ThePatriot29:
One possible venue for, at least, an introductory OC course is to check out who in your area is offering training to the local security companies. Generally, it's a local law enforcement trainer who is training the security guards as a side-line. Given the low wage scale of security jobs, the per person cost is generally kept down. The training quality may vary greatly from "just the minimum required by state law" all the way up to "I only teach one program, the one that I've always wanted to attend." (This is ideal. I was very lucky the first time I tryed this.)
I think I've made this suggestion in one of the threads on ASP batons, it holds true here also. Is the training that your average security guard going to get in a 4 hour class going to be the latest, greatest, cutting edge stuff. No, of course not. But is it better than no training. Of course.
As to what I look for in an OC product:
1) minimum 100,000 SHU "in the can"
That works out to a minimum 5% 2million SHU formula. The 2% 5.3million Fox works out to 115,000 SHU "in the can". Good Stuff. 10% 2million works out to 200,000 SHU "ITC"
2) Fog/Burst dispersal. Streams are the equivalent of an old dime-store water gun. They require far to much precision for me to be comfortable with. Mist/Cones are a little better, but I'm a wasp & hornet killer kind of guy. A good Fog/Burst unit puts out OC like a can of wasp & hornet killer. Yeah, the can doesn't last as long, but I can put up a wall of nastiness very quickly.
3) Can & Top design. I like a top design that gives me a physical index as to which way the stuff comes out. I also like a design which incorporates a "passive safety" to help ensure that it only goes off when I want it to. Some examples of "good tops", for me, would be the recessed button with break-trough safety tabs as seen on the Aerko Punch II burst units, or the flip-top fogger used on the BodyGuard LE-10 foggers. Designs which I don't like would be the standard dish-top found on Aerko stream or mist units and any "trigger" units. I don't care for "active safeties" on OC cans.
Currently, I'm carrying a 3oz Body Guard LE-10 flip-top fogger unit (10% 2million SHU). I've carried Fox Labs 2% 5.3 Million in both the heavy cone, old-style (splatter)stream and the newer flip-top stream cans. I've always had very good luck with Aerko Punch II. And Winner International's Phase IV has served me well. The brand is nowhere near as important as the quality.
Though, I will suggest that noone carry a can of "WhoopAss" 15% 3 million OC. I actually found a can of this at a local pawn shop. Haven't picked any up to see how it actually stacks up, though.