Good morning ladies and gents. I am new to this forum. I am a LEO and I have been using a Streamlight SL20x since around 2004. The one that I am currently using still has the halogen bulb with 3 leds in it. I love this light, but it is obviously not as bright as I woud like. I bought a new SL20x LED, and it is bright, but the beam is super focused for long distance. I also do not like the new switch on it. I have tried a Maglite and its okay, but the switch is also garbage for my taste. Is there anything that I can do to make my current light brighter? The halogen one is fine unless there is a lot of ambient light in the area. Thats usually when I just use the light that is on my belt.
Welcome to the BLF.
Your best bet might be to retire the old light and pickup something like a ProTac HL 5-X.
If you want to stay with about the same form factor as the SL20.
https://www.amazon.com/Streamlight-88081-3500-Lumen-Rechargeable-Flashlight/dp/B079D3DDGB
I did a review of one a few years back,
There are so many lights to choose from these days. Updating an old hot wire flash is often more costly than buying new.
All the Best,
Jeff
I have one of the new SL20 lights. I really wanted one for some reason earlier this year and when I got it I barely use it. I’ve used the new Magcharger that is 2xC sized more honestly, probably because it is easier to carry. If you really need a duty sized light stop messing around and get a Led Lenser X21R or a Lupine Betty TL2 Pro. These aren’t lights to be used as a baton however. They are to be treated as you would a 35mm Camera. They put out a lot of light and are really useful tools.
Thanks for signing up, BertReynolds!
I’m not sure exactly what flashlight is best for your situation, but in general Convoy, Sofirn, and Wurkkos flashlights offer a lot of bang for your buck.
(Maybe they’re not suitable for LEOs, though.)
You can shop for them on AliExpress.
https://budgetlightforum.com/t/flashlight-manufacturers-and-distributors-on-aliexpress-new-layout/217744
Thank you everyone for the responses. I actually have the following lights that I had purchased to try and replace the old ones.
Streamlight SL20 LED newest one
HL5X
Magcharger RL1019
Pelican 8060
To be honest i like the Pelican a lot. Just getting used to polymer as a duty light has been difficult. I actually have the HL5 in the door slot of my patrol car. While I like the medium setting the most, the main issue with this light is when tucked under my arm it actually melted part of my shirt. Lol, I didn’t notice until i smelled it and saw just a little bit of smoke.
I havent had to use my flashlight as a baton in ages. Probably since I was a Correctional Officer back in the early 2000s.
I will definitely check out the ones i have not hands on yet.