Flashlight manufacturers, suggestions on what to put on an EDC and what not to.

LED Flashlights – General Info
1

I see so many EDC lights that are destined to fail because they are poorly thought out. There are a few things an “EDC” light needs to have or not have before I would even consider buying it.

MUST have:

Pocket clip. Just like most modern folding knives have clips so should all list designed to be carried. If you don’t want the clip, take it off but most people want the clip.

Forward clicky. A twisty is slightly more compact but if it is harder to use or requires two hands, it is not worth the trade off.

Decent throw. I know it’s hard to make a small head light throw well but EDC lights should at least make the effort to be as good at throwing as possible. EDC lights need to be able to do everything reasonably well. Having the ability to throw is important since you may need to look at something that is farther away than 20’ from time to time.

Must NOT have:

Blinky modes, they are stupid and most people freaking hate them!!!

More than 3 brightness settings, seriously, one or two is enough, three MAX. I have seen lights designed to be EDCs that had 5+ modes and thought that

Large head or sharp edges. Kind of goes without saying but some don’t get it.

2

I’m proud to be the first one to concur!

I only hope this works! This thread is another of those “Good Ideas” BLF is famous for!

Of course our needs don’t match 100%, but the “differences” would be easy to provide with point-of-sale options. (I apologize for just ripping into your typing)

For me, EDC…
MUST have:

ADD BRIGHTNESS!! Look what that philosophy did for Lotus. Keep telling yourself “It’s not bright enough.” But you’re measuring “brightness” wrong! “Bright Blue” is idiotic, for EDC.

Pocket clip. I don’t understand why this even needs to be said, but apparently (UF-2100 clones!!) some designers think a smooth cylinder of Al will somehow magically not-fall out/off of pockets, pouches, hands, tables, car hoods, rocks, whatever?? What if I am using this “EDC” torch over a co-worker’s head???
Corollary to the clip, a Secure Way to attach a Lanyard! Not the lewd paracord monstrosities of Youtube, nor the break-a-matic “wrist straps”, but a reasonable ‘grab handle’, preferably attached to the “crook” of the clip so it can be used to extract the torch without getting in everyone’s way. (And so the torch can be SAFELY carried with me wherever I go!!)

Forward clicky. AMEN AND HOW!!! I assume you mean what I call “Momentary-ON”, meaning it will Make the Contacts BEFORE the Click. The ability to just “peek” without clicking is more useful than any “mode” arrangement I’ve yet seen. (Dear ’flashlight engineers’, can you please explain what you are smoking that makes you think that “Momentary-OFF” is a good idea?? I know it’s the only way you can think of to control your silly ’modes’! So we have to lose good Switchgear operation just so you can stick us with the stupid ’modes’ we don’t need?? How’s that working for you? Melted how many tons of “no-sale” parts last year? Speedsix is trying to explain WHY…)

FLOOD, SPILL, whatever you call the part of the the beam that illuminates things close by, where I’m working “every day”. If we need to signal spacecraft, that light can stay in the truck. I respect peoples’ desire for Throw, I just can’t find any use for it Every Day, and when I do, no EDC-class pocket light can reach where I need to go (say, up a 160-ft. tower, or across a building).

TINT IS IMPORTANT, CREE!!!
Please-please-please-PLEASE may we have something WHITE someday??? No weird color rings, no “xW” (“x” being “Cool”, “Warm”, whatever — it’s all “OFF-WHITE” to me.) Just WHITE. Like the Light we all evolved with. We carry EDC so we can LOOK at things. So (e.g.) when I look at two wires, one “Orange/White” and one “Brown/White”, I can actually SEE the difference. Likewise for most of what Humans want to See. Weird off-white shades don’t help anyone who has to own your work product!!! My suggestion: Truth In Advertising. If you can’t make it white, don’t call it “white”. Leave the “d*mn the color rendition, full lumens ahead” BS for the gimmick lights. We KNOW we’re not going to get “17000 lumens”, so don’t waste your time. Just make it WHITE. And “It’s not bright enough.”

NICE to have:
WaterPROOF — to whatever depth a normal human can reach unaided. That seems quite reasonable, but I’ve yet to see it in the EDC LEDs I can afford.

Dimming like an Audio Potentiometer. Fully, infinitely, obviously variable from On to Off without interrupting the Light. However, I couldn’t stand this if it came on in any other ‘mode’ than “Full-ON”, nor if it meant losing the ability to go to “Full-OFF” with a click. Maybe Fenix’s head trick could be adapted. Don’t know. Don’t care. “Nice to have”… “It’s not bright enough, and will be plenty dim, soon enough, as the wee battery pours its heart out through the LED.”

Colors other than Black, Blue, Red and Gold!!! Maybe a nice camouflage or some fade shade, or brightly polished Al color, but ALL with a HARDER COATING that will take the kind of “normal” wear & tear a “normal human” will experience. No less than HAIII anodizing!!!

Must NOT have:

From your keyboard to God’s Own Ears!!! AMEN!!!

Maybe we Customers could insist that the engineer who designed it post a Youtube video of him/her actually EDC-ing one before we’d commit to buy…? However…

Must NOT have a switch mech. that can’t be operated by a normal human in a normal dark moment. E.g. with wet or cold hands. No twisties, no deep-sunk or extra-stiff buttons, thank you! And no protruding switches unless that’s to prevent rolling, nor “magic” switches that require some extra part (magic ring, e.g.) be carried with.

Here’s a “nice-to-have” “Magic Switch” option: Make it come on when we merely pick it up!

Must NOT have oddball batteries that can’t be found wherever we are EDC-ing! Sorry (very!), but that means D, C, AA or AAA (They may have different names where you live). Also must not require multiple batteries; although having that option for more light or runtime would be nice.

…

But hey. This is all just dream-time stuff anyway, isn’t it? I really do like your idea, especially if any of it (any contributor, any post, anywhere on the BLF WWWeb site!!) manages to “take” and become part of the “standard”!!

For my EDC, a BIG puddle of bright, pure-white light from 1*AA battery, wherever I can go, from an easy-to-use, Intrinsically Safe torch that doesn’t need a pouch to be carried every day is a Dream Come True. I’m a member here by trying to build one myself. I don’t mind being able to Dim, as you might expect, but not if it means blinking.

Here’s hoping you’re right, Speedsix!

Dimbo.

3

Clip.

Must be as small as possible, then it takes up as little space in a drawer as possible when I remove it.

Forward clicky.

must remain at manufacturers. This is an automatic wil not buy this light situation for me.

Blinkies.

I want them, but I want them hidden from general use. The two group nanjg set up is ok, but i prefer vesture of bloods multiple very fast clicks to change groups.

Throw.

That’s easy, just use a well driven xp-g2 rather than xm-l.

Head size.

I’m perfectly happy using this as my work edc

http://www.cnqualitygoods.com/goods.php?id=1339

And also carry it most times at home. If its not practical, I carry this
http://www.cnqualitygoods.com/goods.php?id=1697

Or this

http://www.cnqualitygoods.com/goods.php?id=1497

I have, however, just spotted this which may interest you

http://www.cnqualitygoods.com/goods.php?id=1873

With a 2/3mode nanjg and xp-g2 it would satisfy most needs.

I’ve found I’m happy enough with an 18650 size edc so now won’t compromise on the run time available, the light must accept protected cells, ideally 3400mah cells.

I have found that this driver

http://www.fasttech.com/products/0/10001997/1143103-1-lithium-2-group-35-mode-26a-led-flashlight-drive

Works well for my needs, and allows me to not use a spring so I can use my keeppowers in the first tube host I linked.

4

Clip: Needs to be somewhat substantial and not subject to bending outward! No crappy, un-removable clip-mount screws with heads that are too malleable! Also, perhaps some sort of pocket protection, perhaps a wider clip to distribute stress more evenly on the pocket. And a place to thread a small paracord pull,to quickly remove from pocket.

Logo: This is more of a style thing,but most lights have laser engraved logos. Meh, pretty boring and un-original in my view. I would like to see a nice brass/copper/stainless/aluminum plate riveted/screwed to the body. That would be too cool! Like these?


5

The problem is that tastes are different… My EDC preferences:
I don’t want a clip.
I’m fine with a reverse clicky (modes with forward clicky are not that practical).
I prefer flood.
I like to have many modes. My EDC has 9 modes (one of them is ramping), with short-cycle memory of course.
Not to forget: Tail-stand is a must have for me.
And I want a high PWM frequency. Currently playing with 18kHz :slight_smile:

6

I tend to agree. I doubt that just 2 mode, (low and high) would be at all enough. What if the High mode is 320 lumens, how bright should the low mode be then? Some people might say the low mode should be set at 60 lumens, some might say it should be set at 120 lumens, some might say 200 lumens.

It’s impossible to please everybody with just a High and a Low mode.

Sounds like you’ve got a very useful EDC flashlight, whatever it is.

7

custom firmware :slight_smile:

8

+1

For me EDC is normally two lights (well, actually the keychain fauxton is 3 but I seldom carry keys on person).

An AA where I want extremely small size and high CRI and wide range of modes from moonlight to bright with good run time, but no clip or clicky.

Plus a tube 18650 where I want a power-sucking turbo option and a clip, but still want a moonlight mode in case I must conserve power.

9

No flashies unless they are hidden

no flatspots .. no stupid names one lights ..

No sharp edges anywhere ... real serious knurling

No dumb green gitd tailcaps

make the light tailstand

Never use low pwm

Sell lights below cost

10

some already are, subsidized by various foreign governments

11

Things I would like.

1. Clip that can be taken off or left on. Sometimes I like to have the option.
2. Common battery option. AAA, AA, Or possibly CR123?
3. 3-4 modes starting at moonlight, low, medium, and high (180 ish lumes, that lasts longer than 10 minutes and then ramps down).
4. Impact resistant, we all drop them from time to time. 10 Foot would be best.
5. Good knurling, that I can hold on to with my bare hands or with gloves.
5. Forward clicking.
6. A button I can work with gloves on.
7. tail standing.
8. Small enough to carry in a front pocket with out most of the females in the office trying to guess what is in my pocket. :slight_smile:
9. Water proof to 10 feet.
10. in between a flood and thrower. Think useable to 50-75 yards and still have a good spill on the around areas.
11. Good anodozation.
12. Light weight
13. Magnet on tail.

1. No Disco options period.
2. No combat bezel sharp edges.
3. No obscure batteries that I can not find at target/walgreen/wallyworld/where ever, 5 minutes before they close.
4. No funky colors.
5. No zoomies or adjustable focus.
6. No supper rare earth materials that cost more than a car. EG… No Ti, or lights that need ground unicorn horn to make the body.
7. No signs on box stating it is a two man lift job.

I think this is all that I can remember at this time in the AM.

12

I use a Sunwayman V11R. No blinky mode, forward clickie, XML (rather floody), infinite variable output from firefly to 500 lm. It does for most I need.
If I get into a “I need mooooore light!” situation, I grab the SRK, the TN30 or the BTU and if even these cannot do it, I bring the Olight X6. J)