The 5 Best Tasers For Self Defense

A taser is a great form of self-defense and personal protection. They’re something anyone can carry around with them without extensive training. If you’re not trained to use a firearm or the thought of a firearm on your hip scares you then you’re in the right spot to find the best taser for self defense.

The Difference Between Tasers & Stun Guns

There’s a big difference between a taser and a stun gun but they provide you with similar results. Both of these devices are great for self-defense. Our recommendation is to actually own one of each and keep them in difference places you frequent.

You always want to keep one on your person but you could also keep one in your vehicle, at the office, and anyone you may need quick access to a taser. Here’s the difference between the two:

Tasers – tasers are handheld devices that can come in different shapes and forms. Sometimes they come in stealth designs such as flashlights, key chains, and knuckle wraps as an example. Usually, it’s hand device roughly 6-8″ long with 2 metal tips that run current between them.

To use a taser effectively you need to apply the charge to someone for a few seconds. It does require you’re in hands reach of your target. The moment they drop to the ground is when you should escape the situation or subdue the target.

Stun guns – stun guns give you the advantage of distance. Typically, a stun gun will have a shooting range of 15 feet and that additional space between you and an attacker can be huge for your safety. The downside is stun guns require replaceable parts such as the cartridge used for shooting to be replaced after each use. The batteries are also limited to a certain number of shots before needing replacing.

Since tasers are very affordable we encourage owning both a stun gun and taser. If you don’t want to constantly carry one on you, which we do recommend, then you can have one in each spot you frequent.

Is The Taser Actually Good For Self-Defense?

If you’ve never used a taser before you’re likely very skeptical of how effective they are or aren’t. While tasers will effect everyone differently they are typically very effective. This is why you see most police officers equipped with one.

It’s a great option for ending a confrontation in a non-lethal way. If someone is under the effects of certain drugs they may not be effected by the pain of a taser. These drugs make them unable to feel a lot of things and that’s why you often see multiple police officers required to subdue them.

If you’re a normal civilian then odds are you would be in a confrontation with someone not on drugs. In which your taser will be extremely effective. A taser will allow you do end a confrontation without getting physical or having a bad situation escalate into a worse one.

Should You Get Training To Use A Taser?

Training, getting certified, or licensed isn’t required unless you’re in a profession which carries a taser daily. Professions such as security guards, correctional officers, and police officers often require a taser certification before being able to carry one on the job.

This certification requires you to be shot with a taser yourself. Sometimes you can op for being clipped instead of shot but you’ll still experience the same amount of voltage and stun duration to be certified. It’s often referred to doing a “full ride” which is a minimum of 5 seconds for most certifications.

If you would like training as a civilian you may be able to obtain some. Call your local sheriffs office and see if they offer this training or if you’re able to sit in on their next certification training. Even if you don’t go through being tasered yourself you’ll get the benefit of seeing the type of training they go through and how you can apply it yourself.

What Happens When You Taser Someone

Tasers are designed to send a high amount of voltage through someone’s body. This causes their muscles to contract and release repeatedly and quickly. It’s a similar feeling to a muscle cramp but it’s over the entire body.

It renders that person unable to control their body for the duration of the stun which can range between 5 and 30 seconds. A taser will not cause any permanent damage to the person and cannot result in death.

Severe injury happens from outside causes when being tasered. It could be from stress knowing they were about to be tasered or possibly from how they fall and hit the ground. Studies have shown that tasers do not cause any heart problems or other detrimental damage.

Reviewing The Best Tasers For Self-Defense

Below is our review of 5 different tasers that makes excellent options for self-defense. We went with a variety of types of tasers in order to give everyone an option that fits their lifestyle. This way no matter if you’re wanting to conceal it for the office or want one on your hip you’ll find it below.

Taser Pulse Stun Gun

The Taser Pulse is the only stun gun on our list and our most recommended stun gun overall. A stun gun will allow you to shoot 15 feet away and keep a space between you and your target. This is the safest way to escape a situation and the highest form of personal protection in the taser form.

These devices are way more expensive compared to your standard taser but if you can afford one I highly recommend you get one. I also recommend you get a regular handheld taser along with one of these.

This particular model resembles an actual handgun and has flush features around the sites and safety switch. This is great for females that want something to carry in their purse. The Taser Pulse is also quite compact and includes a holster for those wanting to carry on their hip.

If you pick up this product it’ll come with 2 cartridges so you have a back up shot. It also has a red LED laser light to improve your precision. The red laser can also be very intimidating and stop someone in their tracks. That alone can sometimes be enough to run an attacker off.

Pros & Cons: The Taser Pulse is our favorite stun gun and customers of this product love it just as much. The downside to it is having to buy new cartridges and batteries when they’re used up. Overall, this product is highly rated by the people who own it and it has performed well during live tests on real people.

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Vipertek VTS-989

The Vipertek VTS-989 is your standard handheld taser that everyone should own. This is the type of taser you see in movies with someone using it for self-defense. It’s a convenient size at 6.5″ inches long and works as both a flashlight and taser.

The body has a non-slip rubber grip and snatch prevention wrist strap. The top end of this taser has sharp metal electrodes that help penetrate through thick clothing. This type of taser works best when pulled out and used as a flashlight so that it is ready to go if needed.

Anyone up close to you is instantly going to recognize that you have a taser. If you’re using it somewhere you don’t want surrounding people to know then you should use the flashlight taser on our list instead.

Another great thing about this model is it’s rechargeable from home. You don’t need to buy any replacement parts after use or ever. You will need to charge the taser 1-2 hours a month if you don’t use it at all because it will slowly lose power naturally.

Pros & Cons: This taser has recorded live testings on people where it has dropped large men in a second. If you search for examples of this online you’ll come across many different examples. The downside of this device and other standard tasers is you can’t shoot from a distance and to be fully effective you need to hold the taser to them for a few seconds.

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Vipertek VTS-880

The Vipertek VTS-880 falls into the mini-taser category. If you’re looking for a taser that you can conceal very easily and isn’t going to take up much space this makes an ideal pick. It takes up enough room to fill up your hand but the top and sides are flat and flush instead of sticking out like the VTS-989 model.

The body is made of a non-slip rubber and it has a flashlight on the top end. It has a rechargeable internal battery so there’s no need for replacement parts and no expensive batteries to buy. It’s also backed by Vipertek lifetime warranty.

Pros & Cons: From the words of a man who accidentally tasered himself with this model, “I feel sorry for anyone who I have to use this on because the next several hours of their life will suck. My head still hurts!”. That’s also one con for this model. There’s no safety switch.

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Vipertek VTS-195

The Vipertek VTS-195 is a stealth taser designed as a flashlight. The flashlight fully functions and anyone seeing you with it would be none the wiser. This taser is ideal when discretion is important and you don’t need anyone knowing you’re walking around with a taser.

This type of taser is perfect for walking at night alone, getting off a late night shift, or anywhere at night. It’s hidden appearance would also have it overlooked if an attacker were to get close to you by surprise. They wouldn’t know to disarm you and this is a huge advantage.

This model is completely rechargeable from home and doesn’t require you to purchase any expensive replacement batteries. It comes with the Vipertek lifetime warranty.

Pros & Cons: Our favorite thing about this taser is the fact no one would know it was one. The stealth design is always an excellent option to go with. The downside is you lose the intimidating sight of a taser and person ready to defend themselves which can often be enough to deter someone.

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Police Knuckles 519

The Police Knuckles 519 puts a taser in the palm of your hand and works based off the pressure of your fist. Squeezing the body of the taser activates the stun. In the middle handheld portion of the taser is also a flashlight you can use at night.

While the body is plastic and not really something I would consider punching someone with the appearance of brass knuckles with front end taser attached would likely scar off any attacker. It’s very compact and would be easy to conceal and comes with a carrying case.

This taser would make another good option for someone who wants to keep the taser concealed and everyone around them not knowing. You would appear to be holding only a flashlight at night and have the benefit of surprise if attacked.

Pros & Cons: The body and design are very ergonomic and easy to use. The squeeze to activate feature works well and the device feels sturdy. On the downside, it may be difficult to hold this taser to someone for a few seconds. It would lean more towards a quick zap and go. The case that comes with this taser doesn’t seem to be very high quality since most customers have had issues with it.

Commonly Asked Questions

What happens if I accidentally taser myself? – This question often come from someone looking to conceal carry their taser and the thought of potentially tasering themselves comes up. Unless you shoot barbed taser prongs into your skin you’ll only be tasered for a brief second. This will still result in a lot of pain, anxiety, and headache for several hours after.

Is there an age limit to buy a taser? – No most places do not have an age restriction on buying tasers. This also makes them a great option for teenagers to use for self-defense. Check your local laws to make sure there’s no ordinance in place for this but typically you’ll be fine.

Why a taser and not a gun? – Well, guns are highly regulated and more difficult to obtain. If you’re able to carry a gun I would recommend doing so but also having a taser as a less lethal option is ideal. For someone not trained with firearms, a taser is the next best thing and you won’t accidentally put a bullet in your leg due to lack of training.

Conclusion

I hope you found our guide on the best taser for self defense useful. We reviewed the options we felt were best and any of these would make a good purchase. Remember that since tasers are quite affordable it’s not a bad idea to keep one in places you frequent often.

Share this article with a friend that’s looking for a good form of personal protection. Thanks for reading!