Bear Mace Spray

Bear mace spray - description, effectivness, legal status and more. This article introduces one of the most effective, yet not widely use means of self-defence. If you are tired of being afraid of thugs, drunken teenagers or aggressive weirdos in dark alleys, go on reading. Legal in all states!

Bear mace spray is generally a spinofff of traditional pepper spray. It used to be filled with CN gas (prohibited in many countries now because of side effects and inefficient against attackers under influence of alcohol and drugs - a bit unpleasant I would say...), today it uses Oleoresin Capiscum, natural inflammatory agent. While generally intended to be used against bears (bears use pepper spray or dog mace as a mouth refresher...). As you can guess, when it is able to deterr a bear, you bet it will detter and potentially knock out that thug who is following you the last half mile!

The most popular bear mace is produced by the Mace company, but you can buy many version, mostly based on OC content. It is not widely used by public, but if you watch popular (and slightly silly) reality show Dog The Bounty Hunter, bear mace is Duane 'The Dog' Chapman's weapon of choice.

The use is very simple. You press the trigger and the can releases stream of foam through the nozzle in the cap. The effective range is around thirty feet, the pressure holds for around six seconds. It is constructed to create a wall of foamy fog, which would stop even quickly approaching bear - direct hit is not required. This gives you more chances during the stressing situation. The solid structure of the content also prevents you from hitting your own face - the usual problem of pepper spray.

An attacker will be immediately paralyzed even with a short blast. Temporary blindness, breathing problems, feeling of suffocation, and of course very strong burning will last for at least 15 minutes, allowing you enough time to escape. See study by Department of justice about the effects.

While pepper spray is illegal in Hawaii, New York, Massachusetts or Wisconsin, bear mace is legal and can be shipped to all states.

Pepper spray:

• smaller, more compact
• cheaper

Bear mace spray:

• stronger effect
• bigger range
• more content
• no need for direct hit
• safe for the defender
• legal in all states
  

There are several options for self defence - knives (very lethal, lagging immediate effect, skills needed), baton (skills and physical power needed), tasers (complicated use, only close range use, often illegal), pepper spray (see above) or bear mace.

I vote for bear mace!