Single Output EDC/Defensive/Utility Lights? I Dont Get It.

[Clusterfrack]

I may have missed it, but I don't think a single person who has posted in this thread qualifies as a SME.

Seems like most LEOs should qualify for this topic? You have to find and fight bad guys at night. That works for me.

[CCT125US]

I may have missed it, but I don't think a single person who has posted in this thread qualifies as a SME.

Perhaps the answer lies within the post containing the answer to my questions? Should be around here somewhere...

Let me begin with a question or two, to see if further engagement is worthwile...

Are you open to the possibility you could be wrong?

Why bring up NV and "tactical operations" in a thread about EDC lights? Is that helpful to the OP's question?

[Hambo]

Apparently the touchy butt-hurt topics these days are the virginia elections, everyone being a pussy, and flashlights.

Flame on, since I'm a millennial LEO with a beard ...

I don't know if everyone is a pussy, but you must be, because my wife had me set her SL Protac to high power only. For decades we did well with ON-OFF, but now you millennials want 33% power so it doesn't hurt your eyes, or so you don't have to charge your batteries.

OK, I'm done. For WML or a main duty light, OFF-BLIND THEM would be all I need. As it is, cleaning up dog poo does not require 1500 lumens, so I carry a multi-function light.

Someday, kids, if you're good, I'll teach you how we were able to make a bright ON-OFF light emit just a tiny bit of light when needed.

[TGS]

I don't know if everyone is a pussy, but you must be, because my wife had me set her SL Protac to high power only. For decades we did well with ON-OFF, but now you millennials want 33% power so it doesn't hurt your eyes, or so you don't have to charge your batteries.

OK, I'm done. For WML or a main duty light, OFF-BLIND THEM would be all I need. As it is, cleaning up dog poo does not require 1500 lumens, so I carry a multi-function light.

Someday, kids, if you're good, I'll teach you how we were able to make a bright ON-OFF light emit just a tiny bit of light when needed.

My millennial batteries don't last as long on high as yours, either.

FWIW, I also have medical responsibilities to my job which is another reason I gravitated towards multi-mode lights about 10 years ago. I'm not just a LEO, but also a medical provider. The super high brightness settings are not so great for certain medical applications, like testing pupil response, and given carrying a specific light for each specific use in street clothes isn't something I consider sensible I'm left with my best option being multi-mode lights that are setup well.

What it really comes down to is that my light does more that just target identification, and the extended battery life of a low setting is directly applicable to my needs. A multi-mode light for a multi-mode man. What can I say?

[mtnbkr]

like testing pupil response

It's been one of those days, so the idea of testing pupil response with a high-output tactical light made me chuckle.

Chris

[Trukinjp13]

My favorite high/low switching is clicks switch for on and off. Head twist for low to high. I leave the light on high all the time. But when I need low. And I have needed low hundreds of times, a simple twist does it.


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[RJ]

Someday, kids, if you're good, I'll teach you how we were able to make a bright ON-OFF light emit just a tiny bit of light when needed.

I used to shine my 8D cell Pelican "King Pelican" halogen waterproof dive light through my fingers to see the bones in my hand. True story.

Does that count?

[randyho]

I used to shine my 8D cell Pelican "King Pelican" halogen waterproof dive light through my fingers to see the bones in my hand. True story.

Does that count?

It does.

[Jeff S.]

Out door use of a standard flashlight won't kill your night vision, only if you bleach a wall or object directly in front of you.

If your adapted night vision is that important to you, use real night vision devices to assist in those tactical operations which require this level of non-white light use.

I think your first sentence is a bit disingenuous; something you’d say in an argument to make a point, but not really believe. Of course blasting 100 lumens (let alone a 1,000) from a tactical light will completely ruin your night vision, much more so than from a 20 lumen flashlight. And, good utility lights will have a sub-lumen (firefly) mode.

But I think this whole argument boils down to our preferences (and perhaps hobbies). Saying you use your single mode, tactical flashlight for every day use is akin to somebody saying they use their 4 inch fixed-blade tactical blade for every day use. I think the knife analogy is a good one: can anybody give an instance where a knife is needed but a tactical knife wouldn’t suffice? Just because a tactical blade can be used for any situation doesn’t make it the best tool for the job. A person can easily get by with just a single knife or a single flashlight (the vast majority of people, remember, carry neither).


“I'm still waiting for a compelling argument for low light functionality for real world applications of lights.”

It’s not just low light. It’s multiple brightness levels, a wider beam, longer runtimes, and better tint and high CRI. All the things that make a good tactical light (focused beam, single mode, momentary only, and 100+ lumens) are all things that distract from most other uses of a flashlight. Qualities that make a good utility light (infinite brightness levels, wider beam, high CRI, long runtimes) compliment almost every use of light.

Real world application of a utility light: checking IDs, checking eyes, checking pallor of skin, examining cables in an electrical box, opening/closing vault combos, looking for loose objects in confined spaces, when using a light for an extended period (runtime and heat), unlocking/locking doors, lighting the path on a walk, purposefully giving away your position (wanting to be seen by cars or locating friends), working on a car... I frequently use my HDS for such applications, and, IMHO, 500 lumens would be overkill to the point of inappropriate in all of them.

[voodoo_man]

I think your first sentence is a bit disingenuous; something you’d say in an argument to make a point, but not really believe. Of course blasting 100 lumens (let alone a 1,000) from a tactical light will completely ruin your night vision, much more so than from a 20 lumen flashlight. And, good utility lights will have a sub-lumen (firefly) mode.

But I think this whole argument boils down to our preferences (and perhaps hobbies). Saying you use your single mode, tactical flashlight for every day use is akin to somebody saying they use their 4 inch fixed-blade tactical blade for every day use. I think the knife analogy is a good one: can anybody give an instance where a knife is needed but a tactical knife wouldn’t suffice? Just because a tactical blade can be used for any situation doesn’t make it the best tool for the job. A person can easily get by with just a single knife or a single flashlight (the vast majority of people, remember, carry neither).


“I'm still waiting for a compelling argument for low light functionality for real world applications of lights.”

It’s not just low light. It’s multiple brightness levels, a wider beam, longer runtimes, and better tint and high CRI. All the things that make a good tactical light (focused beam, single mode, momentary only, and 100+ lumens) are all things that distract from most other uses of a flashlight. Qualities that make a good utility light (infinite brightness levels, wider beam, high CRI, long runtimes) compliment almost every use of light.

Real world application of a utility light: checking IDs, checking eyes, checking pallor of skin, examining cables in an electrical box, opening/closing vault combos, looking for loose objects in confined spaces, when using a light for an extended period (runtime and heat), unlocking/locking doors, lighting the path on a walk, purposefully giving away your position (wanting to be seen by cars or locating friends), working on a car... I frequently use my HDS for such applications, and, IMHO, 500 lumens would be overkill to the point of inappropriate in all of them.

You can think it's disingenuous, that's fine, it's your opinion.

I do use a 4 inch blade for nearly everything, it's called the northman blade.

I don't need multiple modes, multiple purpose, multiple whatevers from a flashlight. I need a single option light that does a lot of things okay and one very important thing well - threat ID / blinding bad guys.

All the circumstances you mentioned that you may believe requires low beams, wide beams, whatever other options, I can and have effectively done with a single output light.

There are numerous methods of restraining light flow from a flashlight, the more you use a light in the world the more you learn them.

As I stated numerous times already, low power setting on a light is, in my opinion, mainly because of the long run times the companies can market.