What Self-Defense Weapon Is Right for Me?

The difference between a situation and a life-threatening situation is preparedness, and the difference between being prepared and not being prepared is having the right training and self-defense weapons at your disposal. But not all tools of personal defense are best for every defender—your environment, your budget, and your legal limitations will be of concern as you’re selecting the ideal option. Here are some of the key factors to consider before investing in your everyday protector.

Consideration 1: Threat Level – From sharp keychains to firearms, self-defense weapons deploy power and intimidation along a broad spectrum. They can incapacitate an assailant by blinding them, shocking them, intimidating them, or injuring them to the point of immobility or death. Naturally, the higher the threat, the more training and legal clearance are required. If your goal is a non-lethal threat, investing in a stun gun or TASER is a good option offering the ability to incapacitate without the risk of doing any permanent physical harm.

Consideration 2: Size and Weight – Ask yourself where you want to store your weapon. If it’s in your purse, in your pocket, on your utility belt, or concealed on your person, you will want to stick something small and lightweight. These days, smaller doesn’t necessarily mean weaker when it comes to self-defense tools—the 0.32-pound Streetwise Knuckle Stun Gun, for example, has the capacity to deliver 18 million volts of electricity, but you’ll barely notice you have it on your finger. Bigger weapons, such as police-grade batons, can be good for wielding physical force and are ideal for when space is not a concern.

Consideration 3: Rules and Regulations – The laws on self-defense weapons differ by state, and city, with some municipalities having tighter regulations on who can own both lethal and non-lethal weapons. Pepper spray is legal to own in all 50 states, as are keychain weapons, making them ideal for all users. On the other hand, firearms are highly restricted almost everywhere, requiring special permits and certifications if carried. Note: Even with non-lethal weapons, you should always know your city or state laws because there are many restrictions on size, weight, who can buy them, and where they can be carried.  

Consideration 4: Training – How much time do you have to spend learning how to use any given tool of self-defense? Like anything, these devices range from super simplistic to extremely complicated. There are many self-defense weapons in our store that you can master in under an hour, such as pocket knives, stun guns, and batons (though more training is always best), and ones that require 100-plus hours of instruction.

Complexity doesn’t necessarily apply to all tools in a certain category. For example, with regard to conducted energy devices, the TASER is much more complex (requiring more training) than the comparably simple stun gun, putting these two similar devices in very different classes.

Consideration 5: Budget – The great news is that, with the proliferation of so many awesome self-defense weapon options on the market, the prices on even high-end options have come down. You’ll find everything from keychain mace for just a few bucks to cutting-edge, police-grade TASERs that cost over $1,000. No matter your budget, you will be able to find an appropriate defense option for your needs. Just remember that safety is worth the investment and, if there’s a possibility that you will be in any life-threatening situation, price should not be a primary consideration.

Speak to a Professional

There’s no formula for figuring out which self-defense tool is the best option for every person. Your experience with self-defense, your willingness to train or obtain certain certifications, and knowing the most likely scenarios where you’ll have to deploy these weapons will help you zero-in on which options are best for you.

The team at the Home Security Superstore is uniquely skilled at helping beginners and professionals alike find the appropriate weapons, so don’t hesitate to contact us if you’d like one-on-one advice about your personal defense options.