Know your POM
How your POM works
The flip-top, how to use it, how to practice, and how to carry and store it. Five minutes now, so you're ready later.
1 · The flip-top
Locked until you flip it.
POM's patented flip-top keeps the button covered, so it won't go off in your pocket or bag.
Closed: carry it
Keys and whatever else is in your bag sit against the lid, not the button.
Open: ready to spray
Your thumb flips the lid up as you draw it. One motion, and no cap to drop.
2 · Use it
Draw, flip, deploy.
Pepper spray only helps if it's in your hand when you need it. The goal: the tool in your hand, or a draw to first spray in about a second.
Draw
Get it in your hand. Carry it in the same spot every day and practice a fumble-free draw from there.
Flip
Your thumb flips the lid up as you draw. Now it's ready.
Deploy
Spray only when you have no other way to protect yourself. Never threaten with it.
Get away, call 911
Create distance and get to safety. Then be the first to call 911.
Every POM spray uses the same lab-tested formula: 10% OC, 1.40% MC, 2.12M SHU, in a focused stream. Aim, distance and timing are covered in POM Civilian Training.
3 · Practice
Practice the motion before you need it.
POM Inert Units are water-only and use the same flip-top action. Practice drawing it, flipping it and pressing it until it feels automatic.
Packs of 1, 2, 4, 6 and 24.
4 · Carry
Carry it where your hand can reach it.
Same formula in every POM. Pick the one that fits how you carry.
5 · Store and travel
Where it can go.
Store POM within this range.
Fine, as long as it's out of direct sunlight.
Never in a carry-on. The ½ oz Clip, Key and Snap meet the conditions for a checked bag on US flights. Check your airline first.
Laws differ by state. Check the laws where you live.
6 · Your canister
Read the bottom line.
Printed on the metal canister: the expiration date, and beneath it the batch number and your unit's number in that batch.
- Replace your POM by the expiration date.
- Every batch is HPLC lab-tested, and the batch number traces your unit back to its test records.
POM Civilian Training · Coming soon
This page covers the tool. The course covers the rest.
Learn the fundamentals of responsible pepper spray ownership, including safe carry, access, awareness, deployment considerations and post-use steps.
- Online lessons you can take at your own pace
- Practice with a water-only inert unit
- Certificate when you finish
Questions
Will it go off in my bag?
The patented flip-top keeps it locked until you flip it open, so it won't go off in a bag.
Which POMs have the flip-top?
The POM Clip, Key and Snap, the POM Runner and the MK-3. The Home Defense Unit uses a safety pin instead.
Can I practice with it?
Yes. POM Inert Units are water-only and use the same flip-top action, so you can practice the draw and the flip safely.
Can I keep it in my car?
Yes, out of direct sunlight. Store POM between 32°F and 120°F.
Can I fly with it?
Never in a carry-on. On US flights, one self-defense spray up to 4 fl oz may go in a checked bag, and the ½ oz Clip, Key and Snap meet those conditions. Some airlines ban it, and international flights don't allow it in any bag. Check your airline before you pack.
What will the civilian course cover?
Safe carry, access, awareness, deployment considerations and post-use steps. Enrollment will open on training.pompepperspray.com.
Know your POM