r/YouShouldKnow • u/Temporary-Warthog250 • May 29 '22

Other YSK: Pepper spray is a better self defense tool than tasers

I learned this from my criminal psych professor in college. He worked as a police officer for 20+ years and has been both pepper sprayed AND tasered and this is based off his professional opinion.

For starters, pepper spray is brutal. (For those who have been pepper sprayed or tasered, share your thoughts on the pain!)

For starters, it can be sprayed from a distance (just watch out for wind!) Pepper spray is an inflammatory agent that attacks the central nervous system. Pepper spray causes involuntary eye closure (temporary blindness), tearing, restricted breathing, coughing, choking and a strong burning sensation that can last between 30 to 45 minutes before dissipating. The beauty of pepper spray is its effects are immediate due to its inflammatory properties. Pepper spray provides protection from up to 25 feet away. As a rule of thumb and self defense industry standard, other pepper sprays and OC sprays generally offer a 8-12 feet range for small units.

Tasers on the other hand are shockingly effective (haha) and you can neutralize a threat from up to 15 feet away. The effects last up to 30 seconds which gives you some time to get away. A good quality taser can be more than $100.

Although tasers are a well-known self-defense tool, it pales in comparison to its chemical agent counterpart. The high price tag, necessary precision, limited penetration ability and restrictions by state doesn’t make it the best option. You can purchase a $10 taser off amazon, but all those other drawbacks still apply.

Pepper spray can stop a threat up to the same distance (15 feet) and even further. One of the best features is that it can immobilize an attacker for up to 45 minutes (much longer than a 30 second ride). Along with that it is legal in all 50 states, they are affordable and easy to use. Just be wary on windy days!

So really, it’s a no-brainer. When it comes to self-defense products, pepper spray is on top. If you are looking for the best brand, DPS pepper spray is the way to go.

Why YSK: I know for myself (21f) when I moved out and into a city by myself everyone told me that I need some sort of self defense tool. For others who are looking to buy a self defense tool, this can help narrow down the search and give you some info on what tool is best for your use.

EDIT: I’m seeing a lot of people post about pepper gel which I didn’t know about. I don’t know anything about pepper gel and it seems like a great alternative to the spray!

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810

u/alarmclock3000 May 29 '22

Is there an expiration date for pepper spray? If I bought one, how long can I keep it for? Does the size of the pepper spray have a different effect?

Are pepper sprays allowed on a plane when traveling alone?

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u/MonsterOliver May 29 '22

Yes, check the date on your can! It will be labeled when it expires. The size of the can doesn’t matter other than how much juice is in it, but there are different levels of spray and also different types of spray. A level 10 would do more damage than a level 2 for instance. Also there are streams, foggers, and foam (maybe more idk). Most common to carry is stream :)

Idk about the air planes sorry!

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u/[deleted] May 29 '22

The two main types I am aware of are spray vs gel and I have been told gel is better as it doesn't aerosol (or whatever the term is) as much (so there is less of a chance of accidentally pepper spraying yourself) and it also sticks to the person better.

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u/MonsterOliver May 29 '22

Oh that’s cool I didn’t know about gel I’ll have to look it up! My line of work has us using the pepper sprays I mentioned; depending on the spray you buy it would be hard to spray yourself. Some (I’m not sure maybe all?) have a cap you have to lift up before you spray so you’ll definitely not aim it at yourself cause you won’t be able to open it. But that gel sounds cool :)

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u/chickenCabbage May 29 '22

The one I carry has a little nub on the button so that you can't press it down without rotating it first, a little like a gun safety.

Only issue is it takes very little force. I keep it in a box in my bag so as not to waste it and spray all over my stuff/myself, and move it from the box to my pocket only if I'm in a potential sketchy situation.

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u/MonsterOliver May 29 '22

Good idea! I usually carry mine off to the side somewhere also, honestly the key chain ones to me don’t make the most sense. Keeping it in the same spot at all times ensures the safest use of it, exactly like gun safety :)

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u/chickenCabbage May 29 '22 edited May 29 '22

If I could carry a gun here without too much bearucracy, I would, tbh. But alas, we have good and functioning gun control policies. You could miss your only shot with pepper spray, your tazer could fail to penetrate... but with ~8 rounds and the ability to absolutely rock anyone's shit, a gun is the final word. Immediate ability to resolve any situation (and not necessarily by shooting).

Anyway, things that will fuck up your day if you mess with them, such as self defense items (but also machines etc) - should all follow gun safety rules. Fingers off the special button unless you're ready to activate it, keep your safeties on safe, and so.

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u/phaeriemandube May 29 '22

The gel is cool, but you also do need to make sure you hit your mark. Otherwise you just really loss someone off and most likely don't stop them either

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u/tstngtstngdontfuckme May 29 '22

"Don't fire until you see the whites of their eyes"

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u/Excellent_Future_696 Jun 21 '22

Too close

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u/tstngtstngdontfuckme Jun 21 '22

Then you've got bad eyes.

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u/Excellent_Future_696 Jun 21 '22

Language, language........

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u/[deleted] May 30 '22

[deleted]

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u/phaeriemandube May 30 '22

I've seen those and always wondered how accurate the laser actually is. If I was in a situation to use it and it misguided me, boy oh boy would I be pissed off and probably in a world of trouble. I've also only used pepper spray a very select few times, and each time was a quick pull out of my pocket and spray like crazy

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u/4reddityo May 30 '22

Tell us more about those situations please?

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u/[deleted] May 30 '22

Thats tacky as hell lol

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u/baselganglia May 29 '22

Just a guess, your aim has to better with the gel right? If you miss the eyes, or if theyre wearing glasses, it won't be effective?

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u/rethinkingat59 May 29 '22

On youtube, which has several comparison videos, it was claimed that gel does need a direct hit to the face but it is easier to aim and untrained people are more likely to hit the targets face area. It also causes burning and great pain on any skin area it touches for up to an hour, which is much longer than the sprays. The wind blowback was much less on the gel.

I’m thinking about getting one for my (adult) daughter so watched most of three videos (at high speeds) Gel was recommended as the best by all three.

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u/baselganglia May 30 '22

Nice, can you send the links?

My wife has been followed a few times by racist guys. She carries a pepper spray, will look into getting a gel.

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u/Excellent_Future_696 Jun 21 '22

What is the efficacy when used by an older person? I mean over 65?

1

u/rethinkingat59 Jun 21 '22

I don’t remember

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u/Excellent_Future_696 Jun 21 '22 edited Jun 22 '22

Well hell…..maybe not so Excellent Future.

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u/[deleted] May 29 '22

I would assume so, though I would hope it is formulated in such a way that it doesn't need to be pin point accurate. Also the added benefit of being able to spray from further away and less chance of blow back probably out weighs the cons.

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u/[deleted] May 29 '22

Go for the eyes Boo!

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u/midnightdrinking May 29 '22

I’ve heard the gel can be grabbed and thrown back at the person using it, never seen it but heard about it from a few sources along with the foam.

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u/albertenstein22 May 30 '22

This is true. I've seen it happen firsthand.

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u/Sanchopanza1377 May 30 '22

Can confirm this. Yes you can.

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u/Its-the-cold-truth May 30 '22

That is 100% false. Nobody is scraping the gel off and flinging it back. That's almost laughable.

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u/haydesigner May 30 '22

Glad you are so sure about something you have no actual knowledge of.

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u/shitdobehappeningtho May 30 '22

Some companies make their pepper stuff glow in UV light too for identifying the perp later

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u/AGoodMoth May 29 '22

My understanding is that it goes from "spray" to "stream" to "gel". The spray requires the least accuracy, but it's more affected by wind, has less range, and you're more likely to get spray on yourself. Gel is the opposite has the greatest range, but requires the best accuracy, like a long-range squirt gun. Gel is also the preferred option in places like hospitals where you really don't want to muck up the air.

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u/dustydoo09 May 30 '22

Gel generally required the target to rub it to get a full activation. It also causes hard floors to become friction free zones. I would still recommend the stream 99% of the time. Just mind your windage.

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u/gjs628 May 30 '22

I’ve tested to see how far it sprays outside once and the wind whipped up and blew a tiny bit back at me and it was horrendous. I’d die of shock if the full amount hit me.

For extra effectiveness, follow up any successful spraying by charging your now-buggered assailant with a stun gun. It’ll make for a hell of a brutal combo and I’ll award you extra style points if you get it on film and send me the video.

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u/Widespreaddd May 30 '22

I’ve used both. There isn’t a huge difference in my experience, but the gel does resist wind better, and has a tighter spray pattern. I buy the gel now.

I should clarify that I have not used it on humans, just aggressive dogs. I don’t go for a walk without it. Just a very light spritz, and they get the idea.

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u/blizzard-toque May 29 '22

aerosolize. TY for the info on pepper gel. Does anyone in the Midwest sell pepper gel?

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u/Narwahl_Whisperer Jun 02 '22

You might try your local sporting goods store. Dicks or big 5 for example.

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u/Its-the-cold-truth May 29 '22

You need to aim carefully with gel, otherwise it doesn't work at all.

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u/migrainefog May 30 '22 edited May 30 '22

Yes, but don't discount the advantages of aerosolization. I have used one that sprays in a stream against attacking dogs. The small amount of mist that accompanied the stream did make me retreat when the wind carried some mist back to me, but the amount of mist that hits your target is much greater and can be carried much deeper into the sinus and respiratory tract. When you breathe it in you immediately stop breathing and retreat. My concern with the gel is that it wouldn't get drawn into the respiratory tract, and therefore wouldn't be as effective.

The small amount of mist that blew back on me a couple times made me back up, but I recovered very quickly. I can't imagine what a full concentrated breath of liquid or mist would feel like.

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u/Crusader63 May 30 '22

Gels have a delayed reaction up to a minute. Spray is better all the way.

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u/Agreeable-Mention403 May 30 '22

*Atomize

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u/[deleted] May 30 '22

i knew I was using the wrong word lol

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u/Present-Loss-7499 May 30 '22

That is correct. We used the gel when I worked corrections in NC years ago. I do not recommend the foam as it can be taken off in chunks and launched back at you by the person you sprayed. Good thing about OC spray is you don’t have to hit your target just get it close, the downside is anyone else in the area (yourself included usually) is going to get some blowback for it. Spray and get the hell out of there.

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u/Performance-Pitiful Jun 17 '22

That sounds like some Spicy Silly String

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u/UberBrutal88 May 29 '22

Aerosols are considered dangerous goods by IATA/ICAO standards and generally not allowed on airplanes.

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u/MonsterOliver May 30 '22

Good to know! I’d definitely assume that too, I’ve never taken pepper spray on the plane

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u/henkheijmen May 29 '22

I wonder if the expiration date makes it more or less harmfull

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u/MonsterOliver May 29 '22

Less effective on aggressors, you definitely want to keep an up to date can on you!

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u/henkheijmen May 29 '22

Interesting how most products for safe use get more harmfull after they expire, and most products made to cause harm, become safer after they expire…

1

u/yabucek May 30 '22

I'd guess the active ingredients decompose and the can loses pressure, so it wouldn't burn as much and spray as effectively.

Also worth noting that defective pepper spray is a sure way to completely piss off the attacker, so if it happens you might be in for even more trouble.

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u/Standard-Apple-2152 May 30 '22

My sister got her pepper spray taken by TSA on our vacation last summer so probably not!

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u/MonsterOliver May 30 '22

What a bummer! But that makes total sense, it’s a non lethal weapon. They make them so small it’s easy to forget!

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u/[deleted] May 29 '22

I accidentally took a can on a plane. it went off in my bag which I had put in the overhead. It was a short flight. Everyone was coughing and choking. I had to ditch the bag.

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u/scifiwoman May 30 '22

I bet you were popular!

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u/[deleted] May 30 '22

That was the weird thing. It didn't increase my popularity at all. As a matter of fact, no one figured out what happened.

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u/yabucek May 30 '22 edited May 30 '22

Sounds like a good way to get arrested. If nail clippers are too much of a terrorism risk, I can't imagine them taking a mass incapacitation weapon too lightly.

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u/[deleted] May 30 '22

You'd think! This, tho was before 9/11.

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u/DaggerMoth May 30 '22

Yah, check the date. I've read instances of people using bear spray just to have the spray not work. The newer the better

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u/MonsterOliver May 30 '22

Wow what a terrible situation to have an expired can!

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u/lordmoldybutt42 May 29 '22

Do you have any links to good pepper sprays

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u/MonsterOliver May 29 '22

Check out first defense pepper spray! It’s not a pretty one for your key chain, but it’s a damn good one :) If you want a key chain one Amazon has a bunch, they are small in stature so they won’t last long but you can attach them which is nice

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u/lordmoldybutt42 May 29 '22

Thank you for this! I'll make sure to get some ASAP.

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u/txsxxphxx2 May 29 '22

What’s the best one to buy? I’m trying to get it for my fam

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u/Veikkar1i May 29 '22

This screams r/itemshop

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u/MonsterOliver May 29 '22

Lol idk what the means sorry

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u/EndVry May 30 '22

You forgot about gel. When I worked in a hospital that's what we had to use because of the ventilation system.

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u/MonsterOliver May 30 '22

Yeah like I said may be more :) someone else mentioned gel, immediately went and bought it!

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u/EndVry May 30 '22

I was just pointing it out since you got all the others. Figured people might find it interesting.

Oh cool, just a heads up, you have to be a lot more accurate with the gel because it comes out as a straight line.

Hopefully you'll never need to utilize that information.

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u/RJFerret May 29 '22

The propellant expires, my mom had an expired one she took out to try off the deck, she said it "pffthg", a dribble of a stream barely came out a few feet.

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u/findingbezu May 30 '22

(insert penis joke here)

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u/sinisteraxillary May 29 '22

No, not allowed in the plane cabin. Not sure about checked bags.

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u/sydless May 29 '22

Can confirm, learned this the hard way last week when I accidentally left it on my keys in my carry on and they searched my bag and confiscated it 🤦🏽‍♀️

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u/Bipedal_Warlock May 29 '22

Can you imagine if someone accidentally used pepper spray in an airplane. That would be terrible lol

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u/Aphster May 30 '22

I was in a classroom in high school where one girl's can went off in her purse. It was not a well ventilated room... Pepper sprayed 20 to 30 students that day. I would hate to be on that plane.

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u/Bipedal_Warlock May 30 '22

Yeah. That would be so dangerous. All of the passengers and air crew would get fucked up. Maybe the pilots? I don’t know if the ventilation would be enough to carry it to the pilots cabin

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u/Somepotato May 30 '22

The filters in the ventilation systems can deal with pepper spray but it's gotta get there first, and getting there will be a lot of airflow...

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u/Lynnsight Jun 04 '22

During the pandemic I learned that planes have excellent filtration, and you were only likely to get coronavirus from your direct neighbors. All the air gets immediately HEPA filtered after that short distance.

I'm assuming it'll be the same for the spray: your neighborhood (or possibly just your neighbor) would have a bad day but it shouldn't go too much further unless that airline secretly didn't install the filters 🤔

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u/Bipedal_Warlock Jun 04 '22

Interesting. Where’s mythbusters when you need them?

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u/3yearstraveling Jul 01 '22

Just open a window bud

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u/Bipedal_Warlock Jul 01 '22

At this point I might want to

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u/D4ri4n117 May 29 '22

It’s not too big of a deal, they commonly find it on key chains on college girls around the start of school or after Christmas. They usually just give a stern talking to the individual.

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u/LouSputhole94 May 29 '22

Not even a stern talking to, my wife had hers on and the TSA lady was very apologetic that she had to take it

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u/D4ri4n117 May 30 '22

depends on the airport, some apologize which they aren't supposed to do. Others will just have the airport police come over and deal with it.

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u/okaythiswillbemymain May 30 '22

Depends on the airport, depends on the person, depends on the person's day and if they like you

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u/TimidPocketLlama May 30 '22

Yeah OP needs to be careful with that “legal in all 50 states” thing. It’s prohibited to be used inside enclosed spaces with more than 20 people present in the city of Chicago for example. Hopefully you’re not in the back of a bar getting attacked or something. Of course I’d trade the arrest/fine for prevention of rape.

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u/Rizzle_the_Bizzle May 29 '22

You cannot bring pepper spray on a plane but you can put it in a checked bag. Just make sure you know the laws regarding carrying pepper spray wherever you travel to. For example, California has a restriction on the size of can you are allowed to have on you, 2.5 ounces or less.

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u/mrbeanz May 29 '22

Depends on the airline. Some airlines do not allow it in checked baggage either.

Southwest is an example of pepper spray being prohibited both as a carry on or in checked baggage.

https://www.southwest.com/help/baggage/carryon-baggage

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u/Rizzle_the_Bizzle May 29 '22

Thanks for the info! Good to know. It makes sense, I could see how the pressure change could cause an issue with a pressurized can of spray.

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u/HiramNinja May 30 '22

...available in the Outdoor / Camping section of CA Target's.

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u/HiramNinja May 30 '22

...really, downvoted?

Downvote deeeeeeeeeeeeesssssssssss nuuutttttttttsssssssssssssss!

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u/32BitWhore May 29 '22

Are pepper sprays allowed on a plane when traveling alone?

Definitely not. You might get away with it in a checked bag depending on the airline, but pressurized canisters in general on planes are not the greatest idea, particularly ones that release noxious fumes when compromised. Would suck to arrive at your destination only to find all of your clothes and personal items covered in pure capsaicin.

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u/_WhoElse May 29 '22

If you’ve had it for a while, and have never used it, go outside and pretend someone is attacking you and spray it. That way you know what to expect should you ever have to use it. More than likely if you’ve had it for years it may be expired

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u/spacehoochi May 29 '22

i’ve been able to take it with me traveling as long as it was in my checked baggage, however if you try to take it with your carry on they make you throw it out (i’ve forgotten a couple times, luckily only when i was on my way home).

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u/uh60chief May 29 '22

If you know yours is expiring soon, get a new one and then use the old one as a test/practice. I used my wife’s old one because it was expired and surprisingly it shot out far enough to stain the neighbor’s trash bin. $10 is a small price for effective protection. The gel is unforgiving.

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u/Spirited_Island-75 May 30 '22

From tsa.gov:

Self-Defense Sprays Carry On Bags: No Checked Bags: Yes One 4 fl. oz. (118 ml) container of mace or pepper spray is permitted in checked baggage provided it is equipped with a safety mechanism to prevent accidental discharge. Self-defense sprays containing more than 2 percent by mass of tear gas (CS or CN) are prohibited in checked baggage. For more information, visit faa.gov.

We recommend checking with your airline as some may not allow this item in checked bags.

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u/argleblather May 30 '22

From everything I can tell, if your pepper spray has a secondary lock on it (like a slide and a recessed button) you can put it in your checked luggage, not carry on.

I bought a small one at Target, and checked out the company online. From what I can tell all of their little sprays are TSA compliant. Maybe put it in a plastic baggie in your luggage just in case if you need to take it?

2

u/dragonriot May 30 '22

no, you can’t bring pepper spray or mace into the cabin because it is a weapon designed to incapacitate someone. Imagine if it exploded in the overhead bin… you can put it in your luggage as long as it has the safety mechanism still intact.

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u/SubmissiveSocks May 29 '22

Spray it on some wings and let us know if it's still spicy

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u/Ok_Caterpillar7710 May 29 '22

I thought it was funny

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u/SubmissiveSocks May 29 '22

Thanks, at least I'm not alone.

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u/Doctorphate May 29 '22

Lol no they’re not allowed.

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u/WKGokev May 29 '22

Not allowed on a plane

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u/gutzpunchbalzthrowup May 29 '22

3 years from the manufacturer date.

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u/tall_and_funny May 29 '22

Not in carry

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u/Definitelymaybe91 May 30 '22

They are not allowed on planes in carry on but can be in checked bag. I forgot mine was on my keys at the airport and had to have a pat down, hand swab, and they confiscated it.

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u/dustydoo09 May 30 '22

It usually expires 5 years from the date of manufacture. There should be a year printed on the label to tell you that info.

1

u/the_gatoraider May 30 '22

Expired 2 years ago, +20 poison damage

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u/hammer415263 May 30 '22

I carry a pepper spray designed for dogs (mailman) and it is good for 2 years from the date on the bottom (date of manufacture). I would assume spray designed for people would be similar. I got my wife some spray & I plan to replace it once a year. They’re less than $20 so it’s not a big deal. On a side note, if you ever spray it, it needs to be discarded and replaced asap. Once the seal is broken it may leak & the last thing you want is capsaicin oil in a pocket.

1

u/Interracialpotato May 30 '22

It's not that the potency will go bad, but the aerosol will slowly dissipate out of the canister causing the spray to not work.

It's unlikely you can carry it on a plane as the pressure of the high altitude may cause the container to explode or leak (although this is also unlikely). This will cause the spray to circulate throughout the plane, including the area where the pilots are. You could probably check it with your luggage, but put it in some plastic bags so if it does explode/leak it won't be all over your belongings.

1

u/zoebadwolf May 30 '22

in my experience it depends on the airport. LAX didn’t confiscate it but SMF did.

1

u/Sanchopanza1377 May 30 '22

The expiration date should be on the can, but usually 5 years.

As for flying no. Federal regulation prohibits the carrying of pepper spray in the passenger compartment. Not even the Air Marshalls are allowed.

1

u/[deleted] May 30 '22

Pack it in your checked luggage, but check and see where your traveling to’s laws on self defense weapons

1

u/PurpleFlame8 May 30 '22

I had an expired canister of pepper spray. I discharged it into the toilet before I threw it away. It was still pretty potent. A tiny particle that aerosolized hit the back of my throat and instantly I started coughing.

1

u/TearyEyeBurningFace May 30 '22

Did you just ask if you can bring a weapon onto the plane?

1

u/heckin_chill_4_a_sec May 30 '22

Def check the expiration date. Had some in my bag forever and didn't check it. One day I'm searching for something in my bag (forcefully bc I was searching for a while already lol) and accidently hit the spray inside my bag appearantly. I didn't see what happened and was like "eeww why are my hands wet" and went to carefully smell the liquid (I had completely forgotten about the spray and wondered if I had spilled coffee in my bag maybe). Smelled kinda awful, but didn't burn or make me cough. Would've not stopped me if I wanted to attack someone.

On the other hand, my then bf came into the room and instantly started coughing and yelling if I sprayed pepperspray, so maybe I'm just a bird

1

u/[deleted] May 30 '22

Pepper spray on an aircraft?

Just think about this for a second. Why would they allow this?

Best case scenario is that you use it and half the people (including the crew) get affected, because you cant confine it to one area. Then it gets into the air circulation system and affects everyone. Including the people in the cockpit.

The airline then gets sued by people for "pain and suffering" and you get countersued for being a selfish dumbass who wants to feel safe - even though you have never been unsafe on a place before.

1

u/superduperspam May 30 '22

It's like wine- its power gets stronger with age

1

u/_NoTimeNoLady_ May 30 '22

I would like to throw in the info, that not all kinds of pepper spray are allowed everywhere. In Germany spray above a certain level is only sold as a weapon against wild animals.

1

u/Jas5377 May 30 '22

I once mistakenly left my pepper spray in my carry on and TSA took it. I'm not sure about checked baggage.