What makes a good defensive flashlight?

[jgreiner]

Big and tough enough to beat the h*ll out of somebody with it.

 

[theledwarehouse]

Rule of thumb: You need at least 80 lumens to effectively blind someone in a low light situation. Now, this is a true 80 lumens (look for the ANSI rating). If it's not ANSI, go with at least 120 lumens. No real need for strobe, but a lot of guys do like it.

Personally, I carry a Surefire E1B back up (mine is silver so I can see it if I drop it). Its small, tough, great beam, momentary on or click on, has a high and low mode. Pocket clip also doesn't ruin your pants. Downside, it wouldn't be that great to hit someone with as it is only a single cell light. It does have a little crenelation on the bezel, but nothing too scary. I make it a point to carry everything we sell at some point, and I keep going back to the E1B.

Most the guys at our shop are into the 4Sevens G5. You can remove the strike bezel and this light is a throw monster. Its been the best selling tactical light over the last year. I typically take one of these or a X7 on any night hikes I do in case I need more power!


The ultimate in personal defense lights in the Surefire E2D defender LED. It just feels great in your hand. If you want to be unique and have something no one else has, Elzetta's are really nice and have some heft to them. You can actually nail in nails with them. 4Sevens, Olight and Jetbeam all make variations of pretty solid tactical lights that will be good choices.

 

[lovemachine]

The ultimate in personal defense lights in the Surefire E2D defender LED. It just feels great in your hand.

I've looked into that light. You have to click it multiple times for different modes, like constant and momentarily on, high and low beam...I would think that's too much to deal with in a defensive situation.

But I'm most likely wrong about that since I havent taken a low light/flashlight class yet.

 

[theledwarehouse]

The E2D actually defaults to high beam. So as soon as you put your thumb on the button it is on high. You have to let off and go back on again to get it to jump to low mode.

The E1B backup works the same way.

 

[lovemachine]

The E2D actually defaults to high beam. So as soon as you put your thumb on the button it is on high. You have to let off and go back on again to get it to jump to low mode.

The E1B backup works the same way.

I see. I have actually been comparing the LX2 and E2D.

 

[Sport69]

Streamlight Strion LED, look it up.

 

[mrman740]

I EDC this little thing....

LumaPower IncenDio V3U Upgraded LED Flashlight w. Cree R5 350 lumens - 1 x CR123A


Does everything I need!

Also have a Fenix PD30... I tend to carry the lumapower more often...


Sport69,

love the ipod, thanks!

 

[trip9901]

My EDC light was a nice find for me! i spotted this when i went to pick up some reloading things at gander mountain. i love it! first click gives you 220 lumens and it blinds the hell out of you! not too big in size or price for the quality! (does get hot though after a few minutes)


Gander Mountain® > Gander Mountain 220 Lumen Handheld LED Flashlight - Camping > Lanterns & Lights > Flashlights :

 

[abraham743]

simple pushbutton on off on tail cap i carry a streamlight 90 lumen runs on 2 123 batteries is 4 years old and still going will also fit in a rail mount if you want to mount it

 

[theledwarehouse]

I see. I have actually been comparing the LX2 and E2D.

The LX2 has a brighter low mode, but you have to push through it to get to the high mode. (push the button for low mode, push it harder for high mode) It also doesn't have a click switch.... It;'s basically a more elegant light than the E2D

 

[Txlur]

Rule of thumb: You need at least 80 lumens to effectively blind someone in a low light situation. Now, this is a true 80 lumens (look for the ANSI rating). If it's not ANSI, go with at least 120 lumens. No real need for strobe, but a lot of guys do like it.

Personally, I carry a Surefire E1B back up (mine is silver so I can see it if I drop it). Its small, tough, great beam, momentary on or click on, has a high and low mode. Pocket clip also doesn't ruin your pants. Downside, it wouldn't be that great to hit someone with as it is only a single cell light. It does have a little crenelation on the bezel, but nothing too scary. I make it a point to carry everything we sell at some point, and I keep going back to the E1B.

Most the guys at our shop are into the 4Sevens G5. You can remove the strike bezel and this light is a throw monster. Its been the best selling tactical light over the last year. I typically take one of these or a X7 on any night hikes I do in case I need more power!


The ultimate in personal defense lights in the Surefire E2D defender LED. It just feels great in your hand. If you want to be unique and have something no one else has, Elzetta's are really nice and have some heft to them. You can actually nail in nails with them. 4Sevens, Olight and Jetbeam all make variations of pretty solid tactical lights that will be good choices.

Check out the guys at candlepowerforums for more info on lights, some of those guys really know their stuff. And if you are getting a light, make sure it is not a reverse clicky, but a forward clicky with momentary. Also, make your light useful with a secondary mode that you can switch to, or program.

I have a surefire E2DL. Great warmth to the beam, 10 lumen secondary, and the feel is second to none. Pokes you a bit while it's in your pocket though. If i had to hit someone, i'd hit them with this.

I also have many dealextreme 15 dollar 6p knockoffs. The surefire 6p can be modded with drop-in heads (malkoff is a popular maker) for huge output. Rechargable 18650 batteries are great in these - hour and a half of use for 200ish lumens, but the quality isn't the same as the surefire. Most are, sadly, reverse clicky.

The light that is in my pocket all the time now is the 4sevens Quark 123 tactical. You can have any of the 5 modes you want - from moonlight (barely there, runs for like two weeks or something) to a raging 200+ lumens, as well as a strobe, beacon, or SOS. It takes like, 15 seconds to program a mode, and you get TWO - one with the head loose, one with it tight, and the head dosen't move around so itll stay on whatever while its in your pocket. You choose. Going for a walk in a bad neighborhood, i hope you bring more, but you can set it to strobe. Want to read a map in the dark camping, set it to moonlight. Keep the tightened bezel on high. It's like 60 bucks. They have a 2x AA version as big as a mini-mag that puts out 200, if you want the AA style ease of batteries.