(1808 posts)
May 24, 2009 10:35 am
Flashlights
I'm a big believer everybody needs several flashlights.I like a 3 D-cell MagLite in my truck for changing flat tires or looking for a dojo buddy's dog a night when he pulled a Houdini. I enforce the same rule for the wife, though she's saddened that MagLites are becoming increasing difficult to find in an anodized purple.
I also keep a smaller, 2 AA-cell MiniMag by the bed for those wonderful power outages during storm season. And there's a 4 D-cell MagLite handing by the bedside as well.
But a flashlight isn't something I typically carry with me, on my person. I'm starting to re-think this idea.
Recently I was in Academy with a friend, and we were at the back of the store when the power went out. There was some light coming in from the front of the store, but there were no emergency lights. It was a bit dark. A small flashlight might have been a good thing here.
On occasion, I have to work a little time at night (usually 11PM or later) for maintenance on telecommunications facilities. If I am working at night, I always carry a small tactical flashlight. What are some of the hallmarks of a great tactical flashlight?
- Small enough to fit in your palm[/*:m:kn32arts]
- Really bright - 65 lumens output or more, which is enough to disrupt an attacker's vision[/*:m:kn32arts]
- A pocket clip, which ensures it will be in a handy, consistent place rather than the bottom or a pocket or purse[/*:m:kn32arts]
- A crenellated bezel around the lamp, useful for striking[/*:m:kn32arts]
- A shock-resistant bulb assembly that can stand up to the shock of striking with the light[/*:m:kn32arts]
- Push button switch to allow momentary activation of the light, rather than a switch on/switch off[/*:m:kn32arts]
These are just a few of the things to look for.
Lights you might look at include:
- Surefire E2D LED Defender[/*:m:kn32arts]
- Surefire E2D Executive Defender[/*:m:kn32arts]
- Surefire 6P LED Defender[/*:m:kn32arts]
- Surefire 6P Defender[/*:m:kn32arts]
Now, for those of us on a budget, Coleman has introduced a 3 AAA-cell powered LED flashlight that produces a whopping 70 lumens of light, with a crenellated bezel, available at Wal-Mart for about $20. The tailcap switch doesn't function quite the way I like, but considering it's about $60 cheaper I think I can learn to cope. I have not tested the light to see how it performs under the shock of striking impact yet.