Originally Posted by
Dan Lehr
I don't think there can be one light for all things, although this is a Captain Obvious statement, I don't feel enough folks heed the thought.
Perhaps more important than buying a light based only on the magic lumen number, is buying a flashlight based on throw and beam pattern. Generally speaking more throw equals a more concentrated spot like beam and less throw equals a wider, flood like beam.
You can read all the flashlight articles in the world but, IMVHO, there is no substitute for actually test driving the beam. You need to know what kind of spill you are getting around the focused part of the beam, and how that spill might impact you safety when using cover from a stand-off position.
For example, if I'm pieing a door and the spill from my beam is enough to front light me when bouncing off the wall/corner I'm using for cover, someone off axis (out of the beam) can get a front lit picture at me given the circumstances. Obviously, if I'm aiming half the beam at the wall/corner I'm pieing around (by either my sloppiness, or the flashlight's beam design - spot vs. flood) the reflected light can front light me and even cut down my ability to see.
So you have to know your beam, and your intent/purpose for the light. Indoors searching, I like a tight 300 lumen light, outdoors is a different story, I'm pretty much limited in my experiences to light in the 600-1000 lumen range, so can't comment about higher lumen lights.
My feeling is though, in situations you need greater throw, fixating on the distant image and slacking on keeping your eye moving might be a problem.
Just my thoughts, worth exactly what you paid for them.