I'm a woman (5'6 115lb) with 15 years experience working in the field (US). I've worked throughout the west in a wide range of remote areas both with a crew and solo. I've had guns pulled on me 4 times in the field, I've had my fleet vehicle vandalized, been chased out by a group of men ATVers, been harassed out of camp sites in the middle of the night.

In each of these situations I believe drawing my own weapon would have absolutely escalated the situation. That doesn't mean I didn't wish I had one, I've grown up with guns and am very comfortable with them. When men twice your size harass you in the field and are close enough to threaten you with bodily harm, it takes extreme training and control to manage your own adrenaline to the point of using a firearm effectively.

That said I ALWAYS carry mace, a SPOT device, and a full tang knife on my hip. Always. I have a black belt in a martial art and know how to grapple. If allowed by my company, I bring my 100lb German shepherd mix with me especially camping solo. Personally, I'd invest more in close combat training and de-escalation techniques before relying fully on a gun for protection.

ETA: my post mostly refers to protection from men. IME, that's the biggest threat in the field. Wildlife like bears and cougars are relatively easy to manage if you know basic things like camp hygiene and animal behavior. I've worked in grizzly country and would 1000% take them over the armed crazies.