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Pocket LED light

5K views 52 replies 42 participants last post by  leathermaneod 
#1 ·
I currently do not carry a light when I'm out. Just keys, wallet, Spyderco Tenacious and my Shield 9mm. Would adding a light be a good idea? I am looking at Fenix or Streamlight AA or CR123 (single cell) size lights. Can a light prove useful defensively, i.e. temporarily blinding someone? Any and all help will be greatly appreciated.
 
#2 ·
I carry a AAA flashlight every day simply because you never know when you need a light. ThruNite Ti3. I am not certain it would be effective as a defensive light as you have to turn the end of it to get to the different lumen settings. You'd want a push button light for that purpose. But the ThruNite is an excellent light for $20. I highly recommend it.

I carry similar to what you do, except my knife is a Paramilitary 2, and my gun is a full size M&P9. I also carry a Leatherman Squirt PS4, which I also highly recommend. Great little multi-tool.
 
#3 ·
I love my Streamlight Protac 2L. It's bright enough I can spot ***** in trees 50 yards out, the strobe is downright nasty against someone approaching in the dark, and the low light option is great to find your way in a dark theater. Mine rides in my RF pocket next to my Kershaw Cryo all day, every day.
 
#16 ·
Spot on Ianthin! Same one I carry on and off duty. All you said, and not to mention those nasty knurled edges for use as an impact weapon!
 
#5 ·
Yes a light is a terrific item for self defense. 200-300 lumens is a good balance where it affects the 'shine-ee' without blinding yourself. People squint, turn away, or put their hands up. It gives you a chance to make a move, it lets you see people hiding, it lets them know they've been seen. It won't 'temporarily blind' them unless it is very, very bright (i.e. once the light is off, they may see spots, but will have plenty of sight left). Typically, you can see them and all they can see is a wall of light. I recommend a single Cr123a. Good balance between size and brightness. Check for a tactical UI such that it comes on in high mode with a single press. I really like my Nitecore MT1C for this purpose. With the head tightened, it's on high no matter how many times you press the button. If you loosen the head, you can cycle through some lower levels. I carry this AND a weapon mounted light. A single AAA light that you have to twist is basically worthless for self defense, but very handy for everything else. Looking for the remote under the couch at night? 300 lumens is too much. :blink:
 
#6 ·
I carry a Fenix LD10 clipped to a belt loop. 1 AA battery, the size of a roll of nickels, 100 lumens bright, strobe, lower power modes also. I keep it on the brightest setting because that is most likely what will do the most good against an attacker in the dark another slight press activates the strobe feature. I do wish it was a momentary on/off switch instead of a click on/off. If I need to use it in the theater or anywhere just for reading or looking at something a slight twist of the head engages a low power mode that can be stepped up twice with a slight press on the tail switch, a third press enables the S.O.S. feature. It is not the perfect light but damn good for the price. I use it alot in my day to day adventures.
 
#7 ·
I have been looking at the Fenix PD22UE and also the PD25. They offer 20% off with a code. The PD22 has an S.O.S. model, otherwise the same as the PD25. Not sure I'd ever need it? Was going to pick up a couple of their 16340 rechargeables as well. Nightcore makes a nice li-ion charger @amazon for less than 20 bucks. Of course I bought an Opus charger earlier this and didn't go with one that could also do Li-ion... Doh! Any other thoughts are welcome.
 
#8 ·
I carry a few lights but another forum I'm on recommended a light that is easy to use, and comes on high first.

I received my Klarus XT2C yesterday. I am carrying it in my right front pocket. It has two buttons on the tailcap. One is for high, the other is strobe. It is 5.31 inches long, takes a 18650 rechargeable battery or two CR123. Once you click the light on the strobe button is used to cycle through high, medium, low.

I have a Nitecore EA11(that I am selling, have to pay for other lights). It uses a regular AA battery(one), but with the IMR battery is 900 lumens on high. It has a secondary red led to preserve night vision. It has a dual button setup. You can access low, high, strobe instantly from the buttons.

I am carrying an Olight S1A that is also a single AA light. Small, and bright. I carry it on a belt loop and forget its there. It is a single button switch.

I did have a MecArmy PT16. USB rechargable, 3 leds, small and put out a flood of light. I was running out of room to carry lights so I gave it to my friend at Advanced Holster. I would charge it while sitting at work. It is a single button light. It takes one CR123(or rechargeable).

I am carrying a FourSevens Smart Quark QSL-X. It is a bluetooth flashlight. With the free app you can tweak and change a lot of features. I wanted it to mimic my Klarus so I have the tailswitch set up for high. The side switch is set for strobe. All other setting are disabled but you can still hold down the sideswitch to start at low and ramp up to high. It is a single CR123(or rechargeable) flashlight.

I also carry a Inova XP(2 batteries), XS(one battery) and an old Fenix E05(one battery). All are AAA lights.

Now that I rambled on about a few lights I have had or now presently carry consider one thing: You don't carry a cheap gun, don't carry a cheap flashlight.
 
#12 ·
If I'm wearing pants there's a light in the pocket. I carry a light because it's dark half of the time and it's always dark inside buildings when the lights are off. IMO if you carry a gun you should also be carrying a light. Remember the recent case where an off duty LEO shot his own teenage daughter in their home? She was sneaking in after curfew and he mistook her for an intruder and he fired at the shape/sound. The girl survived but it had to be a nightmare, and one that would have been easily remedied with a white light!

My main EDC right now is a Malkoff MDC. It's very compact, absolutely bombproof and very bright (mine puts out 250 real, OTF lumens). A 1 x CR123a version like I have is around $120 but I expect it will probably outlast me.
 
#14 · (Edited)
I'm a Streamlight AAx2 ProTac fan as well. With stacked o-rings & paracord, mine doubles as a koppo stick (a yawara with finger-loop). Never gets a 2nd glance at the courthouse or from the TSA. Easy EDC,
 
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#17 ·
I have tried a few options - but the one that I have settled on is a 5.11 TMT Penlight. I like it because of the tailcap switch that can do momentary-on if you don't depress it all the way, and the fact that it is thin enough to ride very well in the pocket of my pants. The length also means that it's not difficult to handle or "fiddly".
 
#18 ·
I use a Streamlight Microstream. Perfect size for my uses, just fits the hand while still being slim and short enough for any pocket. Plus the clip it comes with allows it to attach to hat brims, super handy for me. Uses common AAA batteries, something I prefer in a frequently used light/item.
 
#39 ·
I was given one of those for a Xmas gift about 12 to 15 years ago. Still have it, still use it and have used maybe four batteries in it over those years. Tuff as nails light. Might be the best Christmas gift I have ever received and certainly the longest kept gift.
 
#19 ·
I'm not a big believer of the "stop or I'll shine my light in your eyes" brand of self defense. But, the ulitilty of a small light is well worth the 20-50 bucks for a decent AAA light that is a breeze to carry. My current favorite is the stream light micro stream. It's old it's beat up with a nice "patina" but it works every time.
 
#21 ·
Can't go wrong with a streamlight. I have several. I prefer the single cr123 version over the single AA because it is slightly shorter and more than twice the output. Weight is vertically nothing. Like it better than Fenix for the momentary on feature.


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#24 ·
This thread, and some others were the catalyst for me to add a light to my EDC load out recently.

I've found I use my light as much or more than my folding knives.

This weekend was a great example. I needed the light while visiting friends overnight, then later Sunday when a friend's move went awry and I humping boxes out of a black basement and then delivering in the dark, backing a trailer into a small dark curved driveway at 8 PM.

I probably used my OLight twenty times and it performed every time. in two days. My knife was never opened.
 
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#26 ·
My current EDC light is EagTac D25A Clicky Ti. This titanium chassis light is normally too expensive for me, but I got it at a steep discount. I purposely picked AA instead of CR123A battery, because every gas station has AA and AAA. Max setting is 200 lumens, which is bright enough at close range to make people close their eyes or turn away.
 
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