spray
Spray Introduction
The thought of a criminal act or violent attack being committed against us is terrifying, but the fact is, aggressive attacks do occur. Preparation in advance can give us the confidence to protect our own selves, rather than have our every move be overshadowed by fear.
A significant benefit of using pepper spray is the wide range of the projection. You do not need to have
perfect aim with pepper spray because the pattern of the spray is very wide. It is important to
practice the use of your pepper spray, but easier to get results than with some other form of
self defense weapon which requires more accuracy.
For your benefit, we outlined the right way to actually spray the pepper spray.
- The spray stream will actually widen if you stand back several feet away from your target. Spraying at point blank is not the best way to use your pepper spray.
- Take a deep breath before the moment of spraying. If you are spraying in an emergency situation you may not have control over the direction of the spray as it meets wind gusts or fills small areas such as elevators
- Hold the spray at arms length if possible. Pepper spray emits an oily cayenne residue that seems to permeate and catch on to anything. If it gets in your hair, you'll feel it later. Some cases prevent spraying from an arm's length but that spray distance will protect your own face
When you spray, you must spray with a rehearsed, accurate spray technique.
Priority #1 is to escape, but at times this isn't possible. Our self defense technique page will help you to be prepared. Of course we generally suggest pepper spray as a crucial layer of protection, but it is not good enough to leave your preparation to a weapon. Preparation is mental, and we try to communicate some of the specific ideas here on peppersafe.com.
Since acts of violence usually happen instantaneously, we need to learn to have quick reaction time. While it is not pleasant to imagine yourself as the victim of a rape, aggression or assault, it must be done. Mental preparation begins with putting yourself in the mindset of the victim before it ever occurs.
When testing and practicing your spray, go to an open area and make note of the wind direction. Try to shoot downwind
when practicing because the effects can backfire otherwise. In general, get in the habit of taking a deep
breath before shooting. This will be a good habit to form. You do not need to hold the spray button down
for a long period of time - one second of spraying will create a strong and powerful mist.
Proper protection begins with contacting your authorities but you may find yourself in a situation that demands immediate action to allow for your escape and possibly even save your life. Read more in our self defense section.


