A:  I’m not familiar with that nomenclature.

[After checking the site and the story about someone who bought this WA-01, a 30-inch fiberglass rod with a handle on the side, and used it to crack the shins and face of an attacker].

Okay, now I get it. Sounds like a PR-24 or more commonly referred to as a side-handle baton. In Okinawan kobudo it's called a tonfa. Pretty standard, although 30-inches is not right. It should be roughly the length of your forearm plus 5 or 6 inches.

A 30-inch baton is more like a riot baton. And when they are made of fiberglass resin they weigh a ton. I can see why the D.A. had a fit and was looking to prosecute the user. Cops need to be trained to use any impact weapon and the PR-24 is a specially designed impact weapon, so you could be liable here if you used one.

I would rather see you carry a Mag Light in your car. It's the metal police flashlight. But don't get the D-cell battery model (the ones they sell at Home Depot), it's too thick. Get the C-cell battery model. That's just the size of a regular police baton so it handles more like a baton. Get the 5-cell and not the 6-cell. You'll be tempted to get the longer one but it's too heavy and not as handy under the seat.

The cool thing about the flashlight is that it's a FLASHLIGHT, not a WEAPON. You can carry it anywhere and not create a problem.

Or, if you are a baseball fan, you can keep your softball bat in your truck. Make sure you keep your glove and a ball in there too to prove that you don't just carry a bat around looking for trouble, you just had your sporting equipment in there and forgot to take it out after the last time you and the boys played a game.

If I was you, I’d skip buying that side handle baton. I used to train with them and I stopped. It takes a lot of work to get and stay proficient with them. (Don't get me wrong here, guys that are good with them can really take someone apart, but it takes a lot of work to get that good.) Now I either carry the expandable ASP baton, my C-cell Mag Light or a regular straight baton when I want to make a statement. I'm a lot faster with the straight batons and they are more convenient (meaning you will be more likely to have them with you when something happens vs. leaving them in the car).

Brad Parker