Defensive Flashlights
Photo courtesy of amir shamsipur @amir_shamsipur
A flashlight has a ton of uses besides self-defense and if you don’t have one that you routinely carry I highly recommend one! There are hundreds of options out there with all kinds of price tags so where do you begin to see what is right for you?
Let there be light: How much light do I need? If you are looking for self-defense level lighting, the United States Concealed Carry Association (USCCA) states that 60 lumen is the minimum and is enough to momentarily blind an attacker even in daylight and that 125 lumen is like staring into the sun. Personally, I carry Stream Light Micro Stream which is 250 lumen on its brightest setting, and it seems to work very well for me. At home, I have a 300-lumen and a 500-lumen light.
Is there such a thing as too bright? Maybe. Remember if it is dark enough for you to need a flashlight then you can get blinded by a flashlight at night. If you are inside and shine your light on a wall that you are facing, the reflection might blind you if it is too bright. I think there is a sweet spot between 150 and 300 lumens but that is my opinion. You might want to see it for yourself.
I recommend that you look at flashlights with maybe two settings. One high (the first click when you turn the flashlight on) and one low the second click. You want the highest on the first so if you need it to blind an attacker the first momentary push of the button gives you the brightest setting. The low level you can use in the restaurant to read the menu without blinding your date. ☺
Light Show: There are lights out there that offer strobe settings and different light settings etc. I am a big fan of keeping my everyday carry equipment simple. If I need it in a hurry, I don’t want to have to remember how to turn on my flashlight to the right setting. Things like rotating tail caps for light settings scare me and I just want a simple button. Strobe may work on bad guys but remember you are going to see the flash (reflection) as well. My advice, keep it simple and just light the way.
Strike Bezel: On the light end of the flashlight, it is recommended that the bezel is kind of corrugated. This is referred to as a strike bezel. This will help to inflict a little more pain if you need to strike someone. Remember the last thing we want to do is strike someone with our hand. Always try to have something in your hand to strike with, it works better on them and is easier on your hand.
Tail cap activation: The tail cap should be pronounced enough to allow activation with your thumb or your palm to support shooting with the flashlight in your hand. Some tap caps are recessed to prevent accidental activation. While a nice feature, it doesn’t support the need to press the button. Pictured below are two typical methods of activating a flashlight, with the thumb and with your palm or base of your thumb.
Batteries: There are basically 3 different types of power for flashlights. We have regular alkaline batteries (like your Eveready or Duracell), Lithium batteries (like the 123s), and rechargeable batteries.
The old-school alkaline batteries do Ok and are available everywhere if you need to buy some. They do not however typically support the higher power flashlights. They are also susceptible to cold.
Lithium batteries have a super long shelf life and are not susceptible to cold temperatures. They do however burn out quickly (1-2 hours).
Rechargeable batteries have come a long way over the years. I normally was not a fan, but for the past 2 years I have carried the Streamlight Micro Carry USB. It is charged by plugging it into a USB port. It has some great longevity and I use it all the time. The charge port is covered by o-rings so it is pretty water-resistant.
No matter what your choice, make sure you carry it! You will find it comes in more handy than you think and it might even save your life.
By: Scott Sampson