By Mike Sherman
Do you want to feel protected while camping, but you shun guns? There are alternatives that will help you in the event you find yourself under assault, either by an animal or a human being acting like an animal.
Non-lethal weapons have, of course, been around since the beginning of time. Some might think a rock or a baseball bat is a non-lethal weapon, but the law recognizes them as deadly weapons. If you rely on a baseball bat for personal protection, keep in mind that its use requires you to be up close and personal with your attacker.
But what about a defensive spray? They can save your life with a 15-foot separation between you and the offender. Continue reading about the benefits of pepper spray.
Differences between animal (dog or bear) spray and human pepper spray
If you want to stay safe from both animals and humans while jogging or camping, you probably don’t want to carry two different types of spray (animal spray and human pepper spray). So, the natural question is whether you can use one spray to cover all possible scenarios.
The fact is, animal spray is typically not as strong as human pepper spray. This is because, quite simply, it doesn’t need to be. Dogs and other animals have much more sensitive senses of sight and smell, so it takes much less OC (oleoresin capsicum, the active ingredient in pepper spray) to affect them and keep you safe.
Dog spray (like Mace Brand Muzzle Pepper Spray) is most often less than half of the industry standard put into human defense spray. The industry standard for human pepper spray is about 2 million SHU (Scoville Heat Units).
What type should I carry?
If you only want to carry one type of spray, it’s advised to carry human pepper spray and have protection against both animals and humans.
Pepper spray is not lethal and will not cause long-term injuries to people or animals. It will only temporarily disable the attacking animal or human. Human pepper spray can still get an instant response in animals and the range is still adequate enough for you to stay safe (between 8 and 16 feet).
Each spray wears off in 30 minutes to 2 hours, and it’s legal in all states (with a few still having restrictions on its use).
Of course, it should be noted that human pepper spray might not be as effective on larger animals like bears. Bear spray might be a better choice if you’re an avid camper or hiker in locations where you’re more likely to encounter an angry bear than a human attacker.
Both bear spray and pepper spray contain the same active ingredient, OC (oleoresin capsicum). It can cause temporary blindness, nausea, burning sensations, inability to breathe temporarily and other bothersome symptoms.
However, the big difference in bear spray and human pepper spray is that bear spray has to pass tests done by the Environmental Protection Agency to ensure it’s humane. In terms of strength, bear spray has about 2% CRC (Capsaicin and Related Capsaicinoids) and human spray only has about 1.33% CRC. Bear spray typically can shoot farther than human pepper spray and also often has a wider effect area.
Stay protected at all times
The main point is to keep yourself protected at all times, no matter where you are. Think about your lifestyle and what types of dangers you might encounter on a regular day. If you don’t ever camp or hike, chances are you need human pepper spray. It can help you fight off human or smaller animal attacks (dogs, cats, raccoons, opossum). It’s an ideal choice for joggers or for those who need protection as they walk in parking lots.
However, if you are in the woods a lot and need protection against bears, it might be wise to carry bear spray alone or carry it along with human pepper spray. It could possibly be illegal to use bear spray on a human, should you be attacked by a human while hiking in the woods, as it’s not intended for human use.
But, keep in mind, if you’re being attacked you must react to keep yourself safe. So, if all you have is bear spray, be sure to use it! It will disable a human just the same, if not more effectively.
There are some restrictions in a few states. You can view the legal information and a wealth of product information at Pepper-Spray-Store.com.
Be alert and stay safe out there.
Mike Sherman is a retired street cop and investigator with 30+ years of RV experience as a traveler, camp host and all-around advocate for the joys of living on the road. His articles are for general discussion purposes only – you should always consult your local authorities or legal counsel for specific answers if necessary.
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RVTDT2858
If you are crossing into Canada – know the law. If it says self protection or police on the canister, you are in for a stiff fine and maybe confiscation of your vehicle. However, animal, dog and bear spray are ok .
Also, bear spray is only legal in Canada if it is justifiable. If you’re carrying it in an urban area, it’s not. And if it’s used on a human, you will probably end up in court, until you can prove it was reasonable force. I’m all for our gun laws, but what I don’t like is the “reasonable force” part. If someone comes at you with a knife, and you shoot them, you “could” be charged.
If someone comes at you with a knife, then that is reasonable force.
We carry pepper spray and a can of wasp spray with a 20’ stream. But, a Byrna launcher is also part of our defense tools. Non-lethal and heavier duty pepper spray platform and also kinetic balls.
I carry a Byrna in States where my CCW is not valid. In the 27 Constitutional Carry States, when warranted, I carry my 9mm. I have taken it upon myself to get extensive training in the legal aspects of carrying a lethal weapon. In the small Western town where I live crime used to be nonexistent. The population is growing and so is the crime. Now when going anywhere in town I carry my 9mm. I’ve been shooting guns since 10 years old. My father taught me how to respect them. Guns were never locked up in my father’s because they didn’t need to be. Is was a different era in the 1950’s.
The Byrna launcher will be the next thing I purchase.
A good part of protecting us.
Whatever you choose to use, just make sure it’s capable of incapacitating a perpetrator; either 4 legged or 2 legged. Don’t want to just cause irritation. Some creatures will respond in a more aggressive manner.
A better alternative to pepper spray is pepper foam. There is less chance of it blowing back towards you. Plus, it expands when it hits, making it impossible to wipe away.
This is what our local police carry.
How to put this? I fully recognize some situations may be unavoidable and inescapable. Personally I have a carry permit. At the same time it seems too many people with personal protection gear have become too brave and stood their ground when they should have recognized the danger and moved along sooner. I chalk it up to insufficient training – especially situational awareness. Folks, please get the training before you gear up.
I’m thinking that a Walkman/woman with a loud speaker playing wrap or rap would be enough to do the work, or reggae, whatever the new horrible so called music. I love Rock-n-Roll!!!
Thank you for the advice and discussion, Mike. Have a great day and safe travels!