Tactical Flashlights: Tacticool or Practicool?

[mtgianni]

I like these. They take a single AA battery and will run for a full 8 hours if left on, less if you turn it off and on. That should get me off the mountain in the dark. I give them away as gifts.
If my life is threatened, a light is not my first choice of a response.
[ame]https://www.amazon.com/Handheld-Flashlight-Tactical-Adjustable-Zoomable/dp/B01FTNY3ZK/ref=sr_1_12?crid=8SUMLNOGTY9F&keywords=aa+battery+mini+zoom+lights&qid=1644854531&sprefix=aa+battery+mini+zoom+lights%2Caps%2C147&sr=8-12[/ame]

 

[John_M52]

Save a few $ and get a streamlight protac HL. But Surefire is #1

 

[Miami_JBT]

I carried Surefires as a cop, my long guns had Surefires and did my duty pistols. Now, I still carry a Surefire. My ancient E2 LED Defender.

 

[sipowicz]

A simple strike bezel makes most lights tactical and it doesn’t add any real size or weight so I like having in on a carry light.

 

[JM4151]

Dependable Flashlights_

I am a retired LE officer with 35 years of service. I don't think that you can beat Streamlight. They will take a beating and continue to function. They have a lifetime guarantee, not one like some of the new fly by night flashlight companies have that go out of business after a year or two and they are $50 to $100 cheaper than the Surefire lights. The old SL 20 used be be found in 90% of the police cars in the country for a reason. They are made in the USA in Norristown, Pa. They have all different sizes and light strengths. Look them over.

 

[BAM-BAM]

Been carrying a single AAA in my pocket for about 20 years...... it's always there and gets used daily.

Vehicles and bags all have Maglight XL50s...50- 200 lumens 7-25hr run time... still small enough to stick in a pocket.... three easy to find AAA.

 

[Echo40]

I've actually looked at the Streamlight Pro-Tac a few times because I like that it's priced competitively with Chinese brands despite being made in the USA, but unfortunately they're not that bright compared to the competition and are for the most part only available in darker more "tactical" colors, and being an old Maglight guy, I like my Flashlights to be in brighter colors so that they're easier to find in the dark.

I’m an old school Dinosaur, I carry a box of wooden matches to light my way around.

Get with the times, man! All the other Dinosaurs are at least carrying Zippos by now!

 

[Bloody Sunday]

I really like my Olight Warrior Mini - lasts a long time between charges and is just the right size and will clip on to my hat if I need handsfree. I prefer a handheld light over weapon light as it's more useful in more situations.



I need a light, day or night every single day.

 

[Borderboss]

I always carry an O-Light with me, usually in the same method that I carry my EDC (fanny pack, carry vest, etc.) I've found them handy to have sometimes, but never for tactical reasons, at least not yet.

 

[John_M52]

The streamlight protac HL (I have a few of them) is extremely bright and I think come is < $100 with USB recharge. Ten tap programming but I always leave mine in bright, strobe, low. Searching a car at night for goodies that the driver hid under the seat in the bright setting is way to bright. Sometimes you have to cover the lens partially with a finger to "dim" it. I see they have a smaller equivalent pprotac hl-x but you have to remove the battery to charge it. Not a fan of that and the larger size makes a nice fist load.

 

[Sharpshooter82]

Tatical flash lights are one few options we have in communist countries like the UK where even pepper spray is banned unlike in much of Europe !
However if you carrying something legal such as a flash light as soon you tell a cop it’s for self protection, you will be arrested and charged ! Apparently it’s criminal and evil to want have a tool to protect yourself from violent criminals in the UK I kid you not

 

[rockquarry]

While I have some flashlights, I'm not a flashlight enthusiast and am seldom armed with one unless it's dark. I've never knowingly bought a "tactical" flashlight. Is there a difference between a regular flashlight and a tactical one?

 

[BE Mike]

I have a Sure Fire 6 Defender I keep by my bedside. I have a Streamlight Pro Tac 1L that I carry with me every day. The Streamlight is very small (one CR123 battery) and is quite handy, especially at those notoriously poor lit gun shows! I say that you really can't go wrong with either brand. I'd steer clear of those on the tv ads.

 

[Echo40]

So it turns out that Amazon has a sale going on the ThruNite BSS V4 with 20% Off Coupons, thus my decision was made and I ordered one with the Camo finish.

I'll probably post a thread with some pics and my first impressions once it arrives.

 

[BE Mike]

So it turns out that Amazon has a sale going on the ThruNite BSS V4 with 20% Off Coupons, thus my decision was made and I ordered one with the Camo finish.

I'll probably post a thread with some pics and my first impressions once it arrives.

Is it woodland camo, mossy oak or digital military camo? That makes all the difference!

 

[Ruger 13]

Surfire all the way!

 

[Echo40]

Is it woodland camo, mossy oak or digital military camo? That makes all the difference!

It doesn't specify on the product page, but it honestly doesn't look like any of the above to me. It looks sort of like spattered paint.

It's like a cross between woodland and digital with a bit of desert tan thrown in.

I picked it because I liked it better than their other colors, and I actually think that it will stand out better than the rest.

 

[Echo40]

Introducing the ThruNite BSS V4 Tactical Flashlight!

It just arrived in the mail this afternoon, my very first Tactical Flashlight.

The ThruNite BSS V4 is a modern USB Rechargeable 18650 Battery Flashlight featuring a Cree SST70 LED Emitter capable of delivering a blinding 2500 Lumens. It's IPX-8 Certified Waterproof to a depth of up to 2 Meters, can withstand up to a 1.5 Meter drop, and is made of Military Grade Aluminum Alloy.
The light comes topped with a blackened Stainless Steel strike bezel for breaking glass or busting heads, but fortunately it's threaded into place and is removable for those who have no use for such thing. It also includes a red lense filter which can be threaded into place in place of the strike bezel to preserve/enhance night vision. Unfortunately though, there's nowhere on the light nor the included nylon holster to store the strike bezel or lens, which seems like a huge oversight on ThruNite's part, as they should have at least included a little pouch on the sheath to include these two detachable accessories.

First Impressions: it's a good, well-made flashlight. I was initially a bit worried because there was a few reviews posted on Amazon from customers who claimed to receive one in non-working condition, but my experience with Amazon Reviews is that unfortunately most customers who post negative reviews aren't the brightest, and I knew going in that the lights tend to be shipped with the head/tail slightly loose so as to prevent them from being turned on during shipment, and that the batteries aren't always charged on arrival, so there was a distinct possibility that some of those reviews were written by folks who never thought to make sure that the head/tail was screwed into place, nor bothered to change them.
My flaslight arrived with the batteries drained, but after a few hours on the charger, the light was good to go.

The light has a total of six modes; Firefly -- 0.5 Lumens, Low -- 33 Lumens, Medium -- 350 Lumens, High -- 1400 Lumens, and Turbo -- 2500 Lumens. Personally, I would have liked to see either a Medium-High Mode with about 700 Lumens just to fill the huge gap in brightness between Medium and High, or otherwise a ramped (Infinity) mode which would gradually increase the brightness as you hold down the button, but realistically Low ought to be sufficient for most indoor applications, (my primary purpose of this light) so it's of little consequence.
The beam is rather floody and tends to take on a star or floral pattern with the strike bezel in place, but I actually prefer a more floody beam since it lights up a wider area, and according to TruNite, the beam will reach out to 250 Meters, which is well in excess of any distance which I could ever see myself needing.

The "Tactical" elements were never a selling point for me, so I don't really have a use for the strike bezel or lens, but the flashlight itself seems to be excellent. I'm pleased with the flashlight so far, but only time will tell just how well it will perform in the long run.

 

[chief38]

I have stopped using rechargeable batteries a long time ago! They run less voltage than regular batteries, never last as long and so your devise is less bright and has less longevity.

I use Ray-O-Vac's from Amazon which are dirt cheap, last 10 years on the shelf and have a better longevity in most sizes than Duracell's.

I also ditched (sold) ALL my battery operated tools and bought all new corded tools. Since I am not working anymore, I have absolutely no issues with plugging a tool in as I have outlets everywhere. No more worries about when the battery will run out, need recharging and when they will need to be replaced at ridiculous prices. While battery operated tools are convenient for Contractors on a roof, ladder or new building site with no ac, I am no longer concerned with that.

 

[shovelmike]

I have solidly built Bluefire Cree LED flashlights in various places around the house. They use three AAA's or 18650 Li Ion, I use the Li Ion, and find it very handy to be able to recharge rather than shop for batteries continually.