Pros: Materials, Balance
Cons: None
Outstanding product and service
In terms of the quality of both this product and the seller, I echo previous reviewers: in a word, each is outstanding! KnifeCenter.com filled my order very promptly and it arrived at my home in just three days—one of which was a Sunday. The baton itself is extremely sturdy and deploys very easily with a flick of the wrist (though it takes a bit of practice to extend it fully on the first try). I’ve practiced strikes with it on my 80# heavy bag and it seems more than up for the task. And I love the portability; this fits easily on a belt or outside the waistband—even inside it, relatively comfortably, if one wishes to be discreet. And it’s easy to keep in hand when out for a run or walk, should one choose to do so. So, as noted above, this is definitely a five star product. (NB: Like other reviewers I’ve experienced some occasional difficulty collapsing the baton but a couple of firm downward strike against hard ground or concrete does the trick.) I’ll conclude with an important caveat: Any self-defense instrument or tool is only as effective as the individual using it. In other words, you must train with the baton regularly if you hope to wield it successfully in a self-defense situation. I suggest reviewing videos and practicing strikes on a heavy or BOB bag to get a feel for hitting something solid. If possible, find a training partner and simulate attacks in which you use a safe alternative in place of the baton to work on distance, footwork, and striking a human target. (At my martial arts club we wrap the cardboard part of a paper towel roll or similar with duct tape for a fairly sturdy but harmless training tool. Not perfect, of course, but I doubt anyone is going to let you practice striking them with the baton itself!) It is also important to visualize situations in which you might need to use the tool. Are there places on your exercise route that seem sketchy to you? Do you have a long walk to your car after getting off work at night? If someone were to attack you, how do you think they would do so? Where would they hide? From which direction would they approach? What is the best escape route? No training scenario can fully replicate the experience of an attack—the intense hormonal/chemical response (the so-called “adrenaline cocktail”), the infinite number of variables, etc.—so don’t expect this baton to make you invincible. If you are sufficiently prepared, however, it could be a real difference maker in an altercation that can’t be avoided or diffused.
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