Pepper Spray?

[Udink]

Anyone here actually own some pepper spray? Where's a good place to buy it? I'm looking to buy some either online or in Utah County the next time I travel there for work. I would prefer to check stuff out in person before making a purchase, so I might even be willing to travel to the SLC area in order to browse through a good selection.

While I was jogging this evening I had a run-in with a pit bull, and in the future I'd prefer to make a defense more proactive (and less risky) than just running away as fast as I can. I normally carry my concealed handgun everywhere I go, but for jogging it's just not practical, and I wouldn't want to use it in a residential area against a dog in any case.

[DaveOU812]

I carry a small can in my truck and my wife has some attached to her keys. First Defense is the brand I recommend. It kicked my ass for about 6 hours of searing pain. www.galls.com have a pretty wide selection.

[Mooseman70]

Dennis, I carry for work, but you can purchase it at pretty much any law enforcement supply store, or, most gun stores carry some type of selection, too.

What you want is a brand which carries a high "SHU" rating (Scoville Heat Units), which indicates the amount of capsaicin present. The higher the SHU, the more heat the recipient will feel when sprayed.

Can't say that I recommend a particular brand, but just remember to go with something that has a high SHU rating.

[JP]

I'd prefer to make a defense more proactive
Just keep in mind, wind and don't spray it ahead of you when you're running :haha: You and the dog will be laying next to each other swapping saliva and having a difficult time breathing :haha:

Also, try asking your mailman. They are usually issued that stuff for the dogs. I don't know if the SHU needs to be higher for animals than people. Just about everything that breaths on this Earth has mucus membranes so in that theory the pepper spray should work. But, some may need a higher SHU to be effective.

And you also have to remember, running from dogs like American Staffordshire Terriers only heighten their drive to chase you. To ones that engage in that activity, it's game on. I like that breed :2thumbs:

[Mooseman70]

I know that USPS Mail Carriers are issued "Halt", which is a low-end pepper spray. If you want to carry something like they do, you can look into that. I'm sure it's less cost than OC spray.

I've had to use my OC on several dogs, which either charged or were running to attack, and it stopped them in their tracks. Made them run away yelping.

Too bad it doesn't work that way on the bad guys each and every time! :lol8:

[JP]

The drool that pours out of dogs with the OC is incredible :haha:

[bbennett]

While I can't be nearly as much help as everyone else here (I bought some at a gun show once), I do have an entertaining story about pepper spray.

Several years ago, on July 23rd, me and a good friend of mine reached last call at a local club in SLC. As we left, we were surprised to notice thousands of people gathered along State Street. Apparently, people like to camp out on sidewalks for the big 24th of July parade. In addition to the good folks filled with fancy of the following mornings bliss of floats, sirens, clowns, and marching bands, the local riff-raff were in attendance as well.
Shawn (my friend) and I followed the crowd in our inebriated amazement until we found ourselves dead locked within one of those wooden construction walkways. We soon discovered that everyone had stopped moving to watch the police arresting some gang members and pull an arsenal of weapons out of said gang members trunk. This was all occurring on the street within 20 feet of the walkway and Shawn and I were lucky enough to have a front row seat, or so we may have thought.
Not far ahead of us, two guys decided that they didn't really like each other and one certainly wasn't very content to be in such close proximity to the other. Unfortunately for them, Shawn, and myself, several other cops were arriving just as things began to get confrontational. While I didn't see the fight, I did notice two cops jump into the walkway and felt the abrupt push back of the crowd. I was having a great time. What wonderful entertainment!
Well, it turned out that a lot of people within the walkway weren't very big fans of the police, which became apparent by several middle fingers and more "F#ck You's" than I have ever heard at one time. I think they were actually beginning to reach a harmony when one cop, whom I would soon learn to despise, jumped up on the railing with some kind of black little canister in his hands.
Shawn and I both paid the price for being the two tallest people of our immediate peers as we watched what looked like a perfect little stream of water leave the canister and arrive directly upon our eyes. As the pain began, it was obvious that the construction walkway was no longer dead locked and everyone within it was striving to be without, Shawn and me included.
We found refuge by a water fountain. Everything felt great so long as our heads were immersed in water, but as we would come up for a breath, the pain was immediate. This continued for what seemed like hours. I can only imagine how funny it must have looked to passersby to see two men repeatedly dunking their heads in a fountain and cry out in pain as they came up to breath.
The night ended happily, however. To our surprise, two attractive girls took pity on us. I can only assume that they either failed to notice the snot pouring from our noses or it was masked by the glorious water of the fountain. Nevertheless, Shawn an I both gained from that night; life long memories and a week or so's worth of new friends.

[Jaxx]

good story bbennett :2thumbs:

I have this when I go hiking.

Of course it's a little too large for your jogging needs probably. To be a real contributer to the thread I will suggest looking at outdoor stores (ie cabela's, sportsmans warehouse, etc.)

[JP]

I can only assume that they either failed to notice the snot pouring from our noses
I enjoyed the way you described the events :2thumbs: Great read :nod:

[bbennett]

Oops, my bad.

[bbennett]

Thanks, JP and Jaxx.

[moabfool]

To our surprise, two attractive girls took pity on us.

This just in: Beer Goggles are real!

http://www.bogley.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=13320

[bbennett]

Was there really ever any question as to whether or not beer goggles are real? I know I've felt like gnawing off my own arm on more than one occasion. I have a buddy that swears he stole $20 out of some girls purse and snuck out the window once.
Looking at your signature, I assume that you're a fan of U2 (great quote BTW). When I was in junior high, I must have seen Rattle and Hum at least 30 times. I can't see or hear Bono's name without thinking of this classic story;

Bono, lead singer of the rock band U2, is famous throughout the entertainment industry for being more than just a little self-righteous.
At a recent U2 concert in Glasgow, Scotland, he asked the audience for total quiet. Then, in the silence, he started to slowly clap his hands, once every few seconds.
Holding the audience in total silence, he said into the microphone, 'Every time I clap my hands, a child in Africa dies.
A voice with a broad Scottish accent from the front of the crowd pierced the quiet... 'Well, foockin stop doin it then, ya evil bastard!'

[Udink]

Thanks for all the responses. :2thumbs:


Just keep in mind, wind and don't spray it ahead of you when you're running :haha:
Good point--I may need to rethink using pepper spray, since I almost always have my dog with me (on-leash) when I'm jogging. Deploying pepper spray accurately might not be possible if an attacking dog gets tangled up with my dog, which is very likely to happen.

I would assume that most places that sell pepper spray would also sell stun guns, so I'll take a look next time I'm near Cabela's or some other sporting goods store up north. The closest thing we have resembling a sporting goods store around here is Wal-Mart.

[Mooseman70]

While I can't be nearly as much help as everyone else here (I bought some at a gun show once), I do have an entertaining story about pepper spray.

Several years ago, on July 23rd, me and a good friend of mine reached last call at a local club in SLC. As we left, we were surprised to notice thousands of people gathered along State Street. Apparently, people like to camp out on sidewalks for the big 24th of July parade. In addition to the good folks filled with fancy of the following mornings bliss of floats, sirens, clowns, and marching bands, the local riff-raff were in attendance as well.
Shawn (my friend) and I followed the crowd in our inebriated amazement until we found ourselves dead locked within one of those wooden construction walkways. We soon discovered that everyone had stopped moving to watch the police arresting some gang members and pull an arsenal of weapons out of said gang members trunk. This was all occurring on the street within 20 feet of the walkway and Shawn and I were lucky enough to have a front row seat, or so we may have thought.
Not far ahead of us, two guys decided that they didn't really like each other and one certainly wasn't very content to be in such close proximity to the other. Unfortunately for them, Shawn, and myself, several other cops were arriving just as things began to get confrontational. While I didn't see the fight, I did notice two cops jump into the walkway and felt the abrupt push back of the crowd. I was having a great time. What wonderful entertainment!
Well, it turned out that a lot of people within the walkway weren't very big fans of the police, which became apparent by several middle fingers and more "F#ck You's" than I have ever heard at one time. I think they were actually beginning to reach a harmony when one cop, whom I would soon learn to despise, jumped up on the railing with some kind of black little canister in his hands.
Shawn and I both paid the price for being the two tallest people of our immediate peers as we watched what looked like a perfect little stream of water leave the canister and arrive directly upon our eyes. As the pain began, it was obvious that the construction walkway was no longer dead locked and everyone within it was striving to be without, Shawn and me included.
We found refuge by a water fountain. Everything felt great so long as our heads were immersed in water, but as we would come up for a breath, the pain was immediate. This continued for what seemed like hours. I can only imagine how funny it must have looked to passersby to see two men repeatedly dunking their heads in a fountain and cry out in pain as they came up to breath.
The night ended happily, however. To our surprise, two attractive girls took pity on us. I can only assume that they either failed to notice the snot pouring from our noses or it was masked by the glorious water of the fountain. Nevertheless, Shawn an I both gained from that night; life long memories and a week or so's worth of new friends.

:lol8: Man, reading your story brought tears to my eyes - not from laughing, but from my mind remembering what it was like to be OC'd during my training in order to carry the stuff. I can sympathize with you! Snotcicles can get amazingly long, I agree. :haha:

I, too, did what you did - shoved my face into cold water. All that did was let the pain subside momentairily, until I pulled it back out. That cold water just closes your pores and shoves the OC into them even farther, making the burning sensation worse. That was 90 minutes of sheer misery.

[accadacca]

bbennett, your crackin' me up man. :roflol: