AERKO Industry 101
The Terms You Must Know
OC and CS — the two agents behind the most reliable and effective sprays in the field.
An educational reference for Law Enforcement and informed civilians, from Aerko International.
Inside the Formula
Aerko sprays are built on two active agents — OC and CS. Knowing what each one does, and why we combine them, is the foundation of every conversation about our products.
OC
Oleoresin Capsicum
The pepper in pepper spray.
The oily extract from hot peppers. It causes intense burning of the eyes, skin, and respiratory passages, involuntary eye closure, and temporary incapacitation. OC is an inflammatory agent — it works on the body's pain response. It is the active agent in Punch and the P Freeze + P.
CS
ortho-Chlorobenzylidene Malononitrile
Tear gas, the irritant.
Commonly called tear gas, though it is actually a fine powder dispersed as an aerosol. CS is an irritant, not an inflammatory agent. It causes intense respiratory distress, tearing, sneezing, coughing, and disorientation. The respiratory effects of CS and the pain induced by OC complement each other, so Freeze + P stays effective.
Spray Patterns
How the product leaves the can determines range, wind resistance, and contamination risk. The two core patterns suit very different situations.
Stream
Tight & Directional
A tight, directional pattern that is wind-resistant and carries farther, with less risk of contaminating the officer or bystanders. Best for 1v1 engagements. Industry standard for most patrol-carry sprays.
Range: 8–12 ft
Fogger aka Cone
Wide Dispersed Cloud
A wide, dispersed cloud with a shorter effective range, highly effective against multiple subjects or a moving target. Carries more cross-contamination risk. Used for crowd control and tactical entry.
Range: 6–8 ft
Trigger Styles
Flip-Top
Standard, fast deployment, ergonomic for duty-belt carry. The most popular choice for officer carry.
Twist-Lock Top
Safer for civilian / off-duty carry. Designed for less risk of accidental discharge.
R.E.R. Top
Rapid Engagement Response — AERKO's enhanced trigger, engineered for faster activation under stress.
Pistol Grip
For 16 oz / 1 lb units. Firearm-like feel, intuitive to officers.
Kodiak Head
AERKO's signature grip for crowd-control-sized cans. Sized to fit BDU pockets. Comfortable and easy to use.
Quick Glossary
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| OC | Oleoresin Capsicum — the active "pepper" ingredient, derived from hot peppers. The inflammatory agent behind Punch and Freeze + P. |
| CS | ortho-Chlorobenzylidene Malononitrile — "tear gas," a respiratory irritant. Combined with OC in Freeze + P to stay effective. |
| MC | Major Capsaicinoids — the modern, more reliable measure of OC potency. Griz Guard Bear Spray mixes at 2.0% MC, the strongest formula on the market. |
| SHU | Scoville Heat Units — the older measure of capsaicin heat, still widely used for OC potency. MC is the more reliable modern measure. |
| Stream | Tight, directional spray pattern, wind-resistant, 8–12 ft range. The industry standard for patrol and officer duty carry. |
| Fogger / Cone | Dispersed spray pattern, broader 6–8 ft coverage. Built for crowd control and tactical entry. |
| R.E.R. | Rapid Engagement Response — AERKO's enhanced trigger for faster activation, even under stress. A clear edge over standard issue triggers. |
| BOV | Bag-On-Valve — a precision fill technique for finer-mist sprays, part of AERKO's in-house manufacturing capability. |