SABRE RED Pepper Gel - Police Strength Pepper Spray

So, in brief, this is why I got this pepper gel for my wife.

1) Small size. It fits easily in a purse or a jacket pocket.

2) Convenience. It easily attaches to a set of keys if she needs to keep it even handier.

3) The key rings detach easily, if needed.

4) This is not a pepper spray, it is a pepper gel. Why does this matter? She is less likely to spray herself in a cloud of spray that goes everywhere and if you hit the bad guy on the face the gel holds that pepper right to his face. In addition, this gel has a tint to it so that when the bad guy cleans his face off he will still be marked.

5) A flip top so that it won't accidentally go off in your pocket, purse or whatever.

Negatives:

1) The flip top lid. It's kind of clunky and if you had to flip it up in an emergency it might be tricky.(Yes, I did just say that the flip top lid is good and bad)

2) The finger guard is a little too small - if you grab the pepper gel sprayer too fast your finger could easily slide up and block the hole that the gel comes out of. But, if the trigger guard was any larger, it could easily snag on something.

So, like all self-defense tools, this has good things and bad things, a series of compromises. But, those compromises are probably the right choices in this case.

As of the time of this review, this product was selling on Amazon.com for $11.99. Click here for current pricing:  SABRE RED Pepper Gel - Police Strength Pepper Spray

Note: I received a free pepper gel sprayer in exchange for an honest review through the Amazon Vine Program.

Hoont™ Electronic Dog Repellent and Trainer with LED Flashlight

  

A Little Field Test Says: It Works but You'd Better Bring Something Else Along to Protect Yourself, Too.

I field-tested this palm-sized dog trainer/repeller on the neighbor's long-haired chihuahua mix. This dog is cute but stands on his side of the chain-link fence and barks and barks and barks and barks and barks and barks at me, my wife, my dog, my kids, at the leaves falling from the trees, at birds in my yard, at the wind...and the neighbors do precious little to stop him besides some half-hearted rebukes.

The Hoont Electronic Dog Repellent and Trainer with LED
Flashlight next to a Bic pen for size comparison.
Photo by DWD.

So, while I was grilling some burgers I took this thing out and hid it in my palm (it measures 4 inches by 2.5 inches by 1 inch) and proceeded to zap away at this dog while it barked.

The results?

Pros:

-The "to train" button did very little except get the dog's attention. It stopped barking while it tried to figure out what the sound was.

-The "to repel" button actually did make the dog take a couple of steps back but he always came back for more as soon as I let up.

-The flashlight is a nice touch. It also serves as a battery power indicator. If the light is weak than the sound from the device is weak.

-The wrist strap is a great idea, and it is very sturdy.

Cons:

-Like I just said in the "pros" category, he always came back for more as soon as I let up.

Bottom line, this device would probably be effective as a trainer, but if you are a kind-hearted soul and truly expect this device to repel an aggressive dog while you are out taking a walk and this is your only defense, you'd be better off investing in some heavy boots and/or a broomstick. Some dogs are just mean and need some extra encouragement to leave decent folks alone. Most are great, but some dogs...

At the time of this review, this device cost $17.95 on Amazon.com. To check current pricing click here:  Hoont™ Electronic Dog Repellent and Trainer with LED Flashlight / Powerful Ultrasonic Dog Deterrent and Bark Stopper + Dog Trainer Device .

I rate this dog trainer/repeller 3 stars out of 5.

Note: I was sent a free sample of this product to test in exchange for an honest review.

Monkey Fist Self Defense Keychain 1" Steel Ball Double Line 550lb Tensile Strength Military Paracord (Length 6 5/8") by Muzitao©

So, I had never heard of a "Monkey Fist" until very recently. But, once I saw one I got the idea immediately. Hold the key ring in your hand and swing the little ball end at a bad guy until he goes away. 

My "Monkey Fist" with a Bic pen for size comparison.
Photo by DWD.

Once I got mine in the mail I decided to go on the internet and quickly found a number of videos that demonstrate the effectiveness of this self-defense tool. The videos showed me two things: 1) There are some really freaky guys out there making self-defense videos and 2) this monkey fist thing can do some real damage. I saw watermelons split open and dry wall mangled. I also saw one guy insist on putting the key ring around his finger. I would not do that - if your opponent were to grab the monkey fist he could pull on it and really do some damage to your finger.

Instead, put your keys on this thing and hold on to the entire collection of keys in your fist and swing away.

Note: on those videos I saw much longer cords being used. After thinking about it I think a longer cord would be of use only if your opponent was pretty far away. If you are grappling with someone, a longer cord would require more swing and more arm movement that you may be able to actually come up with.

So, how high of quality is this product? I have no idea how long this would last if it were used repeatedly. But, then again, who is regularly getting into fist fights? And, if you do get into tons of fights this Monkey Fist is cheap enough that you can buy another one without breaking the budget. By the way, these come in 11 different color schemes.

Note: I received a Monkey Fist for free in exchange for an honest review.

I rate this product 5 stars out of 5.