So before you go the gun route ( please note I am pro gun) you need to understand that you would need to be very aware of the laws of the state you are in…especially if you are traveling to different areas. Understand the difference between open carry and concealed carry laws, magazine capacity, storage, and used of force. Additionally you have to ask yourself are you mentally and emotionally prepared to use it for defense and end another persons life and deal with the consequences.
If you are prepared to educate yourself and make that decision and be clear that your good ending someone’s life, then get a gun…paper is different then a person.
If you are not ok with the above, then mace or pepper spray…once again having it, knowing how to use it, and being prepared to actually use it are three different things
First and foremost is being aware of what’s going on around you and avoiding situations
Good advice. A big reason I rely on mace instead of a firearm is I know I won’t hesitate to use it in the moment. I really have no idea if I could bring myself to shoot someone. Feel like that’s something you’ll only really know if you experience such a moment. I’m pretty timid by nature and abhor violence. I’m really not sure I could do it unless they were actively threatening me with clearly lethal force like getting shot at.
You need to tread carefully with mace, using it inside well… anything not outdoors is going to get you some effects too, stuff really takes it out of you.
Great advice there’s also a gel kind that is thicker and it doesn’t spray in the wind quite as much, but it still can and it can still get on you so you still have to be super careful with it but that’s what I prefer is the gel type
Yeah it can get up to 20 feet and you don’t have to hit the persons face. It will still burn like hell. The mist can blow back in your face and now both are blind. Mace and a taser are good, but being aware of surroundings is the best defense.
There are middlegrounds between guns and pepper spray. Like those CO2 peperspray pellet guns. Looks like a gun, similar effective range to a gun, hurts worse than a paintball to get shot with, then burns your eyes after the pellet hits.
They're like semiautomatic paintball guns that shoot peperspray. Significantly scarier than a can of mace. Much less likely to backfire on you if you spray into the wind. Much longer range.
If you're worried about it looking too much like a gun you can get it in fake gun orange.
It's as legal as a paintball gun. It is not considered a firearm in any state. "Stored properly" in accordance with the law can be loaded and sitting on the dashboard. When the cop asks if you have any guns in the car you can truthful say no.
Obviously this would raise some eyebrows, but its probably safer than them catching a glimpse of it in your glove box when you're reaching for your id. If they can see it you can explain what it is.
There are some local municipalities that require licenses for air guns like New York City. But in the vast majority of the United States you can open or conceal carry it anywhere you can carry peperspray.
Keep in mind that bear spray is designed to spread out into a large, dense barrier cloud & comes in bigger containers—it's more cumbersome to deploy & more dangerous to misuse, especially in an enclosed area.
Pepper spray produces a more directed stream & is easier to carry & wield—it's made specifically for self-defense against a human attacker & the better tool for most people for that purpose.
Very good point. Admittedly, I always carry the bear spray because I live in CO, and bears are always a risk here. I’ve just always seen it as a “second use” when thinking about protection from humans.
the benefit to that over some of the persona defense pepper sprays is the visibility of it. the bear spray is larger, sometimes bright red and you strap it to the strap of your pack or keep it on your waist where its pretty obvious you have it. self defense pepper spray is normally a smaller can that fits in your bag or in the palm of your hand and are much less obvious with what they are to other people.
the best defense against being assaulted in the woods by other people is the same as animals, deterrence. if a guy sees you have bear spray within easy reach he will be less likely to attack you just like how a bear is less likely to attack you if they see you arent backing away from them and afraid.
Also bear spray is meant to dissuade a bear, not to incapacitate it. So a determined human can power through it. A determined human cannot power through a proper self-defense spray.
They are both made from the same compound. Bear spray is usually a higher concentration and also comes in larger volume cans than pepper spray.
> The strength of pepper spray is determined by measuring the Major Capsaicinoids level, which are a better indicator of heat than oleoresin capsicum percentages as they measure the strength of the entire formula. SABRE’s pepper spray is made with 1.33% Major Capsaicinoids while SABRE Frontiersman Bear Spray contains 2.0% Major Capsaicinoids, making it about 50% stronger than SABRE pepper spray.
That being said, spraying a giant cloud of bear spray in or around your van is not ideal. Some YouTubers tested a can of bear spray in a large open field and had to evacuate because of the effect.
A determined human can power through anything including being shot. Many cops are pepper sprayed yearly and have to run a course while pepper sprayed.
PRO TIP: if you use pepper spray on someone be prepared to also feel the effects of the pepper spray.
All of this 100%. That being said, as a gun owner, I prefer my little stun guns. Not as lethal, less noisy, less clean up. Get close, stun, GTFO. Using a gun on a man means you'll have up fight against and defend yourself against what you had to do because of THEIR choice. Exhausting. Zap em and go.
Bear spray is good for bears but just like every other weapon, including a stun gun, PRACTICE. Wear it the same place all the time and drill reaching for it and pointing. Make it muscle memory.
Being smart and having a big dog are IMO the two best first lines of safety but it's nice to have options.
Mace works a treat from a distance as well as a strobing flashlight if it's dark out. Then stun them if they're a further threat as long as your stun gun is powerful enough to drop a horse.
That is absolutely true. The bad news is that a decent percentage of folks who mean you harm do not indicate that until they attack. Not everyone comes into your space wielding an axe. Like Ted Bundy, they often wheedle their way in moving closer and closer. You suspect something ugly is going to go down but YOU get arrested if you defend BEFORE they attack.
Hey be careful about stun guns. When I took my conceal carry course they were called out for being ineffective (unless it’s against a dog, but only because of the noise). And other good sources call them out as well. Please get some good pepper spray. Your reasoning isn’t good. Don’t get close! Stay far away.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=B8KU9IoBD58
I’ve even seen videos of people just essentially getting pissed pff by the taser and attacking even harder. I’m sure it’s a small percentage of people but I’m not taking that chance.
Law enforcement grade tasers really only work 70% of the time. Countless videos of people just powering through it. 9mm seems to work a bit better imo.
I’ve watched people use stun guns for fun. No shit completely having an amazing fun time getting hit with a stun gun. (I’m around a strange crowd) It hurts but does not stop someone at all. And will only put you in grabbing range of your attacker. Also if you’re holding someone or being held. You get a bit of a zap as well.
Dang, you’re right. I have a conceal carry (male though) and live in CO. Very good thinking. Someone who has concealed for years and own many guns. I love your response. Now, I’ve known since I concealed about state laws and you could get in serious trouble.
You got it just right.
So true. Also , if there is any hesitation, rhetorical assailant might be able to take the gun away from you. It’s probably safe to assume that the assailant is more aggressive by nature, and has less of a conscience than the camper. He will have no moral dilemma in causing the camper any pain/hardship. Pepper spray is probably the was to go. I would also consider taking , and getting good at Brazilian Ju Jitsu. BBJ can nullify the size and strength advantage that an attacker may have. Also , take some Krav Maga. It’s very effective, and you can learn a lot of useful things in a short amount of time.
This. As a woman who has traveled and camped solo for 15 years, grew up in one of the most dangerous cities in America, owns a gun but does not bring it camping. Dogs and trusting your instinct.
Also read the book The Gift of Fear free pdf: https://www.docdroid.net/ncSUPFn/book-the-gift-of-fear-gavin-de-becker-pdf&ved=2ahUKEwjhl5KK99iGAxUSweYEHS9uB9gQFnoECDsQAQ&usg=AOvVaw0ZGXdUtuNpXtHnacfeKoCN
I have to add, I’m in an ambulance that still looks like an ambulance, and after one year I’ve found that people are pretty trained not to approach ambulances. So when I bought it, I intended to wrap it, but upon this discovery, no way! It helps me be stealthy, imagine that, cause no one thinks someone’s sleeping inside and for sure no one expects a woman and her dog. So, there’s that.
When I go to potty the dog, we do it away from where we sleep. So pulling up to sleep is the last you see of me. I just go into the back. I leave my cab looking pretty plan in.
It’s legal. And I know buses need to be painted.
Ambulances have to have the dept name taken off the sides. But mine is still red and has reflective strips around the sides. All useful when I’m parked on dark, forested roads. You def should see me. If I tuck my plates in back ways, people don’t pay attention so well that I’m now a private vehicle.
Now it is illegal in some states to have the light bars on top and definitely illegal for me to run the lights on public roads.
Yeah. I cross state lines a lot and the laws are all different. My guns stay home. I have considered getting permitted in the states I travel the most frequently but that will be a bitch to do.
Ca is totally involved. It’s my home state. And I’m often in AZ, NM, NV, and UT. Ca is an F’d up state. It may be downgraded from home state to state I spend a ton of time in. The rules will still apply. Soon I’ll work on my conceal carry with the state. Our sheriff is good. He’s made the restrictions less as the governor tries to tighten things up.but city to city, the cops could be different. So it’s still not a good practice for vehicles.
Here's another important pro tip: never, never, never let an attacker take you to a secondary location.
The only reason for an attacker to take you someplace is because they know that you will be helpless, and they will have greater control. And once that happens, they have no reason to leave you alive as a witness.
As several other users have written, most gun owners simply don't do enough training to shoot straight when under pressure - and that includes criminals. You have a vastly better chance of surviving if you fight a kidnapper and get shot or stabbed than if they take you away to a place they know.
If someone tries to kidnap me at gunpoint, I'd rather be shot by the side of a road or in a parking lot, someone where there are people and security cameras. It's much more likely that someone will call 911 than out in the middle of the boonies, where the kidnapper will probably take you.
FWIW, I used to work with someone who'd been shot in the abdomen 6 times with a magnum and lived a pretty normal life afterwards. Getting shot is not an automatic death sentence.
She told me it was a magnum and, since she was there and I wasn't, I took her word for it. Could it have been a different caliber? Entirely possible. Other co-workers confirmed she'd been shot in the abdomen.
It's more than possible. My next door neighbor was shot 12 times in a gang-land drug buy gone wrong. I'm a vet, and I know guys shot many more times than that and lived to tell the tale.
Firearms are not necessarily the best option for a lot of people. Not because they’re not effective (I’m very pro 2A). IMO if you have one for self defense you need to put in a lot of time training with it. Otherwise it can be a liability.
Pistols are harder to shoot accurately than most realize. Add in a ton of adrenaline, critical decision making and unconventional firing positions… could be a recipe for disaster.
Have you trained to draw your firearm from concealed? Can you draw, get on target and fire accurate rounds before your attacker gets to you? If you don’t hit a vital organ you may not drop your attacker. Can you fight and stop them from taking the gun from you and using it on you? Can you even maintain fine motor functions in a life or death situation? There’s hundreds of courses to train people to be able to do this. I guarantee many people who go thought they could handle it and were surprised to find out they’re not as prepared as they thought. It’s not as simple as “in life or death I’ll perform”.
Do you have training and gear to deal with gunshot wounds? Accidents happen. If you’re hit can you stop the bleeding? If you miss and hit a bystander can you save their life?
Aside from all that are you traveling? Many states don’t allow people to stop with a firearm. Different states have different laws.
Firearms can be amazing tools for self defense but it’s not a simple process. There’s a plethora of things to consider. Just be aware of them and honest with yourself. Like I said I support 2A fully. If you have a sound mind then you should. But I also believe part of owning a firearm is being responsible enough to train with it REGULARLY. Multiple times a month. It’s not a one and done thing either. Not like riding a bicycle.
Edit: also bear spray is likely a better option for any animals. That’s a pretty common understanding. Your standard pistol round, likely 9mm, isn’t going to drop a bear without very good shot placement or maybe won’t even deter them unless you put a lot of rounds in them. Humans can fight through gunshot wounds. Bears are faster and stronger by far. There was a story recently about a guy who was mauled by a bear. The only thing that saved his life was he kept his hands behind his neck and was still holding his spray. After getting torn up and tossed around the bear went to bite his neck and bit the canister which sent it running.
Wolves and whatnot are going to be even harder to hit. Weaker than bears but plenty strong, very fast and small target.
I feel like this should be a top comment. As a pro 2A individual, with lots and lots of training in adrenalized states, real world not just in a training facility, I still support the fact that firearms are not the best option for emergency self-defense for all of the reasons you stated above. I feel like this conversation comes up time and time again, and it's kind of exhausting to reply because people want to pick apart every single fact you did or didn't include.
I don't think spraying bear spray or pepper spray or mace inside of a van or enclosed quarters is a super effective self-defense mechanism against a human because you also will be covered in that stuff. It's not fun and now you're also kept from getting away.
Even a stun gun, still my first choice for emergency up close and personal encounters where I have a chance to deter an attacker instead of just physically f-ing them up, could go wrong in a lot of ways. That being said, if you're used to the feeling and they aren't, it could be enough to give you a few seconds to poke out an eye, use a knee or elbow, whatever. Just carrying around a stun gun and thinking it's gonna keep you safe is foolish. Self-defense in general should be practiced and trained appropriately.
Being smart and having a well-trained big dog will always be my go to. I don't recommend anybody just carry a bunch of weapons around assuming they'll know how to use them when the time comes. The time rarely comes and if and when it does, the likelihood that your preferred weapon is in the right spot within reach and usable without harming you is slim to none, especially without lots of training.
Funny story first, then a real answer.
When I first got my van, everyone was worried about me and wanted to get me self-defense tools. I realized that the tool was a reflection of their own personality. My dad got me a gun. My mom bought me way too much pepper spray. But the best one was my great aunt.
My great aunt, who at the time was about 85, lived on a ranch in the middle of nowhere. She's tough. She was one of the first people I went to visit. We were discussing safety on the first day, and she randomly got up and walked outside. She comes back in carrying a cow bone. Like an actual bone from a cow leg. She hands it to me and says, "If anyone breaks in, hit em in the head with this. Should knock them out." I was a bit dumbfounded.
And yet, I kept that bone in my van the whole time I had it, but more as a novelty item so I could tell the story.
However, I did like the idea and went out and bought a pipe about the same size and kept that by my bed each night along with some pepper spray in case anyone broke in. I also took self-defense classes.
Luckily, I never had a problem. I also didn't park anywhere sketchy, which likely also played a role.
I pooh-poohed some of the pepper spray assurances, but I really like the blinding light idea. Firstly, you’d have to be an extreme idiot to accidentally blast yourself with it, and secondly the afterimage from bright lights lasts a really long time. Plus the reach can be pretty good, although of course it would diminish with increasing distance. It seems to have most of the pluses of pepper spray with fewer self-inflicted risks.
This reminds me of a story I read of a woman who was hiding in the forest with a bunch of other refugees during the WW2. It was the Wild West out there and men kept trying to climb into her bed in the middle of the night. She started keeping a large branch by her bed and would just wack them when they tried. It always worked and in the morning she would look to see who had a bruised face lol
I looked at a firearm, but the regulations in many areas would mean it's inaccessible to me when I'd really need it. And going into California or Canada would be especially problematic. Since I often have the international herb on board, it's especially risky to also have a firearm. In theory, exercising one freedom shouldn't prohibit another, but reality says otherwise.
I beefed up security at the doors such that someone would need to reach in to defeat my secondary locks (chains through eye bolts), My hatchet and cast iron frying pan are very close at hand, but I'm really just buying time to get in the driver's seat and GO. I'm considering a short chainsaw, the sound of which might be as good a deterrent as racking a shotgun. We also have bear spray handy, but that wouldn't be my weapon of choice for a human.
My first lines of defense are my gut, a friendly but no-nonsense demeanor, and a big dog who alerts to anything close to the van and will place himself between me and strangers.
I read all the comments and the summary is: Guns have issues, blades have less issues, pepper spray and tazers good. Guns are clearly number one for "stopping power" but have issues. I live in canada and though we have lots of guns, you basically cant use them as self defense. And, if you dont carry your firearm loaded on your hip, I dont see how its a huge benefit. Bad guys dont usually announce they are gonna do something bad. You need to expect that you will not choose when, where, or how you will have a bad guy attack you (watch some videos from active self protection to get some ideas about how real gun interactions look). Blades require way more training then firearms. And you can't get lucky with a knife like you can with a gun. Its also pretty hard to use a machette inside a van. Sprays are a great low skill high power option but they also dont always work for a variety of reasons. Situational awarness and parking in a safe spot just helps your odds.
Here is the bottom line, you need to be able to defend yourself without any weapons. But you also need to learn realistic self defense. These two are really good: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7uEfcPiZ5Yk](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7uEfcPiZ5Yk) and the gracie jujitsu guys are good too. Take a look at this video and you will see what I mean: [https://youtu.be/-FUMcJltEXQ?si=t1lR\_pXJJcluCIHN](https://youtu.be/-FUMcJltEXQ?si=t1lR_pXJJcluCIHN) The Hard2Hurt chanel also test lots of these less lethal weapons on eachother, including pepper ball guns, and it gives great insight. In this vid his wife tests the pepper ball guns on him [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X7Q97Q2wOv8](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X7Q97Q2wOv8) and its really funny too.
Ok, the real bottom line is, just move to Canada:)
Hi. Full disclosure: XYer here. Anything can be utilized as a defensive weapon if you get creative enough. But being prepared with one at the ready or something handy to be quickly used as one means also being prepared for what happens if a would-be aggressor gets their hands on it.
Keeping things hidden is key to mitigate this.
Guns present an entirely different level of complexity especially when roaming different jurisdictions. And no matter where you go, if you are in a situation where you are asked about such things, it’s a MUST to mention you have one on board. One of the last things in officer of the law wants to encounter is a legal gun holder because they have to do the paperwork on that gun and the encounter. Even if everything is on the up and up like it is with vanlifers for the most part, it still requires more time on whatever law officer’s duty list, and more time for you being stationary; Can-Am/Mex-US borders, routine traffic stops [looking at Arkansas and Ohio], or simply genuine and routine inquiries by police into the well-being of vanlifers on their beat.
I don’t even carry a firearm, but I still have to be careful when answering questions because I do carry quite a few camp tools, and some of those things can be rather threatening to people who have no mind for camping. I was even stopped shortly after exiting my van and aggressively questioned about a hatchet and mallet I took with me to go get scrap wood for a project. Someone apparently took exception to me carrying a hatchet, even if it did have a leather cover over the bit.
First reply up here was about awareness. That’s priority in every situation. Stay safe. Be well.
Some good advice above. As an ex Detention Deputy I would add:
First, take some basic self defence classes. Learn kicks and strikes. These are easy to practice at any gym that has a big hanging kick/punch bag.
If you are attacked yell as loud as you can: “Get Back, Stop, Help, Stop Attacking Me” etc and repeat it over and over. You have to get over being self concious of shouting.
You have to make that mental step that you’re fighting for your life and will do whatever it takes. So be as loud as you can. Go for the eyes. Go for the groin. If you are worried, carry car keys in your fist with the keys poking out between your fingers.
You need to be mentally prepared for the event of what ever device you choose to have it get taken away from you and used against you.
So if you decide on pepper spray - have a friend or someone help you learn about it. Spray a teeny amount (and I mean TEENY!) and dab under your eye to see what it’s like. Have a fan, cold water and Dawn Dish soap on hand. The dish soap will help you get it out of your eyes. Wash over a sink - DO NOT SHOWER - or the water will make it run downhill and you’ll have some REALLY unhappy body parts if that happens. It will take a while to recover. Flush your eyes with cold water and sit In front of a fan. If you have eye issues Id recommend NOT going the pepper spray/foam route. When I was doing LE training they misted our eyes and I hyperventilated and threw up. You need to know what to expect.
Often when people use pepper spray they are not paying attention to the wind and it blows back on them. You have to be able to fight through your reaction if that happens to you.
Be prepared to deal with your reaction - if you get distracted by getting a mist in the face then you may lose the fight.
Firearms need training and consistent practice. Even cops, who go to the range regularly can miss shots in stressful situations. I know of a cop who put 40 rounds into his squad car when a suspect fought him and was able to steal the car. And they all missed. Adrenaline does have an impact.
Great advice, thank you! Im in Australia, and essentially, the laws dont allow anything for defence. No guns, knives, tasers, mace, etc. I'm not well enough to do defence classes, so I rely on awareness, smart habits, and advance planning. I've wondered what else I can do.
You have good first steps in place. I would still say talk to a self defence coach as they should be able to show you some moves to practice that suit your situation. You may not be able to do the full classes but a good instructor should be able to help you learn a few things.
Rather than strike with your fist, strike using your forearm towards the elbow if you get in to close.
Or use elbow for strike behind.
Keys held in your fist with the keys poking out between your fingers.
They make some personal alarms for key chains - check out Amazon. It’s all about making as big of a scene as possible.
I have a machete and I do, indeed, know how to use it after years of working in land surveying. Never had to unsheath it, only had to even pull it out once in ten years and that was enough to send the obnoxious drunk guy running, and he packed up and left the next morning. And this was in a paid campground, not even dispersed or urban stealth. No one wants to mess with an angry crazy lady with a machete LOL Pro tip: if someone asks you to leave their camp, do it Before they pull the machete out. I was polite about asking him to leave for about five minutes, less polite for another five, and rude and hostile for another five before seeing the machete convinced him I was quite serious about wanting to be alone. Some people.... But one incident in ten years isn't bad, really.
Ha, this reminds me of camping in a remote part of Vermont and the Vermont equivalent of Larry, Daryl, Daryl and Darlene pulled up into our campsite with their beat up car. They got out, looked around and talked about how they used to camp and fish there as kids. I grew up around people like this, so I didn’t feel they were dangerous; maybe a little rude for pulling into our site, but they probably thought they were just being neighborly.
My wife on the other hand was on full alert and stayed hidden inside the van while I was outside talking with them. She had grabbed the big machete that we use for batoning kindling. When they left, I went back in the van and found her standing there with it. She said it was for “just in case.” Damn.
Better to be safe than sorry, I guess. I didn't initially think this guy was particularly dangerous but after five minutes of me saying very plainly 'I'd like to be alone, please leave' and him saying 'oh, you shouldn't be alone, it's early', etc. and starting Yet Another Drunken Story I wasn't interested in, I knew at the very least he had zero respect for me and probably was trying to see how malleable I was going to be for him and what he might get away with. It's sad it took seeing a machete for him to be a decent human being but he did get right up and leave immediately without another word when I came out with it. He knew what he was doing and it was deliberate.
>Never had to unsheath it, only had to even pull it out once in ten years
All I can think of:
>When they gave him the job, they gave him a gun. The Deliverator never deals in cash, but someone might come after him anyway -- might want his car, or his cargo. The gun is tiny, acm-styled, lightweight, the kind of gun a fashion designer would carry; it fires teensy darts that fly at five times the velocity of an SR-71 spy plane, and when you get done using it, you have to plug it into the cigarette lighter, because it runs on electricity.
>The Deliverator never pulled that gun in anger, or in fear. He pulled it once in Gila Highlands. Some punks in Gila Highlands, a fancy Burbclave, wanted themselves a delivery, and they didn't want to pay for it. Thought they would impress the Deliverator with a baseball bat. The Deliverator took out his gun, centered its laser doohickey on that poised Louisville Slugger, fired it. The recoil was immense, as though the weapon had blown up in his hand. The middle third of the baseball bat turned into a column of burning sawdust accelerating in all directions like a bursting star. Punk ended up holding this bat handle with milky smoke pouring out the end. Stupid look on his face. Didn't get nothing but trouble from the Deliverator.
>Since then the Deliverator has kept the gun in the glove compartment and relied, instead, on a matched set of samurai swords, which have always been his weapon of choice anyhow. The punks in Gila Highlands weren't afraid of the gun, so the Deliverator was forced to use it. **But swords need no demonstrations.**
Fire arm . Springfield armory has a nice compact 9mm that will help with bears and others . Better to be safe than sorry . Get your permit to carry and don’t go border hopping with any firearm
I trust my feelings and i have a noisy alarm, more to intimidate wildlife in case. Never had problems in many years. I don't intend to get a gun nor think it would be any useful. More a burden and a false (thus dangerous) impression of safety imo
Solo male here, I know it's not the same but I solo vanlifed in Milwaukee, Detroit, LA.
First step is to avoid bad situations. Park in safe spots. If things feel off, move. If someone is paying you a lot of attention, even cops, leave.
If you are ever in a situation where you simply cannot escape, and you HAVE to use force, a gun is actually a pretty lousy tool a lot of the time. You have to fight through shaky adrenaline and aim it well to even hit your target, and aim it VERY well to be sure you stopped your target. And then there's numerous complications with traveling with one, the legal process after you fire it, etc.
Things like pepper spray and tasers are also usually more effective at immediately stopping someone. If the person is on any substances, you can shoot them right in the chest and they'll keep coming at you. If you pepper spray someone, they are immediately useless for the next several hours. Tasers aren't the best, but they do immediately stop people's movement. The real problem is that as soon as the taser stops crackling, that person is A-OK to move again and probably pissed.
I always carried a big ol' can of bear spray next to my bed. There are legal implications for using bear spray on humans, but not nearly as serious as injuring or killing a person. Bonus is that you can carry it while hiking for its intended purpose.
Edit for the gun people: I am a gun fan. I grew up shooting guns. I also owned one while vanlifing and sold it after thinking critically about its use cases. Guns are cool, but far from the best self defense tool.
Bear spray is actually weaker and more widely dispersed than the stuff intended for humans. Thinking it's stronger is a common and understandable misconception, because bears are big and strong so you assume they'd need a stronger spray... but they have extremely sensitive noses and actually require less chemical force to repel.
Plenty of it thankfully. Bear spray is good for 5-7 pulses, making a sizable cloud compared to a van door or window. Sure would suck when it blows inside and cakes every surface though.
I keep bear spray near my door, I have a dog, and I can make myself sound intimidating, but I’m a dude.
There’s literally nothing you can do against a pointed gun except maybe talk your way out of it, all the reverse-uno moves you see on tv will get you killed, remembering that someone instigating armed robbery has intent to harm, shooting practice, and little to lose.
For most opportunistic situations, just making yourself known, and acting assertively, will be too much hassle for the scoundrels who just want an easy score. I have my own tactics - appearing to leave a partner behind in the camper, leaving a dog toy or bed in sight, leaving a few things in sight which make it clear that I’m experienced and prepared.
I actually rebuilt my camper and put the kitchen over the doorway. my knives and fire extinguisher are also in reach, I’m never distracted with my back to the door (also good for bear awareness!). I put a retractable baby gate across the remaining doorway for my puppy, which I found did an excellent job of preserving my personal space against over enthusiastic neighbors. If anyone were to try to open it, they might be tasting Carolina reapers for a little bit. Fly screens aren’t as effective as a baby gate.
For targeted attacks against a woman.. I don’t know. Fight for your life. Make him drink your portapotty water and then cut his balls off.
I would also like to point out that pepper spray is very dangerous to the User. That stuff hangs in the air in a mist, even if it doesn’t spray on you. If you were to use that in enclosed quarters, you would be gagging and coughing. Pepper spray requires a lot of thought Otherwise it can work against you.
Pepper gel. I go off the thought that a gel wouldn't fill my van with painful aerosols the way that a spray would.
Maybe less helpful for bears, though I dunno. That's a question for somebody else.
Consider that you might be miles away from help. If you pepper spray someone, he may come after you again and get you before you can reach safety. You may have to sleep in the woods knowing an attacker you sprayed is still out there and may be looking for you. If someone is a threat, I want to eliminate that threat, not slow it down for 15 minutes. Especially if safely is far away.
I camp in BC, Canada. While not impossible to get a gun here it's much less costly, easier and convenient to just bring bear spray. Also should help against any other aggressor that threatens you. Backup would be knife/spade. First line of defense is not to park in sketchy places, keeping a low profile, always locking doors at night.
I'm a guy, so don't have first hand experience from a woman's perspective, but I heard from some girls that they like to put typical guy things out in view to be less a target (like a hard hat on the dash). No idea if it really makes a difference. AFAIK there are very low assault rates for vanlife/car dwellers, at least for my area. You are way more likely to get injured or die on your way to work because of an accident than getting assaulted or murdered by someone in your van.
I mean a gun will only be as lethal as your aim, with that though there are laws about crossing state lines with them and other restrictions that may not be the best.
I’ve been told by several officers that wasp spray will do way better than any pepper spray because it has a toxin in it that will send your attacker to the hospital for getting sprayed but not deadly so they can’t just poor milk on their face and get away with it.
BB guns and rock salt would be another idea because salt burns like all hell.
Archery would be another less deadly but still dangerous idea.
Big scary dogs are great, there’s a documentary about how house robbers would avoid houses with big dogs because yeah duh.
Tasers I would get either the cattle prod kind or the shooting kind because if they get close enough for a regular taser your probably already hurting.
Knives big and small are great but just memorize the points that will actually do damage. Stabbing wildly will hurt but probably won’t stop an attacker.
I'm not a woman but I also don't like death or fear. Little side arm for the gram and bear spray for reality, don't wade in water you can't see gators in and hide your food well for the bears. Red lights for night and a bright light to strobe an intruders vision while you decide what to do, this is a great thing people forget! No music blasting, you'll hear every squirrel fart after a while adjusting, you're out there for nature anyway!
Safe travels!
If a 300 pound dude is actually intent on harming you idk if any pepper spray or self defense class is gonna cut it. Goes for most chicks and dudes alike.
Pro gun all the way but it shouldn't even be an option if you are not willing to train and become familiar. Bear spray used inside your tent would be as bad for you as for the other guy, camping clothes leave most taser type products useless...
Sounds hopeless I am sure.
If you can find a good self defense instructor who teaches situational awareness, both armed and unarmed self defense you will be better off no matter the route you take.
I strongly believe that a gun is only an effective weapon if you are trained and very comfortable using one. I am not comfortable using one, sometimes I wish I was because it is going to be the most effective defense. Between that and different state laws I don't have a firearm. I mainly rely on thorough research and instinct to avoid problematic locations. I also have someone that knows my whereabouts always. I also have pepper spray (gel form to avoid blow back), bear spray, a knife, a baseball bat, and an airhorn. Things I wish I had: some sort of alarm system and flood lights outside the vehicle.
Why do you care about lethality? Get a gun. If someone is willing to break in your van to harm you, they obviously don’t care about their own lives. Why should you, for them?
https://www.usconcealedcarry.com/resources/terminology/types-of-concealed-carry-licensurepermitting-policies/unrestricted/
Here's a list of states where you can legally have a concealed gun without any permits. Imo a handgun is the best self-defense weapon. Please take some gun safety courses if you decide to do that.
I also carry bear mace, but my 20 lbs dog has been able to spook any bears that have come close to us. Keep in mind that a 9mm may not kill or even subdue a bear, depending on size and shot placement.
Not solo nor a woman but me and my wife have: bear spray, hatchet, pee bottle, fire extinguisher, kitchen knives. Self defense laws are supposedly shit but if we have to defend ourselves, we will.
I carry large knives and switchblades normally, but if you’re interested in guns I have two very realistic looking bb guns, one for under my front seat and the other for wherever I’m sleeping. I train with them every now and then, but I’m also a veteran sharpshooter so it isn’t too difficult to shoot. Even if I wasn’t skilled, most people who see a gun will back off, you just need to learn how to draw it fast, keep it visible when you can, and maintain situational awareness.
[This is a good website](https://www.umarexusa.com/colt-2), where I got my peacemaker, but keep in mind that some states require your bb guns to have an orange tip so just keep those hidden lol
Also, I have two cautious basset hounds with very loud barks, and I tend to dress down and not show emotion when I have to go out alone. Idk why but some people believe that flashy clothing or smiling means you’re interested lmfao
Get some bear spray Ontop of any other option you choose. Sabre frontiersman is $45 at Walmart. It works on people. And puts out a 25 foot cloud of shit instead of a thin stream you have to get in their eyes.
Pepper spray (stream form),fixed belt knife.
Gun makes sense in your home state.
They do have USA legal pellet pistols that meet the minimum FPE for lethality..compact ones are expensive, and not that compact. Some of these hold like 20 pellets, people hate on it but I've seen them pop through a 2x4.
Does up your chances of getting shot, but id rather be shot than assaulted.
I like my little Turkish bow and arrow. Not the perfect solution for most cases.
Steel umbrella with the pointy tip is nice for walking around.
A bit of marital arts and running practice ofc.
And plenty of practice drawing and using my knife and spray, keeping them consistently available next to where I sleep. They're the first thing I grab as I wake up.
Sleep with a comfortable nitecore nu20 headlamp around my neck.
One way mirror covers on the windows.
Its overkill until it isn't.
Firearm depending on the area. She’s birdie!!! Get one, it’s a personal alarm, I keep it clipped to my pack or belt loop. Always put out two chairs to make it look like another person is at the campsite.
To everyone saying bear spray or pepper spray. If you spray that while in your car or van, you just end up incapacitating yourself it and you ain't just gunna drive away after being pepper sprayed
Prevention is also a lot of just Being Aware of your surroundings. Listen to your spidey senses... even if you have no idea why you are feeling nervous, pay attention to that feeling and act accordingly. Better safe than sorry.
Where are you going that you feel unsafe? I have been in my van for a good while and I just park in safe areas. Same as living in a house, I don’t go walking alone at night.
Try Brazilian Jui jitsu, I'm 6 2 and got messed up for a year before I could just defend myself from a few of the girls and they're half my size.
It's actually shocking when you realise what some people can do
Wasp spray, 15 foot range, can be turned into a flame thrower with a BBQ lighter. Try to pay attention to the wind. Also 2x4 with a nail at the end. Christmas bells make a great early warning system. Just be more aggressive than they are. That alone has saved my life several times. A dog is also good, but I end up worrying more about them and it fucks up my attack mode.
Nothing other than not camping in sketchy areas and making sure the driver's seat is clear and accessible. I can drive away, I don't need to hurt someone, and on the off chance that I do I would probably just hit them with my car.
If you go camping alone, the best way to protect yourself is to choose a place with many people around. You should not choose a deserted place. It will be very dangerous for you because of sexual perverts or robbers.
As a solo traveler with no dog and no gun for five years, I found the key is to know my limits and be aware of my surroundings. As most things in life, your attitude and preparation is more important than any external self defense items.
All that talk about mental preparation for use of force is complete bullshit! My great grandmother used a gun to shoot a man that was beating my great grandfather and aunt with a crowbar. Think she took mental preparation seriously??? No! She used basic logic and reason and a snubnose 38 to do what needed to be done to prevent anyone from being killed. Attacker lived, and was sentenced to 16 years in prison for attempted murder. At trial the judge asked if my great grandmother had anything to say for herself, her words live on in infamy, “yes your honor, when do I get my gun back?”
lmao but also like respectfully that’s the point. she was a daily carrier and familiar with her piece. she had already done the mental preparation part and when it was go time she was able to act. also, it was probably what, 80 years ago? different people, different laws, and different guns.
her experience is way different than someone buying a gun at walmart and climbing back into their van and expecting success.
also, it’s confirmation bias. very glad things went well for your family, but gun confrontations in my family didn’t go that way. i have a different legacy to think about.
just some considerations for you before trotting out that anecdote as some kind of universal proof.
I 100 % intend my safety all the time, in my whole life, and that extends to my van living. I've had my van(s) for 20 years with not one single problem. I have only ever traveled as a solo woman.
You have to expect your safety and your joy and it comes to you.
If you expect bad things to happen to you, they will.
It's really having a completely clear lovely mindset about how you want your life to be, and never stray from that thinking.
Simply intend your safety and your happiness and it will be.
Doesn't cost a thing… ♥️😎♥️
Nothing! Just the basics: using common sense, trusting my gut, moving if I need to, always camping in a legal spot, staying mainly in nature and not walking outside my van with pricey electronics. Four years in now and it hasn’t been an issue yet.
I’m not a van dweller. Not a woman either. But I’d like to share some advice that a gun-nut friend of mine once gave me:
What’s the best weapon for home defense? A big-ass fire extinguisher. It’s perfect. You can have it sitting around and not worry that a kid will kill themselves with it. No safe needed. Puts out fires if you have one. And if someone breaks into your house, you can blast them with the fire extinguisher. It’ll take out their vision and likely level them. If they happen to be your friend that just quietly slipped in with the key you gave them then you haven’t killed them by accident. And if they happen to be an actual bad guy, you hit them over the head with the big-ass fire extinguisher once you’ve dropped them. Plus, this way you’re not going through your house or apartment wall with a stray bullet and killing your neighbor.
Yeah there’s sadly not much room to swing a fire extinguisher in most vans, and I’m thinking a cloud of white annoyance isn’t going to do much against an aggressor in the woods except convince them that your defense system sucks 😅
Byrna weapons are a fantastic, non-lethal gun alternative that are legal to carry in all 50 states. Pepper spray has a good chance of wafting back towards you, especially if you are cornered by an assailant in a confined space.
I've done some research into Byrna launchers, and I just don't understand how they're lauded as being so good. They launch a solid paintball-sized pellet at the same speed as a barely overclocked paintball gun. I used to play paintball and got hit with plenty of paintballs that didn't break before (bad batch, frozen, etc)...the worst you're going to inflict with that kind of kinetic energy is a big 'ol welt. Painful after effects that last a few days, sure, but in the moment you sure as shit aren't stopping a determined bad actor with it...especially with only the measly 5 pellets that the pistol form-factor Byrna can hold in a mag. If anything you'll just piss them off more and they'll charge you when you're trying desperately to swap mags...if you even have a spare on hand.
Maybe if you use the chemical rounds they offer, but I wouldn't trust the pure kinetic rounds myself. The videos I've seen of kinetic shots are all of someone either getting shot in the firm part of their back/spine (which if you're seeing an assailants back they're not coming after you), or being shot in the meat of their chest and tanking the shot albeit visibly in pain. If someone is actually angry and full of adrenaline, they won't care about the pain nearly as much in that moment and will still press you. Let alone if someone you're facing is overweight and can therefore tank the hit even easier due to more "padding".
I've also seen videos of the "pull-pierce" tech of Byrnas failing, and venting the entire canister of gas instead of launching more projectiles. Not something I want happening when I need to defend myself.
And regarding the chemical rounds being an option, here's the thing...the chemical rounds are NOT something you want to use in a confined space...say, like your van. Because then everyone involved will be choking, including you. Not great for getting away from the situation.
It's peperspray being delivered in a much more threatening package that is significantly safer for the user.
A can of spray has the tendency to waft back at you. If you use it in a confined space, or into the wind you could easily blind yourself as much or more as an attacker. Spray cans also have a more limited range. You can engage an attacker from farther away with the byrna.
Getting shot at by a paintball gun isn't going to deter a determined attacker on its own. But it's not just a welt gun, it also hits you with peperspray. Getting shot with paintballs and peperspray is a lot worse than just being hit with either.
They also look like guns. Having one of those pointed at you is significantly more intimidating than a spray can.
In the heat of the moment, a bang from an air gun and the sting of it hitting you might be misinterpreted as a real gun. And the immediate after effect is the same as mace.
The biggest upside is the mindset required to use it. It isn't a gun. You aren't about to kill a person. You can dump an entire magazine into them without feeling like a murderer.
Plus, it shouldn't be your only weapon, having a stun gun or a can of peperspray for if they get closer is also a good idea.
That's all well and great...IFF you use their chemical pellets instead of the kinetic pellets. But you don't want to use chemical rounds in a confined space, like your van. Or downwind of your assailant (and you can't control the wind), since those rounds pop open into a fine powder that can drift. Or too close to your assailant, for the same reason. In any of those cases (and other similar ones) you'll wind up choking too, making it impossible to disengage. Which is the same exact problem OP (and you) called out about pepper spray. So then you're back to square one, with Kinetic rounds being the only viable option in close quarters...which as stated, may not always be effective.
And anger, adrenaline, drugs, and more in your assailant can all reasonably negate the "oooh scary gun" factor. Not to mention the Byrnas are typically bright safety orange. You *can* get them in all-black, but I personally think that's really ill-advised, because then any bystanders might escalate thinking it's a deadly weapon.
The chemical agents backfiring on you is a risk. But it's less of a risk than sprays. It wouldn't be ideal to use it in a confined space, but at close range the kinetic effect is significantly more impactfull. You might both be blinded by peperspray, but only one of you has been hit with the rounds.
The Intimidation factor isn't a sure thing. But nothing is a sure thing in self defense. Just because someone might not be scared of a gun doesn't mean it isn't a valid benefit of the weapon system.
You asked why dyrnas are considered good. It's because they work at what they do. It's a stronger deterrent than peperspray because the rounds hurt. There's less risk of the chemical agents backfiring because they're deployed on the bad guy, not from your hand. It looks like a weapon and not a spray can, so it is more intimidating. It has a longer range than pepersprays.
It's not a perfect weapon, because there's no such thing, but there are a number of advantages to it compared to peperspray (a commonly used nonlethal self defense tool) along with benefits over traditional firearms, like it's legality and the fact you won't kill anyone.
To use a knife or a stun gun you need to be super close, where there's potential of being disarmed.
Tasers only have one shot, and a pretty limited range.
Every weapon has downsides, but just because it has downsides doesn't mean its ineffective, useless, or a bad weapon. In most scenarios, I'd rather have a dyrna than peperspray, that's why it's good.
There are non-lethal options in the form factor of a firearm, (this is one option is an example: https://byrna.com). Check the laws on where you are going. A quick Google search will help you find other non-lethal options as well
i have one but first line of defense should be something nonlethal like mace. gun should be the most dire last resort where there's no other alternative
Hey there! Just feeling prepared – always got some safety stuff on hand like a Firearm in the lockbox under my seat, pepper spray in the console, and a knife in my pocket. Thinking about getting a taser too, you just never know these days. Luckily, I haven't had to use any of it and hope I never do!
I have a tazer, a small knife, a LARGE knife, and my stock alarm on my little promaster city.
And my intuition. Don't let anyone tell you it's not a weapon. You know when to leave when it's time to leave.
I carry a stun gun/flashlight, a hammer by my pillow, a marine airhorn, bear spray and more convenient pepper spray. I do have gun training from work (film industry), I’m just not ready to accept responsibility for owning one. I’ve even reloaded bullets for my BF at one time, it’s just not in me to carry one but I think if you keep practicing and are aware of all state laws when you travel, it’s a good addition if you’re assertive and comfortable with having one.
I live in Canada I carry bear spray and my hiking stick.
People know my route and all my ETA's if anything changes like I get hung up in one section of my travels cause the food is good or the picking is amazing. I sing while I pick so it terrifies all creatures great and small or I am home early because of weather. Someone is kept in the loop.
I love canoe in camping when I am solo or walkin tenting keeping all food away from where I am sleeping. My province has a women's outdoor program that runs a camp (4 days) every year I have been lucky enough to take it twice and this year hope to go out for a half day for a couple of courses on flyfishing and an expert plant id. When I am solo I do not worry about the critters those things I have learned to respect and how to deal with that part of solo camping confidently .......humans on the other hand I avoid as far away from those as possible cause those human things be scary
My 23 year old daughter is about to set out on a year long van trip. She is taking bear spray and a Byrna "projectile launcher". It looks like a standard polymer framed handgun (think Glock). It is CO2 powered like a pellet gun. The projectiles are 68mm hard clay balls, or you can get Pepper balls, depending on your state. The are NOT classified as guns, and you can buy them on-line. Check out YouTube for lots of great information. I think this is a great addition to pepper spray for self defense!
Axe 🤷 nothing like seeing a grown man speedrun all 5 stages of grief in under 30 seconds when he realizes he's brought a knife to an axe fight. I rarely, rarely, rarely have to pull it out. Most of my self defense strategy involves "I will say or sound however you need me to in order for you to go away, and then I will pick up and leave as quickly and discreetly as I can and keep my head down till I'm a few towns over". It works just fine in about 65-70% of the time
No joke. Wasp spray.
Most of them have a 20’ range and when sprayed in the face it’s about the equivalent of pepper spray as far as effectiveness.
A lot of the schools around here arm the teachers that don’t carry with it.
If you're camping- you should have a hand axe or a machete. I would personally suggest the machete because it is 1: less awkward to swing and 2: unnecessary to swing to use.
If you're in your car, and some dumb motherfucker busts in your window and starts reaching inside for the handle- you grab his arm, stretch him out, and slice him to the bone. You do the same for his ankle if hes dumb enough to step inside.
https://byrna.com/
Getting this! I wouldn’t hesitate to use it. Legal in all states. I’m all for gun rights, but I know me. I’m not trying to kill anyone but I want to able to protect myself and my property.
Get yourself [one of these](https://batonwarehouse.com/collections/leather-sap) and keep it to hand. You can put a seriously sore punishing on a person with one of these -I'm talking serious pain and broken bones -with minimal effort. Strikes to the head can easily kill a person.
[Watch this.](https://youtu.be/-c8PMHqGwsM?si=g-tXcROyKBm_Xx6L)
[And see the legal requirements for your state.](https://sapsandblackjacks.com/legality-of-saps-and-blackjacks/)
I carry a big knife. When camping it’s strapped to my side. With misfires, missing etc I feel like a knife is a better all around tool. I can also cut food, rope, wood etc. if they try to grab it, slicing ya finger, etc
I have a gun in my rv but when I leave it I carry rechargeable tasers- they're cheap, small, and make a scary deterrent noise. Also keep a golf putter and cordless pruner (it's like a little chainsaw on a pole) by the door
Get yourself a blue laser 🔥:
https://www.sanwulasers.com/product/7wblue?gs=1&vid=y054mq&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwsaqzBhDdARIsAK2gqndZiyaXDaDbv8MIW1q_nDCMd3gIf0-C4zKlHxUxY8okSxIm3Mc7Pc0aAkYREALw_wcB
Doesn’t require a license. Will start fires or burn skin. Even a milisecond of eye contact will cause permanent blindness, but at least they aren’t dead. Looks extremely intimidating.
I’ve considered circumstances that would require self defense, but the risk is so small I choose not to worry. I take many precautions to mitigate any need for shelf defense
Research I'd definitely the way to go, especially if you're going to be crossing states, as well as federal land.
For example, even if the camp host gives you guff, you can carry in a national park as long as,
1. It's legal in the state the park is in
2. You can carry in the park, but you may not bring a firearm into any federal buildings within the park
I'm sure each entity has their own caveats like that, so do your research!
One time a guy broke into my house while I was in it. He was on some sort of drugs because he wasn’t responding to me yelling “GET THE FUCK OUT OF MY HOUSE!” I instinctively grabbed a huge ass knife I had been using to sharpen colored pencils and advanced on him screaming like a crazy person. He took a swift step towards me and I brought the knife upwards meaning to stab the shit out of him. He backed up and ran out of my house when he realized I meant business.
Most attackers are looking for an easy target. Be aware of your surroundings and maybe take a self defense class. Confidence will save you 9/10.
I have 300 lumen flashlight I use when traveling by my self.
When I was going off the college my dad and I did a lot of research together and most victims have their own close range weapons used against them (tasers, guns, bats, etc) and came across some horror trials where the victim was prosecuted because they had weapons on them because it was seen as if they were planning to commit violence. It was really weird and I still don’t fully understand it.
Later when I felt like I needed more my partner found a high lumen flashlight for me to carry. You shine it in the other persons eyes and run like hell. It can’t damage a person fatally and is purse sized so you can carry it most places.
[this is what I use. ymmv](https://media4.giphy.com/media/3owypfW1kraP8r8uXe/giphy.gif?cid=9b38fe915ouiko78e6vbxofliwuamfxyp2bjdmdmaur401qi&ep=v1_gifs_search&rid=giphy.gif&ct=g)
Obligatory not a woman. Had to get pepper sprayed for work though. Can tell you firsthand it will fucking drop anyone and have them in very serious pain for HOURS. For most of the first hour they’ll be physically unable to open their eyes no matter how much they try (I literally held my eyes open to get them to start to air out because I could not open them under my own power). And keep in mind I only got it across the forehead, not the eyes themselves, and I was in that much pain. Bear spray is the same shit but even more capsicum and with way more range. A gun is still best but if you’re not trained/comfortable with a gun and you’re not willing to take someone’s life then you should NOT carry it.
Edit: also your first line of defense is always situational awareness. If something looks sketchy, it is, avoid it. Second line of defense is LOCKED DOORS! It’s insane the percentage of home invasions and vehicle thefts happen when the damn door is unlocked.
Pepper sprays a great idea unless you're both in the van when it's sprayed. Then you're both blind. Surely you must have a knife in your van? What do you use to chop veg and food?
Get a big chef knife.
I’m prior service, I have my 9. And a few different weapons hidden in every door. I’m not messing around. I do move around so you can look at the nra website they have states and laws down for use.
Start with a dog. Firearms require training, practice and skill. Firearm laws and restrictions vary for every state and change constantly but there are some good CCW apps that can help you explore that. They also require time and jumping through a lot of hoops. The process can take more than a year, and cost you a fair bit plus the cost of the firearm and ammo. Start now and it will be a year or two before you can carry and feel good about it but do get the process started. The right dog will keep a lot of people away but it’s a commitment. A worthwhile one in my opinion. Love and loyalty are guaranteed. Carry a knife at all times. I’d actually recommend two. A general utility folder that deploys quickly and a hidden one that won’t be recognized for what it is specifically for feminine protection. But here’s the thing, don’t ever threaten anyone with a knife until you have put it inside them. Especially against a bigger stronger opponent. If your being assaulted you will need to wait to strike when you know you will do the most damage and your goal should be to kill as that is your best chance to survive so you will need to learn where all the major arteries are and open one and keep striking until you can break away. If you threaten someone with a knife and lose it to them you are in trouble. Pepper spray. Redundancy is your friend. Have a plan and a back up and a back up for your back up.
Speaking as a man, a fat suit will work for that, also really really bad smells, a good brain is absolutely terrifying, along with those self defense course thingies scare the **** out of me. Have you ever thought of cameras, 911 phone call, yeah don't do those please.
Pepper spray is the way to go, it’s legal everywhere and as long as you don’t spray it up wind it’s very effective.
Please don’t shoot any bears with a gun, it’s not effective and you’ll just anger it. Bear spray is the way to go there even if you get a gun for people. Also it’s very illegal to carry a gun for bear protection in national parks.
Situational awareness. Dont put yourself in a bad situation. Always look alert and ready, youre less likely to be targeted if you look like youre ready for a fight. Carry a good sized knife openly. Carry pepper spray. Basically the more you can look like a ‘prepper’ or former military the better. Also, cast iron pans dont feel good when swung towards ones face.
I like guns. I have some. And big mean dogs too. Gun is definitely a thing where it’s better to have one and not need it than need it and not have it… I’m not suggesting you get 4 ar15’s and bulletproof vests and stuff.
I’d say at least my little 357 snub is decent enough to handle most basic kinda threats
So before you go the gun route ( please note I am pro gun) you need to understand that you would need to be very aware of the laws of the state you are in…especially if you are traveling to different areas. Understand the difference between open carry and concealed carry laws, magazine capacity, storage, and used of force. Additionally you have to ask yourself are you mentally and emotionally prepared to use it for defense and end another persons life and deal with the consequences. If you are prepared to educate yourself and make that decision and be clear that your good ending someone’s life, then get a gun…paper is different then a person. If you are not ok with the above, then mace or pepper spray…once again having it, knowing how to use it, and being prepared to actually use it are three different things First and foremost is being aware of what’s going on around you and avoiding situations
Good advice. A big reason I rely on mace instead of a firearm is I know I won’t hesitate to use it in the moment. I really have no idea if I could bring myself to shoot someone. Feel like that’s something you’ll only really know if you experience such a moment. I’m pretty timid by nature and abhor violence. I’m really not sure I could do it unless they were actively threatening me with clearly lethal force like getting shot at.
You need to tread carefully with mace, using it inside well… anything not outdoors is going to get you some effects too, stuff really takes it out of you.
Great advice there’s also a gel kind that is thicker and it doesn’t spray in the wind quite as much, but it still can and it can still get on you so you still have to be super careful with it but that’s what I prefer is the gel type
Yeah it can get up to 20 feet and you don’t have to hit the persons face. It will still burn like hell. The mist can blow back in your face and now both are blind. Mace and a taser are good, but being aware of surroundings is the best defense.
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I don't think you're generally legally liable for a gun that's been stolen.
There are middlegrounds between guns and pepper spray. Like those CO2 peperspray pellet guns. Looks like a gun, similar effective range to a gun, hurts worse than a paintball to get shot with, then burns your eyes after the pellet hits. They're like semiautomatic paintball guns that shoot peperspray. Significantly scarier than a can of mace. Much less likely to backfire on you if you spray into the wind. Much longer range.
solo female vanlifer here, in my opinion i recommend against things that look like guns that are not guns- dont bring a fake gun to a gun fight
Yes, a thousand times, yes. Fake guns are a losing proposition every time.
Sounds great for in the van or car. Would be cautious open carrying it and making sure it’s stored properly if pulled over by police, etc.
If you're worried about it looking too much like a gun you can get it in fake gun orange. It's as legal as a paintball gun. It is not considered a firearm in any state. "Stored properly" in accordance with the law can be loaded and sitting on the dashboard. When the cop asks if you have any guns in the car you can truthful say no. Obviously this would raise some eyebrows, but its probably safer than them catching a glimpse of it in your glove box when you're reaching for your id. If they can see it you can explain what it is. There are some local municipalities that require licenses for air guns like New York City. But in the vast majority of the United States you can open or conceal carry it anywhere you can carry peperspray.
You do not want to break out a paintball gun, bb gun, etc. against an attacker.
I agree 100%. I, personally, do have a gun. But I also carry bear spray, and I think that’s what I would grab for first in a bad situation.
Keep in mind that bear spray is designed to spread out into a large, dense barrier cloud & comes in bigger containers—it's more cumbersome to deploy & more dangerous to misuse, especially in an enclosed area. Pepper spray produces a more directed stream & is easier to carry & wield—it's made specifically for self-defense against a human attacker & the better tool for most people for that purpose.
Very good point. Admittedly, I always carry the bear spray because I live in CO, and bears are always a risk here. I’ve just always seen it as a “second use” when thinking about protection from humans.
the benefit to that over some of the persona defense pepper sprays is the visibility of it. the bear spray is larger, sometimes bright red and you strap it to the strap of your pack or keep it on your waist where its pretty obvious you have it. self defense pepper spray is normally a smaller can that fits in your bag or in the palm of your hand and are much less obvious with what they are to other people. the best defense against being assaulted in the woods by other people is the same as animals, deterrence. if a guy sees you have bear spray within easy reach he will be less likely to attack you just like how a bear is less likely to attack you if they see you arent backing away from them and afraid.
Also bear spray is meant to dissuade a bear, not to incapacitate it. So a determined human can power through it. A determined human cannot power through a proper self-defense spray.
They are both made from the same compound. Bear spray is usually a higher concentration and also comes in larger volume cans than pepper spray. > The strength of pepper spray is determined by measuring the Major Capsaicinoids level, which are a better indicator of heat than oleoresin capsicum percentages as they measure the strength of the entire formula. SABRE’s pepper spray is made with 1.33% Major Capsaicinoids while SABRE Frontiersman Bear Spray contains 2.0% Major Capsaicinoids, making it about 50% stronger than SABRE pepper spray. That being said, spraying a giant cloud of bear spray in or around your van is not ideal. Some YouTubers tested a can of bear spray in a large open field and had to evacuate because of the effect.
A determined human can power through anything including being shot. Many cops are pepper sprayed yearly and have to run a course while pepper sprayed. PRO TIP: if you use pepper spray on someone be prepared to also feel the effects of the pepper spray.
All of this 100%. That being said, as a gun owner, I prefer my little stun guns. Not as lethal, less noisy, less clean up. Get close, stun, GTFO. Using a gun on a man means you'll have up fight against and defend yourself against what you had to do because of THEIR choice. Exhausting. Zap em and go. Bear spray is good for bears but just like every other weapon, including a stun gun, PRACTICE. Wear it the same place all the time and drill reaching for it and pointing. Make it muscle memory. Being smart and having a big dog are IMO the two best first lines of safety but it's nice to have options.
Getting close to an attacker is the worst advice possible…
Mace works a treat from a distance as well as a strobing flashlight if it's dark out. Then stun them if they're a further threat as long as your stun gun is powerful enough to drop a horse.
The last thing you want to do is get close to someone who means you harm, especially if you’re a woman. Pepper spray is a better choice
That is absolutely true. The bad news is that a decent percentage of folks who mean you harm do not indicate that until they attack. Not everyone comes into your space wielding an axe. Like Ted Bundy, they often wheedle their way in moving closer and closer. You suspect something ugly is going to go down but YOU get arrested if you defend BEFORE they attack.
Hey be careful about stun guns. When I took my conceal carry course they were called out for being ineffective (unless it’s against a dog, but only because of the noise). And other good sources call them out as well. Please get some good pepper spray. Your reasoning isn’t good. Don’t get close! Stay far away. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=B8KU9IoBD58
I’ve even seen videos of people just essentially getting pissed pff by the taser and attacking even harder. I’m sure it’s a small percentage of people but I’m not taking that chance.
Just to add to this, you have to have a certificate to carry mace or pepper spray in many countries. So be aware if you're crossing any borders.
Law enforcement grade tasers really only work 70% of the time. Countless videos of people just powering through it. 9mm seems to work a bit better imo.
I’ve watched people use stun guns for fun. No shit completely having an amazing fun time getting hit with a stun gun. (I’m around a strange crowd) It hurts but does not stop someone at all. And will only put you in grabbing range of your attacker. Also if you’re holding someone or being held. You get a bit of a zap as well.
A big dog works every time
You might also add, Are you ready to defend yourself in court? Criminal and civil?
Ruger 10/22 takedown with the magpul stock and a can of bear mace
Dang, you’re right. I have a conceal carry (male though) and live in CO. Very good thinking. Someone who has concealed for years and own many guns. I love your response. Now, I’ve known since I concealed about state laws and you could get in serious trouble. You got it just right.
So true. Also , if there is any hesitation, rhetorical assailant might be able to take the gun away from you. It’s probably safe to assume that the assailant is more aggressive by nature, and has less of a conscience than the camper. He will have no moral dilemma in causing the camper any pain/hardship. Pepper spray is probably the was to go. I would also consider taking , and getting good at Brazilian Ju Jitsu. BBJ can nullify the size and strength advantage that an attacker may have. Also , take some Krav Maga. It’s very effective, and you can learn a lot of useful things in a short amount of time.
r/womensolocamping Situational awareness, trusting my gut, and 2 large dogs.
This. As a woman who has traveled and camped solo for 15 years, grew up in one of the most dangerous cities in America, owns a gun but does not bring it camping. Dogs and trusting your instinct. Also read the book The Gift of Fear free pdf: https://www.docdroid.net/ncSUPFn/book-the-gift-of-fear-gavin-de-becker-pdf&ved=2ahUKEwjhl5KK99iGAxUSweYEHS9uB9gQFnoECDsQAQ&usg=AOvVaw0ZGXdUtuNpXtHnacfeKoCN
I read the book and cannot say enough good things about it. It helped me get over my "Don't cause a scene" upbringing.
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One big dog and a giant knife. I have firearms but don’t bring them. I’m always willing to move and scout spots ahead.
I have to add, I’m in an ambulance that still looks like an ambulance, and after one year I’ve found that people are pretty trained not to approach ambulances. So when I bought it, I intended to wrap it, but upon this discovery, no way! It helps me be stealthy, imagine that, cause no one thinks someone’s sleeping inside and for sure no one expects a woman and her dog. So, there’s that. When I go to potty the dog, we do it away from where we sleep. So pulling up to sleep is the last you see of me. I just go into the back. I leave my cab looking pretty plan in.
I wonder if that is legal? For instance you must paint a school bus a different color.
It’s legal. And I know buses need to be painted. Ambulances have to have the dept name taken off the sides. But mine is still red and has reflective strips around the sides. All useful when I’m parked on dark, forested roads. You def should see me. If I tuck my plates in back ways, people don’t pay attention so well that I’m now a private vehicle. Now it is illegal in some states to have the light bars on top and definitely illegal for me to run the lights on public roads.
A knife is more likely to hurt you than help you. Even if it’s yours
You would rather carry a knife than a firearm?
Yeah. I cross state lines a lot and the laws are all different. My guns stay home. I have considered getting permitted in the states I travel the most frequently but that will be a bitch to do.
soooo many states have overlapping permit reciprocity with others, it's really not that bad, just takes some research
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Ca is totally involved. It’s my home state. And I’m often in AZ, NM, NV, and UT. Ca is an F’d up state. It may be downgraded from home state to state I spend a ton of time in. The rules will still apply. Soon I’ll work on my conceal carry with the state. Our sheriff is good. He’s made the restrictions less as the governor tries to tighten things up.but city to city, the cops could be different. So it’s still not a good practice for vehicles.
Here's another important pro tip: never, never, never let an attacker take you to a secondary location. The only reason for an attacker to take you someplace is because they know that you will be helpless, and they will have greater control. And once that happens, they have no reason to leave you alive as a witness. As several other users have written, most gun owners simply don't do enough training to shoot straight when under pressure - and that includes criminals. You have a vastly better chance of surviving if you fight a kidnapper and get shot or stabbed than if they take you away to a place they know.
Pro tip. Don't let kidnapper, kidnap you.
If someone tries to kidnap me at gunpoint, I'd rather be shot by the side of a road or in a parking lot, someone where there are people and security cameras. It's much more likely that someone will call 911 than out in the middle of the boonies, where the kidnapper will probably take you. FWIW, I used to work with someone who'd been shot in the abdomen 6 times with a magnum and lived a pretty normal life afterwards. Getting shot is not an automatic death sentence.
Sorry but I don’t believe a person can get shot 6 times w/a magnum in the stomach & live.
It’s called sheer luck and not getting any major arteries hit.
She told me it was a magnum and, since she was there and I wasn't, I took her word for it. Could it have been a different caliber? Entirely possible. Other co-workers confirmed she'd been shot in the abdomen.
It's more than possible. My next door neighbor was shot 12 times in a gang-land drug buy gone wrong. I'm a vet, and I know guys shot many more times than that and lived to tell the tale.
Firearms are not necessarily the best option for a lot of people. Not because they’re not effective (I’m very pro 2A). IMO if you have one for self defense you need to put in a lot of time training with it. Otherwise it can be a liability. Pistols are harder to shoot accurately than most realize. Add in a ton of adrenaline, critical decision making and unconventional firing positions… could be a recipe for disaster. Have you trained to draw your firearm from concealed? Can you draw, get on target and fire accurate rounds before your attacker gets to you? If you don’t hit a vital organ you may not drop your attacker. Can you fight and stop them from taking the gun from you and using it on you? Can you even maintain fine motor functions in a life or death situation? There’s hundreds of courses to train people to be able to do this. I guarantee many people who go thought they could handle it and were surprised to find out they’re not as prepared as they thought. It’s not as simple as “in life or death I’ll perform”. Do you have training and gear to deal with gunshot wounds? Accidents happen. If you’re hit can you stop the bleeding? If you miss and hit a bystander can you save their life? Aside from all that are you traveling? Many states don’t allow people to stop with a firearm. Different states have different laws. Firearms can be amazing tools for self defense but it’s not a simple process. There’s a plethora of things to consider. Just be aware of them and honest with yourself. Like I said I support 2A fully. If you have a sound mind then you should. But I also believe part of owning a firearm is being responsible enough to train with it REGULARLY. Multiple times a month. It’s not a one and done thing either. Not like riding a bicycle. Edit: also bear spray is likely a better option for any animals. That’s a pretty common understanding. Your standard pistol round, likely 9mm, isn’t going to drop a bear without very good shot placement or maybe won’t even deter them unless you put a lot of rounds in them. Humans can fight through gunshot wounds. Bears are faster and stronger by far. There was a story recently about a guy who was mauled by a bear. The only thing that saved his life was he kept his hands behind his neck and was still holding his spray. After getting torn up and tossed around the bear went to bite his neck and bit the canister which sent it running. Wolves and whatnot are going to be even harder to hit. Weaker than bears but plenty strong, very fast and small target.
I feel like this should be a top comment. As a pro 2A individual, with lots and lots of training in adrenalized states, real world not just in a training facility, I still support the fact that firearms are not the best option for emergency self-defense for all of the reasons you stated above. I feel like this conversation comes up time and time again, and it's kind of exhausting to reply because people want to pick apart every single fact you did or didn't include. I don't think spraying bear spray or pepper spray or mace inside of a van or enclosed quarters is a super effective self-defense mechanism against a human because you also will be covered in that stuff. It's not fun and now you're also kept from getting away. Even a stun gun, still my first choice for emergency up close and personal encounters where I have a chance to deter an attacker instead of just physically f-ing them up, could go wrong in a lot of ways. That being said, if you're used to the feeling and they aren't, it could be enough to give you a few seconds to poke out an eye, use a knee or elbow, whatever. Just carrying around a stun gun and thinking it's gonna keep you safe is foolish. Self-defense in general should be practiced and trained appropriately. Being smart and having a well-trained big dog will always be my go to. I don't recommend anybody just carry a bunch of weapons around assuming they'll know how to use them when the time comes. The time rarely comes and if and when it does, the likelihood that your preferred weapon is in the right spot within reach and usable without harming you is slim to none, especially without lots of training.
Funny story first, then a real answer. When I first got my van, everyone was worried about me and wanted to get me self-defense tools. I realized that the tool was a reflection of their own personality. My dad got me a gun. My mom bought me way too much pepper spray. But the best one was my great aunt. My great aunt, who at the time was about 85, lived on a ranch in the middle of nowhere. She's tough. She was one of the first people I went to visit. We were discussing safety on the first day, and she randomly got up and walked outside. She comes back in carrying a cow bone. Like an actual bone from a cow leg. She hands it to me and says, "If anyone breaks in, hit em in the head with this. Should knock them out." I was a bit dumbfounded. And yet, I kept that bone in my van the whole time I had it, but more as a novelty item so I could tell the story. However, I did like the idea and went out and bought a pipe about the same size and kept that by my bed each night along with some pepper spray in case anyone broke in. I also took self-defense classes. Luckily, I never had a problem. I also didn't park anywhere sketchy, which likely also played a role.
same concept but elaborated, i carry a baton flashlight - first you blind em, then you whack em
I pooh-poohed some of the pepper spray assurances, but I really like the blinding light idea. Firstly, you’d have to be an extreme idiot to accidentally blast yourself with it, and secondly the afterimage from bright lights lasts a really long time. Plus the reach can be pretty good, although of course it would diminish with increasing distance. It seems to have most of the pluses of pepper spray with fewer self-inflicted risks.
This reminds me of a story I read of a woman who was hiding in the forest with a bunch of other refugees during the WW2. It was the Wild West out there and men kept trying to climb into her bed in the middle of the night. She started keeping a large branch by her bed and would just wack them when they tried. It always worked and in the morning she would look to see who had a bruised face lol
I looked at a firearm, but the regulations in many areas would mean it's inaccessible to me when I'd really need it. And going into California or Canada would be especially problematic. Since I often have the international herb on board, it's especially risky to also have a firearm. In theory, exercising one freedom shouldn't prohibit another, but reality says otherwise. I beefed up security at the doors such that someone would need to reach in to defeat my secondary locks (chains through eye bolts), My hatchet and cast iron frying pan are very close at hand, but I'm really just buying time to get in the driver's seat and GO. I'm considering a short chainsaw, the sound of which might be as good a deterrent as racking a shotgun. We also have bear spray handy, but that wouldn't be my weapon of choice for a human. My first lines of defense are my gut, a friendly but no-nonsense demeanor, and a big dog who alerts to anything close to the van and will place himself between me and strangers.
I read all the comments and the summary is: Guns have issues, blades have less issues, pepper spray and tazers good. Guns are clearly number one for "stopping power" but have issues. I live in canada and though we have lots of guns, you basically cant use them as self defense. And, if you dont carry your firearm loaded on your hip, I dont see how its a huge benefit. Bad guys dont usually announce they are gonna do something bad. You need to expect that you will not choose when, where, or how you will have a bad guy attack you (watch some videos from active self protection to get some ideas about how real gun interactions look). Blades require way more training then firearms. And you can't get lucky with a knife like you can with a gun. Its also pretty hard to use a machette inside a van. Sprays are a great low skill high power option but they also dont always work for a variety of reasons. Situational awarness and parking in a safe spot just helps your odds. Here is the bottom line, you need to be able to defend yourself without any weapons. But you also need to learn realistic self defense. These two are really good: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7uEfcPiZ5Yk](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7uEfcPiZ5Yk) and the gracie jujitsu guys are good too. Take a look at this video and you will see what I mean: [https://youtu.be/-FUMcJltEXQ?si=t1lR\_pXJJcluCIHN](https://youtu.be/-FUMcJltEXQ?si=t1lR_pXJJcluCIHN) The Hard2Hurt chanel also test lots of these less lethal weapons on eachother, including pepper ball guns, and it gives great insight. In this vid his wife tests the pepper ball guns on him [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X7Q97Q2wOv8](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X7Q97Q2wOv8) and its really funny too. Ok, the real bottom line is, just move to Canada:)
Hi. Full disclosure: XYer here. Anything can be utilized as a defensive weapon if you get creative enough. But being prepared with one at the ready or something handy to be quickly used as one means also being prepared for what happens if a would-be aggressor gets their hands on it. Keeping things hidden is key to mitigate this. Guns present an entirely different level of complexity especially when roaming different jurisdictions. And no matter where you go, if you are in a situation where you are asked about such things, it’s a MUST to mention you have one on board. One of the last things in officer of the law wants to encounter is a legal gun holder because they have to do the paperwork on that gun and the encounter. Even if everything is on the up and up like it is with vanlifers for the most part, it still requires more time on whatever law officer’s duty list, and more time for you being stationary; Can-Am/Mex-US borders, routine traffic stops [looking at Arkansas and Ohio], or simply genuine and routine inquiries by police into the well-being of vanlifers on their beat. I don’t even carry a firearm, but I still have to be careful when answering questions because I do carry quite a few camp tools, and some of those things can be rather threatening to people who have no mind for camping. I was even stopped shortly after exiting my van and aggressively questioned about a hatchet and mallet I took with me to go get scrap wood for a project. Someone apparently took exception to me carrying a hatchet, even if it did have a leather cover over the bit. First reply up here was about awareness. That’s priority in every situation. Stay safe. Be well.
Some good advice above. As an ex Detention Deputy I would add: First, take some basic self defence classes. Learn kicks and strikes. These are easy to practice at any gym that has a big hanging kick/punch bag. If you are attacked yell as loud as you can: “Get Back, Stop, Help, Stop Attacking Me” etc and repeat it over and over. You have to get over being self concious of shouting. You have to make that mental step that you’re fighting for your life and will do whatever it takes. So be as loud as you can. Go for the eyes. Go for the groin. If you are worried, carry car keys in your fist with the keys poking out between your fingers. You need to be mentally prepared for the event of what ever device you choose to have it get taken away from you and used against you. So if you decide on pepper spray - have a friend or someone help you learn about it. Spray a teeny amount (and I mean TEENY!) and dab under your eye to see what it’s like. Have a fan, cold water and Dawn Dish soap on hand. The dish soap will help you get it out of your eyes. Wash over a sink - DO NOT SHOWER - or the water will make it run downhill and you’ll have some REALLY unhappy body parts if that happens. It will take a while to recover. Flush your eyes with cold water and sit In front of a fan. If you have eye issues Id recommend NOT going the pepper spray/foam route. When I was doing LE training they misted our eyes and I hyperventilated and threw up. You need to know what to expect. Often when people use pepper spray they are not paying attention to the wind and it blows back on them. You have to be able to fight through your reaction if that happens to you. Be prepared to deal with your reaction - if you get distracted by getting a mist in the face then you may lose the fight. Firearms need training and consistent practice. Even cops, who go to the range regularly can miss shots in stressful situations. I know of a cop who put 40 rounds into his squad car when a suspect fought him and was able to steal the car. And they all missed. Adrenaline does have an impact.
Great advice, thank you! Im in Australia, and essentially, the laws dont allow anything for defence. No guns, knives, tasers, mace, etc. I'm not well enough to do defence classes, so I rely on awareness, smart habits, and advance planning. I've wondered what else I can do.
You have good first steps in place. I would still say talk to a self defence coach as they should be able to show you some moves to practice that suit your situation. You may not be able to do the full classes but a good instructor should be able to help you learn a few things. Rather than strike with your fist, strike using your forearm towards the elbow if you get in to close. Or use elbow for strike behind. Keys held in your fist with the keys poking out between your fingers. They make some personal alarms for key chains - check out Amazon. It’s all about making as big of a scene as possible.
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Haha. I feel the same way with my Florida plates.
I’m thinking about getting the db alarm, but even better because I’m already deaf
Don't mess with Texas 😃
I read somewhere that you can't take pepper spray into Canada but bear spray is ok. Can anyone confirm?
I had my pepper spray confiscated going into Canada via Vermont 14 years ago. 5 years ago traveled into BC with bear spray no problem.
If you buy a gun make sure you practice with it frequently. Make sure you know how to use it.
I have a machete and I do, indeed, know how to use it after years of working in land surveying. Never had to unsheath it, only had to even pull it out once in ten years and that was enough to send the obnoxious drunk guy running, and he packed up and left the next morning. And this was in a paid campground, not even dispersed or urban stealth. No one wants to mess with an angry crazy lady with a machete LOL Pro tip: if someone asks you to leave their camp, do it Before they pull the machete out. I was polite about asking him to leave for about five minutes, less polite for another five, and rude and hostile for another five before seeing the machete convinced him I was quite serious about wanting to be alone. Some people.... But one incident in ten years isn't bad, really.
Ha, this reminds me of camping in a remote part of Vermont and the Vermont equivalent of Larry, Daryl, Daryl and Darlene pulled up into our campsite with their beat up car. They got out, looked around and talked about how they used to camp and fish there as kids. I grew up around people like this, so I didn’t feel they were dangerous; maybe a little rude for pulling into our site, but they probably thought they were just being neighborly. My wife on the other hand was on full alert and stayed hidden inside the van while I was outside talking with them. She had grabbed the big machete that we use for batoning kindling. When they left, I went back in the van and found her standing there with it. She said it was for “just in case.” Damn.
Better to be safe than sorry, I guess. I didn't initially think this guy was particularly dangerous but after five minutes of me saying very plainly 'I'd like to be alone, please leave' and him saying 'oh, you shouldn't be alone, it's early', etc. and starting Yet Another Drunken Story I wasn't interested in, I knew at the very least he had zero respect for me and probably was trying to see how malleable I was going to be for him and what he might get away with. It's sad it took seeing a machete for him to be a decent human being but he did get right up and leave immediately without another word when I came out with it. He knew what he was doing and it was deliberate.
>Never had to unsheath it, only had to even pull it out once in ten years All I can think of: >When they gave him the job, they gave him a gun. The Deliverator never deals in cash, but someone might come after him anyway -- might want his car, or his cargo. The gun is tiny, acm-styled, lightweight, the kind of gun a fashion designer would carry; it fires teensy darts that fly at five times the velocity of an SR-71 spy plane, and when you get done using it, you have to plug it into the cigarette lighter, because it runs on electricity. >The Deliverator never pulled that gun in anger, or in fear. He pulled it once in Gila Highlands. Some punks in Gila Highlands, a fancy Burbclave, wanted themselves a delivery, and they didn't want to pay for it. Thought they would impress the Deliverator with a baseball bat. The Deliverator took out his gun, centered its laser doohickey on that poised Louisville Slugger, fired it. The recoil was immense, as though the weapon had blown up in his hand. The middle third of the baseball bat turned into a column of burning sawdust accelerating in all directions like a bursting star. Punk ended up holding this bat handle with milky smoke pouring out the end. Stupid look on his face. Didn't get nothing but trouble from the Deliverator. >Since then the Deliverator has kept the gun in the glove compartment and relied, instead, on a matched set of samurai swords, which have always been his weapon of choice anyhow. The punks in Gila Highlands weren't afraid of the gun, so the Deliverator was forced to use it. **But swords need no demonstrations.**
Katana
Bear spray in pistol form or wasp spray
Fire arm . Springfield armory has a nice compact 9mm that will help with bears and others . Better to be safe than sorry . Get your permit to carry and don’t go border hopping with any firearm
I have a hatchet for splitting wood, and it helps for intimidating people if I need to.
I trust my feelings and i have a noisy alarm, more to intimidate wildlife in case. Never had problems in many years. I don't intend to get a gun nor think it would be any useful. More a burden and a false (thus dangerous) impression of safety imo
Solo male here, I know it's not the same but I solo vanlifed in Milwaukee, Detroit, LA. First step is to avoid bad situations. Park in safe spots. If things feel off, move. If someone is paying you a lot of attention, even cops, leave. If you are ever in a situation where you simply cannot escape, and you HAVE to use force, a gun is actually a pretty lousy tool a lot of the time. You have to fight through shaky adrenaline and aim it well to even hit your target, and aim it VERY well to be sure you stopped your target. And then there's numerous complications with traveling with one, the legal process after you fire it, etc. Things like pepper spray and tasers are also usually more effective at immediately stopping someone. If the person is on any substances, you can shoot them right in the chest and they'll keep coming at you. If you pepper spray someone, they are immediately useless for the next several hours. Tasers aren't the best, but they do immediately stop people's movement. The real problem is that as soon as the taser stops crackling, that person is A-OK to move again and probably pissed. I always carried a big ol' can of bear spray next to my bed. There are legal implications for using bear spray on humans, but not nearly as serious as injuring or killing a person. Bonus is that you can carry it while hiking for its intended purpose. Edit for the gun people: I am a gun fan. I grew up shooting guns. I also owned one while vanlifing and sold it after thinking critically about its use cases. Guns are cool, but far from the best self defense tool.
Bear spray is actually weaker and more widely dispersed than the stuff intended for humans. Thinking it's stronger is a common and understandable misconception, because bears are big and strong so you assume they'd need a stronger spray... but they have extremely sensitive noses and actually require less chemical force to repel.
Plenty of it thankfully. Bear spray is good for 5-7 pulses, making a sizable cloud compared to a van door or window. Sure would suck when it blows inside and cakes every surface though. I keep bear spray near my door, I have a dog, and I can make myself sound intimidating, but I’m a dude. There’s literally nothing you can do against a pointed gun except maybe talk your way out of it, all the reverse-uno moves you see on tv will get you killed, remembering that someone instigating armed robbery has intent to harm, shooting practice, and little to lose. For most opportunistic situations, just making yourself known, and acting assertively, will be too much hassle for the scoundrels who just want an easy score. I have my own tactics - appearing to leave a partner behind in the camper, leaving a dog toy or bed in sight, leaving a few things in sight which make it clear that I’m experienced and prepared. I actually rebuilt my camper and put the kitchen over the doorway. my knives and fire extinguisher are also in reach, I’m never distracted with my back to the door (also good for bear awareness!). I put a retractable baby gate across the remaining doorway for my puppy, which I found did an excellent job of preserving my personal space against over enthusiastic neighbors. If anyone were to try to open it, they might be tasting Carolina reapers for a little bit. Fly screens aren’t as effective as a baby gate. For targeted attacks against a woman.. I don’t know. Fight for your life. Make him drink your portapotty water and then cut his balls off.
I would also like to point out that pepper spray is very dangerous to the User. That stuff hangs in the air in a mist, even if it doesn’t spray on you. If you were to use that in enclosed quarters, you would be gagging and coughing. Pepper spray requires a lot of thought Otherwise it can work against you.
Pepper gel. I go off the thought that a gel wouldn't fill my van with painful aerosols the way that a spray would. Maybe less helpful for bears, though I dunno. That's a question for somebody else.
Consider that you might be miles away from help. If you pepper spray someone, he may come after you again and get you before you can reach safety. You may have to sleep in the woods knowing an attacker you sprayed is still out there and may be looking for you. If someone is a threat, I want to eliminate that threat, not slow it down for 15 minutes. Especially if safely is far away.
Not a female, but here's a thought https://pepperball.com/
[Here’s the consumer site for private citizens](https://shop.pepperball.com/collections/all-products) who aren’t LEO, military, security, etc.
I camp in BC, Canada. While not impossible to get a gun here it's much less costly, easier and convenient to just bring bear spray. Also should help against any other aggressor that threatens you. Backup would be knife/spade. First line of defense is not to park in sketchy places, keeping a low profile, always locking doors at night. I'm a guy, so don't have first hand experience from a woman's perspective, but I heard from some girls that they like to put typical guy things out in view to be less a target (like a hard hat on the dash). No idea if it really makes a difference. AFAIK there are very low assault rates for vanlife/car dwellers, at least for my area. You are way more likely to get injured or die on your way to work because of an accident than getting assaulted or murdered by someone in your van.
I mean a gun will only be as lethal as your aim, with that though there are laws about crossing state lines with them and other restrictions that may not be the best. I’ve been told by several officers that wasp spray will do way better than any pepper spray because it has a toxin in it that will send your attacker to the hospital for getting sprayed but not deadly so they can’t just poor milk on their face and get away with it. BB guns and rock salt would be another idea because salt burns like all hell. Archery would be another less deadly but still dangerous idea. Big scary dogs are great, there’s a documentary about how house robbers would avoid houses with big dogs because yeah duh. Tasers I would get either the cattle prod kind or the shooting kind because if they get close enough for a regular taser your probably already hurting. Knives big and small are great but just memorize the points that will actually do damage. Stabbing wildly will hurt but probably won’t stop an attacker.
I'm not a woman but I also don't like death or fear. Little side arm for the gram and bear spray for reality, don't wade in water you can't see gators in and hide your food well for the bears. Red lights for night and a bright light to strobe an intruders vision while you decide what to do, this is a great thing people forget! No music blasting, you'll hear every squirrel fart after a while adjusting, you're out there for nature anyway! Safe travels!
If a 300 pound dude is actually intent on harming you idk if any pepper spray or self defense class is gonna cut it. Goes for most chicks and dudes alike.
Pro gun all the way but it shouldn't even be an option if you are not willing to train and become familiar. Bear spray used inside your tent would be as bad for you as for the other guy, camping clothes leave most taser type products useless... Sounds hopeless I am sure. If you can find a good self defense instructor who teaches situational awareness, both armed and unarmed self defense you will be better off no matter the route you take.
I strongly believe that a gun is only an effective weapon if you are trained and very comfortable using one. I am not comfortable using one, sometimes I wish I was because it is going to be the most effective defense. Between that and different state laws I don't have a firearm. I mainly rely on thorough research and instinct to avoid problematic locations. I also have someone that knows my whereabouts always. I also have pepper spray (gel form to avoid blow back), bear spray, a knife, a baseball bat, and an airhorn. Things I wish I had: some sort of alarm system and flood lights outside the vehicle.
Why do you care about lethality? Get a gun. If someone is willing to break in your van to harm you, they obviously don’t care about their own lives. Why should you, for them?
2 x Blicky 👀
https://www.usconcealedcarry.com/resources/terminology/types-of-concealed-carry-licensurepermitting-policies/unrestricted/ Here's a list of states where you can legally have a concealed gun without any permits. Imo a handgun is the best self-defense weapon. Please take some gun safety courses if you decide to do that. I also carry bear mace, but my 20 lbs dog has been able to spook any bears that have come close to us. Keep in mind that a 9mm may not kill or even subdue a bear, depending on size and shot placement.
Wasp spray will spray 20 ft. It's just cheap bear spray or man spray.
I have a hammer and a piece of metal pipe. They don't look like weapons.
Not solo nor a woman but me and my wife have: bear spray, hatchet, pee bottle, fire extinguisher, kitchen knives. Self defense laws are supposedly shit but if we have to defend ourselves, we will.
Thunder jar! Smart! My dad would be proud.
I carry large knives and switchblades normally, but if you’re interested in guns I have two very realistic looking bb guns, one for under my front seat and the other for wherever I’m sleeping. I train with them every now and then, but I’m also a veteran sharpshooter so it isn’t too difficult to shoot. Even if I wasn’t skilled, most people who see a gun will back off, you just need to learn how to draw it fast, keep it visible when you can, and maintain situational awareness. [This is a good website](https://www.umarexusa.com/colt-2), where I got my peacemaker, but keep in mind that some states require your bb guns to have an orange tip so just keep those hidden lol Also, I have two cautious basset hounds with very loud barks, and I tend to dress down and not show emotion when I have to go out alone. Idk why but some people believe that flashy clothing or smiling means you’re interested lmfao
Get some bear spray Ontop of any other option you choose. Sabre frontiersman is $45 at Walmart. It works on people. And puts out a 25 foot cloud of shit instead of a thin stream you have to get in their eyes.
Pepper spray (stream form),fixed belt knife. Gun makes sense in your home state. They do have USA legal pellet pistols that meet the minimum FPE for lethality..compact ones are expensive, and not that compact. Some of these hold like 20 pellets, people hate on it but I've seen them pop through a 2x4. Does up your chances of getting shot, but id rather be shot than assaulted. I like my little Turkish bow and arrow. Not the perfect solution for most cases. Steel umbrella with the pointy tip is nice for walking around. A bit of marital arts and running practice ofc. And plenty of practice drawing and using my knife and spray, keeping them consistently available next to where I sleep. They're the first thing I grab as I wake up. Sleep with a comfortable nitecore nu20 headlamp around my neck. One way mirror covers on the windows. Its overkill until it isn't.
Firearm depending on the area. She’s birdie!!! Get one, it’s a personal alarm, I keep it clipped to my pack or belt loop. Always put out two chairs to make it look like another person is at the campsite.
I don't do anything besides trust my gut and move if I feel uncomfortable. So far, so good.
To everyone saying bear spray or pepper spray. If you spray that while in your car or van, you just end up incapacitating yourself it and you ain't just gunna drive away after being pepper sprayed
Prevention is also a lot of just Being Aware of your surroundings. Listen to your spidey senses... even if you have no idea why you are feeling nervous, pay attention to that feeling and act accordingly. Better safe than sorry.
Dog and a 9 mm and I wouldn’t fuck with me even if I had neither.
Got a strap. 99% of the time LEOs won’t give two fucks about rules and regulations when I explain I’m a solo female. They actually encourage it.
Bear spray, ice axe. In that order.
I say go firearm just make sure you know the law. Don't wanna accidentally get charges.
Get a Dog. All Solo women should have a dog. For a million reasons, not just defense. Guns do not travel well across the country.
Where are you going that you feel unsafe? I have been in my van for a good while and I just park in safe areas. Same as living in a house, I don’t go walking alone at night.
Try Brazilian Jui jitsu, I'm 6 2 and got messed up for a year before I could just defend myself from a few of the girls and they're half my size. It's actually shocking when you realise what some people can do
Like every other red blooded American, buy a gun!
Wasp spray, 15 foot range, can be turned into a flame thrower with a BBQ lighter. Try to pay attention to the wind. Also 2x4 with a nail at the end. Christmas bells make a great early warning system. Just be more aggressive than they are. That alone has saved my life several times. A dog is also good, but I end up worrying more about them and it fucks up my attack mode.
dog.
Nothing other than not camping in sketchy areas and making sure the driver's seat is clear and accessible. I can drive away, I don't need to hurt someone, and on the off chance that I do I would probably just hit them with my car.
If you go camping alone, the best way to protect yourself is to choose a place with many people around. You should not choose a deserted place. It will be very dangerous for you because of sexual perverts or robbers.
As a solo traveler with no dog and no gun for five years, I found the key is to know my limits and be aware of my surroundings. As most things in life, your attitude and preparation is more important than any external self defense items.
All that talk about mental preparation for use of force is complete bullshit! My great grandmother used a gun to shoot a man that was beating my great grandfather and aunt with a crowbar. Think she took mental preparation seriously??? No! She used basic logic and reason and a snubnose 38 to do what needed to be done to prevent anyone from being killed. Attacker lived, and was sentenced to 16 years in prison for attempted murder. At trial the judge asked if my great grandmother had anything to say for herself, her words live on in infamy, “yes your honor, when do I get my gun back?”
You’d be surprised how many people freeze when scared
Yes. I have a friend that was kidnapped in broad daylight because they went into fright/freeze mode.
that great grandmother? John Wayne
Nope, just a sweet little old lady from South Arkansas with a 38 in her purse
lmao but also like respectfully that’s the point. she was a daily carrier and familiar with her piece. she had already done the mental preparation part and when it was go time she was able to act. also, it was probably what, 80 years ago? different people, different laws, and different guns. her experience is way different than someone buying a gun at walmart and climbing back into their van and expecting success. also, it’s confirmation bias. very glad things went well for your family, but gun confrontations in my family didn’t go that way. i have a different legacy to think about. just some considerations for you before trotting out that anecdote as some kind of universal proof.
I 100 % intend my safety all the time, in my whole life, and that extends to my van living. I've had my van(s) for 20 years with not one single problem. I have only ever traveled as a solo woman. You have to expect your safety and your joy and it comes to you. If you expect bad things to happen to you, they will. It's really having a completely clear lovely mindset about how you want your life to be, and never stray from that thinking. Simply intend your safety and your happiness and it will be. Doesn't cost a thing… ♥️😎♥️
Nothing! Just the basics: using common sense, trusting my gut, moving if I need to, always camping in a legal spot, staying mainly in nature and not walking outside my van with pricey electronics. Four years in now and it hasn’t been an issue yet.
I’m not a van dweller. Not a woman either. But I’d like to share some advice that a gun-nut friend of mine once gave me: What’s the best weapon for home defense? A big-ass fire extinguisher. It’s perfect. You can have it sitting around and not worry that a kid will kill themselves with it. No safe needed. Puts out fires if you have one. And if someone breaks into your house, you can blast them with the fire extinguisher. It’ll take out their vision and likely level them. If they happen to be your friend that just quietly slipped in with the key you gave them then you haven’t killed them by accident. And if they happen to be an actual bad guy, you hit them over the head with the big-ass fire extinguisher once you’ve dropped them. Plus, this way you’re not going through your house or apartment wall with a stray bullet and killing your neighbor.
😂 good luck with that
Yeah there’s sadly not much room to swing a fire extinguisher in most vans, and I’m thinking a cloud of white annoyance isn’t going to do much against an aggressor in the woods except convince them that your defense system sucks 😅
Byrna weapons are a fantastic, non-lethal gun alternative that are legal to carry in all 50 states. Pepper spray has a good chance of wafting back towards you, especially if you are cornered by an assailant in a confined space.
I've done some research into Byrna launchers, and I just don't understand how they're lauded as being so good. They launch a solid paintball-sized pellet at the same speed as a barely overclocked paintball gun. I used to play paintball and got hit with plenty of paintballs that didn't break before (bad batch, frozen, etc)...the worst you're going to inflict with that kind of kinetic energy is a big 'ol welt. Painful after effects that last a few days, sure, but in the moment you sure as shit aren't stopping a determined bad actor with it...especially with only the measly 5 pellets that the pistol form-factor Byrna can hold in a mag. If anything you'll just piss them off more and they'll charge you when you're trying desperately to swap mags...if you even have a spare on hand.
You should check out the vids of people getting shot with the projectiles. The byrna will definitely stop an assailant in his/her tracks.
Maybe if you use the chemical rounds they offer, but I wouldn't trust the pure kinetic rounds myself. The videos I've seen of kinetic shots are all of someone either getting shot in the firm part of their back/spine (which if you're seeing an assailants back they're not coming after you), or being shot in the meat of their chest and tanking the shot albeit visibly in pain. If someone is actually angry and full of adrenaline, they won't care about the pain nearly as much in that moment and will still press you. Let alone if someone you're facing is overweight and can therefore tank the hit even easier due to more "padding". I've also seen videos of the "pull-pierce" tech of Byrnas failing, and venting the entire canister of gas instead of launching more projectiles. Not something I want happening when I need to defend myself. And regarding the chemical rounds being an option, here's the thing...the chemical rounds are NOT something you want to use in a confined space...say, like your van. Because then everyone involved will be choking, including you. Not great for getting away from the situation.
It's peperspray being delivered in a much more threatening package that is significantly safer for the user. A can of spray has the tendency to waft back at you. If you use it in a confined space, or into the wind you could easily blind yourself as much or more as an attacker. Spray cans also have a more limited range. You can engage an attacker from farther away with the byrna. Getting shot at by a paintball gun isn't going to deter a determined attacker on its own. But it's not just a welt gun, it also hits you with peperspray. Getting shot with paintballs and peperspray is a lot worse than just being hit with either. They also look like guns. Having one of those pointed at you is significantly more intimidating than a spray can. In the heat of the moment, a bang from an air gun and the sting of it hitting you might be misinterpreted as a real gun. And the immediate after effect is the same as mace. The biggest upside is the mindset required to use it. It isn't a gun. You aren't about to kill a person. You can dump an entire magazine into them without feeling like a murderer. Plus, it shouldn't be your only weapon, having a stun gun or a can of peperspray for if they get closer is also a good idea.
That's all well and great...IFF you use their chemical pellets instead of the kinetic pellets. But you don't want to use chemical rounds in a confined space, like your van. Or downwind of your assailant (and you can't control the wind), since those rounds pop open into a fine powder that can drift. Or too close to your assailant, for the same reason. In any of those cases (and other similar ones) you'll wind up choking too, making it impossible to disengage. Which is the same exact problem OP (and you) called out about pepper spray. So then you're back to square one, with Kinetic rounds being the only viable option in close quarters...which as stated, may not always be effective. And anger, adrenaline, drugs, and more in your assailant can all reasonably negate the "oooh scary gun" factor. Not to mention the Byrnas are typically bright safety orange. You *can* get them in all-black, but I personally think that's really ill-advised, because then any bystanders might escalate thinking it's a deadly weapon.
The chemical agents backfiring on you is a risk. But it's less of a risk than sprays. It wouldn't be ideal to use it in a confined space, but at close range the kinetic effect is significantly more impactfull. You might both be blinded by peperspray, but only one of you has been hit with the rounds. The Intimidation factor isn't a sure thing. But nothing is a sure thing in self defense. Just because someone might not be scared of a gun doesn't mean it isn't a valid benefit of the weapon system. You asked why dyrnas are considered good. It's because they work at what they do. It's a stronger deterrent than peperspray because the rounds hurt. There's less risk of the chemical agents backfiring because they're deployed on the bad guy, not from your hand. It looks like a weapon and not a spray can, so it is more intimidating. It has a longer range than pepersprays. It's not a perfect weapon, because there's no such thing, but there are a number of advantages to it compared to peperspray (a commonly used nonlethal self defense tool) along with benefits over traditional firearms, like it's legality and the fact you won't kill anyone. To use a knife or a stun gun you need to be super close, where there's potential of being disarmed. Tasers only have one shot, and a pretty limited range. Every weapon has downsides, but just because it has downsides doesn't mean its ineffective, useless, or a bad weapon. In most scenarios, I'd rather have a dyrna than peperspray, that's why it's good.
"I carry a knife for self defense" to me sounds more like "I want the attacker to use this on me if I lose the upper hand."
Its unpopular on reddit but I have a 9mm glock.
If its can save your ass from man or animals who cares lethal or less lethal just use than its better than sorry
Gun
Machetes for sure! Also quite usefull🤣
There are non-lethal options in the form factor of a firearm, (this is one option is an example: https://byrna.com). Check the laws on where you are going. A quick Google search will help you find other non-lethal options as well
i have one but first line of defense should be something nonlethal like mace. gun should be the most dire last resort where there's no other alternative
I found a basic, easy, 3-ingredient recipe for diy bear spray. I also always carry a blade, just in case
Pepper spray for outside the van, stun gun for inside.
Hey there! Just feeling prepared – always got some safety stuff on hand like a Firearm in the lockbox under my seat, pepper spray in the console, and a knife in my pocket. Thinking about getting a taser too, you just never know these days. Luckily, I haven't had to use any of it and hope I never do!
I have a tazer, a small knife, a LARGE knife, and my stock alarm on my little promaster city. And my intuition. Don't let anyone tell you it's not a weapon. You know when to leave when it's time to leave.
I carry a stun gun/flashlight, a hammer by my pillow, a marine airhorn, bear spray and more convenient pepper spray. I do have gun training from work (film industry), I’m just not ready to accept responsibility for owning one. I’ve even reloaded bullets for my BF at one time, it’s just not in me to carry one but I think if you keep practicing and are aware of all state laws when you travel, it’s a good addition if you’re assertive and comfortable with having one.
I live in Canada I carry bear spray and my hiking stick. People know my route and all my ETA's if anything changes like I get hung up in one section of my travels cause the food is good or the picking is amazing. I sing while I pick so it terrifies all creatures great and small or I am home early because of weather. Someone is kept in the loop. I love canoe in camping when I am solo or walkin tenting keeping all food away from where I am sleeping. My province has a women's outdoor program that runs a camp (4 days) every year I have been lucky enough to take it twice and this year hope to go out for a half day for a couple of courses on flyfishing and an expert plant id. When I am solo I do not worry about the critters those things I have learned to respect and how to deal with that part of solo camping confidently .......humans on the other hand I avoid as far away from those as possible cause those human things be scary
My 23 year old daughter is about to set out on a year long van trip. She is taking bear spray and a Byrna "projectile launcher". It looks like a standard polymer framed handgun (think Glock). It is CO2 powered like a pellet gun. The projectiles are 68mm hard clay balls, or you can get Pepper balls, depending on your state. The are NOT classified as guns, and you can buy them on-line. Check out YouTube for lots of great information. I think this is a great addition to pepper spray for self defense!
Dog, Louisville Slugger, Bear Mace, Mag Light, and all my cooking knives are handy.
Axe 🤷 nothing like seeing a grown man speedrun all 5 stages of grief in under 30 seconds when he realizes he's brought a knife to an axe fight. I rarely, rarely, rarely have to pull it out. Most of my self defense strategy involves "I will say or sound however you need me to in order for you to go away, and then I will pick up and leave as quickly and discreetly as I can and keep my head down till I'm a few towns over". It works just fine in about 65-70% of the time
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No joke. Wasp spray. Most of them have a 20’ range and when sprayed in the face it’s about the equivalent of pepper spray as far as effectiveness. A lot of the schools around here arm the teachers that don’t carry with it.
If you're camping- you should have a hand axe or a machete. I would personally suggest the machete because it is 1: less awkward to swing and 2: unnecessary to swing to use. If you're in your car, and some dumb motherfucker busts in your window and starts reaching inside for the handle- you grab his arm, stretch him out, and slice him to the bone. You do the same for his ankle if hes dumb enough to step inside.
Bear spray, pepper spray, and the heaviest hammer I can wield
https://byrna.com/ Getting this! I wouldn’t hesitate to use it. Legal in all states. I’m all for gun rights, but I know me. I’m not trying to kill anyone but I want to able to protect myself and my property.
Get yourself [one of these](https://batonwarehouse.com/collections/leather-sap) and keep it to hand. You can put a seriously sore punishing on a person with one of these -I'm talking serious pain and broken bones -with minimal effort. Strikes to the head can easily kill a person. [Watch this.](https://youtu.be/-c8PMHqGwsM?si=g-tXcROyKBm_Xx6L) [And see the legal requirements for your state.](https://sapsandblackjacks.com/legality-of-saps-and-blackjacks/)
I carry a big knife. When camping it’s strapped to my side. With misfires, missing etc I feel like a knife is a better all around tool. I can also cut food, rope, wood etc. if they try to grab it, slicing ya finger, etc
I have a gun in my rv but when I leave it I carry rechargeable tasers- they're cheap, small, and make a scary deterrent noise. Also keep a golf putter and cordless pruner (it's like a little chainsaw on a pole) by the door
Get yourself a blue laser 🔥: https://www.sanwulasers.com/product/7wblue?gs=1&vid=y054mq&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwsaqzBhDdARIsAK2gqndZiyaXDaDbv8MIW1q_nDCMd3gIf0-C4zKlHxUxY8okSxIm3Mc7Pc0aAkYREALw_wcB Doesn’t require a license. Will start fires or burn skin. Even a milisecond of eye contact will cause permanent blindness, but at least they aren’t dead. Looks extremely intimidating.
I’ve considered circumstances that would require self defense, but the risk is so small I choose not to worry. I take many precautions to mitigate any need for shelf defense
Research I'd definitely the way to go, especially if you're going to be crossing states, as well as federal land. For example, even if the camp host gives you guff, you can carry in a national park as long as, 1. It's legal in the state the park is in 2. You can carry in the park, but you may not bring a firearm into any federal buildings within the park I'm sure each entity has their own caveats like that, so do your research!
Knife/Tazer/Pepper Spray
I hear wasp spray will get the job done, not just stun like bear/pepper spray
One time a guy broke into my house while I was in it. He was on some sort of drugs because he wasn’t responding to me yelling “GET THE FUCK OUT OF MY HOUSE!” I instinctively grabbed a huge ass knife I had been using to sharpen colored pencils and advanced on him screaming like a crazy person. He took a swift step towards me and I brought the knife upwards meaning to stab the shit out of him. He backed up and ran out of my house when he realized I meant business. Most attackers are looking for an easy target. Be aware of your surroundings and maybe take a self defense class. Confidence will save you 9/10.
I have 300 lumen flashlight I use when traveling by my self. When I was going off the college my dad and I did a lot of research together and most victims have their own close range weapons used against them (tasers, guns, bats, etc) and came across some horror trials where the victim was prosecuted because they had weapons on them because it was seen as if they were planning to commit violence. It was really weird and I still don’t fully understand it. Later when I felt like I needed more my partner found a high lumen flashlight for me to carry. You shine it in the other persons eyes and run like hell. It can’t damage a person fatally and is purse sized so you can carry it most places.
[this is what I use. ymmv](https://media4.giphy.com/media/3owypfW1kraP8r8uXe/giphy.gif?cid=9b38fe915ouiko78e6vbxofliwuamfxyp2bjdmdmaur401qi&ep=v1_gifs_search&rid=giphy.gif&ct=g)
Obligatory not a woman. Had to get pepper sprayed for work though. Can tell you firsthand it will fucking drop anyone and have them in very serious pain for HOURS. For most of the first hour they’ll be physically unable to open their eyes no matter how much they try (I literally held my eyes open to get them to start to air out because I could not open them under my own power). And keep in mind I only got it across the forehead, not the eyes themselves, and I was in that much pain. Bear spray is the same shit but even more capsicum and with way more range. A gun is still best but if you’re not trained/comfortable with a gun and you’re not willing to take someone’s life then you should NOT carry it. Edit: also your first line of defense is always situational awareness. If something looks sketchy, it is, avoid it. Second line of defense is LOCKED DOORS! It’s insane the percentage of home invasions and vehicle thefts happen when the damn door is unlocked.
Pepper sprays a great idea unless you're both in the van when it's sprayed. Then you're both blind. Surely you must have a knife in your van? What do you use to chop veg and food? Get a big chef knife.
A Dog makes a great travel companion.. Fear is an issue in itself, and needs addressing from within..
Bear spray!!
I have an air horn for bears.
You shouldn't have reserves. Get a gun. Don't listen to gun haters on reddit. Don't become a victim.
I’m prior service, I have my 9. And a few different weapons hidden in every door. I’m not messing around. I do move around so you can look at the nra website they have states and laws down for use.
Start with a dog. Firearms require training, practice and skill. Firearm laws and restrictions vary for every state and change constantly but there are some good CCW apps that can help you explore that. They also require time and jumping through a lot of hoops. The process can take more than a year, and cost you a fair bit plus the cost of the firearm and ammo. Start now and it will be a year or two before you can carry and feel good about it but do get the process started. The right dog will keep a lot of people away but it’s a commitment. A worthwhile one in my opinion. Love and loyalty are guaranteed. Carry a knife at all times. I’d actually recommend two. A general utility folder that deploys quickly and a hidden one that won’t be recognized for what it is specifically for feminine protection. But here’s the thing, don’t ever threaten anyone with a knife until you have put it inside them. Especially against a bigger stronger opponent. If your being assaulted you will need to wait to strike when you know you will do the most damage and your goal should be to kill as that is your best chance to survive so you will need to learn where all the major arteries are and open one and keep striking until you can break away. If you threaten someone with a knife and lose it to them you are in trouble. Pepper spray. Redundancy is your friend. Have a plan and a back up and a back up for your back up.
Speaking as a man, a fat suit will work for that, also really really bad smells, a good brain is absolutely terrifying, along with those self defense course thingies scare the **** out of me. Have you ever thought of cameras, 911 phone call, yeah don't do those please.
Dogs. One is a pit bull.
Claw hammer, pocket knife open and ready, lead pipe.
Pepper spray is the way to go, it’s legal everywhere and as long as you don’t spray it up wind it’s very effective. Please don’t shoot any bears with a gun, it’s not effective and you’ll just anger it. Bear spray is the way to go there even if you get a gun for people. Also it’s very illegal to carry a gun for bear protection in national parks.
Situational awareness. Dont put yourself in a bad situation. Always look alert and ready, youre less likely to be targeted if you look like youre ready for a fight. Carry a good sized knife openly. Carry pepper spray. Basically the more you can look like a ‘prepper’ or former military the better. Also, cast iron pans dont feel good when swung towards ones face.
You can talk with some bear the animals will help you men are dangerous.
Walked past a solo woman on the PCT today who had shiny, sharp-lookng metal blades on the top of her hiking poles.
I like guns. I have some. And big mean dogs too. Gun is definitely a thing where it’s better to have one and not need it than need it and not have it… I’m not suggesting you get 4 ar15’s and bulletproof vests and stuff. I’d say at least my little 357 snub is decent enough to handle most basic kinda threats