This new Pepper Blaster by Kimber sounds like it is a more effective device than traditional aerosol pepper sprays. It supposedly uses a "pyro-technic" delivery system and is not an aerosol spray.
Thinking this may also have an advantage as a bear deterrent. What do you think?
Might have a place for a bear deterrent, but I really like the big pattern provided by the purpose-built bear sprays. I know they work.
For your uses, it looks great.
Not sure a bigger "pattern" would be beneficial. With this the goal is to get it in the eyes. I guess the next question would be with a 10% OC solution is there any difference (in it's effectiveness) between human and bear's eyes.
Also, you do have a backup "shot" with this if the first one is off target.
I also like the fact it is in the form of a small pistol. I am very familiar and comfortable firing a small pistol. Not so much with an aerosol spray can! ;-)
And it shoots a stream of gel, so you have to be a bit more accurate, but you don't have the same issues with wind that you can have with spray. The Kimber offers two "shots", but I think the Mace version has enough capacity for a larger number of bursts.... Or you can go "full auto" and just hold down the trigger.
Not that they will tell you that it's "bear strength", but if you can't have a firearm, then it's got to be better than nothing, and a lot handier than regular bear spray.
I think the big spray cans are intended for use when a bear is making a nuisance of itself.... You can see trouble brewing and have some time to prepare.... but I don't know that many hunters who run into bear problems usually have a lot of time to work with. So something that works like a double-action could come in real handy...
Frankly, I like the idea of a taser for 2-legged varmints, but they're illegal in NJ, even for police.
On the potential of hitting a bear in the face in two shots: Shotgun! That's the point of spray in the first place. That and the idea that the person/animal being sprayed will be incapacitated on contact - similar to a solids CNS hit with a large bullet - rather than just "after he's had time to bleed out".
I don't know that human-strength capsaicin would actually **incapacitate** an unhappy bear, but on the other hand.... they don't eat skunks often, do they? A Mad Mother might be a much more serious problem if she felt an ongoing threat, but I'd think that a predatory attack would be over pretty quickly once they decide you don't taste that good. And as that lady marathoner proved last week, the Mad Mommas will lay off if you act dead enough...
I guess people can compare human-strength pepper to bear-strength to handguns to rifles 'til the cows have all come home and died of old age, but one finding I expect never to hear is that anybody ever ended up worse off for using Something, rather than Nothing.
Why do you carry the Fox 5.3?
When I'm old, I'm going to walk around with one of those canes with a dagger inside.
