11 Best Self-Defense Weapons for Men in 2023

A tactical flashlight is the most underrated self-defense weapon you could own. The high brightness levels and different flickering or flashing settings are smart ways to inhibit the vision of an attacker without even having to physically attack them back. Tactical flashlights often have jagged edges, which can be used to strike directly at an attacker.

Michael Corwin is a huge fan of carrying a tactical flashlight for these reasons. “When I am out at night or early morning, I carry a small tactical flashlight in my hand,” says Corwin. “They’re inexpensive, can be held single hand, and can be used to change the dynamics of an attack by flashing the light into the attacker’s eyes—thus, causing them to momentarily shut their eyes or turn their head,” says Corwin.

Michael Corwin is a former private investigator for 30+ years, where he conducted witness interviews for civil plaintiffs and criminal defense cases in places like South Central LA and Albuquerque, NM. “My work involved walking up, unannounced, to a total stranger’s home (witness cold call) in these areas, knocking on the door, introducing myself, and then interviewing them about some deeply stressful events they witnessed—including homicides,” says Corwin.

For the past 10 years, Corwin has taught personal safety and workplace violence prevention to individuals businesses, nonprofit organizations, and government agencies (including probation officers, court staff, administrators, judges, and the staff of a United States Senator.

What Is the Best Self-Defense Weapon Other Than a Gun?

It’s true a gun is one type of self-defense weapon that can keep you safe, but the truth is unless you are properly trained to operate one the risk of carrying a gun outweighs the actual safety it could provide. “In all reality, firearms are really not that great as a self-defense weapon,” says Corwin. “You can’t take them into many places and they are easier to disarm and use against you than a knife; plus, bullets that miss their target can easily strike an innocent bystander or your loved one.”

When asking Michael Corwin further about the best self-defense weapon overall, he gave us an insightful answer we recommend all individuals should take note of. “The very best self-defense weapon is your brain,” says Corwin. “Provided that you learn how to pattern and make automatic situational awareness, this is the only self-defense weapon that allows you to AVOID a risk to your safety,” says Corwin.

As someone who has carried all sorts of self-defense weapons in their long career, Corwin said if he had to name a favorite tangible self-defense weapon he’d choose a tactical flashlight—a device he personally carries when out late at night or in the early morning. “You can use them to change the dynamics of an attack by flashing the light into an attacker’s eyes causing him to momentarily close his eyes or turn his head,” says Corwin. “The blinding effect can last for several seconds effectively turning him from attacker to defender, then you can quickly in rapid succession strike the attacker swinging downward a hammer-like motion if it comes down to that.”

Should I Carry Pepper Spray for Self-Defense?

Pepper spray is another common self-defense weapon people purchase, but in order to use pepper spray effectively you need to make sure you have proper execution and training on how to actually use it. “As a new PI in CA back in the late 1980s, I was certified to carry tear gas canisters—the same would apply to pepper spray—and went through a multi-hour certification course,” says Corwin. “I used to keep a canister on my key ring, but stopped because you have to spray someone directly in the eyes to be effective, which is hard to do under the stress of an attack; and spray cannot be used in a confined indoor area or else you’re going to be indirectly spraying yourself too.” A last point Corwin notes is spray might not be felt by an attacker if they are under the influence of drugs or alcohol. This is all to say pepper spray is a strong self-defense weapon, but just be aware of its faults if you choose to carry it.

How Should I Train for Self-Defense?

Corwin, who teaches self-defense classes, recommends all individuals should learn at least basic de-escalation skills in order to engage with potential threats without physical contact and get out of a situation safely. Basic self-defense training, and certainly martial arts training, is another recommendation from Corwin. “Add in some basic self-defense—elbows, knees, palm strikes, palm pass blocks, etc—and you become the self-defense weapon that works anytime and anywhere,” says Corwin.

For the past two year, Men’s Health gear editors and writers, including our Gear and Commerce Editor John Thompson, have been testing and reviewing the best self-defense weapons. We evaluated self-defense weapons based on cost, safety, durability, and performance. We also considered what safety weapons promise the least amount of risk when used by an individual. Lastly, we spoke with self-defense experts to gain a better understanding of the philosophy of what it means to choose to carry a self-defense weapon, and why the best self-defense weapon starts with one’s own ability to use their brain in a situation to try and get away from an attacker as fast as possible—as opposed to first choosing to engage with an individual.