POM Key
½ oz stream spray for your key ring
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Pepper Spray 101 · Buying guide
How to Choose the Best Pepper Spray for Self-Defense
The best pepper spray is the one that's strong enough to work, small enough that you'll actually carry it, and safe enough to keep on you every day. Here are the five things to compare.
By POM Industries · Updated · 6 min read
Short answer
Compare five things: formula strength (look for the MC percentage, not just OC or SHU), size, how you'll carry it, how it's protected from going off by accident, and range. Then check the expiration date and plan to practice. A unit you leave at home doesn't help, so carry style matters as much as strength.
STRENGTHCheck MC %The number that predicts heat
EVERYDAY CARRY½ ozFits a pocket or key ring
REPLACEEvery 2 yearsEven if it's never used
The five things to compare.
Every pepper spray label gives you most of what you need. Here's what to look for.
Formula strength
The MC (major capsaicinoids) percentage. It measures the compounds that cause the burn.
Size
Small enough to carry every day, and within your state's size limit.
Carry style
Clip, key ring, snap-hook, hand strap or belt. Pick the one that matches how you get dressed and leave the house.
Safety
A cover, cap or pin that keeps it from going off in a pocket or bag.
Range
The range printed on the label, and a spray pattern that holds up in wind.
1. Formula strength: compare the MC %.
Labels list three numbers. Only one tells you how hot the spray actually is.
| Number | What it means | Use it to compare? |
|---|---|---|
| OC % | How much pepper extract (oleoresin capsicum) is in the formula. | Not on its own |
| SHU | The heat rating of the pepper extract before it's mixed into the spray. | Not on its own |
| MC % | The share of major capsaicinoids, the compounds that cause the burn, in the finished spray. | Yes |
A spray with a high OC % can still be mild if the extract is weak. MC % accounts for both, which is why it's the number to compare. Every POM uses the same formula: 10% OC, 2.12M SHU and 1.40% MC.
How OC, SHU and MC work, with a strength calculator2. Size: small enough to carry, within the law.
Bigger cans hold more spray, but a can that stays home doesn't help you.
Everyday carry
A ½ oz unit fits a pocket, a key ring or a bag strap. That's the size most people will carry every day.
Larger units
Bigger canisters hold more spray and reach farther. They suit a belt, a duty kit or the house.
Check your state's size limit
A few states cap the container size, for example California at 2.5 oz and Florida at 2 oz. Every ½ oz POM and the 0.75 oz Runner fit every state's limit. See the laws by state
3. Carry style: match how you live.
These are our tips. Think about what you have on you every time you leave the house.
| If you… | Look for | POM option |
|---|---|---|
| Always carry your keys | A key ring attachment | Key (½ oz, quick key release) |
| Carry in a pocket or waistband | A pocket clip | Clip (½ oz) |
| Use a bag, backpack or belt loop | A snap-hook | Snap (½ oz) |
| Run, walk or hike | A hand strap that holds it in your palm | Runner (0.75 oz, glove) |
| Want more spray on a belt | A larger canister with a belt clip | MK-3 (1.8 oz) |
| Want one for the house | A large unit with a safety pin | Home Defense (9.2 oz) |
Many people carry two: one on their keys and one in a bag or pocket. The Combo Pack lets you pick any two of Key, Clip or Snap.
4. Safety: it shouldn't go off in your pocket.
You'll carry it every day, next to keys, phones and everything else in your bag.
Look for a cover
A cap, cover or lock keeps the button from being pressed by accident. Every POM has a patented flip-top that covers the button until you open it, and the Home Defense unit adds a safety pin.
Practice with water
The safest way to learn is with an inert unit that sprays water. You practice opening, aiming and pressing without any risk.
5. Range and spray pattern.
Range tells you how far the spray reaches. The pattern decides how well it gets there.
Range is printed on the label. A stream, a narrow line of liquid, reaches farther than wider patterns and is the least affected by wind, so less of it ends up on you. It needs aim, which is what practice is for. Every POM sprays a stream.
Clip, Key, Snap · ½ ozUp to 12 ft
Runner · 0.75 ozUp to 12 ft
MK-3 · 1.8 ozUp to 18 ft
Home Defense · 9.2 ozUp to 20 ft
After you buy: check the date.
Pepper spray has an expiration date, even if you never use it.
Shelf life
A POM has a 4-year shelf life. The expiration date is printed on the metal canister, along with the batch number.
Replace every 2 years
We recommend replacing your POM every two years, so the one you carry is always well within its date.
Before you buy, check:
- The MC % is on the label
- It fits your state's size limit
- It matches how you'll carry it
- The button is covered or locked
- The range is listed
- The expiration date is years away
Find the POM that fits.
Same formula in every unit. Check your state's rules before you order.
POM Clip
½ oz stream spray that clips to a pocket
$14.95Shop POM Clip
Inert Units
Water only, for practicing your aim
From $7.00Shop Inert Units
Mistakes to avoid.
Buying by OC % alone
A high OC % doesn't mean a hot spray. Compare the MC %.
Buying too big to carry
A large can is more spray, but only if it's with you. Start with what you'll carry every day.
No way to stop an accident
A bare button in a pocket can go off. Look for a cover, cap or pin.
Never practicing
The first time you open and aim it shouldn't be the time you need it. Practice with an inert unit.
Questions.
What is the best pepper spray for self-defense?
The one with a strong formula (compare the MC %) that you'll carry every day, with a cover that keeps it from going off by accident and a range listed on the label. For most people that's a ½ oz unit on their keys or in a pocket.
What is the strongest pepper spray?
Compare the MC (major capsaicinoids) percentage on the label. It measures the compounds that cause the burn in the finished spray, so it's a better guide than OC % or SHU alone. Every POM is 1.40% MC.
What size pepper spray should I carry?
For everyday carry, a ½ oz unit fits a pocket or key ring. Larger units hold more spray and reach farther, and suit a belt or the house. Check your state's size limit.
Is stream or fog pepper spray better?
A stream reaches farther and is the least affected by wind, but it needs aim. A fog or cone is easier to land but drifts and can reach you or people nearby. Every POM sprays a stream.
How long does pepper spray last?
Check the expiration date on the can. A POM has a 4-year shelf life, and we recommend replacing it every two years.
What's the best pepper spray for runners?
One that stays in your hand without gripping, like a unit in a hand strap or glove. The POM Runner holds a 0.75 oz unit in your palm and reaches up to 12 ft.
Pepper Spray 101