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Skiprr wrote:Hey, Crash, just a question about core purpose for the light. Is it for general light-up-the-dark or self-defense? While not mutually exclusive, those two don't necessarily jive.

I'm kinda assuming you want the latter because you mentioned a strobe mode. If so, I have a couple of honest questions and comments.

I understand the desire for an on-off button on the barrel of the light, but by default that limits your options of techniques to deploy the light in a defensive situation. Some say there are only four viable techniques, but I'd dispute that because I think at least six are regularly taught. Are you familiar with those techniques and have practiced and chosen the ones you will use?

Speaking of, the older techniques (some of which, like the Harries, are still suitable to the 21st century) were developed at a time wheen tailswitch buttons didn't exist and a flashlight was just a flashlight, with the on/off switch on the side of the barrel. Too--and folks more hardware-informed than I am can correct me--I believe that few side-switch activated lights are momentary-on by design. If you press softly enough, maybe; press harder and you get on-until-turned-off. In the heat of a crisis situation trust me, you will not have any governance on how softly you press.

I mention that because the last decade-plus of training has drilled into me this sequence: illuminate; identify, delumminate; move; shoot. That having a static-on flashlight can get you killed. Even the clicking sound of an on/off button is a very bad thing.

Similarly, have you had any very-low-light training using a nice, bright strobe? It can be a force multiplier, but let me just say such training is one reason I do not want a strobe function on my go-to light. It is as easily disorienting to the flasher as the flashee. If the bad guy moves rapidly, I think 99% of the population would misjudge his position (maybe not SEAL Team Six members). And the effect of the strobe lingers after the light goes off. Your spatial judgement remains impaired, even if very briefly.

I had a nice conversation with one of the SureFire engineers at the 2009 NRA annual meeting. He said that SureFire didn't make a strobe function because their research showed it to be more of a potential disadvantage than beneficial tactical advantage. I will note that, since then, SureFire has caved to market pressure and now offers a number of lights with strobe capability.

Another thing that's always bothered me about multi-function lights is the mechanism to get them to the function you want. Click the on/off button twice to go from high beam to low beam to strobe? Click a fourth time and it will blink SOS? Turn the tailcap a quarter turn to the right to go from normal to strobe? Who the heck can remember that under pressure, much less perform it reliably under stress? I imagine there has been much hilarity among instructors at Thunder Ranch and Gunsite over shoot-house students who stood there dumbfounded while their flashlights placidly blinked SOS at the bad guy.

Someone else can come along and school me about lumens and why they don't seem to be a regimented, consistent measurement. Yeah; I know what a lumen is supposed to measure, one lumen per square meter equals one lux. But I can't be convinced that manufacturers don't jury-rig the evaluation of their products preposterously. For example, I have a flashlight that's supposed to be rated at 360 lumens. In a dark room, if I activate both, my old Surefire L5 rated at 100 lumens is subjectively brighter than the adjustable-focus, multi-function wonder-tool.

And, last, I trust my old L5 as an impact instrument. I've bought a number of flashlights since that one, but that's the only one I'd want if it went hand-to-hand. The only adjustment the L5 has is on or off. The high-lumen, multi-function wonder-tools are relegated to looking under the sink, a glance into a late-night backyard, or a quick look into the garage.

Just sayin...