Today we will discuss the use of the expandable baton also known as the telescopic baton. We will cover the advantages and disadvantages of this weapon.

The expandable baton was invented as a weapon for military, law enforcement and security personnel as a non lethal self defense weapon. It is a great self defense tool that can be used to trigger pressure points, leverage while applying joint locks and breaking away from choke holds. In appearance the expandable baton looks better on a police officer or security guard than the normal night stick.

The expandable baton is made of aluminum and ranges in length anywhere from16 to 21 inches in length when fully expanded. Retracted the baton is about 7 inches in length with a rubber handle. It is approximately 50% lighter than the traditional standard police baton yet it only looses about 2% of the effectiveness of a standard police baton.

When flicked in a downward direction the three tubes fully expand. When being attacked the baton can be used to strike many areas of the body such as the common peroneal nerve causing the attackers legs to collapse. The baton can be used either collapsed or fully expanded. It is great for lunging at the lower abdomen to create distance between you and an assailant. The expandable baton is a very valuable self-defense tool but it should only be carried when applicable laws allow you to do so. Although the expandable baton was created for non-lethal self-defense is can cause permanent bodily injury or even death. It is recommended that you check with your local law enforcement agency before purchasing and carrying any self-defense weapon. After you have determined that you are allowed to carry any type of weapon training from a professional instructor is advised and in some cases may be required by law.

I have used the expandable baton on one occasion where it was a disadvantage versus a traditional police baton. In this situation I was waste deep in water, once I was able to draw the baton from my holster it would not expand rendering it useless. This was a very unusual circumstance, however if I would have attempted to expand the baton in a training session I would have responded differently to the assailant. Although it was ineffective after being submerged in my situation using after being exposed to rain or snow will not decrease it’s likelihood of expanding properly.