One of the low points of my law enforcement career was getting hit in the face with pepper spray.
There was pain, suffering, swearing, snot, tears, and eventually — understanding.
But it was mandatory training in order for us to carry the substance as LEO.
Pepper spray can be an effective tool for both law enforcement and the everyday citizen but there are things worth knowing.
While my experience getting blasted in the face wasn’t pleasant it, and other situations, best prepared me to review a couple of products from PepperBall — the LifeLite Mobile and the Compact.
So, following along as I walk you through the ins and outs of these PepperBall products.
We’ll talk about what they are, how they’re used, and whether you should implement them into your self-defense setup.
By the end, you’ll have a better idea of whether these products are right for you.
So keep reading!
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Fresh Pepper?
Pepper spray is a non-lethal chemical irritant that contains oleoresin capsicum, an extract from chili peppers.
This liquified version of hell can be sprayed onto people or animals for reasons such as self-defense or riot control.
Reactions to being sprayed vary but generally involve a burning sensation.
If the face is sprayed then you can expect to see closing of the eyes and difficulty breathing. The intent is to debilitate someone and it often works.
When your whole face feels like it’s on fire and you’re having trouble breathing, that becomes your priority.
Enter PepperBall
This company took the idea of pepper in the spray format and converted it to a very fine powder called PAVA.
They placed it in small (.68 caliber) balls similar to paintballs, using different systems to launch the balls.
The general idea is, you shoot someone with a PepperBall, the ball hits them and ruptures. Then the PAVA gets on the target and fills the air around them.
Not only do they get it on their skin, but it also gets in their eyes, and they can actually breathe some of it in their lungs.
This can cause a lot of irritation and disruption.
One of the best advantages of these products is they allow you to engage from a distance.
This is particularly important because PepperBall says the cloud their projectiles create is 12 to 15 feet in diameter.
For this review, I took a look at the LifeLite Mobile and Compact so let’s examine these further…
PepperBall LifeLite Mobile
The LifeLite is a launcher that contains three pepper balls. Measuring 9 inches in length, it looks similar to a large, handheld, flashlight with a big orange button on top.
In fact, the LifeLite does have a 350-lumen flashlight feature as well as a laser for aiming. It runs on three AAA batteries and a Co2 cartridge.
The unit weighs 1.4 pounds and PepperBall claims it has a launch distance of 40 feet. I had every intention of testing that out.
Tested
After reading the instructions on how to load the Co2 cartridge and projectiles, I plugged these in along with the AAA batteries.
Thankfully, PepperBall included some inert balls for testing and practice.
Filled with baby powder, the balls are highly useful.
You get a sense of where the powder might end up on your target as well as the occasional smell in the air if you’re close enough.
There are no sights on the LifeLite Mobile but always eager to grip and rip, I headed onto the range, pointed at my target, then turned off the safety and fired.
The inert ball went soaring over the berm!
I then realized the laser was shining around so I pointed it at the target and began to focus.
Single-handed, I hit the target…but not exactly where I was aiming for the next couple of shots.
I reloaded, then stepped up on the 7-yard line and adopted a two-handed grip. With the laser holding steady on the paper target, I pressed the button on top of the LifeLite.
Even at 10 and 12 yards, I was still placing the inert balls through the same hole. Beyond this distance, I could no longer see the laser so aiming became more challenging.
I pushed out to 20 yards and took a shot. I missed the target, but adjusted my aim carefully and fired again.
This time I hit the target, but to the left. One more hand adjustment and the third shot hit right in the middle.
The trigger/button is essentially a pneumatic release, so it’s more squishy than the trigger on a firearm. With practice, you get used to it.
I found I could typically get through around eight or nine shots before I needed to change out the Co2 canister.
This was a pretty straightforward affair of unscrewing the cap, replacing the cartridge, and screwing the lid back on.
PepperBall Compact
As the name implies, the Compact is much smaller — just under 7 inches. Essentially, it is a canister with a single projectile.
The idea behind this is that you point it at your target, move the trigger from safe to fire, and press it — this shoots a single pepper ball.
There are no sights on the Compact, so I pointed the Compact at a paper target like a magic wand and pressed the fire button.
I was able to hit the target from 7 yards.
Compact vs. LifeLite
The Compact is reloadable and you can purchase more canisters and shots for it. But assembly is something that lends itself more towards practicing and not a defensive encounter.
The LifeLite Mobile is fairly big when you consider portability but it provides extremely accurate fire (with practice).
Having three shots is great and lessens the impact of a missed shot.
The light and laser greatly assist aiming — though, during daytime testing, the laser was hard to see beyond 12 yards.
The Compact is a much simpler option. That said, if you miss the target, you have to move on to another plan. But, at only $24 it’s a less expensive choice than the LifeLite Mobile which retails for $149.
The Compact is also much smaller and could easily fit in a purse or pocket. Again, I was able to produce accurate shots with it after practice.
Conclusion
PepperBall offers good delivery systems that allow you some distance from the target without being directly on top of them if you’re in need of a less-than-lethal solution.
The pepper itself is disabling without being lethal and I believe most people would likely be deterred (or worse) after being hit.
Keep in mind that should you have an encounter with someone and dose them with pepper, or even shoot an area near them with pepper, the effects are not necessarily instantaneous.
Depending on prevailing winds, you might even get a smaller dose yourself.
In addition, not everyone will be affected the same way. Some highly motivated people will still continue to pursue their agenda in spite of whatever symptoms they may be suffering.
That said, the PepperBall systems are worth checking out.
Would you use PepperBall in a defensive scenario? Let us know in the comments below. For more on other non-lethal options, check out the Best Non-Lethal Weapons and Ammo To Use Instead of a Gun.
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