Flashlight industry is getting ridiculous. . . .

[2500ekW]

I try to ignore the hype from the Asian light makers like Fenix. They are too gimmicky for me and have too many modes.

I'll pretty much buy anything Streamlight makes though... They don't have the latest technology, but at least they don't burn you.

 

[ZS84]

at least if you shine it in someones face and they run off you can later identify them in a line up by the burn marks left on their face.

 

[Clay]

I try to ignore the hype from the Asian light makers like Fenix. They are too gimmicky for me and have too many modes.

I'll pretty much buy anything Streamlight makes though... They don't have the latest technology, but at least they don't burn you.

fenix lights are awesome!! Way more options to them than most streamlights and surefires. I love having 3+ brightness settings AND a strobe feature! Cost and quality are excellent as well!

 

[IndianaGTI]

I just go to dealextreme.com to get my lights. I have a few that claim 900 lumens but they are really around 300 lumens. They are bright enough that you can shine them at the ground on a sunny day and see them. I have several. I even have one mounted on my M4. They cost around $25 each when you order them direct from China. It usually takes 3-6 weeks to get them, but I would rather pay $25 including shipping than over $100.

 

[2500ekW]

fenix lights are awesome!! Way more options to them than most streamlights and surefires. I love having 3+ brightness settings AND a strobe feature! Cost and quality are excellent as well!

I agree, multiple brightness and strobe is nice to have, but when you start having to half click and turn bezels, that's when I say forget it.

Also, I like that all Streamlights turn on in their brightest modes first. If I am shining a light in a BG's face, I don't want to click through a couple modes like on other manufacturers' lights.

 

[DMarines007]

Flashlights are flashlights...the industry does a great job at creating hype with the new models. Surefires are the best in my opinion.

 

[DMarines007]

I would also agree that the strobe effect in flashlights are a great feature if ever. They are great for confusing an opponent in a combat situation. However, they are not as stealthy as NVGs.

 

[CountryBoy19]

Go to candle power forums, it's crazy what those guys make/build. I follewed there directions and built a 3 cell mag light that is 1200+ lumens, It is stupid bright

For those of us that are too lazy to look up the parts to do that, what is the approximate cost involved? I'm definitely interested in doing that to my old mag light. Do you know if that will work with a 2 cell mag lite? That is what I have...

I would also agree that the strobe effect in flashlights are a great feature if ever. They are great for confusing an opponent in a combat situation. However, they are not as stealthy as NVGs.

You ever been hit with the strobe feature? Sure, NVGs are stealthy, but they just aren't practical in many situations where the strobe feature is. I've used my strobe before, and it plain works. Gives the user a full view of what he is looking at and gives the target a bright light in his face that he cannot adjust to. I've also had it used on me (in a game of outdoor capture the flag at night) and I can tell you that when the strobe hits you, you cannot see s**t, you can't see the ground 2 feet in front of you, let along anything higher up such as a person etc.

Manufacturer says 90 minutes, although it can only do it in 25-minute intervals, due to heat.

This is just crazy. I'm beginning to think these lumen counts are hyped.

I think you may have misunderstood the 25 minute interval thing. I'm not saying you're totally wrong, just going to give my of how I understood it.

On the turbo mode (820 lumens) after 25 minutes it will kick down to a lower mode. The user may manually bump it back up to turbo mode if he/she desires. The reason it kicks down is because it does get very hot running on turbo, and I don't think they want it running longer than 25 minutes unnecessarily because it could cause burns etc. It may even start a fire. I think this is a CYA thing in case the light gets left on in a pile of clothes or something like that; it's not really that it can't do it, it's just that they want there to be an actual operator using the light when it's doing it.

 

[jeremy]

For those of us that are too lazy to look up the parts to do that, what is the approximate cost involved? I'm definitely interested in doing that to my old mag light. Do you know if that will work with a 2 cell mag lite? That is what I have...

Yes it will work you just have to use the Adjust LED Size for the Voltage application....

You ever been hit with the strobe feature? Sure, NVGs are stealthy, but they just aren't practical in many situations where the strobe feature is. I've used my strobe before, and it plain works. Gives the user a full view of what he is looking at and gives the target a bright light in his face that he cannot adjust to. I've also had it used on me (in a game of outdoor capture the flag at night) and I can tell you that when the strobe hits you, you cannot see s**t, you can't see the ground 2 feet in front of you, let along anything higher up such as a person etc.

I will not say the Strobe Feature Does Not work.
What I would say first is Have you ever Used NVG's?
You would be surprised how often they are as Handy as a Flashlight...

And Second, there is a reason a LOT of those of us who have been into Harm's Way only want a Light with just a turn on and turn off Feature. The more stuff you have to fumble with the better your chances of being hurt are. Try having a Friend "attack" you with out you knowing it at a random time of their choosing, and "Disable" them with the Light Only... Lot harder than when you have no time to manipulate the controls...

 

[esrice]

On the turbo mode (820 lumens) after 25 minutes it will kick down to a lower mode. The user may manually bump it back up to turbo mode if he/she desires. The reason it kicks down is because it does get very hot running on turbo, and I don't think they want it running longer than 25 minutes unnecessarily because it could cause burns etc. It may even start a fire. I think this is a CYA thing in case the light gets left on in a pile of clothes or something like that; it's not really that it can't do it, it's just that they want there to be an actual operator using the light when it's doing it.

No, that's pretty much how I understood it.

I was simply commenting more on the "holy crap it gets so hot it will automatically kick itself down" than trying to give an actual explanation of how it works. Your explanation seems quite right.

 

[CountryBoy19]

What I would say first is Have you ever Used NVG's?
You would be surprised how often they are as Handy as a Flashlight...

Yes and no. Yes in that I have used them some, no as in I've never used them in an high stress environments.

Handy as in military setting where they're clamped to your helmet yes. Civvy setting as in you're walking outside the mall with your family at night and are attacked. Well... do you normally wear NVG's already on your head ready to go at the mall?

And Second, there is a reason a LOT of those of us who have been into Harm's Way only want a Light with just a turn on and turn off Feature. The more stuff you have to fumble with the better your chances of being hurt are. Try having a Friend "attack" you with out you knowing it at a random time of their choosing, and "Disable" them with the Light Only... Lot harder than when you have no time to manipulate the controls...

Agreed, but, at least with my fenix when the bezel is locked you have 2 options. Turbo, and Strobe. Both of those settings are the brightest light option. Both of those settings will blind the target, strobe will do it better IMHO. Both of those settings yield good vision for the user, regular turbo mode is negligibly better IMHO.

I can certainly understand personal preference with flashlights and wanting something simple. But from my experience with my Fenix, either of the 2 options with the bezel tightened will work great in any scenario you run in to so if you accidentally get it on the wrong mode its not going to be a life or death thing. And the bezel won't loosen on it's own so no worries there.

This is all being said strictly from my experiences as a civ, I've never been in combat before so don't take my word for it. Just trying to point out that several of the multi-mode lights are actually pretty simple.

No, that's pretty much how I understood it.

I was simply commenting more on the "holy crap it gets so hot it will automatically kick itself down" than trying to give an actual explanation of how it works. Your explanation seems quite right.

Ok... I agree... "holy crap, it gets so hot, that they're worried about it lighting a fire if it's left on unattended"


ETA, forgot to mention earlier that my original Fenix L2D just went through it's 4th wash and dry cycle a couple weeks ago and it's still going strong, no moisture got inside and of the 4 times and nothing was damaged.

 

[Sgt Stoner]

There is a such thing as over kill!!!

 

[cox7215]

wow, thats crazy!!!

 

[Patrolman1981]

Geez, I thought my new Surefire 6PX Pro was bright at 200 lumens!