Hi upSLIDEdown,
My 2¢ is 1 mode, XP-G, orange peel reflector light with forward clicky switch.
I favor either a Ultrafire WF-501a on pistols or a Solarforce L2-M on the long guns. I’ve had both in use for the last 2-3 years, and shoot these guns with the lights installed.
I don’t want to be looking for which mode when things are tough, your light shouldn’t be continuously on, but only used to identify. After you illuminate an area, it’s time to turn the light off and MOVE. Multi-mode lights mean that you are changing modes at ever light press.
Lights on are a pacifier for you, and a beacon to announce your presence to any bad guys. All they have to do is wait, they’ll know where you are.
Really bright lights night blind EVERYONE, including you. With night adapted eyes, (like me after bedtime / lights out), you don’t really need many lumens. Hundreds of lumens are fine in combat situations, you’re already shooting at each other.
Where I live, the further away you are from a bad guy, the harder it is to stay out of jail if you shoot them.
Try this…
Place a relatively bright, (300+ lumens), light next to your bed. The next time you get very early, (2am-4am), turn that light on high and walk around with it a few minutes. Then randomly turn it off, and see how well you are adapted to the dark room.
I just took break and realized that my best weapon is maybe to corner them and talk them to death until they beg for a call to the police !
What ever you choose, good luck, and I hope you never need it !
later,
s. I emailed Solarforce and bought 2 forward clicky switches and installed them into my favorite lights!