I purchased and tested 3 great pepper sprays for college students. There is good and bad with each of them.
What pepper spray you rely on for your safety is a personal choice. Read this article find out what pepper spray features will serve you best. You can watch me test the sprays in the video below.
Watch the video to see these sprays tested and reviewed.
SABRE Keychain Pepper Spray with Quick Release
It feels good in hand. It has finger grooves. I’ve used pepper sprays without finger grooves and they work just fine. Having said that, these finger grooves work and they are not in the way.
The range is 8 to 10 feet. That’s good enough for every day carry.
The keychain attachment is good. It has a release button. Pushing the button and pulling on the spray will release it.
The safety and trigger work as they should. They both have some resistance, but will move for any adult.
It shoots an orange spray. That color helps with aiming and seeing the spray on a target.
Pros
- Quick Release Keychain Attachment
- Decent Range
- Orange Spray
Cons
- Kind of Small
Conclusion:
For about $10, it’s a high value self-defense tool. The quick release attachment will work good on a backpack or keychain.
Mace Night Defender
My umbrella light is reflecting off the can
I really like this spray. The light is one of the most practical and over looked features a pepper spray can have.The range is good. The package says it has an 18 foot range. When I tested this, I found it would go the full 18 feet. The light reaches the effective range of the spray. You can see the spray being testing in daytime and nighttime in the video.The spray is transparent. It would be better if it had color. That would make it easier to aim and see it on a target.The safety goes up easy. The trigger has ridges on top. This gives the trigger traction and makes it feel like nothing else on the spray. As a result, it is easy to grab and place a finger on the trigger without looking at it.This spray is on the big size. It might be a tad uncomfortable in a front pocket. Consider off-body carry or getting a holster for it.This is one of my favorite every day carry pepper sprays. I have tested more than 22 pepper sprays and this is a top tier spray.
Pros
- Long 18 Foot Range
- Bright Light
- Wind Fighting Gel
Cons
- Kind of Big
Conclusion:
This is a great pepper spray for low light self-defense. It’s also a good option if you are in a windy area.
Smart Pepper Spray by Plegium
In regard to the actual spray, it will reach out the full 10 feet as advertised. You can see me test the spray in the video. There is a raised line down the middle of the trigger. That line lets a user get the spray ready to use without looking at the spray.The best feature of this spray is the siren. It sounds like bloody murder. You can hear the siren by playing the video. The siren will be a huge surprise to Thuggy McThuggerson and it will alert anyone nearby to something bad happening.This spray will also send a location text message and automated call when the trigger is pressed. It bluetooth connects to a smart phone and the Plegium app. The contacts that are put in the app will get an automated call and text with the location the pepper spray was used. A college student could put campus police in the app so they can come aid the user.
A strobe light activates when the stray is fired. Strobe lights are meant to disorient an attacker.I was not able to test the location text message and automated call feature. A pin is needed to pair the spray with the Plegium phone app. The stickers with this are under the safety and behind the battery lid. The pins were faded on both stickers on my spray. I contacted customer service about this. At the time pepper sprays were selling as fast as helicopter tickets out of Saigon. Carl at Plegium offered me a free replacement but I would have to wait. I opted to receive a smart mini spray instead of waiting. I recently emailed Carl and he says sticker problem is solved.
Pros
- Loud Siren
- Location Text and Call Alert
- Decent Range
- Strobe Light
- Excellent Customer Service
Cons
- Expensive
Conclusion:
The automatic siren is very useful. I think there are few people who will benefit from the automatic location text and call feature. If you are OK with spending $40 to $60 on a pepper spray, then consider this spray.
Pepper Spray FAQ
Why Carry Pepper Spray?
There are many reasons to carry pepper spray.
One of the most important is that it’s non-lethal. Most self-defense situations involve non-deadly force aggression. As a result, a non-deadly force self-defense tool is more frequently needed than a deadly force tool.
It’s a crime to use deadly force on an attacker who is using non-deadly force.
How to Use Pepper Spray?
There are two things to always do when using pepper sprays.
Pepper spray should be sprayed at one ear and to the other with a continuous stream. This will get the spray in an attacker’s eyes and noise. The result will be involuntary eyelid closure and painful breathing.
Also, vertical, canister type pepper sprays should be shot using the thumb. This will insure a strong grip with 4 fingers grasping the canister. Shooting with the index finger will result in only 3 fingers gripping the can. The picture below shows the right and wrong way to hold.
Does Pepper Spray Expire?
Yes, pepper sprays lose their effectiveness over time. They are always leaking pressure. After the expiration date, a pepper spray might not effectively shoot it’s contents. To be super safe, you can replace your pepper spray a year before expiration.
Can Minors Carry Pepper Spray?
In many jurisdictions, it is legal for people under 18 to possess and use pepper spray for self-defense. For example, California permits 16 year olds to carry pepper spray in public. It is often illegal for minors to purchase pepper spray.
What’s the Difference Between Mace and Pepper Spray?
Mace is a company that makes pepper sprays. Just like the word “Xerox” was used to refer to copying documents, some people use “Mace” to refer to pepper spray.
