What EDC flashlight

[DamonL]

What are people carrying for an EDC flashlight? I don’t have one and I am looking for ideas.

[jnc36rcpd]

I usually carry a Powertac E9G4. It allows various lumen levels going out to 2000+. I have no way of measuring that, but it seems accurate. The lumen adjustment mode is pretty solid so you're unlikely to get low or strobe when you need high. It has a strike bezel which could be harsh on clothing. Moreover, I'm not sure cutting someone you need to bap...uh, excuse me, use reasonable force upon...is a great idea for either a LEO or CCW. Supposedly the strike bezel can be removed, but I've never been able to figure it out. Overall, I'd recommend this light if you can carry it.

Streamlight also offers a variety of lights great for EDC .If you want variable light output (the debate on that is best reserved for another thread), they are not as convenient as Powertac and you can unexpectedly get strobe on many when you don't want to do so. That is a training issue, but it's still an issue. That said, you can find whatever light capability you want.

I don't know how much money you spend on guns, but up your credit limit is you dive deep into the flashlight world.

[Robb0]

What are people carrying for an EDC flashlight? I don’t have one and I am looking for ideas.

Currently using Streamlight Wedge 300. 300 lumens is more than enough and it's really compact. Battery life is okay-ish, they state it's 3h of non-stop work. Enough for me personally, but not for everyone I'd say

[NH Shooter]

What are people carrying for an EDC flashlight? I don’t have one and I am looking for ideas.

It really depends on its intended use. A light that is perfect for finding dropped keys could be really deficient for self defense use.

These are the two lights I carry: the first photo below is my single mode, momentary-only, high-candela light configured specifically for use with the Rogers-Surefire technique that I carry in a belt holster. The second photo is a modified Surefire E2T-MV Tactician that I use for general purposes (the high-low bezel switch is extraordinarily handy) and carry in a pants pocket. Both lights are compact, easy to carry and weight eight ounces combined;






As a first dive down the EDC flashlight rabbit hole, the capable and reasonably-priced Streamlight ProTac 2L-X is a very worthy consideration (as is the ProTac 1L-1AA);

[rd62]

I've been carrying a Streamlight ProTac 1L-1AA for years and am very please with its balance of performance, size, and price.

[BobM]

I carry SureFire Stilleto Pro. I like the multiple light levels, the switching, and especially the flat form factor. I also keep a Streamlight 1L-1AA in the truck in case I leave the house without a pocketable light.

[BillSWPA]

If the light is pocket carried, it is from EDC Light Builder, using a Malkoff Boryguard V2 head and Lumens Factory body and switch, powered by a protected 18350.

If I am belt carrying the light, it is also a configuration available from EDC Light Builder, using a Malkoff E2 Hyper Throw head, and Lumens Factory body and switch, using a protected 16650.

Malkoff Devices makes some of the most dependable lights I have ever used. EDC Light Builder configured these heads in a way that takes the setup up a level.

At the other end of the price spectrum, Streamlight makes good lights. I take a 1L-AA dual fuel light with me as a backup light when I travel. It is programmed for high mode only. I run the light on a single CR123, but the light can also run on a single AA at a lower power level. This is really useful if you must obtain a new battery while traveling.

[fatdog]

I live in a very rural area. Street lights don't exist, at least the close ones would be 4-5 miles away. So having a light handy most of the year is mandatory for simple every day reasons. My always in the pocket, all the time light is this Martac that I love because of the utility of those multi-levels it toggles and it is easy to feed with rechargeable AAA's which I rotate every week. Dress slacks, cargo pants, jeans, cargo shorts, it is always in my left pocket, every day. It would not be my first choice as a "tactical light" but it is always there, unobtrusive, and has been reliable for about 3 years now.

Attached to my key chain and more frequently in my hand is a Klarus XT1c that has been there about 7 years now. The black annodizing has worn off. I like the dual switch tail cap both for the instant strobe and the abilty to adjust light levels. Mine is the old version of that model and I see they have doubled the lumens ratings over the years so maybe I need to upgrade mine. I remove the stupid flapper over the second switch and just go with the rubber switch. I keep a finger ring on that light, which is also handy when you are trying to do two handed things.

[APS-PF]

I've been carrying the Surefire EDCL1-T for the last year. I use low 98% of the time but high is just a harder push on the gas pedal switch. Streamlight 1l-1AA was my preference prior to the edcl1-t but I found having to cycle through the high/strobe to get to low annoying after a while, since I rarely use high.

[NH Shooter]

Streamlight 1l-1AA was my preference prior to the edcl1-t but I found having to cycle through the high/strobe to get to low annoying after a while, since I rarely use high.

Likewise, I'm not a fan of having to toggle through modes via the tailcap switch.

My favorite UI is the high-low bezel switch, which is set via head rotation and can be selected before the light is activated. It is also nearly impossible to have the mode inadvertently change during operation, which is an important consideration for a defensive-use light. The E-series Surefire Tactician has this feature, as do the Malkoff MDx series of full size (1-inch diameter body) lights.