The tactical flashlight has become a good choice for everyone's daily defense. Its brightness and strobe mode can temporarily confuse criminals and give victims a chance to attack or escape. Durable materials and aggressive cutting-edge tactical flashlights can be used for self-defense. It can also be used in other emergency situations, such as sending out distress signals and breaking windows for emergency escape.
Its small size and powerful light make it a suitable tool to take wherever you go because having a high-quality tactical flashlight is never a bad thing!
How to choose a high-quality tactical flashlight to meet your needs is the most important thing. If you still don’t know how to do it, you can read this article!
What is a tactical flashlight?
A tactical flashlight, also known as a tactical light, is simply a flashlight used to complete tactical tasks. Compared with ordinary flashlights, tactical flashlights have no essential differences in principle and structure, but tactical flashlights are more suitable for use in various harsh environmental conditions, so they have high and low-temperature performance, sealing performance, and corrosion resistance, and durability. , Illuminance, color temperature, and much higher than ordinary flashlights.
I always think that the tactical flashlight is a personal defense tool that is seriously underestimated. It can not only help you aim at the target when you are carrying the gun but also hold the gun in both hands. It can also be used to light up your vision when you are not carrying a gun, to find potential threats, or even to shoot your opponent's eyes directly to seize opportunities for your own counterattack or escape.
In what situation do you need to use a tactical flashlight
Used indoors: power outage emergency, looking for things,
Outdoors: camping, hiking, climbing, hiking, hunting
For sports: running, biking, biking, jogging, playing, diving, skiing
For officers: search and rescue, investigation, survey,
So it is a multifunctional tool that can provide multiple uses for anyone.
What are the necessary features of a tactical flashlight?
Real tactical flashlights are designed with critical situations and self-defense in mind.
Tactical flashlights are different from conventional EDC flashlights, which often use lower output and moonlight mode to extend the running time. They usually have ultra-high lumen output, strobe mode, and direct buttons for the instant start (after all, in the tactical field, fast often means the first opportunity), and there will be attack functions and tactical ring at the same time. Simplicity is also emphasized in the operation interface, with the characteristics of quick access and high output.
Explain the following roughly through the following aspects.
Mode
Adjustable tactical flashlights usually have various lighting modes, allowing you to directly change the width and distance of the beam according to your needs. At the same time, tactical flashlights will also have other modes, such as:
SOS: Very suitable for sending distress signals.
Strobe: Each mode has a different purpose. Strobe is useful to confuse attackers.
Floodlight mode: The flood beam is a broad beam of light, covering a wider range but shorter distance. This type of beam is helpful when surveying large open areas.
Spotlight mode: The beam in the spot mode is a very narrow beam that can reach a long distance but does not illuminate many objects. This type of beam can be very helpful when you are looking for something smaller and farther away.
Memory function: The tactical flashlight with this function can open the desired mode with one key. For example, if you want to directly click the mode you want after entering some places, if your flashlight uses the memory function, then you can turn on this function in advance, and then turn off the flashlight. When it is opened again, it is directly in this position, which is very convenient.
Flashlight power
Alkaline battery
Usually refers to AAA, AA batteries. Compared with other batteries, due to its easy availability, longer shelf life, and higher energy density. One of its advantages is its higher voltage output due to its small size and light weight.
Rechargeable lithium ion battery
Compared with alkaline batteries, it has higher power output and longer service life. Lithium-ion batteries can be charged hundreds of times and provide powerful power output like lithium batteries. They also come in a variety of sizes but are slightly more expensive than disposable batteries. Compared with alkaline batteries, this new type of lithium-iron battery eliminates the risk of liquid leakage from the material. In addition, you must also use a suitable charger to reduce battery damage caused by improper charging.
Size and Weight
If you want a portable flashlight, size and weight are important. The flashlight should be comfortable to hold in your hand and not feel cumbersome when carried on your body. It should be heavy enough, if you need to use it as a blunt weapon to strike a target, it won’t appear to have insufficient strike force. The following is divided into the following types according to the size of the flashlight according to personal experience.
Ø Small flashlight
The length of a small flashlight is usually 5~12 CM. But it can fit well in a backpack, in a pocket, or even in a pocket.
Ø Medium flashlight
Its slightly larger size also means an increase in the number and capacity of batteries. At the same time, the flashlight can produce a higher lumen output, making it brighter than the previous flashlight, or increasing the running time.
Ø Large flashlight
Flashlights larger than 16+CM are considered large flashlights. Large flashlights usually mean higher output lumens, longer runtimes, even more, light modes, and more responsible construction. At the same time, under certain circumstances, it can also be used as a blunt object for self-defense.
Please remember that under normal conditions, the size and weight of the flashlight, as well as the function and price, are directly proportional. Large flashlights are also more expensive, but a good flashlight is better than a bunch of bad flashlights!
Body material
The black flashlight is more common, other colors will make your flashlight more individual. But all this requires a prerequisite-you need to ensure that it has a good surface treatment and a strong and durable structure to prevent scratches and damage. Therefore, it is also important to consider the materials for making tactical flashlights. Here are probably a few common flashlight materials, let us first understand.
Ø Plastic/composite/polymer
These materials are hardly as durable as metal materials. Most flashlights made of plastic will not be technologically advanced. They do have the advantage of being lightweight and cost-effective.
Ø titanium
Titanium flashlights are both strong and light while maintaining their beauty. These qualities make it an ideal choice for police, fire and EMS workers, and military personnel. However, Titanium's versatility and convenience come at a price-its price. Compared with its materials, it is very expensive.
Ø aluminum
The aluminum flashlight is light in weight. Although they are not as strong as titanium, the aluminum after hard anodizing treatment has higher hardness and wear resistance, and extremely strong adhesion, strong adsorption capacity, good corrosion resistance, and electrical insulation. High thermal insulation, even after multiple impacts can still play a role. Because the cost of aluminum is relatively low, buying aluminum flashlights is a very cost-effective choice.
Lens
The lens should be made of high-strength glass and scratch-resistant. Plastic lenses are fine, they are usually very durable, but make sure they are scratch-resistant.
Durability
Because the special scenes that tactical flashlights need to face are not comparable to ordinary flashlights, the requirements for waterproof and electricity-proof will be more stringent.
Ø Waterproof
You can read your manual carefully to understand the waterproof performance of your own tactical flashlight.
IPX0 | Without any special protection function. |
IPX1 | Prevent water droplets from entering |
IPX2 | The device is tilted within 15 degrees to prevent water droplets from entering. |
IPX3 | Prevent water spray from entering. |
IPX4 | Prevent splashing water from entering |
IPX5 | It can resist the water column of the low-pressure spray gun for at least 3 minutes. |
IPX6 | Can resist the water column of a high-pressure spray gun for at least 3 minutes。 |
IPX7 | It can resist being soaked in 1-meter deep water for 30 minutes. |
IPX8 | It can resist continuous immersion in water more than 1 meter deep. |
Ø Drop Test
The special application scenario of the tactical flashlight makes it inevitable that it will bump into accidentally during use. If you buy a non-fall-proof flashlight, all kinds of performance will be affected as soon as a bump occurs. It will be a disaster for those who are in the wild at the moment and are exploring the wilderness!
If our flashlight has the "Drop Text 1.5M" logo, it means that my flashlight can resist falling even if it falls at a height of 1.5M, giving me invisibility to face various harsh outdoor scenes. Courage.
How to use a tactical flashlight
When not carrying a gun
For most of us, you can’t carry a gun anywhere, but no one can stop you from carrying a flashlight with you. The convenient EDC tactical flashlight can be easily placed in your pocket or bag and won’t be given to you. Traveling creates a burden.
Whenever you encounter a threat, it is necessary to learn to conceal your self-defense weapon and surprise the theater when necessary, such as illuminating his face or even directing a strong light into his eyes! Bright light can cause temporary blindness and disorientation, allowing you enough time to escape or fight back.
Of course, if you inevitably need to fight with the opponent, you can use the attack head-on the tactical flashlight, or the tactical ring equipped with the tactical flashlight to hit the opponent hard.
Even when you need help, you can also use the SOS mode, the light in the night can always be easily detected by people.
When used with guns
As the night falls, there is also the danger of hiding in the dark. Fortunately, you have a gun with you when you need to defend. You can use a tactical flashlight to install it on your gun rail. It can not only help you light up the dark side, but also allow you to focus more on the two-handed gun.
At the same time, many gun lights have their own accessory rails. You can choose a tactical light suitable for your gun according to your gun. Most gun lights have their own laser aiming line, which can help you locate the target more accurately.
OLIGHT's best-selling tactical flashlight
Max Output：600LM
Max Runtime：39Minutes
Max Throw：130Meters
The Baldr Mini is an ultra-compact white light and green laser sight combo, integrating the compatibility of the PL-Mini 2 and the accuracy of the Baldr Pro.
The green laser is added for greater accuracy and more options to select among white light only, green laser only, or both combined.
Max Output：1,350LM
Max Runtime：93Minutes
Max Throw：200Meters
The BALDR Pro R is the new rechargeable flagship product of the Baldr Series. It boasts a white light of max 1,350 lumens like the Baldr Pro, but also adds a GL beam (<5mW) for quick and accurate aiming.
The Baldr Pro R includes two types of rail adapters to fit both Glock and Picatinny rails.
Max Output：1750LM
Max Runtime：45Day
Max Throw：220Meters
Its newly adopted proximity sensor drops the brightness level proactively in case of obstruction
The three-level battery indicator tells the battery level and when to charge, and the customized 3500mAh 18650 battery charges with the MCC3 magnetic charging cable
Max Output：2300LM
Max Runtime：55Day
Max Throw：300Meters
It features 6 output settings including an energy-saving moonlight mode and a deterring strobe mode.
The 4-level battery and brightness indicators around the side switch always keep you informed about its status.
Max Output：2500LM
Max Runtime：12Days
Max Throw：1050Meters
The dual-stage tail switch allows quick and easy access to basic settings, while the side switch can be used to intuitively cycle through 4 brightness levels.
The 4-level battery and brightness indicators around the side switch display the battery and brightness status in real-time.
