Best Weapon for Self-Defense

Most self-defense weapons are only useful in preventing an attacker from continuing the attack but they will probably not stop the initial attack. If an attacker is charging you, no weapon is likely to stop the charge so, unless you have some way to avoid the charge, the attacker will probably knock you down. Therefore, whatever weapon you use must be easily deployable and capable of being used after the initial attack. Avoiding the initial attack is better than trying to overcome it. If you avoid it, you are uninjured and able to deploy and use your weapon. If you try overcoming the initial attack, you may be unable to deploy the weapon and may be injured, and thus unable to deploy the weapon.

Think about range. For many weapons, such as knifes, if you are close enough to reach the attacker, then the attacker is close enough to reach you. At close range, anything you use better work the first time because you probably won’t get a second chance.

If you use a weapon, you will be held to a higher standard than someone in the same circumstances without a weapon. Just by having the weapon, you are saying you have reason to expect an attack and that you are willing to use the weapon to prevent or stop the attack. This means you have thought about what you would do if attacked. Therefore, since you have planned for an attack, if you mistakenly use more force than necessary or you harm some innocent bystander, you will be held more accountable than someone without a weapon.