There are two weapons that you should never leave home without. They are steel or hard-toe shoes and SAP gloves.

In today's world, steel-toe shoes or shoes that are made of other hard synthetic materials are easy to come by. They are made for working in. They are designed to protect your feet just in case something heavy falls on them. Some years ago when I was a new hire on the ramp at United Airlines, I was holding a light conversation with a friend of mine who was seated in a tractor. As we were conversing, he suddenly rolled forward and the front wheel of his tractor rolled over my toes. Lucky for me, I was wearing my steel toe boots and I didn't feel a thing. Anyway, just as one thing can used for a purpose that it was not designed for, so too can steel-toe or hard-toe shoes can used not just for work, but also for self-defense. In a real sense, they are the ultimate self-defense weapon. First, they can have the innocent appearance of looking like any other shoe. They can come in the style of a dress shoe, a walking shoe, or even an athletic or running shoe. Second, they can be part of your everyday wardrobe. Today's steel or hard-toe shoes don't necessarily have to be heavy or clumsy. They can also be light and comfortable for you to walk around in everyday. Third, the weapon that you "carry" with you is concealed. If you choose the shoe right, no one will ever suspect that you are carrying a concealed weapon. Last, you can use your steel or hard-toe shoes to defend yourself effectively. For one, it gives you a weapon of surprise. Also, it very useful for delivering painful kicks to your attacker's lowers extremities such as his ankle, his shin, or his knee. A quick kick delivered with enough force, not only is it hard to defend against, but also it will leave your attacker with broken bones to the point that he will be unable to continue his assault on you. Last, you don't have to dig around in your purse to look for that can of mace or dig in your pocket for a weapon of sort that will alert your assailant to watch out for the knife, gun, or stick that you just pulled out. With steel-toe or hard-toe shoes, he would never know or be prepare to defend against your attack since it would be so sudden and so unexpected. Your weapon is right there under his nose, on your feet, and he just doesn't know about it!

The other weapon that you should never leave home without is SAP gloves. (Note: Before you go out and buy them, make sure they are legal to wear as a self-defense weapon in your state. The law varies from state to state.) Just like shoes, gloves are a natural addition to your everyday wardrobe-though, of course, not in summer. Like causal, everyday steel or hard-toed walking or running shoes, no one would expect that the gloves you are wearing is a concealed-though overt-weapon. SAP gloves, unlike regular glove, have lead or steel fillings inside the knuckles of the glove. This enables you to pack more power into your punch. As they say in business, "If you don't have the talent, go out and buy it". The same principle can be applied in respect to self-defense: If you don't have the hard punch or kick of a martial artist, go out and buy it: Go out and buy a pair of hard or steel-toed shoes. Go out and buy a pair of SAP gloves and you'll be in business-so-to-speak-tomorrow! To get back on track, SAP gloves, for the most part, are designed for self-defense. I would add, in fact, like hard or steel-toe shoes, you can call on them to defend yourself in an instant because you are already wearing them. Delivering a quick jab with your SAP gloves to your attacker's face will not only keep him at bay, but also it might just break his nose. Following up with a quick hook to his ribs will surely break or bruise his ribs to the point that he will probably no longer desire or be capable of continuing his assault. Last, if all else fails, a short uppercut to his groin with your SAP gloves will surely put your assailant out of commission.

Steel or hard-toe shoes together with SAP gloves are the great equalizers that will put you on an equal playing-or should I say fighting- field with the hardened criminals on the streets. Together compose your element of surprise and instant attack weapons that can spell the difference between life or death for you on the streets.