal aid agency and locate a lawyer who can advise you. No one knows who or where you are and they will ask questions that are pertinent in your jurisdiction.
Pepper spray notes here: they usually come in a few types. There’s stream, fog, and gel. Gel can be pulled off and flung back at you, fog just hangs in the air and you’ll probably breathe it in, so I suggest a stream. Also there’s water based and oil based. Oil based is much harder to get off. There’s also peppermace, which combines both (though some people have a tolerance to mace and it may be considered a chemical weapon in your area).
Tl;dr oil-based stream pepper spray is the way to go. Practice with it.
Here even knives, sprays and batons are illegal, unless definable as tools
Best defence is to run fast with good stamina.
If that’s not an option, dog poop bag and round stone size of a golf ball. You can claim it was inspired weapon.
…or a two sided monkey fist with ballbearings that you can claim was a stress toy.
What country?
What’s your threat model?
Black hard rubber dildo exceeding 12" in length.
“These are a bit shit!” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i4P1r9MgilA&t=81
Steel water bottle with one end narrowed to be a convenient handle –
A fat water bottle can’t be gripped. Bad handle = bad weapon –
Wasp spray. If you’re being attacked, 9 times out of 10 it’s probably a wasp or a wasp ally. I imagine wasp spray also works pretty well on animals with eyes or other exposed mucus membranes.
Umbrella. No one looks twice at someone carrying an umbrella, but it can still give you a reach advantage or be used as a weapon in extreme circumstances.
i got your back 😎
Sturdy flashlight.
Your knees and elbows. Train some kickboxing on how to strike with them.
Most items carried can be taken and used against you.
A portable alarm with a high intensity strobe can give you time to run toward safety. Or a smart-watch with a duress/emergency feature, to sound alarm and call assistance. There may not always be the chance to pull out an item though.
Your body size matters, get some expert advice on what will actually work for you, at your current size and fitness.
Confidence, if you prepare and walk tall, your chances of being targeted diminish.
A ring on your keys, big enough to use them as a type of brass knuckles/ flail. Slide your finger in, make a fist and swing away.
Flipper Zero?
No knifes - but something blunt and small. Like a flashlight or mace. Made of metal, wood or even hard plastic. Could be retractable.
