When it comes to pepper sprays, women have an advantage over men. Because women often carry purses or other bags, they have an easy place to carry pepper sprays. This includes large pepper sprays that would difficult to comfortably conceal.

I tested all of the pepper sprays below. They are all good pepper sprays. However, they each have a different mix of pros and cons. Read about each of them to find the one that is right for you.

Combo Pepper Spray by Plegium

Full Disclosure: Plegium gave me this pepper spray at no charge.

I’ve tested 26 pepper sprays and this is one of my favorites. 

In regard to the actual spray, it will shoot out 10-12 feet. 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. When I first tested this spray, I something unexpected happened. After pressing the trigger, spray shot out but the siren did not go off. I guessed that this happened because of a light trigger press. I pushed the trigger again with a good firm press. The spray shot and the siren activated. If you have to use the spray, really mash on the trigger.

The Combo can attach to a key ring with a magnetic quick-release keychain. The magnets are super strong. The Combo will only release with a good strong pull.A strobe light activates when the spray is fired. Strobe lights are meant to disorient an attacker.

You can get the “Combo Pepper Spray” by clicking the underlined text.

Pros

• Very Loud Siren
• Excellent Quick-Release Keychain
• Strobe Light
• Good Range

Cons

• A Little Expensive

Conclusion:

One of the best pepper sprays. The automatic siren is a game changer. If you can spend $25 on a pepper spray, then this is a great option.

Pepper Enforcement Platter Stream + Metal Belt Clip Holster

This is one of the best pepper sprays I have tested. It sprays a huge amount. This pepper spray could stop more than 5 attackers easily.

Also, it shoots a stream unlike any of the 22 pepper sprays I have tested. It shoots liquid droplets in a stream. This gives the spray a wide area of effect. Look at the Gif of me shooting it.

This is a large can. This is a great can if you plan on carrying your pepper spray in a bag. If you don’t want to carry a pepper spray this way, then another spray will be better for you.

The holster is good. The can sits in the holster firmly, but still comes out easily. The belt clip is made of thick metal. The holster’s lid grips the side good and comes off quickly for fast access to the can. If you want to carry a pepper spray on a belt, then this holster is a great option.

Pros

• Great Range
• Excellent Volume and Spray Pattern
• Good Holster

Cons

• Huge

Conclusion:

This is one of my all time favorite pepper sprays. If you are OK with the huge size, then this is a great pepper spray for you.

Mace Pepper Gun

Mace’s pepper gun is one of the most powerful pepper sprays on the market. It shoots a large can and it comes with a light.

The large can allows it to spray up to 20 feet. When I shot this spray, it went a long way. I think it can shoot the full 20 feet. The GIF below shows me spraying it.

Shooting the Practice Canister

The light is plenty bright. It will illuminate out to the range of the spray. The light has two modes. It alternates between solid and strobe each time the trigger is pulled. With short trigger pulls, the light mode can be changed without firing the spray. Once a user has the desired light mode, the trigger can be pulled more to fire the spray.

The trigger, safety, and chamber open lever are easy to use.

A water practice cartridge is included. This is great for getting a feel for how to use it and building confidence.

The Mace pepper gun is large. It’s about as large as my subcompact pistol. You can try carrying it in a front pocket. This might be uncomfortable especially when sitting. A holster or bag might be the best places to carry this pepper gun.

This is my favorite pepper gun.

Pros

• 20 Foot Range
• Dual Mode Strobe or Solid Light
• Lots of Spray
• Refillable
• Practice Canister Included
• Ambidextrous Safety

Cons

• Large
• Holster or Bag Carry Solution Might Be Needed

Conclusion:

It’s long range and light make this a powerful pepper gun. If you can handle the inconvenience of a large pepper gun, then get this spray. 

POM Pepper Spray

Full Disclosure: POM gave me this pepper spray at no charge.

POM pepper sprays have two unique features. The flip top safety is one of them. Smallish pepper sprays like the ones from POM usually have swivel safeties. When using pepper sprays with a swivel safety, I learned they tend to come off safe accidentally. I let a friend borrow a swivel safety pepper spray, and he returned it to me with the safety off. However, flip top safeties don’t have this problem.

The other feature is the emphasis on style, and personalizing. POM Pepper sprays are available in white, grey, and black with several choices of colored ring. If you are the type of person who wants everything to match your style, then POM pepper sprays are the self-defense tool for you.

When I tested this, it shot the 10-12 feet the packages says it will go.

The keychain quick-release is not as good as the Combo pepper’s magnet quick-release. It’s a plastic locking quick-release design. It does work, but it requires two hands to use. I hope POM upgrades to a magnetic quick-release in the future.

Pros

• Great Safety
• Good Range
• Stylish

Cons

• A bit expensive for it’s size

Conclusion:

If you care about matching your pepper spray with your style, then there is no better pepper spray for you.

Mace Sport Model

This pepper spray is a good balance between comfort and effectiveness. It has enough juice for at least 2 assailants. 

The wrist strap is good. It holds a wrist and the spray well. It’s not the most comfortable thing, but neither is it uncomfortable. I would feel confident jogging with this for miles. The spray easily comes out of the strap.

The safety is easy to lift. A toddler could lift the safety so keep this spray away from children. It’s not child proof.

This spray is part of Mace’s “empower” brand of products. Mace donates some of the purchase price of this spray to domestic violence awareness and prevention.

Pros

• Good Wrist Holster
• Good Range
• Donation for Domestic Violence Prevention

Cons

• Big for a Wrist Pepper Spray

Conclusion:

It’s an excellent pepper spray for running or other outdoor activity.

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.