Pepper sprays have capsaicin (also called OC) as the main ingredient. Reflex Protect is a brand new specialized liquid formulation of chlorobenzalmalononitrile (also called CS), a chemical compound used in tear gas and commonly used in Europe. Presidia Gel is concentrated CS and is both sticky and self-dissipating, making it faster acting, more effective, and far better suited to indoor use or in windy conditions. Click here to learn about the difference between OC and CS.
Our 2.5 oz. and 5 oz. Presidia Gel includes the Reflex Technology Spray Head (U.S. Patent #9,586,750 B1), a super easy to use and intuitive hand grip that improves accuracy.
OSHA found hospital staff using things like wasp spray to protect themselves. While wasp spray doesn’t work to stop an attacker, the potential for HVAC cross-contamination or legal liability from misuse of a pesticide on a human stopped their use. Although pepper spray is legal to use on an assailant, the cross-contamination, broad ranging “smell contamination,” and the likelihood of innocent bystanders being injured by their use makes them unacceptable for healthcare facilities. Only Reflex Protect, accompanied by the flat-out fastest OC/CS decontaminate, Reflex Remove, provides an approved solution for workplace violence in the healthcare industry. Other workplaces, rightly so, are adopting the mantra that “if it’s safe enough for a hospital, it’s safe enough for my business!”
Short answer: No. Presidia Gel was not designed to be effective on bears and is not approved by the EPA for this specific use. While it’s true that Presidia Gel will cause pain to any animal with eyes and lungs, pepper spray is actually better on bears because it is OIL BASED and sticks to a bear’s hair to affect their nasal scent glands. For self-defense against bears, you must use bear spray that is EPA approved OC (a large volume canister that shoots in a fogger pattern up to 30 feet.) Although Presidia Gel incapacitates faster and better than pepper spray, it is formulated specifically to self dissipate, whereas the oil-based pepper spray sticks, spreads, and cross-contaminates. What makes pepper spray good for bear spray is exactly why it is problematic for personal defense.