Self Defense Options In My EDC

Hey everybody! Every so often I get asked what I carry for self-defense or would I use my knives for self-defense. This will be a relatively short post, as I don't carry much when it comes to self-defense. I probably should carry more, but in reality, I don't have any pocket space to expand this aspect of my carry.

None of the knives I have would be carried with self-defense in mind. I used to have a fewer larger folders that I considered my "self-defense blades" but sold them when I realized I'm not comfortable with using a knife for self-defense. I have no training using knives for this purpose and feel that things could escalate very quickly if I pulled one out and wasn't skilled enough to use it. I wouldn't want to engage an attacker that most likely would be bigger and stronger than me. In a worse case scenario, I may use one of my EDC knives for self-defense. Who knows though. If I ever end up in a bad situation, I'd figure out very quickly what my first instinct to do is. I hope I'm never in a situation where I find that out.

The only thing I carry with self-defense in mind is some Sabre Red defense spray. Since I'm not yet old enough to own a handgun, I can only consider nonlethal options for self-defense. I opted for pepper spray, because it's a pretty standard go-to option for people that can't carry handguns. I like that it's affordable, lightweight, compact, and could go on a keychain if need be. I usually keep it in my backpack during the day, and it'll go in my jacket pocket or in my hand when I'm out later at night. I don't necessarily have it all the time, so I don't consider it a true EDC option. Obviously bad things can happen, and often do to college-aged women. Fortunately, I've never felt unsafe or had anything bad happen to me. I've looked into getting a taser, batons, kubatons, or other nonlethal weapons, but opted against picking any of them up. I don't like that any nonlethal option mostly relies on the fact that you're in close combat situations. I have no formal training when it comes to self-defense. My first instinct would probably be to run, since I really don't want to have to fight somebody. There's always the chance that whatever weapon I have could be used against me, so that's why I'm hesitant to add any self-defense tools to my carry. I do see their value, yet I'm hedging my bets and hoping that I'm never put in a situation where I'll need them. My EDC is all about preparing for scenarios that may or may not happen. Luckily, I do turn 21 in about a year, and I will most likely be picking up a handgun and getting a CCW permit then. Maybe in a year I'll revisit this subject and see whether I do find myself wanting more when it comes to self-defense options. For now, I'm happy with what I've got. Thanks for looking!