Recommendations for a hand-held "tactical" flashlight

[Crash]

No, I'm not a "tactical" operator, but I don't know any other generic term for the small hand-held flashlights that are very bright and have a strobe mode. I'd like one that clips on a pocket or has a holster for attaching to my belt. Recommendations?

Crash

[Pawpaw]

I carry a Fenix PD35. If I were to buy one today, I'd probably get the PD35 TAC model.

[Noggin]

I am puzzled by this term "tactical flashlight" throughout my military training we were taught to avoid "active illumination" as much as possible. since it reveals your location/intentions to the enemy, being tactical always meant staying dark and sensory passive.

Any lights we carried for map reading etc, were low-powered and fitted with red filters so as not to disturb our night vision.

[Skiprr]

I am puzzled by this term "tactical flashlight" throughout my military training we were taught to avoid "active illumination" as much as possible. since it reveals your location/intentions to the enemy, being tactical always meant staying dark and sensory passive.

I think evolving law enforcement tactics and the dramatic increase in concealed handgun carriers has changed the civilian perspective. But it certainly isn't new: I was doing shooting-with-flashlight in classes well over a decade ago.

To the OP, I'll give my absolutely free--and worth just as much--curmudgeonly advice. First, think of "flashlight" and "flashlight for use with defensive handgun" as two very different animals. Sounds like a no-brainer, but I'm not talking about the difference between a Ray-O-Vac yellow plastic utility light and a "tactical flashlight." I'm talking about the myriad models of lights currently marketed as "tactical flashlights" that I wouldn't want to have near me if I had to use it with my handgun.

Second, to explain some of that, here's how I've always been trained and what I believe in:

1. Locate threat approximately, by sound or shadow or other means
2. Illuminate, only momentarily, to confirm target
3. Deluminate: the light does not stay on
4. Move: get off the "X"; do not be where the threat last saw your light source
5. Shoot
6. Repeat until threat is stopped

That speaks somewhat to what Noggin said, but translated to a civilian environment where things are likely to happen at closer quarters, and where we have a stringent requirement to make certain we know the target and what's beyond it before we pull a trigger.

So that leads to, third, what I consider the critical feature for a "flashlight for use with defensive handgun": a robust tailcap switch with momentary-on function.

The momentary-on function must be robust, as well. That means, under stress, pressing that prominent switch must do one thing and one thing only: turn on the light while held down; turn off the light when released. (A side note: that's why LED bulbs are superior to older incandescent lights: when you turn off a bright incandescent, there is a brief, fading glow from the bulb...don't want that following you as you move.)

This requirement alone removes from consideration, for me, probably 80% of flashlights marketed as "tactical." The vast majority of multifunctional "tactical flashlights" change modes via some use of the tailcap switch. Blitheringly stupid idea. I've seen some that cycle modes and/or brightness each time the switch is pressed. Imagine how useful that will be in an illuminate/deluminate/move/shoot scenario. You get a nice bright light; you identify, move, and shoot; you press the switch again and now get a 20-lumen glow that lights up almost nothing on the heals of that first bright illumination; you move to another position and try again; now you get a bright strobe light. Ridiculous.

Similarly, don't be fooled by those lights that require different levels of pressure to activate functions. At a gun show, I had a guy try to sell me one of these. Normal pressure, and the switch functioned just as I wanted: on or off, nothing else. Greater pressure, and it would cycle through the whiz-bang settings for high, medium, or low luminosity, strobe mode, and SOS flashing mode. Press the switch all the way in until it clicked, and it would retain it's current setting but go to continuous-on. He smiled at me over how awesome the product was. I asked him why every defensive firearms instructor in the country talked about gross motor versus fine motor control under extreme stress. He gave me a blank stare. I told him that if, under stress, everyone loses fine motor control, how in the heck can I be expected to manage three different levels of pressure on a tailcap switch when the required pressures vary by probably only a pound and maybe a millimeter in throw-distance?

The answer, of course, is that no one can train enough to engage dexterity that fine when they're in a gunfight.

If you want a multifunctional light, I strongly recommend finding one that changes modes via a turn of the bezel or similar, not by use of the tailcap switch. If you need that light in a dark environment to help defend yourself, having it change modes unexpectedly could cost you your life.

A note on strobe function. At the Houston NRA annual meeting I had a nice discussion with an engineer with SureFire. SureFire is what I relied on, and still do. When asked, he explained that SureFire sold no lights with a strobe function. They have since acquiesced to market pressures, but there are very good reasons not to have a strobe on a "flashlight for use with defensive handgun."

If bright enough, which most modern LED lights are, a strobe can be disorienting. That can be a very good thing if the the flashlight is the only force-multiplier you have, but a bad thing if you also have a gun. If you're unarmed and walking to your car in a dark parking lot when a seedy looking character approaches, look him in the eye, then close yours momentarily while you strobe him. He won't like it.

But an effective strobe works both ways. Arguably the direct target gets the biggest hit, but fire off that thing in a small, dark room, and you're going to suffer the very same disorienting effects. If you also have a gun to bring to bear, you can't exactly identify the target if you close your eyes; and disorienting yourself right before you may need to shoot ain't the brightest move in the world (pun intended).

If you have a bright strobe, give it a try. Have a friend join you in a dark room, have him change positions (then close his own eyes so you don't unfriend him), have him start moving around, then fire off the strobe and concentrate on him as you would an unknown threat. You'll be disoriented, and the effect will linger for several seconds afterward.

My primary is a tough, near-indestructable older model SureFire L5. Works for me. Very usable as an impact weapon and, while the tailswitch can go to constant-on, it's no easy matter depressing it that far; I've never done it accidentally in training, and I've had this one for about 9 years.

I also own some newer, brighter, fancier, and less expensive lights. Luv 'em. I just don't carry a fancy one if I also have a gun.

[WildBill]

I am puzzled by this term "tactical flashlight" throughout my military training we were taught to avoid "active illumination" as much as possible. since it reveals your location/intentions to the enemy, being tactical always meant staying dark and sensory passive.

I think evolving law enforcement tactics and the dramatic increase in concealed handgun carriers has changed the civilian perspective.
But it certainly isn't new: I was doing shooting-with-flashlight in classes well over a decade ago...

... I also own some newer, brighter, fancier, and less expensive lights. Luv 'em. I just don't carry a fancy one if I also have a gun.

An excellent treatise on flashlights.
Thank you.

[TexasJohnBoy]

I am puzzled by this term "tactical flashlight" throughout my military training we were taught to avoid "active illumination" as much as possible. since it reveals your location/intentions to the enemy, being tactical always meant staying dark and sensory passive.

I think evolving law enforcement tactics and the dramatic increase in concealed handgun carriers has changed the civilian perspective.
But it certainly isn't new: I was doing shooting-with-flashlight in classes well over a decade ago...

... I also own some newer, brighter, fancier, and less expensive lights. Luv 'em. I just don't carry a fancy one if I also have a gun.

An excellent treatise on flashlights.
Thank you.

Skiprr, you make my daily carry seem much better with that rundown. I've thought the same thing with all of the fancy stuff out there, but I simply carry a 5.11 TMT PLx and I love it. Momentary on/off, and with enough pressure a firm tactile click for constant on. No strobe... http://www.511tactical.com/tmt-plx-penlight.html

[RoyGBiv]

Really like the Olight S2A I got for Christmas.

First light I've had with a side button instead of a tailcap clicky.
Much easier to get the illumination and mode I want at startup.

https://www.amazon.com/Olight-Flashligh ... +s2a&psc=1

[Kadelic]

Check out the TerraLUX TT series of lights. I've been EDC'ing the TT-5 for about four years now. Lot's of good features including momentary on, a dedicated button for direct-to-strobe mode, and a crenelated bezel. They now also make a USB rechargeable model. Comes with a pocket clip, lanyard, holster, and spare o-rings. Great customer service as well. I've lost the pocket clip twice and both times they sent me a replacement free of charge.

[NotRPB]

clips on a pocket
I have one of these do not really extend out past your hand to use the pointy parts but goor price, relatively bright with strobe too UltraFire 7w 300lm Mini Cree Led Flashlight Torch Adjustable Focus Zoom Light Lamp
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B006E ... UTF8&psc=1

Almost identical but maybe not as bright, but pretty close is:
clips on a pocket
I have two of these they do not really extend out past your hand to use the pointy parts but goor price, relatively bright with strobe too Hausbell 7W Ultra Bright Mini LED Flashlight Tactical Flashlight (2 Pack) uses a single AA battery
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CE ... UTF8&psc=1

I have these in white, red and green, bigger, even brighter, no pocket clip
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00N0 ... UTF8&psc=1
LingsFire® Zoomable Scalable LED Flashlight CREE-XML T6 18650 Or 3 AAA Battery Supported Water-resistant Flashlight
2000 lumen Cree XML T6 Tactical Torch Glim Lantern (White light) I use 3 AAA batteries instead of the 18650 (which I also have) and it may be a bit less bright than 2000 lms that way, but it's still pretty blinding

These are pretty decent flashlights I've owned between 6 months to a year, I also have one that's as big as a can of peas that's brighter than car high beams, but it gets hot and has short battery life

The top two ones at about 4 bucks each, make good gifts too.

[Lambda Force]

I am puzzled by this term "tactical flashlight" throughout my military training we were taught to avoid "active illumination" as much as possible. since it reveals your location/intentions to the enemy, being tactical always meant staying dark and sensory passive.

My mission statement as a civilian is different, my rules of engagement are different, so it makes sense my tactics are different.

Civilian firearm training, whether LEO or LTC, has included flashlights for target identification since the prior century. I recall a class where we all made good hits in low light. Long past our ability to identify the target in the dim moonlight.

[Noggin]

I am puzzled by this term "tactical flashlight" throughout my military training we were taught to avoid "active illumination" as much as possible. since it reveals your location/intentions to the enemy, being tactical always meant staying dark and sensory passive.

My mission statement as a civilian is different, my rules of engagement are different, so it makes sense my tactics are different.

Civilian firearm training, whether LEO or LTC, has included flashlights for target identification since the prior century. I recall a class where we all made good hits in low light. Long past our ability to identify the target in the dim moonlight.

Yes after what has been said earlier I can see that now. This is clearly a Cultural Legacy issue. As I come from a country where the term "tactical" is generally reserved for the military, also where the vast majority of LEO are not firearms trained and only carry a chemical spray. I suppose I might also have to reconsider my own defensive methods. For example I have always planned that in the event of having to respond to a home intruder at night and since the only other human in the house is the woman I share a bed with, any other human is assumed to be bad. Knowing the layout of my own house better than any BG gives me the advantage, therefore the only light I had planned to use was the muzzle flash from my first round.

[LucasMcCain]

I'll give my absolutely free--and worth just as much--curmudgeonly advice.

Thank you so much for this. I have been trying to find a good flashlight for EDC, and kept finding these 3-mode lights and thinking to myself "Well that just doesn't seem like it would make any sense." I'm glad to hear my gut feeling is valid in this case. I will continue my quest for an affordable option with your excellent advice as my guide. Much appreciated.

[ScottDLS]

Why not the "Atomic Beam" as seen on TV and recommended by Hunter Ellis, former fighter pilot... I got two for just 19.95 + shipping and handling.

[Liberty]

Yes after what has been said earlier I can see that now. This is clearly a Cultural Legacy issue. As I come from a country where the term "tactical" is generally reserved for the military, also where the vast majority of LEO are not firearms trained and only carry a chemical spray. I suppose I might also have to reconsider my own defensive methods. For example I have always planned that in the event of having to respond to a home intruder at night and since the only other human in the house is the woman I share a bed with, any other human is assumed to be bad. Knowing the layout of my own house better than any BG gives me the advantage, therefore the only light I had planned to use was the muzzle flash from my first round.

I am not crazy about flashlights as a tactical or combat equipment. If I need to defend myself in my own surrounds I trust my knowledge of my home and who is in it (Just My wife and I) better than any intruder. I happened to be blessed with excellent nite vision. I don't see flashlights as likely to be giving me a tactical advantage in most situations. I carry a small Ultra OK, powered by a rechargable Lithium-Ion It's very bright and I use it to find things in my car, read menu's, my weather station and all sorts of things. If I'm going out into my backyard at nite, I take a bigger rechargable Led light to go and investigate. I have no interest and challenging any trespasser and will be more than happy to chase them away with bright lights before I expose myself. The best fight is one that is avoided. The bigger light will more likely expose snakes or other critters that might want to challange me.

I also always carry a folding pocket knife. and like my little flashlight I think of it as a handy tool more that a combat accessory.

[Paladin]

I've carried the JETBeam PC10 for years. Most useful thing I carry.

The UltraFire 7w lights are good entry level lights that anyone can afford, but for about the same money the AAA Battery Flashlight is smaller, has at least a honest 100 lumens, and a better beam quality. It doesn't have any fancy features and makes a click when it turns on or off, but it's so small you don't know you're carrying it.