TheSamba.com :: View topic - Anyone carry self defense items or weapons, if any?

Sat Feb 19, 2011 10:59 pm

I just recently went to Big 5 Sporting goods and bought a 4-5 inch knife that was on sale. I originally went to buy some folding camp chairs. I had another $20 left on my gift card so I bought a cool knife that was on sale. I thought it would be a good self defense item to have. I'm not a violent person by any means but I sometimes feel I need a self defense weapon, makes me feel little safer. I also use it when I go hiking in the woods.

And anyone ever had to use their self defense item to scare off a creepy intruder, bear, or cougar etc..

Sat Feb 19, 2011 11:12 pm

I keep an aluminum Tee ball bat in the van behind the driver's seat. I call it my "Mexican handgun"

Sat Feb 19, 2011 11:18 pm

I thought about buying a RMV locking drawer and buying a small handgun to hide it in the drawer. But to be honest I never really liked firearms. I think I fired a hand gun once or twice in my whole lifetime. But a gun would ultimate self defense weapon. I highly doubt I would get a gun. I do like the Rmv drawer.

Sat Feb 19, 2011 11:23 pm

Funny you should ask. I know of someone that always has a can of Hornet spray close at hand in her car. From what iv been told she used it at a coffee stand to blind a robber. It has a 12-20 foot spray and will blind you for 30 min or so. Plus the cops dont see it as a weapon.

food for thought.

jcl

Sat Feb 19, 2011 11:26 pm

a914622 wrote: Funny you should ask. I know of someone that always has a can of Hornet spray close at hand in her car. From what iv been told she used it at a coffee stand to blind a robber. It has a 12-20 foot spray and will blind you for 30 min or so. Plus the cops dont see it as a weapon.

food for thought.

jcl

I carry a bear spray in my Westy, wonder if that has the same effect.

Sat Feb 19, 2011 11:29 pm

stevey88 wrote: a914622 wrote: Funny you should ask. I know of someone that always has a can of Hornet spray close at hand in her car. From what iv been told she used it at a coffee stand to blind a robber. It has a 12-20 foot spray and will blind you for 30 min or so. Plus the cops dont see it as a weapon.

food for thought.

jcl

I carry a bear spray in my Westy, wonder if that has the same effect.

bear spray same as pepper spray?

Sat Feb 19, 2011 11:39 pm

[img]

155 pound Bloodhound - Fears nothing and really doesn't have of a sense of humor......[/img]

Sat Feb 19, 2011 11:40 pm

I only pack garlic for vampires when I travel up to the Pacific NorthWest :lol:

Sat Feb 19, 2011 11:44 pm

what about those air horn off a spray can, not sure the name. i see those at a surf contest to let the surfers know their heat is over. that would scare the living daylights out of someone. :)

i do like the dog. too bad i don't own one.

Sat Feb 19, 2011 11:49 pm

ice axe

Sun Feb 20, 2011 12:26 am

I always had a baseball or cricket bat - no-one can say it's a weapon.

It's a sporting item, which came conveniently to hand when someone tried to jack your van or something!

Sun Feb 20, 2011 12:40 am

S&W 1911 taking out the door chime that was driving me crazy. Is that considered self defense? ( well it's the only picture I have handy)
It rides with me. But not for self defense against people. But it usually goes camping to provide entertainment and protection against varmins.

Sun Feb 20, 2011 12:41 am

I believe there is a saying about carrying a knife to a gun fight that is self explanatory. As for creepy things,having hunted bear and cougar (to eat, yes to eat) I think, no I know a knife would be almost useless unless you were incredibly lucky. My wife and I have been stalked by cougar and black bear. Having a firearm made the situation a lot more comforting with the cougar. I felt hopeless with the 4 inch knife in the bear situation. There is an area we love to pick chantrelle mushrooms in the olympics. There is a large cougar population that loves to eat the deer there we are a lot slower than the deer. We have had 3 creepy instances on a certain logging road in the Cascades on the way to what used to be our favorite hot springs. We believe having a cwp and a firearm helped us avoid a bad situation for two young women in a different vehicle as well as us when someone felled a tree which blocked the road and stood in the darkness staring at us smoking a cigarette more than 20 miles from the nearest anything at 11 pm on a worknight. I do my best to enjoy nature when there are less people out there bad people have probably figured that is a prime time for them to do what they do.
If I had to choose between a knife, club or spray for creepy things and comfort. I would choose bear spray. You should be able to return the knife for the spray. I as well as my wife choose a handgun over bear spray for many reasons some of which can easily be found by looking at bear spray pros and cons on google.

Sun Feb 20, 2011 12:42 am

I usually use my mind control glasses, but if there are too many aliens, then I have to resort to my small 12v, solar charged, theatre nuclear device. Handguns aren't allowed here in Canada, which is why we don't have to carry them either.

Sun Feb 20, 2011 12:57 am

in the UK too - I can't think of this thread even being raised.

Guns, and knives are considered by most of the population here as something of the criminal world - that is it.
Considering carrying a weapon - because of the (very small) chance of it resolving a situation seems OTT.
It also would make me 1. a criminal - 2. more aprehensive about actually going out there.

Is it really that different in the US.....?

We do have several kitchen knives, a wheel brace, hammer, stanley knife etc. although I have never considered their use beyond cooking, van maintenance.

Sun Feb 20, 2011 1:04 am

ithinkso wrote: ice axe

X2

It's gotta have some use in the flats

Sun Feb 20, 2011 1:46 am

I find that 4D cell Mag Light works well for most occasions where hooligans might need some redirection. When that doesn't seem like quite the right tool for the job, the razor sharp 32" machete creates a nice visual cue that maybe this isn't the van to mess with.

When backpacking or camping in remote areas of NH I like the Remington pump 12GA w/ 18" barrel. Buckshot is the swiss army knife of having the right weapon for any occasion, but it can be kinda messy...

Sun Feb 20, 2011 1:47 am

theadventureneverends wrote: I believe there is a saying about carrying a knife to a gun fight that is self explanatory. As for creepy things,having hunted bear and cougar (to eat, yes to eat) I think, no I know a knife would be almost useless unless you were incredibly lucky. My wife and I have been stalked by cougar and black bear. Having a firearm made the situation a lot more comforting with the cougar. I felt hopeless with the 4 inch knife in the bear situation. There is an area we love to pick chantrelle mushrooms in the olympics. There is a large cougar population that loves to eat the deer there we are a lot slower than the deer. We have had 3 creepy instances on a certain logging road in the Cascades on the way to what used to be our favorite hot springs. We believe having a cwp and a firearm helped us avoid a bad situation for two young women in a different vehicle as well as us when someone felled a tree which blocked the road and stood in the darkness staring at us smoking a cigarette more than 20 miles from the nearest anything at 11 pm on a worknight. I do my best to enjoy nature when there are less people out there bad people have probably figured that is a prime time for them to do what they do.
If I had to choose between a knife, club or spray for creepy things and comfort. I would choose bear spray. You should be able to return the knife for the spray. I as well as my wife choose a handgun over bear spray for many reasons some of which can easily be found by looking at bear spray pros and cons on google.

Wow, very interesting. Stalked by a bear and cougar, thats got to be scary. In that situation I would definitely would prefer a gun. Hunting bears and cougars to eat, damn you don't mess around do you? :) Rambo.

Sun Feb 20, 2011 4:06 am

I never go anywhere without my karma, and never seemed to have needed more.
Seriously, are you really willing to USE a gun, cause if you pull one out as
a bluff, it's likely to be taken away from you by someone who reads you correctly.

Sun Feb 20, 2011 4:09 am

WEAPONS? I have an assortment of sharp knives, that when not being used to prepare
food could be weapons. I don't bring my hand gun though or any of my other guns.
Most of the camping I do is in the state park system and they are not allowed. The Hornet/wasp
spray I do carry, just for the simple reason it says hornet/wasp spray on the can.
I even had a can that would shoot a stream out 25' and the can said it had 30,000 btu's
on contact. The hornets don't like it very much, turned them Black and deader than a door nail.
Pepper spray is on my list, though. Do you think that I'll have to purchase a RMW
locking drawer to keep it in? When all else fails I too bring my attack Yorkie-Poo Rooney.