Posted by Piecat The most I'd consider bringing would be a padlock and some paracord (or even a sock). Innocent by themselves, but make a very good bludgeoning weapon when put together. I'm not sure on the legality of it, but wasp spray might be something you could bring if you're concerned about wild animals attacking you (or people I guess). I'm pretty sure bear spray/mace/pepper spray are considered weapons, or at least wouldn't help your case. I'm not a lawyer, but I don't think they could tack on extra charges for having wasp spray. Wasp spray is good because it can spray up to 10-12 feet and is debilitating like pepper spray. Chances are you're only going to use it if something is trying to really fuck you up. That being said, this hobby isn't one worth dying over. You should be prepared to deal with bad situations, but it would be irresponsible to do anything less than your best to avoid those situations.

THANK YOU! Thank you for your input! These guys think I am rambo or whatever but I know to run whenever possible. All I was saying was in a really bad situation sometimes having even a little something is better than nothing at all.

Posted by URBEXSWATUTAH A pen...I bring a sharp(its like you didnt even read my post)ball point pen. Not even a knife, not a stick, A PEN. Well for one I am really glad you can feel safe with nothing on you in the least. I am also glad you havent gotten hurt. I have seen videos of random attacks. I have enough self defense to(hopefully)make it alright. You should know even the safer places can come under attack. So really is it hard to think that you may encounter a junkie, gang banger, hobo or such when going into abandoned places? normally where people like that like to hang. You can be assertive all you want but you do know you do this stuff to. Not like you are making the best of choices anyways going into an abandoned place that has enough dangers as it is. If I have the option to run I am going to run! DUH!!!! IF I AM FIGHTING FOR MY LIFE BECAUSE SOME ASSHOLE SNUCK UP ON ME WHILE DOING THIS I WANT SOMETHING MORE THAN A FIST. YOU CAN RUN INTO THIS VERY SAME RISK JUST AS MUCH AS EVERYONE!!!

Yeah, good luck with that pen. Again, if you don't know where you're aiming a pen isn't going to do you any good. It will break if it hits bone, and the amount of damage it would do is minimal regardless. Without a proper handle, do you really think you'll be able to grip the pen well enough to drive more than an inch into muscle? If so your dexterity is leagues above the average person.

If you're worried about defending yourself learn to use your hands. If I wanted to rob you and you came at me with a pen, let's just say I'll most likely be leaving with your gear.

Posted by mookster I've been doing this for over seven years now and never once have I felt the need to carry some kind of weapon. I know people who've been exploring places for decades and have never felt the need to carry a weapon. Carrying a weapon, even a disguised one opens up a whole different avenue of trouble you can get into.

Like a pen? Like your car keys? A slingpack with some rocks in it?

These can all be used as a weapon if need be.

Well you never know. I've seen random attacks in random places.

So why is it hard to believe even for experienced folk like you that perhaps one day you walk in somewhere thinking you are the only one there and bam some crazy dude comes around trying to mess with you?
Who else but us would hang around abandoned places man?
This shit doesnt make sense.

Tell me exactly how my odds and chances are better off by not even bringing one of the above items? Even if it gives me a 1% advantage why would you not take it?

Posted by EsseXploreR Yeah, good luck with that pen. Again, if you don't know where you're aiming a pen isn't going to do you any good. It will break if it hits bone, and the amount of damage it would do is minimal regardless. Without a proper handle, do you really think you'll be able to grip the pen well enough to drive more than an inch into muscle? If so your dexterity is leagues above the average person. If you're worried about defending yourself learn to use your hands. If I wanted to rob you and you came at me with a pen, let's just say I'll most likely be leaving with your gear.

Pekita Tirsia, Silat. I can use empty hand just fine. But you know what makes it better? Adding something to the hand. Your chances are even slightly better with a weapon. Even slightly. The pen is an extension of the hand.

Posted by URBEXSWATUTAH Like a pen? Like your car keys? A slingpack with some rocks in it? These can all be used as a weapon if need be. Well you never know. I've seen random attacks in random places. So why is it hard to believe even for experienced folk like you that perhaps one day you walk in somewhere thinking you are the only one there and bam some crazy dude comes around trying to mess with you? Who else but us would hang around abandoned places man? This shit doesnt make sense. Tell me exactly how my odds and chances are better off by not even bringing one of the above items? Even if it gives me a 1% advantage why would you not take it?

Did you even read the first reply to this thread.

Posted by URBEXSWATUTAH So why is it hard to believe even for experienced folk like you that perhaps one day you walk in somewhere thinking you are the only one there and bam some crazy dude comes around trying to mess with you?

Situational awareness is what sets the N00bz apart from the experts.

You'd better be able to tell if druggies or gangsters or a meth lab is set up at the place you're scouting out, before you even get in there. If you couldn't notice that then chances are you wouldn't notice a hell-hole or a rusted cat walk and would end up dead anyways.

If someone is attacking you or looks like they might want to, chances are they're trying to fuck you up bad and are putting themselves at risk in the process. Who knows, they might even have a gun. A pen isn't going to do shit against someone who wants to fuck you up.

Explorers look and act much differently than anyone dangerous. It should be fairly easy to tell if someone is "off", and people make noise. Footsteps, creaking stairs, talking... You should be able to hear or see them coming.

Chances are you'd be better off hiding and waiting them out or just running before they notice you.

A pen might be useful in pissing that person off and making them want to hurt you worse. Dubious what stabbing them would accomplish.

Not to mention they might be someone who has more right to be there, like a property owner. In real life you cant always tell the good guys and bad guys apart. Not to mention that homeless people aren't dangerous wild animals.

Carrying pointy things in your pocket is a good way to accidentally stab yourself.

If you know what you're doing you can actually kill someone with a pen (however, it needs to be a good pen, not a bic) That being said, same can be done with a rolled up magazine and quite a few seemingly innocuous household items. I carry a small pocket knife on me as an edc but it's a tool and not a weapon unless it's used as a last resort.

Fully agreeing with Blackhawk and most others, bringing a weapon, even a well-concealed one, is nuts. Say a cop stops you just after you pop out of a chain link fence and into the clear, and say he's feeling power-hungry and decides that snapping a few cool photos of the place isn't a good enough excuse and decides to search you or your bag. Next minute, you're nicked.

Use your senses, common sense included, and if you think that a location might house weapon-warranting dangers, just visit it another time. If you're already in the location and such dangers arise, well, it's fairly simple. If you're in an active site, grab a printer or computer screen and haul it at them; if you're in an abandoned site, pick up a brick, a piece of metal, whatever, and drop it when you leave; and if you're in a storm drain, just use some Elvish magic and wash the bastards downstream.

But seriously, if you feel that there might be someone there once you're in that might want to hurt you, grab something and carry it with you for a while and ditch it, easy stuff

Simple breakdown:

1. If you're more worried about the police than running into trouble, then you don't need a weapon.

2. If you're more worried about running into trouble than you are about the police, find a better site.

Old school Maglight, 4D or larger. Horrible flashlights but great batons. Not those modern aluminum things they have now.

But hey, if you splurge a little and get one of those replacement LED upgrade bulbs, then you have a great baton and a OKAY flashlight!

Posted by Steed Reading this thread Im less worried about wild animals or homeless people and more worried about the new guy I bring along going Rambo and killing everyone with his homemade weapons.

I'm totally with you on that...

Posted by DescentOnARope Simple breakdown: 1. If you're more worried about the police than running into trouble, then you don't need a weapon. 2. If you're more worried about running into trouble than you are about the police, find a better site.

Best explanation on here

You wouldn't need any weapons or writing utensils of sorts for dangerous situations if you can avoid them. If accidents can be avoided / prevented, so can being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Although, I personally like the tripod idea. That'll leave a wallop and a half if ever encountered by an unarmed animal.

Posted by niteratzclub That'll leave a wallop and a half if ever encountered by an unarmed animal.

But God help you if you encounter an armed animal.

Posted by DescentOnARope But God help you if you encounter an armed animal.

You don't understand man, you just don't understand. I saw the look in that pigeon's eye when it pointed that 12 gauge at me. It was going to kill me. Thank God I always carry a molotov cocktail when exploring.

In all seriousness, the correct response has been posted above my many others. Police should be your biggest concern when exploring- if they're not, you're in the wrong neighborhood.

I've seen the definitions you put in the UE Encyclopedia, URBEXSWATUTAH. Combined with you're name, I'm not sure you know the difference between photography and urban warfare.

I suspect you've fallen to the temptation of trying to appear badass and edgy. It doesn't work. Urban exploration is cool, but it should never be badass. Badassery requires a high amount of risk to pull off, and in urbex high risks should be avoided at all costs. Using pseudo-military lingo and doing pretty much everything you've been doing doesn't look impressive- it looks like attention seeking behavior. It screams "I want to be badass! Validate my fantasies!"

Instead, seek praise through your work, and be content if your online alias is all that will ever be known about you. One good set of photographs will gain you far more respect on here than a thousand boasts ever will, especially if you are content with people respecting your online alias. Nobody likes fame- seekers, so as long as you respect the people and locations you encounter while posting productive content, you will be respected.

Until you start doing that, expect to see the same attitude you've gotten so far.

Buttram Manfist... that's a name I haven't heard in a long time.

What ever happened to it? Did the author just kind of drift away from urbex?

Pull pin, feel safe...