I don’t go out on nearly as many early morning runs these days as I would like, but when I did I always clipped pepper spray to my waistband. Honestly, I’m not sure what I would have done if I needed it, but it made me feel better to have it on hand. Over at Kickstarter, the folks behind TRAK think they have a simpler solution using a small portable knife!
The concept of the TRAK looks very simple. It’s a tiny slab of titanium with sharp knife-edging on one corner, and a finger hole/thumbrest for you to easily slide it onto your index finger. If you spent much time wandering mall parking lots in your teenage years, you were probably told by friends to make a fist with your keys sticking out as impromptu brass knuckles (for safety!) This looks like a similar idea, but smaller, more compact, and with an actual pointy end instead of hoping you have the hand strength to drive your house keys into an attacker’s face.
I would suggest checking your local laws, but I think the size of the TRAK means it isn’t considered a true knife, so you’re probably ok to run through town wearing it/holding it without an issue. It looks handy for a lot more than just safety while outdoors, though the MSRP is going to be a bit steep at $55. Check out their Kickstarter, which is running through August 6th, and if you’re an avid fan of being alone outdoors, it might be a good idea to consider backing them-this is a pretty compact and simple tool, and a very clever idea!