Indiana Jones was so cool. That crazy whip that he could do all the tricks with sure saved his life more than once. Before we go too much further, I have to stop right here and let you know that the kind of whip he carried is not what we mean by ‘self-defense whip.’ Keeping an attacker at a distance with a six-foot bullwhip is a whole lot harder than it looks on TV. Moreover, you need a lot of space to swing a long-tailed whip.
Getting good and accurate at using a bullwhip or even a flogger takes time and experience that you probably don’t have. By all means, start practicing now, but we’re looking at whips anyone can use with minimal training. There are several variants on the defensive whip, so we’ll go over a few different options that all share the same name and use.
Types of Whips
When most people think of whips, it’s either a long bullwhip or that fluffy yogurt you can get in the dairy section. Obviously, we’re not suggesting you fight off an attacker with some fruit-on-the-bottom, so it helps if you know what the options are. You don’t want to order the wrong product when several things share a common title.
I’ll break down whips for you, so you’ll know just how much the umbrella term means, and what you’re looking for at a glance. However, deciding what style is right for you is a personal choice.
Classic Whips
- Bullwhip- The most common and well known of the whip family is the bullwhip. They have a rigid handle with a knob at the end. Above that is a tapered braid of leather called a thong. Then comes the thong fall. Last, there is a tapered strip of leather with a cracker at the end that makes the ‘whip crack’ when it breaks the sound barrier.
- Australian Stock Whip- Stock Whips are often used in whip cracking competitions. Unsurprisingly this is an Australian sport, hence the name. These whips possess a flexible handle with a ‘keeper’ that holds the braided tapered body. At the end there is a ‘fall,’ and attached cracker.
- Blacksnake Whip- These resemble a bullwhip with one essential element missing. There is no rigid handle, just a knob at the end of a flexible yet firm end. The design allows this type of whip to be wrapped up and stored on a saddle.
- Signal Whip- These short whips are designed to make the noise without hitting a dog in a dogsled race. They are a long flexible whip with a cracker.
- Flogger- A firm handle with dozens of falls of leather or other fabric.
- Cat of Nine Tails- A Cat ‘o Nine is like a bullwhip, but with multiple ends. Usually, that means nine long whip ends.
- Riding Crop- A solid end with a flexible plastic piece that is usually covered in a woven or braided fabric. The ends of these have a folded over piece of leather at the tip to make a clapping noise reminiscent of the whipcrack when they hit.
Other Whips
- Chain Whips- This is relatively self-explanatory. A length of metal chain or braided wire is a chain whip. They make excellent jewelry.
- Modified Riding Crop- A riding crop without a tip, or with a modified handle style won’t make the noise, but they hurt like you wouldn’t believe to get hit with.
- Biker or Get Back Whip- This can have a handle or not, but it mostly consists of a short length of braided leather. Some Biker Whips have tips, but they don’t necessarily need it. The sole purpose of them is to be able to give a quick warning shot to keep a person, animal, or car away from your body.
Defend Against a Whip
What if you happen to get attacked by someone holding one of these outstanding weapons. You already know they work, but you can’t just lay down calmly and take what they dish out. How do you stop an assailant who’s already carrying a whip as their weapon?
It may seem like you can’t do it, but that’s just defeatist thinking. Carrying a whip is a benefit in that scenario because it means you already know what you’re fighting and how it can hurt you. Knowing your enemy is the first step to defeating them.
Catch That Whip- Traditional Whip Defense
If you’ve seen Indiana Jones, there’s a great scene where he swings across a twelve-foot gap by wrapping his whip around a tree branch. We’re not suggesting you ever try a movie stunt, but it does illustrate the idea that a long flexible whip will wrap around an object if it hits closer to the middle than the tip.
If you can get a long whip to wrap around your arm or some other object, then drop your weight on the taut length to pull your attacker off balance and/or disarm them. The same is true for multi-tailed long whips and metal chain whips. It will hurt to get hit, but let it wrap and take it away.
No one is ever going to attack you with a flogger. Seriously, it won’t happen. If it does, all you need to do is get a hand into the many short lengths of leather (or other material) and grab. Twist the flogger as you throw your body to the side in the direction of your twist. It might hurt to get hit in the hand, but it will only happen once if you take it away from the assailant. These are not good offensive weapons since they’re designed for torturing a tied up person.
Whip Smackers
Whips that are made of thin, flexible material and possibly covered with fabric or rubber are a different story. These dangerous little beaters can do more damage than it seems. However, because they are basically no different from a stick or billy club, defending against them is the same. Block the blow, grab the weapon and twist it out of your assailants’ hands.
As you can see, an unusual weapon can be alarming and confusing. Unfortunately, that is one of its strengths. If you know more about how the weapon works, you can easily defend against it, but when someone comes at you with a boomerang or a rubber chicken wrapped in barbed wire, it throws you off your game. Attackers depend on this. The good news is that you can use the same tactic. A moment of hesitation is all you need.
Top Five Best Defensive Whips
Now you know what to look for. You can grab a fantastic defensive option easily. We took a look at a lot of self-defense whips and narrowed them down to this small list. Whatever your style and need, you can work one of these whips into your self-defense arsenal and protect yourself from trouble. Keep your attacker from ever laying a finger on you by holding them at arm’s length with a proper whip.
1. Fast Strike Biker Whip
The ingenious Fast Strike is our top pick, though it more closely resembles a riding crop than a true whip. Never the less, it does whip things very effectively and is in fact designed to break car windows even from the inside. The reinforced stainless steel whip itself is more than sturdy enough to do the job on glass or attackers.
The handle on this beauty is shaped like a pocket knife. It holds the tip secure, so the whole device rolls up like a tiny bullwhip for easy portability and storage. This style of weapon is especially effective against areas with bone near the surface such as knees, elbows, and the head.
Pros
- Concealable- Because the Fast Strike folds up, you can put it right in your pocket. Likewise, it should fit in a purse, laptop bag, backpack, or another container easily.
- Belt Clip- You can hide your Fast Strike, but you can also wear it proudly and openly (where legal). The belt clip will give you quick access to your defense right where you need it. Additionally, you won’t have to worry about it coming loose from a pocket or purse strap.
- Incredibly Strong- Steel is no joke. Most people have never been hit by anything like it. A whip is going to do damage and causes tremendous pain. Though it’s designed with flexibility in mind, there’s no real give when you get hit by a metal rod, at least not on the rod’s side. The same goes for cables.
Cons
- It’s a Weapon- Once you have this out, it’s easily identifiable as a weapon. There’s no real justification for carrying one other than to hit things or people with it.
- Broken- Certainly, the idea of a weapon is to deter an attacker or help you win the fight, but if you get sued by an assailant because you broke ten of their bones then it’s a little hard to explain away your whip. Plus, you’d better have a convincing reason why you didn’t stop sooner.
- Toy Like- As weapons go, it can be dangerous to have them look like toys. It puts you in the wrong mindset and takes away the respect and caution needed for proper weapons handling.
Find it fast right here.
2. Braided Leather Get Back Whip
Get Back Whips are meant to go on a motorcycle. They are a lesser known part of motorcycle culture that is making a comeback as vintage detailing. Because of their history and purpose, they are also highly functional defensive weapon options for those who have less traditional vehicles. You can add one to a leather jacket for a classic look or use the clasp on your belt loops and look fashionable while still sporting some unexpected self-defense capabilities.
For casual cool and easy to blend into an outfit, as long as you’re a little edgy, there’s no better option. As far as the defensive capabilities go, we’ve already discussed the damage a whip can do. You will, however, need to practice with this weapon. Accuracy is an issue, so this is a weapon for those who are willing to commit to it and put in the work to learn.
Pros
- Quick Release Clasp- The metal piece on the end attaches to a motorcycle or piece of clothing easily, plus it has a quick release ‘panic’ button, so you don’t need to fumble or waste time when danger finds you.
- Choice of Colors- You can pick the color scheme that works best with your wardrobe, or get several in different colorways and use them all.
- Braided Leather is Strong- If you haven’t handled braided leather, there’s an art that goes into circular braids. The decorative pattern isn’t the only factor. It also adds strength around the flexible core.
Cons
- Metal Skull Detail- The metal skull detail looks good, but it adds unnecessary damage. There are benefits to more damage, but before you add metal pieces to a whip, you should know what it will do. It looks cool though.
- Criminal History- The Get Back whips are associated with biker gang history. Specific colors represented various gangs and could be misunderstood. Glorifying criminal history may not be your best choice for a weapon.
- Blows in the Wind- When adequately attached to the handlebars of a motorcycle, this will stream in the wind. That makes a fantastic visual and may even help deter attackers. It may also whip you if the wind goes wrong.
Check out the prices on these neo-vintage weapons here.
3. Forsinsing Dragon Hand Tactical Metallic Whip
The Whip is just one name for these fighting chains. They have also been called Kusari-Fundo in ninjitsu and manriki-gusari or “ten thousand strong chain” in Japanese. While chain fighting will not give you the strength of ten thousand men, you can kill a person with less chain than you might think.
A traditional chain whip is a heavy chain and usually has a dart on the end, but the advanced techniques are a dedicated Chinese martial art that requires years of practice and skill. Fortunately, it takes a lot less ability to wrap a robust chain around your fist and punch an assailant. Likewise, you can double a chain over and hit with it like a bat, but the thinner surface will cause a more cutting style of damage.
Pros
- Beauty- A Dragon Hand tactical whip is an impressive piece of work. Its delicate details are sharp and may cause extra damage.
- Fierce Protection- Dragons are traditional symbols of protection for the wearer. For those who are superstitious, the imagery of a lucky dragon watching over, you can help you feel confident in your weapon choice.
- Jewelry- Because you can wear this as a necklace or bracelet, it’s not a weapon that most people would recognize. Your attacker may think you’re an easy target only to find you armed and dangerous.
Cons
- Powerful- If you’ve never seen a person get hit by a chain, you may be in for a shock. These dangerous weapons can pop eyeballs, split skin, and even break bones. Contrary to the intent of the original martial art Kusari Fundo, a sharp-tipped chan can and will spill blood.
- Maintenance- Chains need to be adequately cared for, or they will break down and fail over time.
- Practice- If you want to learn the defensive art, you will need to study a very long time to learn how to make the most of this weapon. Still, it’s useful even as a beginner weapon.
Find your exotic weapon here.
4. Pendant Necklace Self-Defense Whip
Just as the Forsinsing Dragon Hand Tactical Metallic Whip is imbued with the qualities of the dragon-as-protector, this necklace whip also has a meaning beyond the basic. Monks have blessed the hundred and eight stainless steel balls. It may seem a little non-sequitur for a weapon to be hallowed, but it’s common.
The original user credited with creating the practice of Kusari Fundo may have been a monk himself. Unfortunately, the stories vary on crucial details, but Masaki Toshimitsu Dannoshin was either a 16th-century palace guard or a 15th-century monk. Either way, the purpose of the weapon was to injure without spilling blood.
Pros
- History of Excellence- The long tradition behind using the short chain whip means there’s plenty of source material available for you to learn new techniques.
- Easy to Carry- You can walk right through many security checkpoints with a necklace where, for example, a knife would get confiscated.
- Religious Sentiment- If you’re seeking spiritual protection in addition to the physical, a blessed weapon is the best of both worlds.
Cons
- Weight- A stainless steel ball necklace isn’t lightweight, but you should get used to carrying it soon enough.
- Removal- Practice often to grab and remove this whip in a pinch, so you don’t get hung up and find yourself defenseless.
Pick your prayer bead whip here.
5. Phoenix Outdoor Acala
The Phoenix Outdoor Acala whip bracelet combines the best qualities of the necklace and dragon bracelet. Even better, it adds it’s own unique touch with three larger mobile beads that can be used to help direct and concentrate your strike force. The simplicity of the design is elegant and functional.
Pros
- Legal to Carry- Anyone can wear a bracelet regardless of where they’re going.
- Hypoallergenic- Since the beads are made of 316s stainless steel, they shouldn’t irritate even sensitive skin.
- Steel Wire Core- With a center as solid as the outer beads, you won’t have to worry about this weapon breaking down easily.
Cons
- Moving Bead Control- Learning to move the sliding outer beads with skill will require practice and caution.
- Metal Detectors- While your bracelet is legal, it is not invisible. You will set off metal detectors.
- Circumference vs. Diameter- The sellers can confuse the mathematical terms from time to time. Rest assured, no one has a six-inch diameter wrist unless they’re built like Andre the Giant. Don’t be fooled by a simple mistake. These are great tools.
Find the perfect blend of safety and function here.
Final Thoughts
Using a defensive whip helps you twice. Firstly, they are highly effective weapons that can do severe damage. Secondly, your opponent will probably balk when they see it. The advantage of surprise is often spoken of but seldom taken seriously. Even as it happens, we gloss over it and don’t think about the reaction.