Why I Recommend Carrying a Defensive Spray

People often ask me what self-defense tool I recommend carrying.

Over the years, my answer has evolved as products have improved, but one category has remained at the top of my list: a quality defensive spray.

Years ago, I recommended several pepper spray products. Today, my first choice is Reflex Protect's Presidia Gel.

There are many reasons why, but they all come back to one important concept.

Distance is your friend.

Distance Gives You an Advantage

One of the biggest problems with many self-defense tools sold today is that they only work when you're already within arm's reach of an attacker.

A handheld stun gun.

A kubaton.

A Yawara stick.

A pocket stick.

These tools can certainly be effective in the right circumstances. I've trained with many of them and taught people how to use them. But they all share one major limitation.

You have to be close enough to touch your attacker.

That means your attacker is also close enough to hit, grab, stab, or overpower you.

I often tell students that if they're within striking distance of the bad guy, the bad guy is within striking distance of them.

I'd rather solve the problem before it gets that close.

A Lesson from Peyton Quinn

Years ago, my friend and fellow self-defense instructor Peyton Quinn demonstrated this point perfectly.

He allowed a woman to use a handheld stun gun against him. The instant she made contact, he simply knocked the stun gun out of her hand.

She had delivered the electrical shock—but she was still standing right in front of him.

He could have struck her, grabbed her, or continued the assault almost immediately.

That demonstration stuck with me because it showed something many advertisements ignore.

A tool isn't automatically effective simply because it works as designed.

You also have to consider how close you must be to use it.

Why I Like Defensive Sprays

A defensive spray changes that equation.

Instead of waiting until an attacker is within arm's reach, you can stop the attack from several feet away.

Even the small keychain models typically offer an effective range of around 8 to 10 feet.

One of my favorite sizes is the popular MK3 style canister, which provides an accurate working range of roughly 12 to 15 feet. While many sprays can reach even farther, I like to focus on realistic, accurate distances.

Those extra feet matter.

They buy you time.

They create space.

They often prevent the attacker from ever reaching you.

For almost everyone—regardless of age, size, strength, or athletic ability—that is a tremendous advantage.

Why I Recommend Reflex Protect's Presidia Gel

Not all defensive sprays are created equal.

Traditional pepper sprays often create a large fog or cloud. One advantage of that type of spray is that you don't have to be extremely accurate. You can sweep a "Z" or "S" pattern in front of an advancing attacker, and the cloud has a good chance of reaching their face.

The downside is obvious.

That cloud doesn't just affect the attacker.

It affects everyone nearby.

If you're indoors, you may contaminate yourself, innocent bystanders, or everyone else in the room.

I remember hearing about an incident shortly before COVID when a student discharged pepper spray inside a Utah school. The spray entered the HVAC system, and the entire school had to be evacuated.

That's one of the reasons I like Reflex Protect's Presidia Gel.

Instead of producing a drifting cloud, it fires a tight, focused stream of gel.

That means it can be used indoors with far less risk of contaminating everyone around you.

It's one reason why it's carried by hospitals, churches, schools, businesses, and law enforcement officers who need an effective less-lethal option in environments where cross-contamination can create even bigger problems.

Every Tool Has Tradeoffs

No self-defense tool is perfect.

Every tool involves compromises.

The tradeoff with a focused gel stream is that you must be accurate.

The gel needs to strike the attacker's eyes.

If you spray over their head or soak their shirt, you're not going to stop the attack.

That means training matters.

The better your accuracy, the more effective your defensive spray becomes.

Carrying It Isn't Enough

Over the years, I've discovered that many people carry good equipment but aren't prepared to use it.

Years ago, while teaching a university safety class, I asked students whether they carried pepper spray.

One young woman proudly raised her hand.

"Great," I said.

"Where do you carry it?"

She smiled and replied, "In my purse."

I then asked how long it would take her to find it if someone suddenly attacked her.

Her smile disappeared.

She immediately realized the problem.

A self-defense tool you can't reach quickly is almost the same as not having one at all.

Your defensive spray should be somewhere you can access immediately when you need it.

Practice Before You Need It

The second mistake people make is assuming they'll automatically know how to use their spray under stress.

Different manufacturers use different safety mechanisms.

Some have flip safeties.

Some have rotating safeties.

Some use thumb tabs.

Others deploy differently.

You need to know exactly how your particular unit works without having to think about it.

That's why I strongly recommend buying one or more inert training units.

Practice drawing it.

Practice disengaging the safety.

Practice presenting it toward the target.

Practice firing quickly and accurately.

Then add movement and stress to your practice.

The more realistic your practice, the more likely you'll perform well if you ever need it.

"I Carry a Gun."

One comment I hear frequently is:

"I carry a firearm, so I don't need anything else."

I disagree.

I'm not against carrying firearms. In fact, there are situations where lethal force may be legally and morally justified.

But not every dangerous encounter rises to that level.

Many situations involve aggressive behavior, assaults, or threats that may justify using force—but not deadly force.

That's where a quality less-lethal option becomes invaluable.

My friend and fellow trainer Matt often says:

"If all you carry is a gun, your options are bad words and lethal force."

That's a simple statement, but it's incredibly accurate.

A defensive spray gives you another option.

An option that may stop an assault without requiring you to use deadly force.

An option that may help you avoid taking a life while still protecting your own.

That's why I believe carrying a quality less-lethal tool alongside a firearm is one of the smartest choices an armed citizen can make.

Final Thoughts

No self-defense tool guarantees success.

The tool is only part of the equation.

Training.

Awareness.

Judgment.

Practice.

Those are what make any tool effective.

For me, a quality defensive spray checks a lot of important boxes. It allows people of almost any size or strength to stop an attacker from a distance. It provides a practical less-lethal option for situations that don't require deadly force. And when paired with regular practice and good decision-making, it becomes one of the most valuable self-defense tools you can carry.

That's why I recommend carrying one.

And that's why my personal recommendation is Reflex Protect's Presidia Gel.