All thanks to social media, self-defense keychains have quickly become popular items. These types of keychains are designed to hold one or multiple types of self-defense tools for your convenience. Likewise, they are known for being stylish, effective, and simple to use. However, while these tools have a lot of benefits they unfortunately do have some disadvantages to consider before purchasing. Let’s dive into it. 

Most Self-Defense Keychains Are Customizable

Right off the bat, one of the biggest benefits you gain when carrying safety keychains is that they are customizable. Many safety keychains come with various types of tools, such as safety alarms, kubotons, pepper spray, knuckle weapons, and even stun guns.  

The use of a key ring allows you to add to the keychain or take away an item of your choosing. Additionally, to add your own personal touch, many defense keychains are available in different colors and patterns of your choosing. 

Too Many Options

At first glance, it may seem like a good idea to have a lot of options for defense items at your disposal. However, it can actually do more harm than good. In a life-or-death situation, every second counts. This means that you want to be able to grab your tool quickly and efficiently.

Having too many safety devices dangling around your keychain runs the risk of accidentally grabbing the wrong one. The best way to protect yourself is to keep your options limited. I highly recommend you keep your keychain boiled down to one to three items. 

Inexpensive

A major advantage of self-defense keychains is they are inexpensive. While you can go out and purchase multiple defense items to make your own, many safety keychains can be purchased having all the items you already need. This not only saves you time but also money. Generally, these types of keychains can range anywhere between $20 to $40.

Training with Your Defensive Keychain

With any defensive item that you choose to carry, it is important that you know how to accurately use them. This means that training is a crucial step to effectively use your allocated safety tools.

However, for many people the idea of mastering the use of multiple defense items may be inconvenient and not worth the hassle. While it is not impossible to achieve, it is a disadvantage you still need to consider. 

Confidence Booster

Besides being able to protect yourself, one of the main reasons people carry self-defense tools is confidence. The right tool can invoke a sense of empowerment and safety keychains are no exception to this.

When someone carries what may appear as an innocent-looking keychain, they can suddenly feel in control and confident they are able to take their personal safety into their own hands. This alone can make owning a defensive keychain worth it.

Are All the Self-Defense Items on Your Keychain Legal?

No matter what defensive tool you choose, every state will have different rules and restrictions pertaining to each one. This can pose a major disadvantage when it concerns safety keychains. Not every tool on these keychains may be legal in every state.

Before you purchase any defensive products, it is a smart idea to do some research. Identify the tools you are allowed and not allowed to have in your state and any restrictions you must abide by. 

Weigh the Pros and Cons Before Purchase

Overall, safety keychains can be a worthwhile self-defense option. They are customizable, inexpensive, and can help build your confidence.

However, it is also important to recognize that these tools can have drawbacks that must be considered. They can be difficult to locate in a hurry with so many options on the average keyring, require lots of training to use safely, and are not legal in every state.

Finally, make sure to spend the extra money on a quality product. You don’t want to trust your life to a cheaply made product just because it was less expensive.