Hi- very new here and looking for some recommendations for a “tactical” carry flashlight. I was just about ready to drop £120 on a Fenix TK20RV2.0 or Nitecore P20iX when I ran across this forum and found you guys discussing flashlights that cost half that (or less!) which seem to still meet most of my needs. I’ve had a look around the forum but still have a couple questions and would appreciate some suggestions for a flashlight.
First things first- my requirements for this light are as follows:
Compact-ish (under 15cm/6in length, below 200grams/7oz weight).
At least 1000 lumens, 2000 or more preferable
Throw of at least 200m, 300m or more preferable
Strobe mode with instant access that does not require e.g. three consecutive button presses
Tail switch operation
Uses replaceable and non-proprietary batteries with USB-C charging ( I’m yet to see anything on this forum that doesn’t fit this!)
Pocket clip
Moonlight/1lm mode preferable but not essential
I’d also greatly appreciate some recommendations for a light for my partner. Her requirements are:
As small as possible
Instant access to 1000 lumens or more
USB-C or USB micro rechargeable
Tail switch operation
Pocket clip
And given my location both need to be available in the UK
My general questions that I hope I can get some pointers on:
Should I care about beam temperature/colour?
Which websites should I search for the models mentioned on this forum?
How do the budget models compare to the better-known brands? Is it just fit-and-finish or do you expect reduced durability/quality?
Not really sure what the need of a “tactical” light would really be. Certainly in the UK and if you carry anything with the intent as using it as a weapon this would be deemed an offense.
That said, if you want instant access to strobe, probably take a look at some Klarus lights, several UK based retailers stock them. They are coolwhite and generally a bit pricey, but nothing ‘budget’ is likely to have a suitable UI IMO. Klarus are pretty good lights overall if you can live with the tint.
I love my G20L, but the fact it has a timed step down in brightness really makes me mad. It isn’t even the least bit warm when it does it. From other Klarus model reviews it seems to be a common practice for them to do that (instead of doing something sensible that relies purely on the actual head temperature before stepping down in brightness.)
I’m certainly not intending to hurt anyone with a light. I know the idea of a “tactical” light isn’t really to some people’s taste. Really the throw and output are the key performance factors to me. My line of work does, however, require me to deal with drunk young men quite frequently and the education I’ve received from demonstrators is that a strobe is a nice thing to have to quickly gain initiative. There’s enough “what the hell is going on?” for you to step in and calm things down that you don’t get as much with a full beam, or so I’m told. That could all be ‘fudd-lore’ of course but if I’d rather be on the safe side.
Thanks for the pointer on Klarus lights- I see a lot of them have a dedicated strobe switch which is a nice feature.
Cyanski P25 V2. Under 6”(145.4 mm), 167.5 grams with battery.
Ilumen measures 237 meter throw, 3900 lumens at turn on, included 21700 with type C charging. Tail switch. (on/off, side switch for levels/strobe) Simple UI, press and hold to start strobe. It is cool white and the XHP 70.3 with small reflector definitely leans towards flood. But lots of light for sure!
They designed it to be a “tactical” light. So, with the tail switch and USB charging 21700, it is a bit longer than my similar 21700 lights. Still meets your requirements though. Plus it comes with a pretty heavy duty belt holster.
Yes, it ticks all of your boxes, but the price is a bit beyond what I think if as “budget”.
May be worth a look.
BTW, I had one (a V1) that died after a few months. Cyansky sent me a new V2 at no charge. Seems like real good customer service to me! I put a new 70.3 HI led in the dead one. So, I have two now. They have been solid.
A sofirn sc21 nearly fits the bill for the other half, but its got a side switch instead of tail. If you dont mind me asking, do you work as a bouncer ?
Strobe = Calm? Demonstrators told you this? What were they demonstrating? What were they smoking before they demonstrated? Telling and demonstrating are not the same thing.
What did these demonstrators recommend for a light?
Are you new to this job?
What flashlight do you use now?
A recommendation for your partner, Sofirn SC32 is pretty small for a 18650-cell light. Turbo (1700-1900 lumens depending on the battery max discharge current) is just 2 clicks away. The tail switch is not mechanical but an e-switch though.
The SC21 looks good, thanks for the recommendation.
Not as a bouncer. I work with my university responding to issues with students. Mostly it’s reminding them to tidy up the bins but on some late shifts I sit outside nightclubs. As a result people are rarely angry at me but I am expected to step in when things are going the wrong way.
Not calm- I apologise, I probably should have clarified. The idea is more getting all of the attention of an individual so you can prevent a situation from getting worse. I typically work alongside police or bouncers on late shifts who are then expected to actually go and solve the problem physically if needed.
I am new to the job. I have an old-ish Maglite that takes AAs- it’s big and not very bright (I think about 300lm?) and the tailcap has a tendency to slip, so it doesn’t always come on when I want. Plus, the twist-head to turn on is quite awkward, and the output drops significantly as the AAs discharge. It’s been to something like 6 countries with me and still works as well as when I got it, so overall I can’t say I’m disappointed by it, but I think it’s time for an upgrade.
Not sure if you are talking about the miniMag? 2 AA cell lights? I have a bunch of them. I have put LEDs in them all and added a tail cap with a reverse clicky switch.
This retains the ability to focus, but is always on with a click of the tail switch. I really doubt that even the best of mine has 300 lumens (maybe half?). But they are dependable. Click the tail switch and it comes on…
What model of Mag light do you have? Maybe you can do some things to make it better for your use case?
I am not saying it is your answer… But you seem to have an old friend that might be worth salvaging… If nothing else, as a backup.
I have found that a quick, huge wad of very bright light in the face, tends to get people’s attention, along with a reflexive jump back. This is one reason I prefer Momentary-On switches, so I can just flash & go dark, silently and suddenly.
You’re in good company here. My first “project” was a 2C Maglight, which hooked me thoroughly.
As to the business at hand, how well-versed are you in handling Lithium-Ion batteries?
Since most people are not, I’ll ass-u-me such and suggest a Lumintop GTA (https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256804167646306.html). They are apparently new so I’m having trouble finding reviews. The ad copy suggests they throw well; and they work on AA or LiIon 14500 batteries, so it would also give you a way to transition into high-powered batteries. I have no more information about them, but the foundation body is allegedly the same Tool I just bought, which is legendary here for a really good reason. Perhaps the Tool would be a better choice for your co-worker?
(Apologies, I just bought my first Tool, so I’m smitten…)
And I can’t testify to this, but would opine that this rechargeable one, Lumitop D3 — as one example — might serve you well. There are many choices…
The Convoy S21E would appear to fit most of your requirements. You can get it with various LED’s inside (519A, SST40, SFT40) - the 519A is rated at 178m here, so the SST40 and SFT40 will easily beat 200m. It has USB C charging, pocket clip, moonlight mode etc. (If you’re wanting high power output for longer periods it wouldn’t suit.) Various places on AliExpress sell it.
