Attacks against women are proportionally high, so the need for women to carry a self defense weapon is vitally important. While there are several ways to help prevent being a victim, sometimes the unthinkable happens, and one is forced to defend themselves despite being vigilant.
That’s why it’s crucial to carry at least one of the best self defense weapons for women. We’ve created this list of the top eight safety defense weapons for ladies so you can choose one that will help keep you safe.
You should be aware of gimmicks and poorly made products that won’t protect you; not all self defense weapons for women are worth buying.
Best Self Defense Weapons for Women: Top 14 Options
This is our pick for the best overall self-defense weapon because it temporarily disables your attacker. Still, most importantly, it automatically alerts authorities once the trigger has been pulled and sends them to your phone’s location.
The built-in flashlight will light up the night, and the target laser will ensure you’re on target when firing.
You’re less likely to hesitate to fire because it is a non-lethal self-defense weapon, so you won’t have to worry about freezing because of your conscience.
Once you’ve fired the probes into your attacker, they will continue to stun them for 30 seconds, giving you a little time to find help or safety.
Stun guns are not known for fast reloading, so though they have replaceable cartridges, you won’t have time to reload and fire again at your attacker in a self-defense situation.
Some stun guns have two shots loaded (in case you miss the first), but the Taser Pulse+ doesn’t. To be accurate and effective, you need to train and practice firing, but you cannot prepare and practice firing this stun gun.
You can also purchase a holster to carry or conceal the stun gun on your person. In some cities and states, stun guns are illegal, so check your local laws to ensure you’re not breaking the law by trying to defend yourself.
We rated Mace Brand Pocket Pepper Spray as our best mace for self-defense because the safety cap won’t allow it to accidentally go off in your purse, and the effects are long-lasting when you need them most.
Though the name is a little deceiving, the pocket pepper spray is easily concealable in a small purse, but it’s too large to fit into most pockets.
You can shoot them with pepper spray from ten feet away, so they have less of a chance to take it from you. Once you’ve sprayed your attacker, the mace leaves an invisible, long-lasting dye on their skin which can help authorities identify them after the attack.
The primary problem with any mace is that you’re at risk of accidentally spraying yourself. If you’re in a confined space such as a car or when the wind is blowing towards you, you will feel the effects of the pepper spray just as much as your assailant.
Remember that the best self defense weapons for women shouldn’t be obvious, the color of this one seems more like a marketing scheme than an actual attempt to keep you safe.
I wouldn’t recommend mace as a primary way to defend yourself, but the Mace Brand Pocket Pepper Spray is the best mace available as a backup.
It’s not lethal, so you’ll be less hesitant to use it, but you run the risk of accidentally spraying yourself in certain situations.
When you’re trying to protect yourself in a life or death situation, you need a self defense weapon that is both subtle but effective.
The Armadillo Defense Pepper Spray and Personal Alarm key bundle is a great choice because it has a 10-foot range and contains tear gas and UV marking dye to make it easy for police to track down who attempted to rob or harm you.
Best of all, the tear gas is incredibly easy to trigger, it’s lightweight, portable, and simple to carry in your purse, handbag, or even if your pocket. We would highly recommend you do not go anywhere sketchy or potentially dangerous without something like this on you.
The Smith & Wesson Black Ops Pocket Knife has many uses beyond self-defense, but if the need arises, it’s a weapon worth having in your hand.
The knife blade is large enough to cause severe injury or death but not so large that it’s not concealable. The knife is 5.8 inches in total length and slender, so it will even fit in women’s jeans pockets.
The blade locks in place, so you don’t have to worry about it opening until you need it to open. It has assisted opening, so if you need it in a hurry, which would be the case in a self-defense situation, the blade will open and secure quickly. The blade is made of high-carbon stainless steel, which means it’s strong.
If you’re expecting a small pocket knife, not much needs improvement. Some people complained that it was too small but if you’re going to carry this knife in your pocket all day a smaller, more comfortable knife will be best.
It’s pink, which means it will catch people’s eye when you pull it out. That might be a good thing and scare off would-be assailants, or it might draw the wrong kind of attention.
Knives don’t make the best self defense weapons for women because you have to engage the attacker in hand-to-hand fighting, and a knife can get dropped easily during the altercation or be used against you. With that said, it’s always wise to carry one for any number of other reasons.
The Smith & Wesson Black Ops Pink Pocket Knife is the most dangerous because it is lethal and can be used against you if you’re not careful. Because it requires you to be so close to the attacker, it’s best used as a last resort.
The HyperWhistle is loud and will startle anyone near you when you blow it. It has a range of up to two miles but don’t expect that to be the case in the city with cars honking and plenty of other noise to drown out the whistle.
It’s small enough to fit in a purse but large enough it should be easy to find when you need it.
There’s not much improvement needed for the whistle. It’s currently the world’s loudest. You should wear ear protection when you blow it, but who’s going to wear ear protection all day, every day, just in case you have to blow a whistle?
As a self defense weapon, whistles don’t protect you. Unless people are willing to intervene near you, a whistle isn’t going to help you, even if it startles the attacker for a split second.
While the HyperWhistle is the loudest self defense weapon for women, it’s rarely going to protect you in a defensive situation. However, if you’re lost in the woods or need to get someone’s attention from a long way off, then a whistle is an excellent tool.
Kubatons are one of the less popular self defense tools for women because they’re more blunt and only work in close combat situations. That said, they have very practical uses outside of self defense as well.
You can use a kubaton keyring to break a window, smash any glass if you’re locked in somewhere, and as a blunt force object to protect you from wildlife as well. They’re small, lightweight, and don’t take up much space in a purse.
The main downside that prevents a lot of people from using them is the fact that they require you to be up close and personal in a self defense situation. That said, they make a great backup to a taser or mace since they’re easy to carry around.
Personal alarm keychains provide some of the best self defense for women because they emit a loud pitched noise to scare predators and attackers away.
These are useful because they alert bystanders of the danger and as long as there is someone around, this should be enough to scare away most people.
They’re also lightweight, easy to carry, and inexpensive. You can attach them to your keys or store them in your purse. Many also come with LED lights that attach so you can see them in the dark. This original alarm uses a pull-out method that works best if attached to your keys or a purse.
Throwing spikes are one of the more intense self defense products for women but sometimes, desperate times call for desperate measures.
As someone who may be prepping or planning for extreme survival, these weapons can come in handy if you know how to use them. They require no power and can be used unlimited times as long as you can retrieve them from wherever you throw them.
The self defense spikes are small, inconspicuous, and come with a carrying case that makes them easy to transport and pull out quickly.
Buddha beads as well as any typical necklace can be used in a self defense situation as long as it has a strong chain. Sometimes the best self defense items for women aren’t necessarily designed for self defense but you can learn how to use them in an emergency.
These beads for example are made with stainless steel so they’re quite heavy. The chain is very strong so you could use them to strangle someone or simply hit them over the head if you found yourself in an uncomfortable situation or a kidnapping.
Monkey Ball
Out of all the women’s self defense tools that you can use, this might be the most interesting of them all. A monkey ball is essentially a hard metal ball wrapped up in some type of fabric that you can swing around and hit someone with.
There are a million and one ways you can make this. I personally believe these could serve as useful primitive weapons around a homestead or in a bug out location but keep in mind, they only work for close combat situations.
Are you going somewhere that may be a little sketchy and you want to make sure you’re prepared for anything? Even having something like a self defense ring could be enough to deter an assailant.
Keep in mind that most of them are afraid of getting hurt or caught so being prepared and showing that you’re not simply going to submit yourself to them will force them to move onto their next victim.
A self defense ring is a simple but effective protection weapon for females. I recommend using it in addition to a more traditional self defense weapon.
The Best Self Defense Tools for Women: Three You May Not Think Of
When fighting for your life, don’t forget about the weapons you already have that you didn’t have to buy; your voice, fingers, and teeth. Though you might not think of these as weapons, they can often help you just as much if not more than other self defense weapons for women.
Your Voice
Your voice can alert the people around you that something is wrong, and it can startle the attacker. There’s a reason deplorable individuals try to cover over the mouth victims and keep them as quiet as possible.
It’s best to make as big of a scene as possible while the would-be attacker is still a reasonable distance away. Draw as much attention to yourself as possible and scream until your horse. I would much rather be a little embarrassed for yelling and making a scene than deal with the tragedy of being attacked.
Using your voice is one of the best self defense weapons for women.
Your Fingers
If using your voice doesn’t ward off an attack, you have to use your hands and fingers. You explicitly aim at soft tissue areas like the face and especially the eyes. Jabbing your fingers into the eyes will inflict severe pain on your attacker and cause blindness, giving you a chance to escape.
If you can’t get to their eyes, start scratching and clawing ANYTHING on which you can get a grip. Exploit the most vulnerable areas of your attacker first.
Don’t worry if you don’t have long nails; your fingers are still one of the best weapons for women’s self defense.
Your Teeth
If you haven’t figured it out by now, your entire body becomes a weapon when you need to defend yourself, and this includes your teeth. Start biting every area of skin you see. The ears, face, neck, and arms are where you should begin, but don’t stop fighting and biting until your attacker is in handcuffs or trying to get away.
Do You Really Need a Self Defense Weapon?
Yes, you don’t have to watch the news for long to figure out there are plenty of people out there who would rather take advantage of and harm others rather than work. There are far too many murders because someone didn’t fight back.
With that said, there are times to deescalate the situation. Few people are trained in hand-to-hand combat like Jason Bourne, and unless you’re one of them, it’s best to let a robbery occur and try to keep everyone involved as calm as possible. No possession is worth dying for, no matter its value.
You should only use a self-defense weapon when you or someone you love is threatened with bodily harm. In that scenario, fight like your life depends on it because it does.
How to Choose the Right Self Defense Weapon?
Choosing the best self defense weapon for a woman requires you to think about your lifestyle and what type of situations you find yourself in on a regular basis. You should purchase a weapon with which you’re comfortable. For some people, carrying a gun is best, while others are more comfortable with a taser or whistle. Don’t overlook carrying multiple because each has its advantages and disadvantages.
Concealed Carry Firearms
While many people automatically assume guns are the best protection weapons for females, they’re not always. Some places have bans on guns, and some situations can be de-escalated without the need for a firearm. However, if you can and choose to carry a gun, continuously pursue more training. That way, you can be confident if the time comes when you are forced to use it, like in an active shooter situation.
Stun Guns
Stun guns would be the following best safety weapons for ladies, but there are some places where they are illegal, so check your local laws. Stun guns and tasers have their limitations because you have to be close to your attacker, and you often only get one shot, maybe two, to stop the attacker.
Pepper Spray
Mace or pepper spray would be my third option simply because you can still use it before the attacker has gotten their hands on you. I wouldn’t use pepper spray in a confined space unless I had no other option because I know I will feel the effects of the mace too. Be careful when outside in the wind, as well, because it can get blown back onto you.
Knives
A knife, tactical pen, or any other pointy sharp object is my following line of defense once the attacker is within arms reach. Using these defense weapons requires training to avoid injuring yourself or having the weapon stripped from your grasp. While showing a would-be assailant you have a knife might deter some, it won’t always, so be prepared to use it if you show it.
Whistle
The items I recommend the least are the noisemakers. They might initially startle an attacker, but if no one else is around to hear the sound and help you, they’re not doing you any good. Cities are often loud, and many different sounds that coincide could drown out your defense weapon. A whistle can be taken from you, and an electronic noisemaker can be crushed with a swift stomp.
The best self defense for women is to stay aware of their surroundings. When you keep your head on a swivel and always look around, you send a message with your body language to would-be attackers that you’re not going to be an easy victim. Attackers are cowards and want an easy victim. Taking self defense classes is an easy first step to being better prepared.best
Worst Self Defense Weapons for Women
I mentioned previously that I don’t care for whistles and other noisemakers for self defense. The only time they might work is if other people are around who are willing to step in and help you, and if that’s the case, then screaming and making a scene works just as well, and you don’t have to scramble to begin making noise. Just open your mouth and make a scene as we recommend in our How to Survive in a Bad Neighborhood article. There are many other gimmicky weapons available to purchase, too many to list, in fact, but a good rule of thumb is to remember anything can become a weapon in a fight for your life, even an umbrella.
Final Thoughts
The best option we discussed today was the Taser Pulse+ Self-Defense Tool with Noonlight Integration because as soon as you pull the trigger, the authorities are being notified of your location and that you need help. So even if you miss and have to run, help is coming to your phone’s location.
The best self defense tools for women are all in this list, you just need to find the one that makes the most sense for you. I actually recommend using a combination of something subtle and something loud.
