This NiteFox UT20 I just got seems to have a real nice tac mode. Turn the light on, hold the side switch for three seconds, it flashes twice, then you are in tactical mode.
When the light is in tac mode, it’s tail switch only with memory. It has momentary, and you can also do a full click straight to turbo. Modes in both momentary and clicky are high, strobe, low, in that order.
Turn the light on, hold the side button down for another 3 seconds, and you go back to normal 4 mode side button mode.
Doesn’t have a strike bezel or pressure switch, but I’d have a dedicated light for a rifle anyway.
Even if I don’t use it much in “tactical” mode, this is a nice light, both in construction and working!
I would just add that if you (OP) want to change the mode while using the “momentary ON”, you can also click the side switch (+ the half press on tail switch) and it changes the modes in the order mentioned above (H-Str-L)! You can then full press the tail switch to “lock” the mode you want to use continuously!
I always mentally substitute the word “tactical” with “tacticool” whenever I read a supposedly “tactical” light is using Eletronic Switch and/or reverse clicky.
I think one feature of a real “tactical” (military use) flashlight is the ability to use the forward-click momentary-on to flash signals, like Morse code. In that case, there can only be 1 mode, or at least locked into 1 mode, without accidentally changing levels because of the continuous button pressing. I guess mode selection options can help with that, as long as one of them is 100% only or 50% only.
But yeah, for the most part these days, “tactical” is just a buzzword for selling to the mall ninjas out there. And to a lesser degree, it also has something to do with the militarization of society.
While I don’t personally use tactical lights to their fullest potential, I presume there are military or LEO’s that can comment here, and the features we casually discuss are probably very important to those in situations where someone is actually shooting at you. … . just a guess.
Very true, what I hope is that light manufacturers like Olight and others will stop with the silliness and keep making lights like the M1X. I like the extra brightness of the new lights, but not enough to trade my M18 for the M2R.
That’s not to say I don’t use other lights, I do. I love some of the bells and whistles, for example, the ramping on my Emisar D4.
You can set the light for Outdoor (ML-L-M-H) or for “Tactical” (H-Str-L).
If you want to set it in Tactical mode, when the light is ON on the Outdoor setting, click for +3 seconds on the side click to get it into the Tactical mode.
Then, on Tactical, the light always starts with High mode (either through momentary ON, by half press, or by full click to use it continuously).
If you make half presses while on Momentary ON, the light will change from High > Strobe > Low > H > Str > L…. .
If you are in High (after full click) and you want Strobe, make a full press + fast half or full press from there and the light gets into Strobe.
If you are in High (after full click) and you want Low, make a full press + 2 fast half presses from there and the light gets into Low (that you can use continuously after full click).
If you are in High and need to turn the flashlight OFF and then need it to get in High again, switch it OFF and after 1 second it will switch ON in High again. If during that 1 second you’ve made a full or half press the light will change the modes to Strobe or Low.
The Tactical setting doesn’t have memory, the Outdoor setting has.
If you need a light to always start on High, a Convoy light with biscotti on modes 6 (100–20–1), 11 (100–20-Strobe) or 12 (100), no memory set can do the trick! No striking bezel, though
I like the old school format of surefire for tactical
modes are on and off only
tail cap is “only” momentary. Twist fully to turn on.
I really liked the format surefire offers but sadly no lights ever used such methods for their tailcap.
And surefire is overpriced in my country. I could buy a phone with it
No no no, it at least tells you it will be black and will have wet product shots, ideally in the rain. Oh and the pictures also tell you that you need tactical gloves to hold it. That has to count for something, right?
Clark Kent could change into his tights quicker than that, but, he was bullet proof even while he was still in street clothes, so he was never really under much stress.
I guess we could give that type of light it’s own category, we’ll call them Semi-Tactical.
Like I said before, I’m sure it’s a great light. But… is a dual purpose light really sound tactically? Not for me, because I’ll screw something up when it really counts. It’s just not strictly speaking, primarily “Tactical”. Maybe that’s just ME or my opinion. I may even use it as a backup in a pinch.
But I’m the kind of guy that uses my cell phone for my moonlight mode.
I understand what you say! I just wanted to explain how the light works for you to be aware of it !
There are many options on the market that will suit you better than the Nitefox UT20, I’m sure. The Jetbeams are normally “sold” as tactical lights, whatever that may be
My tactical “set” is a cheappo flashlight modded with biscotti firmware from Convoy that I normally use with one of these modes 6 (100–20–1), 11 (100–20-Strobe) or 12 (100), no memory, so they always start on the highest output!
But I just use them as complementary lights in specific conditions (like when I need a burst of light and don’t have another one that allows me to get “turbo” in an instant).
My post before was just to explain how the UT20 UI works
Hope you find one that is good for what you need :+1:
You and me both. I still have my old surefire first model, before the 6P came out. It came with a rechargeable battery and a charger. I’ve kept all the old parts, but I’ve updated the light with a 1000 lumen LED drop-in. I keep it in my range bag for a spare. I rarely almost never carry it anymore.
And you’re right they are way over priced, in any country.
