I have realized something about this community.

DBSAR · 2019-03-29T19:27:10.000Z

I am a former SAR tech & volunteer firefighter, and yes i used Surfire, streamlight, and all those very few local-built brands that seemed to be worshiped & considered the only flashlights to own or use by some people of a certain other forum i won’t mention here I moved to BLF because it is far more informative, more mod-friendly, & open to great lights of all price ranges, brands, models, types, & sources, and not stuck in a narrow bubble/perspective of a single brand buttering-up mentality of some people i met elsewhere because of some organizations & governments supply their public servants a particular brand of light, (partly in due for the fact they were FREE suppied as tools for most police, fire, military, SAR, as well as a free supply of CR123 batteries.There are cases though where when the surefires & streamlights fell very short of SAR requirements, especially in the high-output or long throwing needs for marine, wilderness, or air searching. I started out on the “other” forum, but came here and felt this was better suited for my needs and interests, especially when it comes to modding lights to better them or needing certain types of lights that the government-supplied brands fell short on. I do have some Surfires and still like them, but they have their purpose and limitations.

Lightbringer · 2019-03-29T19:28:14.000Z

Fwiw, for quite a while I was EDCing a Nitefox UT20, which has a FC tailswitch (power on/off only, momentary-on), and uses a side-switch to select the mode. Quite nice, but it’s a moose.

CREEXHP70LED · 2019-03-29T19:53:07.000Z

Lightbringer:

CREEXHP70LED:

Also, the gas pedal tailcaps that SF now has re introduced on some models I consider tactical, slight press for low hard press for high.

Bugger, they stole my idea…

Yes, a long time ago, now brought it back

CREEXHP70LED · 2019-03-29T19:56:00.000Z

DBSAR:

I am a former SAR tech & volunteer firefighter, and yes i used Surfire, streamlight, and all those very few local-built brands that seemed to be worshiped & considered the only flashlights to own or use by some people of a certain other forum i won’t mention here I moved to BLF because it is far more informative, more mod-friendly, & open to great lights of all price ranges, brands, models, types, & sources, and not stuck in a narrow bubble/perspective of a single brand buttering-up mentality of some people i met elsewhere because of some organizations & governments supply their public servants a particular brand of light, (partly in due for the fact they were FREE suppied as tools for most police, fire, military, SAR, as well as a free supply of CR123 batteries.There are cases though where when the surefires & streamlights fell very short of SAR requirements, especially in the high-output or long throwing needs for marine, wilderness, or air searching. I started out on the “other” forum, but came here and felt this was better suited for my needs and interests, especially when it comes to modding lights to better them or needing certain types of lights that the government-supplied brands fell short on. I do have some Surfires and still like them, but they have their purpose and limitations.

If you are doing SAR work, Surefires except for the Dominator is really not an option. Hahahahahaha oh and the price of the Dominator… :person_facepalming:

CREEXHP70LED · 2019-03-29T19:57:41.000Z

I wonder how popular Surefire, Elzetta, and Malkoff would be here if their 200 USD light only cost 50 USD?

DBSAR · 2019-03-29T20:16:10.000Z

CREEXHP70LED:

DBSAR:

I am a former SAR tech & volunteer firefighter, and yes i used Surfire, streamlight, and all those very few local-built brands that seemed to be worshiped & considered the only flashlights to own or use by some people of a certain other forum i won’t mention here I moved to BLF because it is far more informative, more mod-friendly, & open to great lights of all price ranges, brands, models, types, & sources, and not stuck in a narrow bubble/perspective of a single brand buttering-up mentality of some people i met elsewhere because of some organizations & governments supply their public servants a particular brand of light, (partly in due for the fact they were FREE suppied as tools for most police, fire, military, SAR, as well as a free supply of CR123 batteries.There are cases though where when the surefires & streamlights fell very short of SAR requirements, especially in the high-output or long throwing needs for marine, wilderness, or air searching. I started out on the “other” forum, but came here and felt this was better suited for my needs and interests, especially when it comes to modding lights to better them or needing certain types of lights that the government-supplied brands fell short on. I do have some Surfires and still like them, but they have their purpose and limitations.

If you are doing SAR work, Surefires except for the Dominator is really not an option. Hahahahahaha oh and the price of the Dominator… :person_facepalming:

Exactly. There are far more powerful & more practical lights for night searching than even the wayover-priced Dominator regardless of price. For the ridiculous 1000+ dollars of that light its not even a practical option. i can have 2 of each of a top quality headlights, thrower lights, flooder lights, UV & Red night map lights, lanterns, diving lights for water searching, and a 10 year supply of batteries, chargers, etc for less than that dominator. (added its also regulation policy that each wilderness SARtech is required to have redundancy of at least 3 levels for lighting. (lights can get lost on remote searches, and having one 1000-dollar light to loos it or break it is pointless.

Deputy_Dog · 2019-03-29T20:40:07.000Z

One more thing about the super high lumen lights, is that they stun/blind even in daylight or lighted buildings, at least in CQC.

When I’m doing K9 SAR I like throw, Olight M3SX-UT or now my Acebeam T27 (the new Acebeam reaches out nicely and carries very well).

DBSAR · 2019-03-29T20:47:23.000Z

Deputy Dog:

One more thing about the super high lumen lights, is that they stun/blind even in daylight or lighted buildings, at least in CQC.

When I’m doing K9 SAR I like throw, Olight M3SX-UT or now my Acebeam T27 (the new Acebeam reaches out nicely and carries very well).

Same as we liked to use, is throwers with less intense spill & high lumens, but strong throw for mountain & sea searching. (the “glare” from massive spill can be blinding no doubt. The M3SX-UT is one of my favorites to use too, its light, throws for nearly a mile and don’t blind. Another of my favorites is the BLF GT Mini for closer ranges.

mattadores · 2019-03-29T21:04:39.000Z

Spartan:

mattadores:

Yeah motorcycles aren’t something I thought of but it makes great sense.

lol What do you mean easy to spot!! Me and this guy are just carrying this 70-lb boulder over the overpass to our landscaping job. The boss is such a cheap prick he won’t even give us a wheel barrow!

Sisyfus, where have you been all these years?!

Oh you know… just hiding out here in Brazil taking out random motorists to avenge the boulder that I rolled all the way up a hill only to have it roll back down on top of me…. The Brazilians thought they got the last laugh!

lol nice greek mythology plug!

mattadores · 2019-03-29T21:08:40.000Z

junkyardbiker:

CREEXHP70LED:

Spartan:

I believe the best type of light in defensive use is a big thrower. And a .338 Lapua.

Nothing says safety like distance and 250 grains.

Yes, However I do not have a big enough thrower to reach out and touch someone at 1,500 plus yards. LOL

Imagine a modded BLF GT mounted on a rifle

how about an MS18? lol not only does it have 1.5 mile throw, it’s got a 100,000 lumen strobe you can confuse and blind your targets with.

lol might make your gun a little front heavy but that’s what bicep curls are for!

mattadores · 2019-03-29T21:10:51.000Z

Spartan:

A few months ago, I just got the Q8 and about a week later, got to use it when I heard a thump.

Posted it here and was ROASTED on how I took my life into my hands investigating it. Something about…what if he had a handgun. A handgun? In a very low crime city. In Canada. Where they are so restricted that it costs two grand in the black market.

Now I read post after post on defensive/offensive use of flashlights.

Can you people please make up your minds!

Meanwhile, I’ll keep looking through the Uzbekistan Mail Order Brides site……

I’m starting to think that if you were 1/4 as good at identifying quality flashlights as you are at finding a mail order bride…. You’d probably have a dozen already with 3 on pre-order!

mattadores · 2019-03-29T21:19:22.000Z

Lightbringer:

CREEXHP70LED:

These two answers exactly. Yes turbo is good for a quick hit and move off target also. Always move off target after lighting a subject.

Actually, this thread “whut’s a ‘tactical’ light?” was asked a while back.

My answer remains the same. 1 mode only, or at least be extremely difficult to accidentally switch modes, and a forward-clicky (momentary-on) switch.

You want to be able to quietly flash’n’dash, not have to click-on and click-off, also giving away your position by sound.

Now, ideally, you’d want a 2-stage switch, a light press (like on a DSLR) to give low-intensity light, and a full press for going “turbo”. But those switches would likely be less reliable than a single-stage (simpler) switch.

So I got my copper Olight M2R and it’s the best tactical light I could imagine.

1500 lumens

Forward switch has lockout and contols all normal modes

Magnetic tailcap charging system with an electronic 2-stage switch

Can set the tail switch to
half press - momentary turbo
full press - instant turbo ON
OR
half press - momentary turbo
full press - momentary strobe

I’ve also see I believe some Niwalkers or Eagletacs which have similar to what you want: double tail switches with one being turbo the other strobe but I even think one could be half pressed for moon/low or something

lol the people at my work are already very unhappy with me now having instant strobe… lol I get bored, they know I like flashlights… strobin time! lol one of our young warehouse workers who has 45 different techno/dubstep playlists that play all day asked me: “HEY!? Where did you get that rave machine!?” lol incoming flash aholic in 3, 2, 1

CREEXHP70LED · 2019-03-29T21:53:19.000Z

Deputy Dog:

One more thing about the super high lumen lights, is that they stun/blind even in daylight or lighted buildings, at least in CQC.

When I’m doing K9 SAR I like throw, Olight M3SX-UT or now my Acebeam T27 (the new Acebeam reaches out nicely and carries very well).

I think the Olight M3SX-UT is a good thrower and the green tinted beam is okay, but I feel it has been left behind. It is the only thrower I own right now because I find the flooders more useful in the woods , where I spend most of my time. Soon I will look for a better thrower even though it will be at the cost of weight and size.

Spartan · 2019-03-29T22:49:22.000Z

mattadores:

Oh you know… just hiding out here in Brazil taking out random motorists to avenge the boulder that I rolled all the way up a hill only to have it roll back down on top of me…. The Brazilians thought they got the last laugh!

lol nice greek mythology plug!

Brazil fascinates me but from what i hear, there are safer choices in places to live. Then again, i don’t know if it’s Rio de Janeiro, pockets or the entire country.

I went to Argentina for business. One minute i was in a first world country, 20 minutes later in a third world. The people i met were easy going and felt i could trust them.

Jack_Kellar · 2019-03-29T23:09:07.000Z

Spartan:

mattadores:

Oh you know… just hiding out here in Brazil taking out random motorists to avenge the boulder that I rolled all the way up a hill only to have it roll back down on top of me…. The Brazilians thought they got the last laugh!

lol nice greek mythology plug!

Brazil fascinates me but from what i hear, there are safer choices in places to live. Then again, i don’t know if it’s Rio de Janeiro, pockets or the entire country.

I went to Argentina for business. One minute i was in a first world country, 20 minutes later in a third world. The people i met were easy going and felt i could trust them.

You can get the best idea possible by watching the Öppna Kanalen program on YouTube. It’s a production by politically minded Brazilian people commanded by two expatriates (more or less), and easily the best source of information you could ever get.

Deputy_Dog · 2019-03-29T23:14:38.000Z

CREEXHP70LED:

Deputy Dog:

One more thing about the super high lumen lights, is that they stun/blind even in daylight or lighted buildings, at least in CQC.

When I’m doing K9 SAR I like throw, Olight M3SX-UT or now my Acebeam T27 (the new Acebeam reaches out nicely and carries very well).

I think the Olight M3SX-UT is a good thrower and the green tinted beam is okay, but I feel it has been left behind. It is the only thrower I own right now because I find the flooders more useful in the woods , where I spend most of my time. Soon I will look for a better thrower even though it will be at the cost of weight and size.

If you’re looking just at the throw the T27 kicks my old Olights butt. As much as I hate to admit it, it throws even better and is much smaller with better run time. I think the tint is better as well. I just wish I could get it in a little warmer color.

Spartan · 2019-03-29T23:26:16.000Z

[quote=mattadores]

Spartan:

I’m starting to think that if you were 1/4 as good at identifying quality flashlights as you are at finding a mail order bride…. You’d probably have a dozen already with 3 on pre-order!

You can’t pre-order. It’s cash and carry….or in the case of Hilda the shot-putter, it’s cash and be carried.

zak.wilson · 2019-03-29T23:32:45.000Z

Killzone Flashlights has the T27 in 5000K (USA) as does Nkon (EU).

For those in to emitter swaps on $140 lights, Arrow has this XHP35 HI in 4000K, 80 CRI. I’ve used this emitter and found the tint pleasant, similar to an XP-L HI 5D. Acebeams tend to be very swap-friendly (no glue on the bezel, uncluttered thick copper MCPCBs, thick silicone insulated leads).

DBSAR · 2019-03-30T00:03:19.000Z

CREEXHP70LED:

Deputy Dog:

One more thing about the super high lumen lights, is that they stun/blind even in daylight or lighted buildings, at least in CQC.

When I’m doing K9 SAR I like throw, Olight M3SX-UT or now my Acebeam T27 (the new Acebeam reaches out nicely and carries very well).

I think the Olight M3SX-UT is a good thrower and the green tinted beam is okay, but I feel it has been left behind. It is the only thrower I own right now because I find the flooders more useful in the woods , where I spend most of my time. Soon I will look for a better thrower even though it will be at the cost of weight and size.

Swap out the LED with a XP-L Hi 5000K, you get close to the same throw but a nice pure white light.

zak.wilson · 2019-03-30T01:40:23.000Z

The M3XS-UT is fairly easy to swap as well. I’d go warmer than 5000K though, as visible backscatter is reduced at warmer color temperatures, improving one’s view of illuminated objects at a distance.

Of course, being a huge CRI baby, what I’d really go for is a 95 CRI SST-20.