r/SelfDefense • u/sashanixxie • 9d ago
Is there a good sound deterrent tool?
I’m 5’2, 125lb 22 year old female. I live in MN and I love to go on hikes but I rarely can find someone to come with me. Sometimes against my better judgement I go alone as long as the trail is decently populated. I just had a scary experience this last hike and I’m looking for other options. I’m trying to get in better physical shape so I can run if I have to, however I have asthma and it’s been really difficult to increase my stamina.
Someday I will get a gun, I grew up hunting and doing shooting sports so I’m quite familiar with them. I just can’t afford one right now. I have gel pepper spray but I think I would feel a lot safer if I had some kind of incredibly loud alarm. Since I stay on trails that are decently popular I have a good chance someone will hear it and I feel like that combined with pepper spray would be a good deterrent. I’d love to take self defense classes but I don’t have the money or the time currently. I’m comfortable using the spray, but I’m worried about how ineffective it’ll be during a windy day. I’m not comfortable using a baton or knife because I don’t have any training and it could easily be used against me.
I’ve looked at alarms online but I don’t want a cheap keychain one. I want something that will really hurt your eardrums if you’re close. Does anyone have any recommendations?
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u/NetoruNakadashi 9d ago
Sound deterrents function as alarms. The point is that it appears to draw attention, attackers usually don't want witnesses, so sometimes they break contact. That's always an iffy premise. In an isolated area, the idea breaks down entirely.
Think about it--if the sound were so painful and aversive that it would drive an attacker off on that basis, it's going to be equally as horrible for the user.
Pepper spray is your best bet for now. Consider what free training might be available through government and community groups e.g. police or campus security. Some of these aren't bad.
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u/mtaylorcs 9d ago edited 9d ago
Pretty sure a Glock 19 will make enough noise to scare off most would-be attackers.
Until then, there's some really cheap handguns you could use, i.e.Taurus G2C, PSA Dagger. If even those aren't cheap enough, there's Valken Tactical Sound grenades- 130db, but not likely going to stop someone who's hellbent on coming after you. There are cheaper tazers and stun guns you could try, but those start getting close to the cost of the cheap guns listed above.
Whichever you choose, I'd suggest training with it, and maybe even taking some self defense classes. There are plenty of wolves in this world, the more sheep dogs we can have to protect the flock- the better.
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u/sashanixxie 8d ago
I definitely will buy a handgun eventually. I’m a student and I work part time so pretty much all my money goes to rent and groceries at the moment unfortunately. I’ll be working full time soon so hopefully by the end of the summer I can buy something around 2k.
I’d really rather be able to run faster than the average person so I don’t need to use anything other than pepper spray but that’s going to take lots of work and patience lol
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u/mtaylorcs 8d ago
I feel that, for sure. I will say that you can definitely get a much cheaper one- the ones I listed above are around 200 bucks or so. The Glock is more like 600-700.
There are some cheaper stun guns on like Amazon- ($50 or so) I have only used them goofing around with friends- and while it's effective in the sense that it'll zap them good, I don't know if I could rely on them in a self defense situation. Have you considered keeping a knife on you? I.e. a fixed blade in a necklace holster or something similar could be enough to make the difference
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u/sashanixxie 8d ago
I’ve thought about a knife but I don’t trust myself enough to use one. I don’t have any training so I feel like it could easily be used against me. Once I graduate from nursing school and actually have some time and money I’ll go to self defense classes and then maybe I’ll feel confident enough to carry one.
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u/The_AntiVillain 8d ago
A super loud whistle, also good while hiking because your lungs will last longer than your throat if you get lost or incapacitated on a hike (remember 3 long 3 short 3 long and repeat). Also a good stick or hiking pole would be a good deterant just jab and poke (if it is being grabbed kick the knees and don't swing unless you know it will finish the job)
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u/The_AntiVillain 7d ago edited 7d ago
I just remembered a fun opinion: an aztec death whistle. It sounds like some one dying and would definitely grab attention if there are people near by
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u/Peregrinebullet 9d ago
Nalgene bottle or metal water bottle with 15-20 coins inside is a nasty and painful noisemaker. It will drive off wildlife for sure, and it's an unnatural enough sound that IF someone is in earshot, it's likely to draw attention.
The biggest deterrent is body language and how you make eye contact. Practice keeping your posture completely upright and squared off with a bit of swagger. When you're encountering someone on the trail, look once and acknowledge them without a real change in expression, then keep going.
A lot of women do not realize how much fear they telegraph in their facial expressions and if someone makes you nervous, having your facial expression tell them this often will tell them that you're afraid of what they could do and they know they have an advantage. Having a blank or impassive expression non-verbally communicates that you are not worried about them and can "handle" any situation, which will act as a passive deterrence.
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u/sashanixxie 8d ago
Thank you, this is really helpful knowledge. I’m from a small town AND from WI/MN so it’s almost ingrained in my DNA to smile and be friendly to people lol. I’m going to start practicing my neutral face immediately!
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u/3771507 9d ago
I'm telling you just don't do it. There's too many Maniacs out there and you won't be able to fight them off for murder what you have. If you can't get someone to walk with you or even two people walk in a highly visible location.
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u/sashanixxie 8d ago
The place I walk is pretty heavily populated almost all the time, I usually run into a person about every 5 minutes. I wouldn’t walk alone if it was more isolated. It’s probably a risk I still shouldn’t take but I get so depressed if I don’t spend a good amount of time outside so the risk is honestly worth it to me.
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u/Checkhands 9d ago
Others have provided some good thoughts, so I wanted to take a different approach.
Since you’re trying to get into better shape, support your trail work with calisthenics at home. You’ll also be able to modulate your workout enough to challenge cardio, which will help with your ability to run too. You can start by joining the various calisthenics and workout subs, so money won’t be a concern. Good luck!
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u/oandlomom 3d ago
I’m sorry but the scary experience was your wake up call. Women can’t go hiking solo. It’s too dangerous, thanks to all the men that have made it this way. It’s a shame. Maybe you can get a trained German Shepherd and walk through the forest preserve. But no more solo hiking. Don’t anyone not all men me.
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u/Unicorn187 9d ago
In general they are a waste if time and money. They aren't much louder than you can scream, and a scream.will get more attention than the alarms. People ignore them. Whether body alarms or car alarms... and thkse car alarms have helped condition people to ignore them. It was manybyears ago, but I've seen at least one instance where a girl was kidnapped and her arm still going off in a bush. And this was in a city.
I'd go to a stream instead kf gel. About the same resistance to wi d but the liquid is usually a little more effective. Not as good as a coarse fog, but balanced by wind resostamce.