Well, if you're used to the output of a TLR-1HL, the TLR-7 looks pretty weak. When I got my first TLR-7 I thought there was something wrong with it due to the lack of candela. I've been using TLR-1HLs for several years and apparently gotten spoiled by the candela of the TLR-1HL.
Last edited by Exiledviking; 05-16-2023 at 05:08 PM.
As others have stated, perhaps not so obvious to those who haven't had quality low light training. As with pretty much every Cowan video I've ever seen, he provides good information in an articulate manner and presents useful evidence to back his position. Saying "TLR-7 bad!" isn't equivalent to saying "The TLR-7 isn't appropriate for duty use for these reasons and here are multiple scenarios in mixed lighting where the TLR-7 fails to provide adequate illumination while an X300 Turbo does." You may not like the way he presents information, but it seems like most of the rest of us do appreciate his insights.
When the Florida Highway Patrol moved on from their .45 GAP Glocks to issuing the G45, unfortunately they also decided to ditch their X300s in favor of TLR-7s. It does make for a shorter length holster which I'm guessing aids in comfort while seated in patrol cars, but talk about a stupid move for an agency whose personnel frequently work in poor lighting conditions and have to deal with window tinting in a huge percentage of their traffic stops.
The Cloud Defense WML that was teased before it was indefinitely delayed would have solved most issues if it was up to snuff.
It was much shorter with one being G17-flush and the other barely longer. Add in the single cell design to keep everything pistol-width thin and it would have been a game changer.
Designing a reliable switch seems to be where they were having trouble and since other companies have solved that problem I don't see why CD or someone else can't produce a high candela WML like this one.
It does seem that the science and engineering could produce a “concealment-sized” form factor with “duty-grade” light output, but it was enough of a pain to get into quality holsters with a G34/comped 19 slide and TLR-8AG light, that unless a light manufacturer can bring along the holster market, the risk of a concealable light without holster support seems substantial.
I’d love to be proven wrong, and I do like the TLR switchology, but my guess is that there will only ever be just a general couple of form factors that we’ll all be able to get holsters for. If I had gone G19 or G17, and stayed with the non-laser TLR-7/8, there were plenty holsters. Go to a KKM comp and the laser version of the light, and it was a whole different story.
Per the PF Code of Conduct, I have a commercial interest in the StreakTM product as sold by Ammo, Inc.