Carry Flashlights

[Kanewpadle]

Just how many lumens do we need for a carry flashlight?

Their making small one's over 500 lumens!!

I realize this subjective. I carry one rated at 180 lumens. Does the average CCW guy need more?

 

[Neumann]

The Surefire 500 lumen flashlight uses the same 3W LED as others, but with a deeper, hence more focused, reflector. The same light in a smaller area results in more lumens. I carry a Surefire 6PX "Tactical" rated at 200 lumens. It's more than enough. Subjectively speaking, you don't notice much difference if the factor is less than 2x.

The beam has a bright core with a dimmer outer cone, which makes it good for general illumination. It's almost too bright for close work, but I don't want something I have to click twice.

 

[ArcticFox]

I carry a Fenix 15 with 117 lumens for 1 hr 40 min on a AA battery which serves me well. I also have the Fenix 41 with 800 lumens for known after dark work.

 

[soccerguy83]

I love my Streamlight ProTac2! Slightly larger then an ink pen and runs off of 2 AAA's. Very bright, with three click settings High>strobe>low.

 

[Neumann]

Be careful of the "ratings" game. All else being equal, more lumens means a tighter beam, not more light. I'd rather have something that lights up a room or path, than a laser-like beam. For tactical use, a quick flash will blind and confuse an intruder without revealing your position (assuming you move, also a good tactical procedure).

Penlight batteries are convenient, but a CR123 battery has 3x the energy of an AA, and a much higher discharge rate. They cost about $2 each in packs of 12 from Amazon, about 1/3rd the cost at Radio Shack.

 

[Erich]

I agree with the warning about lumen ratings, but I myself have decided to go with AAs in my EDC light (a small and well worn Fenix L1D Cree) for ease of re-upping anywhere.

Kanewpadle, this is an interesting thread: I'd not really considered that folks were overly concerned about lumens, but I can see how the "better/stronger/faster" way of thinking could rear its head here.

I guess it's like anything else: one does a cost/benefit analysis of what you can get for the money/convenience vs. perceived needs. I don't see folks getting their, erm, masculinity as involved with the size of their light as the size of their bore.

 

[Doug M.]

I carry the Surefire Fury and have one mounted on my carbine. More light in a workable package is always better. If I had a pistol mounted light I would use the X300U for the same reason.

 

[team sidewinder]

X2 on the Surefire Fury. The rugged LED dual output Fury provides enough light on low at 15 lumens for most everyday uses where you don't need the blinding 500 lumen hight output mode but still have that option. The price on the Surefire Fury is very reasonable for the very high quality of a Surefire with a 500 lumen output. Unbelieveable how bright 500 lumens are in this small of a flashlight. Battery life is excellent because most of the time you don't use the high output. I really would not want the Fury flashlights that don't have the dual output and just have 500 lumen outputs.

Of all my 6 small Surefire flashlights of varying lumen outputs the Fury has become my favorite carry flashlight.

 

[DAdams]

If you want to go wide and deep regarding flashlights try Candle Power Forum.

Here are the various ratings you will see used.
Light Output Measurements - Flashlight Wiki

Compare "apples to apples".

I wish more manufacturers would ascribe to the ANSI ratings.

 

[Doug M.]

And if you carry the light only for serious and use something else for in-close etc, there are single output versions of the Fury. Bravo Company carries one version that is theirs alone, spec'ed by Pat Rogers. FWIW, use ONLY Surefire CR123 batteries - best quality, and amazingly cheap when purchased in bulk compared to getting a pair in the store.

There are other advantages to the bright light, too. (BTW, I can pick up the reflectorized street signs at well over 1/4 mile.) I walk my cranky dog in the dark this time of year - the sun does not come up until after I leave for work and is long set by the time I get home. He needs to be kept away from other people, and a bright light lets me pick them up at 100 yards and change my path to avoid them. I am also able to check out anything that gets his attention - small animal, people, whatever.

I pretty much carry at least one light all the time (I have a BIG Olight with a Cree head in my car that I used to carry on patrol along with a G2X on my belt). If I need to assess a threat, more light helps. It is a (very short term) distraction, lets me see more, and along with my cheerful pleasant demeanor, convinces others that I really mean what I say. A knife, pistol and reload, light, and cell phone with earpiece are stuff I try to have with me at all times.

 

[DAdams]

I too have settled on AAx2 for the most part.
My smallest is a Streamlight Photon the largest high output FourSevens Maelstrom 2X123A with everything in between.

 

[Murdock]

Defensive/tactical flashlights are just like defensive firearms: use the biggest one that you are willing or able to carry all the time. (Remember that it can get pretty dark inside a big building during the day with no electricity).

A 200-lumen Surefire works well for me.

 

[The Tourist]

My SureFire E1e flashlight is always with me. Ya' know, I don't know one statistic about it.

"In the land of the blind the one-eyed man is king."

I believe this. There have been numerous times people are caught in the dark. The most ridiculous incident was when I took my wife to "The Phantom of the Opera" as a Christmas gift. The house lights crapped, and people were moving around by cell phones.

My SureFire was the brightest light source amongst several hundred people.

For me, the small size makes 24/7 carry possible. I own a 6P and a G2X, and those I can carry in jackets. But it's the portability that made my decision. The E1e even came with the brighter bulb.

(I do carry a spare battery with me. The E1e only has one battery, and that model either works or it doesn't. It has no "moon setting.")

 

[max]

I just bought a Browning Zeta at my LGS. It was on sale, uses 2 AA and is pretty darn bright.

 

[M&P Freak]

X3 on the Surefire Fury. I prefer the dual output. 15 is good, 500 is

 

[Neumann]

A cop used his plastic flash-thingy to break a car window outside my house. I found little pieces of that flashlight all over the street. For me, plastic would probably be OK, and is easier to hang on to. Metal ones are undoubtably more useful as a striking weapon. The big flanges are also hard on your clothes and upholstery, so I elected to get one with a less agressive design, but made entirely of aluminum.

 

[Chuck1217]

I bought a couple of 1,000 lumen , small flashlights- they were only about $20, so I knew they would likely be cheap, but wanted to see what 1,000 actually looked like. I have read that these cheap lights don't actually hit a thou, maybe 800, except as soon as you put new batteries in it- maybe. they did turn out to be- poorly machined- the screw-on cap is hard to get threaded- has a tinny sound when you bump it, not like a quality thump of a good one.
But my point is, these lights- at 800 or whatever- are so bright, if you shine them on something- like you're looking for your contact- looking at the lit surface hurts my eyes.
I keep one by my bed, figure it'll blind someone for SURE- but also keep a Nebo Redline in the drawer with my pistol, in case the 800 doesn't work.

 

[skeeterbait]

I prefer wide beam hands free headlamps or free standing lights for task lights. So the multi-setting hand light has little purpose to me. I have just upgraded my 200 lumen Surefires to 500 lumen Surefire Fury tacticals. What I want in a hand light is a lot of light in a focused beam right now. I want the dependability of regulated lights running on lithium batteries. The Surefire Fury tactical is that and more. Recently I had a barking charging german shepard turn and cower when hit by this light while out running. I am sure it wouldn't turn all dogs, but it sure stunned that one. No doubt it would have good effect on a human also.

And if you want the mother of all wide angle headlamps, take a look at the Petzl Ultra Wide. I highly recommmend it. The combination of the Petzl Ultra Wide and the Surefire Fury Tactical makes a great compact SAR kit.

 

[beemerrider]

I carry a Surefire E2E Executive Elite inside and at the top of my left hand hip pocket. It is held in place by a spring clip. The lens points down, and the pressure switch is on top, facilitating a quick and easy draw of the light
such that the pressure switch is under my left thumb and I can quickly aim the light.
I tested my light on at night to see how far the beam would adequately light up a potential target and found it would adequately light up a target at distance further than I would likely have to shoot. At about 25 yards, I could see a person and identify if they were armed. At 50 yards and beyond, I could see the person, but not with enough detail to determine if they were armed. I recommend all of us who carry lights; a wise idea in low light, to go out and perform your own test. If your light does not aid your shooting, it may aid your opponent's shooting, as your own light let's them know right where you are.

 

[s1mp13m4n]

I used to be on Candle Power Forums but could never afford the lights. I owned Surefire and Fenix in the past. I now get my light info from budget light forums. My $50 18650 light will blow away any $200 Surefire, so I can not make myself pay more. I was just outside walking my dog with my UltraFire T50 and it will light up the dark rather well, but that is one of the dimmest lights I own. Manafont.com | $43.03 UltraFire UF-T50 Magnetic Tail Cree XM-L T6 800-Lumen LED Flashlight w/ Step-less Brightness Control - Black (18650/2*16340) If I really want to light things up like a car headlight I use this guy: HD 2010 CREE XM-LT6 8W 1300 Lumen 5 Mode LED Flashlight Gray - Tmart.com