0.1, 1, 10, 50, no memory
50, 10, 1, 0.1, no memory, on one
I’m a believer that a 100% mode that gets hot and changes brightness is not a real 100% mode.
Also, runtime is more important than a bit of extra brightness in my uses, and runtime on 50% tends to be very nice.
For me, group 2 with memory off, although for everyday use I’d really like a 0.1/1/10/100 group as well.
1-10-35-100, memory on: for normal lights
100-20-strobe, memory off: for throwers
Group 10 (1% 10% 35% 100%) for almost everything.
The L21Bs all get group 12 (Off, 100%)and so does the S8 SFT40. I normally don’t use throwers below 100%.
Agree with starting thrower at 100%, but group 11 is more useful IMO. You get to dip the beam to 20% for extended runtime or close ups, and strobe for defense. With memory off I think it’s a good UI. You can use it like group 12, and you can strobe the shit out of someone by 2 half clicks. Or you can bring the beam from 20% back to 100% by a bit longer half click.
I hate strobe. I wish it could be disinvented and be found in 0% of flashlights globally.
That’s why it’s so useful LOL. Everyone hates being at the receiving end of a strobe. I almost never use it. But I feel a bit safer if I have the option to use it if really need to.
When crossing a busy road at night I point my EDC down at the ground and strobe so cars can see me. That’s one use I can think of.
That being said, I will never buy a light that has strobe / sos whatever crap in normal modes that I have to cycle through. But with Convoy’s UI, you can set memory to off and you don’t have to cycle through strobe at all, which is really neat. With mode memory on, I will never choose a group with strobe in it.
I’m not a fan of tactical strobe, but it seems fine to have it as long as it’s easy to avoid in the UI.
The issue is it’s not really about being safer… it’s about feeling safer. The primary function is to escalate conflict, but that generally has the effect of making people less safe, not more safe.
Some of the secondary functions are nice though, like for light painting and making a pedestrian more visible to cars… especially if the strobe brightness can be turned down.
But I enjoy motion-freezing strobes. Sometimes it’s kind of fun to see real life as a series of still frames, with moving objects frozen or even suspended mid-air.
Group 5 : 1% - 20% - 100% with memory off.