Caltrops: legality and reviews

Looking to purchase some caltrops for home defense soon, and wanted to hear from others before pulling the trigger. The ones I am looking at in particular are these:

http://m.ebay.com/itm/271730611448?nav=SEARCH

They just seem to be a little cheap, in appearance at least. Can these tiny things really puncture a boot or a tire?

What brand do you prefer?

Anyone have suggestions for a homemade version?

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This site just keeps getting weirder

 

What

 

why do you need them for home defense? and if you want cheaper try throwing some dirt over a 1x4 with 3" nails.

 

not being a smart ass. it really works

 

I can't say anything on legality, because that would vary all the way down to the city you live in. Though, for home defense, liability is also something to consider.
That being said, I prefer the basic welded nail design.

 

Those are sweet, I've seen some like that.

I don't live in a town. Several uses I can see for myself. For one I have an infant with wife home alone all day. Outside each window is what I was thinking. We also have a 220 acre mostly wooded farm. Someone has decided not to heed the no trespassing signs. Thy have logged a road into the center of our woods and continue to steal trees. I want to catch them in the act and disabling their vehicle temporarily would help.

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Get a gun? I mean come on you are better off with a pistol over something like this.

 

I already have them.

Wife does not want a gun in the house nor does she know how to use one when I'm not home.

Oz I thought these would be common in your area with moose, elk, bear, cougar and such.

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Get a survelliance camera or two for the log poachers

 

C'mon, you know you want some.
I'd look into shrubs that have thorns for outside the windows.

 

Zombie apocalypse vehicle defense, NOT a suggestion to actually put in use against log poachers. Cameras and shotguns work for those. The sound of a shotgun being loaded is known around the world.
If they have made a road onto your property, I'd look more into a pressure activated setup. 2x4s with nails driven through them. Dig a 2' wide trench across their trail with the nails 1" below ground level, then put a piece of 1/4" ply over top and cover with dirt. Animals can walk over it without getting spiked, but the weight of a vehicle forces the nails through the ply and into the tires. You have to use long nails though that way it would get through everything, and have some at slight angles to improve sidewall damage.

 

But the caltrops are like .40 cent each.

Great suggestions for the cameras. I'm looking into that now.

 

True. With the cameras, if they are out in the woods where these guys go, make sure they are well hidden. Would suck to give poachers a free camera.

 

Get a game camera. Most of them flash so their location is not secret unless you get expensive ones. Motion sensing lights scare people away too. Do you have any dogs? Everyone in my house knows how to handle a gun. If you're the only one packing and willing, it's much less effective. If I had a wife and child at home and I knew I had trespassers, it would end very quickly. But that's the route you're taking so more power to you and good luck. I pray they don't decide they want anything in the house.

 

For when Calvary charge your house guys duh

 

I've fashioned a couple of systems. None which I'll mention here..

But to deploy and un-deploy caldrops will get old, quick.
A back-filled ground-level mechanical spike trench will be the easiest. But I'm not aware of any manufactures that sell a kit.

 

That's one of my problems. Our area has seen a spike in home invasions, and our neighbors have recently had attempted break-ins in broad daylight...with wives and children at home. My house is 45 minutes from the farm, which is 45 minutes from my work (triangularly) where I am at 50+ hours a week.

 

And the random vehicle breakins that we have had, they have taken cell chargers and prescription drugs while passing on wallets and sunglasses. People are desperate and it worries us. We'd rather deter than confront, honestly.

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Mossberg 500. Teach your wife learn how to use it and make sure she knows exactly where it is. If they are that desperate, lead is the answer.