"Less-Than-Lethal" flashlight for E&E?

master shake said:
I believe the best option is to find a light that you like and can afford but most importantly it should have a blinding amount of light. The massive, focused light output (like 200 lumens that the newer surefires put out) will be overpowering and disorienting to any attacker. The can't hurt what they can't see.
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When someone's eyes are adjusted to low levels of light, anything over 80 lumens is going to destroy their night vision instantly and give them the flinch response so you can strike them with the light (or something else) or kick them in the knee and split...

And let's be real, if you smash someone in the face with your non-strike bezel light, you are still going to cut them and begin giving yourself the advantage.
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I hit someone with my 9P, legally, and it cut their forehead open and it also blew the incandescent lamp out in it instantly.
 
Don Rearic said:
When someone's eyes are adjusted to low levels of light, anything over 80 lumens is going to destroy their night vision instantly and give them the flinch response so you can strike them with the light (or something else) or kick them in the knee and split...



I hit someone with my 9P, legally, and it cut their forehead open and it also blew the incandescent lamp out in it instantly.
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Your first comment emphasizes my point with the importance of having a high output light.

And the second statement is of good note as well. With the current LED market you can still get eye blinding light and ruggedness. I don't believe your light would have broke had it been an LED.

And I never would have questioned your legality with the issue.;):thumbup:
 
I worked for an alarm company and it was the middle of the night and someone came around a corner too fast in a deserted area (outside the building) and they got kerranged. :D
 
I have 4 4sevens lights and they are all excellent lights. Never have a problem and they are built like tanks. I converted from Surefire about a year ago and haven't looked back.
 
Don Rearic said:
I worked for an alarm company and it was the middle of the night and someone came around a corner too fast in a deserted area (outside the building) and they got kerranged. :D
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That's so awesome. To bad for your bulb but I bet he still "got lit up"? I know, very lame....
 
I have become a fan of the Olight M20S... Easier on the checkbook than surefire and brighter with longer run times. The thing is indestructible. The other reasons I like it is that I can run it off 123's or rechargable 18650's (which require a bit of investment up front but save a ton of cash in the long run) and the other reason is the strike bezel is removable so I can carry it on to planes with out stressing over what kind of mood security is in that day.

On the down side however is the mode change button can be hard to find in the dark. I fixed that with a drop of silicone.

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I recently got a 4Sevens Quark AA2 "Tactical" and damn is it nice. Sturdy, good size, nice functionality, just very well thought out. I don't know if I'd hit anyone with it, but it could certainly blind someone long enough to run away or get them on the ground. I like that you have the two main modes to switch between, rather than having to cycle through all 8 modes to get to the ones you use most often. You program which two it switches between depending on where you are what you need. I also like that the lowest "moonlight" setting will supposedly run continuously for nearly 2 months on a fresh pair of batteries - and it is bright enough to read by.
 
The range of lights available in NZ can be a bit limited but the O light M20 and the T15 are both great lights. The M20 is my main carry light. The strobe is very effective as a distraction. I am still unconvinced about 'strike bezels' as I reckon if I belt someone, even with the end of a lowly mini maglight they will take notice.
 
+1 for Surefire. I have a few of them. I have a 6P LED and E2L among others.

I like the idea of always having a light. You can't deal effectively with situations you can't see. The bodies of these lights are stout enough to use as striking weapons. It's one of the few things left that you can take on a plane.

SP
 
master shake said:
That's so awesome.
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It wasn't so awesome when it happened. The first few altercations I had on that job were fairly frightening. By the time the job ended almost a decade later I started to think that it was more dangerous for me because I wasn't really frightened any longer.
 
Surefire LX2 - has the BEST user interface of any light I've ever used and sits in my EDC bag. I EDC in my pocket an E1B and it is fantastic as well.

The RA Clicky (and newly released Rotary) is also a great single cell light - I sold my Clicky in anticipation of picking up a Rotary to EDC - hopefully they will be available in the next month.

Here is my LX2 and E1B:

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TXPigPoacher said:
Bought some of those for cheap stocking stuffers and kept a couple for myself...They eat batteries like crazy. :thumbdn:
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That was true of the double pack ones - it seems fixed with the triple pack. I've a surefire that got packed away years ago for being a battery killer.
 
Don Rearic said:
They have not advanced their LED Technology out of fear of hurting their incandescent replacement parts line. I have a Fenix LED light that pushes out 100+ Lumen and it runs on two AA batteries and I have a Fenix Penlight that runs on 2 AAAs that has that type of performance as well.
...
Especially for survival flashlights, you want something that takes common batteries anyway.
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Surefire has a 2xAA light now, the E2L AA. Very nice light. I handled one at a local B&M store, but they wouldn't give me any discount over the MSR price so I figured I didn't have any compelling reason to buy that day. The things are darn expensive compared to a Fenix. I've already got three Fenix AA's, so it's a little redundant for me, but if you were looking for your first LED light, I'd recommend it.

[youtube]Hj54CIa71Uo[/youtube]
 
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On the cheap side of things, I have to recommend lights made by Nebo Tools. I have a Light/Laser that my bro bought me that runs on 3 AAAs and have not had to replace the batteries in the past 3 years. The "Redline" available on Amazon has a strike bezel and looks like a good option for not a lot of coin. My light has gone through a lot of abuse and holds up a lot better than some of the $5.00 LED lights I have tried over the years. It remains in my school bag (I'm a teacher) and I have used it in class demonstrations as well as in situations when I needed some extra light. I was once stranded on I-5 for a few hours and once I got towed to an auto parts store needed it to repair my alternator. It hasn't let me down yet, and I don't expect it to.

-Connor
 
Man this thread just cost me about $80! Well, $78.44 to be exact! Following links for the ThruNite Neutron light that smithkzn mentioned led me to the Fenix PD31 which I'd heard about but not seen so assumed it was a typo and the person really meant PD30. Well to my surprise there IS a PD31 which runs on 2 CR123s or 1 18650. Seeing it's a limited edition run and the first few places I checked were sold out I found them on Amazon. Bada boom, bada bing, my Visa is now almost $80 heavier!

Thanks!

To the OP, I'd say check Fenix or 4Sevens as your first options. You get great quality and great prices. After my first and only Surefire purchase, an E1 Executive which cost me about $100 10yrs ago and put out a dismally low light beam I switched to Streamlight (the incandescent Scorpion and the 2 CR123 Twintask) then Fenix and haven't looked back.
 
Many flashlights can be had with removable strike bezels. Try out surefire's executive defender.
 
shunsui said:
The things are darn expensive compared to a Fenix. I've already got three Fenix AA's, so it's a little redundant for me, but if you were looking for your first LED light, I'd recommend it.
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I would love to be able to support Sure-Fire, I did for years. The money versus quality, durability and power just isn't there. I've bashed Sure-Fires, back when they were marked Laser Products. I've dropped them, blew the lamps out, nicked, dinged and marred the bezel area, etc. The finish is no better, either.

Sure-Fire has just become yet another company and name in the "tactical" arena of gear and most of the points surrounding Sure-Fire being "better" really have more to do with pride of ownership and other issues.

They will serve people very, very well. I see them being a bit better than Fenix but that small increase in quality comes with a hell of a price tag and I just have better things to do with my money.
 
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