[Rogelio]

Hi:

I currently carry a glock 25 and a knife (sometimes a seath, sometimes a butterfly) for personal protection, but yesterday I stepped into the gunshop and saw this sprays...one is Tear Gas and the other one is some kind of foam..I decided not to ask the guy behind the counter because he was obviously selling me the foam (more expensive) so I am here asking you guys which one is best for "winning seconds" while drawing....all opinions and pics welcome, please feel free to add personal comments.!

Thanks

edited to add: I think I will get the small one of whichever I choose...the big bottles seem to unconfortable for carry!

[Rogelio]

Also...how good id pepper spray?? I have not heard very good things about it....

[Joe Demko]

The Sheriff's Office where I sometimes work moved away from pepper foam. partly because it was found less effective than regular spray and partly because of the (overestimated IMO) danger of choking if the foam is inhaled. It is said to have happened if the foam is applied across the mouth and nostrils. We use Fox labs spray now.

[Drjones]

My opinion, FWIW:

It seems to me that the spray would be a better option. The very nature of a foam vs. spray seems that the spray would have a better chance of contacting eyes, mucous membranes, etc. whereas the foam seems that it would be easier to block and otherwise avert.

[Roadkill Coyote]

The reason for developing foam was to try and create an OC that would stay on the target, both to increase the exposure, and to prevent cross contamination. The problem is that it was only partly sucessful at doing that. The target is probably going to wipe off the foam, in which case its only going to have the same effect as a liquid. The trick is, that once they wipe the stuff off, your enemy now has a handful of O.C. foam, which in the best case they'll probably fling in some random direction. In the worst case, someone whose been through it before may throw some back at you. If you use the foam, you should be moving, so that they don't know where to throw it (they'll probably be having trouble seeing).

[Rogelio]

How about the "triple action" (OC,Tear gas, and UV dye)????

Better, worse or the same as the pure OC?? (I ask because I have been in contact with tear gas when I was younger -hehe we were doing a strike for the poor teachers- and tho it actually was itchy and made my eyes hurt as hell, I could still run away and keep on screaming.)

[SteelyDan]

My understanding is that if you're comparing equivalent delivery systems (e.g., same sized cans of spray), police departments have found the pepper spray to be more effective than tear gas in stopping assailants. With the pepper spray, however, you've got to make sure you know what you're getting. It's measured in "Scoville Heat Units," and they vary considerably, as does the percentage concentration. Both are critical.