Practical way to carry a light and pepper spray?

[StaTiK]

Hello everyone,

I would like to start carrying pepper spray and a quality flashlight (surefire, etc). My question is: how do people typically carry these things? I typically wear a T-shirt and jeans, but a system that fits into "business casual" attire would be preferred if possible.

At one time I had a 2oz can of pepper spray but it was just way too big/thick to carry in a pocket and the sheath was far from inconspicuous, so it stayed in my car. Is an 11gram keychain variety a good option? Does anyone have any better suggestions?

As for the flashlight I want to carry something similar to a surefire/streamlight/etc with a push-button back, but again I haven't been able to find a way to carry it practically. I'm not talking about the 1xAAA minimag solitare sizes, unless there is something bright that can also be used defensively if necessary.

I would appreciate any help you can offer, or even better some links/photos! Thanks again.
-StaTiK-

[Noctis3880]

I don't have pepper spray, but I EDC a flashlight and a large knife(ZT 0560 and equivalent sizes) with no problems. Jeans wouldn't be good for it since most are too tight and the pockets too small. I'd suggest slacks instead, or something else with bigger pockets.



Light is a custom Surefire 6P with a crenelated bezel if you need it, though I suspect you wouldn't want to smack anyone on the head with a $600 flashlight.

[fuzzwuzz133]

Do you wear a belt? If do, you could strap a flashlight there.

[powernoodle]

One helpful thing with the flashlight is to get small yet powerful. The Fenix and Quark lights are my favorites in this regard. Take a look at the Quark 123 Mini and the others from those manufacturers. They are small enough to ride inconspicuously in a very small belt holster, and are hardly noticeable. Consider feeding them with rechargeable batteries for "free" light.

As for the peppers spray, there is no easy way to work around it. Even the 2 oz. canister takes up space on the belt or pocket. I have no experience with the smaller keychain flavors, but they would have to be pretty limited in capacity and duration.

[THE PUNISHER]

i pack a light daily in my left pocket,as for spray it is big and cumbersome.

i would look into a kydex or leather belt rig and wear my shirt out and loose.

[acropolis5]

Try the Spitfire pepper spray. Very small and proven effective. Keychain sized. You can even spray it, one handed, over your shoulder, against a rear choke attack. New manufacturer . Google it. Usual disclaimers in force.

[Grease]

As for the flashlight I want to carry something similar to a surefire/streamlight/etc with a push-button back, but again I haven't been able to find a way to carry it practically. I'm not talking about the 1xAAA minimag solitare sizes, unless there is something bright that can also be used defensively if necessary.

Titanium Innovations makes a light about the same size as the AAA minimag, but it uses a Cree chip with 3 brightness settings. The low one lasts like 30 hours on 1xAAA and gives enough light to see the ground in front of you at night, if you need to walk around say a bedroom without waking someone.

I've had one for a couple months, used it extensively, and I'm still on my 1st battery.

It really is the ultimate tiny, easy to carry in a pocket light.

[Noctis3880]

As for the flashlight I want to carry something similar to a surefire/streamlight/etc with a push-button back, but again I haven't been able to find a way to carry it practically. I'm not talking about the 1xAAA minimag solitare sizes, unless there is something bright that can also be used defensively if necessary.

Looking back on that again, I'm not sure you can rely on that. If someone is wearing sunglasses or is high on something, they may not react even if you shined 1000 OTF lumens directly into their eyes at point blank. About the only real defensive use of a flashlight would be as a striking weapon like a kubaton, in which case you need a slightly longer body like the Quark 2-cell lights, though they don't really have a lot of mass, the body is fairly sturdy aluminum construction.

Also, I'm thinking that even if you DID blind someone with the light and forced them to shield their eyes, spraying them in the face with pepper spray after the fact would just be a spectacular failure.

[jkwithawave]

I carry my Surefire E2D in a Desantis pocket mag holster in my front left pocket. Very comfortable and easy to get out of the pocket.

[Echo63]

Also, I'm thinking that even if you DID blind someone with the light and forced them to shield their eyes, spraying them in the face with pepper spray after the fact would just be a spectacular failure.

The Tigerlight is built the way it is for exactly that reason.
You have to drop the light out of their eyes to spray them.
In fact flashing someone with a torch will rob them of night vision, they will have to look harder to see - and a shot of pepper spray should meet with nice wide open eyes.

[Noctis3880]

The Tigerlight is built the way it is for exactly that reason.
You have to drop the light out of their eyes to spray them.
In fact flashing someone with a torch will rob them of night vision, they will have to look harder to see - and a shot of pepper spray should meet with nice wide open eyes.

Yes, but the question to me is:
Do I want to stick around long enough for the guy to drop his hands and look for me real hard?

His eyes were already wide open and dilated before coming within bad breath distance of me, that just seems like unnecessary action or wasted motion. In the 2 seconds when he lowers his arms from his face that he reflexively put there, I'd like to have about 15 feet of space between us that keeps growing by the second.

[Jack Black]

I carry a flashlight in the ruler pocket of my Carharts. Haven't carried pepper spray for years and there's no doubt it IS awkward to carry. A belt pouch may not be best in terms of fast deployability, but you're probably less likely to activate it in error there, and at least you know exactly where it is.

[Rapt_up]

You can use BlueForce Gear 's Helium whisper ine of Pouches to carry most anything. I have couple of their small mag size for carrying my knife and light when my pockets aren't big enough, or I don't have enough of them.

Thepouches are very secure and very light/low profile and can be worn vertical or horizontal They will be easily hidden under an un-tucked t-shirt. The fit a range of items because they are elastic.

In a more dressy environment, the looser pants will allow carry in pocket typically. At least for me. I generally wear my shirts untucked for concealment, or a sweater or jacket.

[average gimp]

You could try Ruger, who bought up the Tornado system. The light isn't good for utility use since IIRC it's strobe-only, and the replacements are expensive, but it might be an option if carry space is at a premium.

[holymolar]

Hi StaTiK

I've thought about this same thing. After many different attempts with many different systems, here's what I've come up with, so far, for casual wear - that could be adapted for business wear too:

On the right, I attached a Spitfire Pepper Spray to my car/house keychain that is attached to an inexpensive pocket clip that I found at Ace Hardware and painted to match my pants - I carry this bundle inside my strong hand (right side) front pocket. On the left is a Niteize celfone case with an extra pocket (behind the celfone pocket) where I carry the blue 4Sevens Preon flashlight along with the orange Leatherman Juice S2 multitool and black Fisher Space Pen. The Niteize case has a very secure belt clip and the whole package isn't as heavy/bulky as it may look.










Before I thought of the celfone case and before I thought of carrying a multi-tool, I carried the pepper spray and flashlight on its' own additional keychain and pocket clip and carried it inside the front pocket on my weak hand (left) side. There are smaller, more discreet, pocket clips but I can't remember were I saw them.


Incidentally, when I walk or jog in the neighborhood, I carry a Spitfire Pepper Spray in my weak hand with my thumb on the button, at the ready, in case of dog attack. That leaves my strong hand free for whatever.


Hope this helps to give you some ideas.

[Badge54]

Cargo pocket of carpenter jeans for an E2EHA and then when I do carry pepper spray it is the ASP street defender with my keys on it. Looks like a kubaton and can be used as such with a canister of ASP branded OC inside(made by Sabre). I tuck this on the front of my pants and the keys hang outside my belt.

Badge54