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.
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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
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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.