Colored Flashlights

CUTS LIKE A KRIS

CUTS LIKE A KRIS

Joined
Sep 28, 2005
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I was just wondering if any of you carry a colored flashlight? I bought a red and blue and still would choose a white light for woods/edc carry. I must admit the blue is a different kind of bright and I understand the red for tactical applications.
 
I like the regular white the best. Ive used red and blue as well. Red was nice beause it didnt kill your eye's nightvision. The blue, i think it was blue, was actually a friends light and it was supposed to pick up the blood trail easier. I didnt notice it being tht much better. My main complaint with colored lights is the fact that it makes the colors of what your looking at all goofy.
 
CUTS LIKE A KRIS said:
I was just wondering if any of you carry a colored flashlight? I bought a red and blue and still would choose a white light for woods/edc carry. I must admit the blue is a different kind of bright and I understand the red for tactical applications.
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red is great for use in the dark it dosn't hurt your night vision as bad so when you turn of the light theres less readjustment time. you can also still look around when the lite is on and see just a little further cause your eyes are not in shock.
 
CUTS LIKE A KRIS said:
I was just wondering if any of you carry a colored flashlight? I bought a red and blue and still would choose a white light for woods/edc carry. I must admit the blue is a different kind of bright and I understand the red for tactical applications.
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Blue is also a tactical color for light. There is no reason I can think of for using any color other than white for night navigation in a non tactical environment.

Skam
 
I have a pair of lights from Night Cutter, which probably isn't making them anymore :( The 5 LED green and 3 LED red. I actually prefer the green for night vision because I get more contrast than with the red. I've used it in the woods where it lights up different shades of green leaves very distinctly.

I also have a cobalt blue and an ultraviolet Inova X5T. The blue probably has some UV spill because it will flouresce some items, although not as spectacularly as the UV. I don't find either really great for walking around at night. White is much better. But the blue is fun, and has the advantage if you need an attention-getter, of not looking like the usual colors people see.

The one color that's harder to find is amber. It's gentler than white, doesn't distort colors too badly, and used walking around at night, sends a different signal than red or green to people associating read and green with stop and go.
 
Amber is supposed to be better for using before you go to bed too. Something about the wavelengths of other colors of light telling your brain that you should still be awake.

I like red for night vision, but there is a lot of debate on it, since you need a lot more red light than green light to see the same object because of the way our eyes read (absorb?) the different wavelengths. I used to carry a red light, but started just taking a multi-level white LED flashlight with a super low low for when I want to relatively preserve night vision. That, and you can keep one eye closed when using a light. Works like a charm. :)
 
skammer said:
Blue is also a tactical color for light. There is no reason I can think of for using any color other than white for night navigation in a non tactical environment.

Skam
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Blue causes blood to stand out, making bloodtrailing after dark a (little) bit easier.

-- FLIX
 
You can see the color blue further than any other color at night. If you want to be found, blue may be an answer.
 
Bernoulli said:
You can see the color blue further than any other color at night. If you want to be found, blue may be an answer.
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Bright neon blue is highly visable but not the brightest of the colors.

The military uses blue for map reading in tactical conditions when needing to see red lines on a map, same concept for medics or hunters with blood. BLue is night vision friendly and has a low signature.

Skam
 
I carry an Inova X5 with with green LED's when walking out early morning to stand. According to what I've read, deer don't see green and red light and they appear just as a different shade of gray? So, the theory is it's less alarming to game compared to white (led) or yellow (incandesant) light. Most deer will probably hear me coming before they would see my flashlight anyway :p

Darrell.................
 
I carry a Gerber Infinity in red. It's great little light that runs forever
on a single AA - perfect for hanging in your shelter, dummy cording
in your pack, etc. Why red? It is easier on my eyes for long term
night use. The blues and greens bug me.

However, I also carry a Surefire A2 for when I want *white* light.
 
My Petzl TacTikka XP came with red, blue, green and clear lenses which can be slid over the basic white LED.
 
Only red works with preseving night vision otherwise any other color including white has to be very very dim (under 1 lumen) in order to preserve night vision. Be careful that the red is not to bright or it will destroy night vision as well.

There is a simple test you can use to see if your red light is to bright. When your eyes are completely adapted to darkness (normally takes a half hour or hour) turn on your red flashlight if you see red it is to bright. If you cannot see red light and see grey light then it works.
 
I think the colored lenses is more gimmick than anything else really. Cant see anytime I would need red or blue light but I still carry them because They came with the light and fit in the holster.
 
I haven't use my old mini-maglite since i purchased a few L.E.D's but the mini-mag had an accessory rubber head that slipped over the "bright end".
The rubber head had removable colored plastic lenses in red , blue and amber. A low tech way of coloring light but it worked.
 
3wolves said:
I think the colored lenses is more gimmick than anything else really. Cant see anytime I would need red or blue light but I still carry them because They came with the light and fit in the holster.
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The red works, do the test I mentioned earlier.
 
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