Every Man Should Carry a Torch: A Primer on Flashlights

by JEREMY ANDERBERG on OCTOBER 15, 2013

Miles From Nowhere... No Flashlight!
No One to Blame But Myself!
From helping you find your way back to your campsite, to allowing you to find a
missing widget under the bed, to providing illumination when the lights go out, to
warding off a would-be attacker, there are few tools as handy and essential as
the flashlight. And there are few tools that elicit as much affection and
attachment. I think our British friends word for the flashlight torch gets right
to the heart of the appeal. The flashlight is simply the latest iteration of the
ancient need to carry fire in ones hand.
You may think that all flashlights are the same, but boy youd be wrong. Theres
more to know than you could possibly imagine. Today, well stick to the basics
that every man should know and consider when buying a flashlight.

Five Basic Categories of Flashlights
Keychain/EDC. Typically 3 or less in length, these flashlights are an essential
part of ones EDC (Everyday Carry) kit. Their small size allows you to stick them
in your pocket, stash them in various bags, or and this is the easiest, most
foolproof option attach to a keychain. With their low light, they are intended to
be used as a backup or emergency flashlight, not your primary one.

Utility. Its not a serious light by any means. Its probably lightweight, made of
plastic, and gives off just enough light to get the job done. Theyre cheap, and
will last a few years for your most basic flashlight needs.

Tactical. A tactical flashlight is simply a flashlight thats been designed for
tactical (i.e. military or police) use. Many tactical flashlights are designed to be
mounted to a weapon for low-light shooting. Theyre typically smaller than
traditional flashlights, emit much more light, and are made of weapon-
grade aluminum for maximum durability. While tactical flashlights are designed
primarily for military and police units, theyre also a really handy everyday and
personal defense tool for the average civilian.
These will generally be 3-7 in length, and are meant to be carried on your
person as a self-defense tool. They may be small, but they pack a punch,
theyre generally made of aluminum and will be between 100-500 lumens.

Heavy-Duty or Industrial. These are the heavy, generally aluminum flashlights
that you have in your house or garage, or on a worksite for extended use.
Theyre usually too big for a pocket, but still easily handheld.

Emergency. These are hand-cranked or solar powered lights that dont rely on
batteries. Theyre used mainly in emergency kits.
Options and Functions to Consider When Buying
Battery Type Will your flashlight WORK when you need LIGHT?
What kind of battery will your flashlight run on? Most flashlights will run on either
AA or AAA batteries, but youll also find ones that run on C, D, or 9-volt
batteries. Some flashlights will run on lithium batteries, which are better
for long-term storage and cold operating conditions.
Generally, flashlights with multiple brightness levels have longer run
times. No matter which light you go with, youll want to have plenty of batteries
on hand, so stock up. Its also a good idea to keep a few batteries close to
where you store each flashlight in your house or in your EDC kit.

You also want to be sure to know about the ease of changing the
batteries. Some lights may require a small screwdriver, while some may have a
slip-off case like a remote control would. Keep this small detail in mind while
shopping.
Material Your Flashlight Must Be Dependable, Too
There are two main types of material for flashlights: plastic and aluminum.
Some models have stainless steel in the head for greater impact resistance.
Aluminum is usually known to have greater durability, but it can get extra
hot/cold and is heavier than plastic models. This is simply user preference,
but unless its a high-grade plastic material, aluminum will be your best bet.
Bulb
LEDs have come to rule the flashlight market. The bulbs last up to 100,000
hours, are incredibly durable, use only 20-25% the energy of an
incandescent, and generally provide all the light you could possibly need.
How to Operate
Is it a push button, a slider, or a rotating bezel that turns the light on and off?
This is something to truly think about. How will you be using your flashlight?
A rotating bezel will require two hands to turn it on and off. A push button may
have a more audible click than a button that slides up/down.
The feature could also make emergency signaling easier, as you dont have to
toggle a light fully on/off while giving the SOS.

Additional questions to consider are if the light could accidentally turn on inside
a pack or large pockets. Also think about if youll be operating it with gloves on,
and how that could impact ease of use.

How Many Modes?
Many modern flashlights, especially of the tactical variety, will have multiple
modes of operation. It can be as simple as three or four levels of brightness,
or as complex as having built-in emergency light strobes, or even
programmable modes that can be loaded onto the light by the user.
Grip
A smooth, plastic flashlight is liable to slip out of your hands when working in
wet conditions, or if youre sweating. Make sure that you can grip the
flashlight firmly, even when your palms are sweaty (a common occurrence
when nervous or stressed like while frustratedly working on a car, or checking
your home at night for an intruder).

Performance Specifications

There is actually a standard for flashlight performance. It was published in 2009 by the
American National Standards Institute and is called the Flashlight Basic Performance Standard
(or FL1 Standard for short). The FL1 Standard outlines four categories of flashlight
performance. The categories are as follows:
! Beam Distance (meters): When evaluating your needs, as with any of these indicators,
think about how youll be using the flashlight. If you need to illuminate an object from a
distance, this is the measurement to focus on. For camping or outdoors use, you may want
a longer beam distance than for household use.
! Peak Beam Intensity (candelas): The candela is a unit of luminous intensity in other
words, a measure of a flashlights brightness. One candela is roughly the equivalent of the
brightness of a single candle from a foot away. This can be hard to interpret, because
perceived brightness is non-linear meaning that twice the candelas (abbreviated cd) is
not twice the brightness. When comparing lights, keep in mind that twice the brightness will
actually be about four times the candelas.
! Run Time (hours/minutes): This is simply how long it takes the light output to drop to 10%
of the initial output on new batteries, rounded to the nearest quarter-hour.
! Light Output (lumens): A unit of measure of the lights total output. This measurement can
be anywhere from 1 lumen (keychain lights) to multiple thousands (search lights). This is
different than beam distance or intensity in that it simply measures how much light is being
emitted out of the lens, whereas intensity measures the brightness of a beam at its most
intense point. The example of lumens vs intensity that can help make the distinction more
clear is a laser. It has incredibly low total output (lumens) but it has incredibly high intensity
(candelas) because its so focused. Keep in mind that the higher the lumens, the shorter
the run time, in most cases.
DARKNESS MEANS... DANGER!
How Many Lumens Do You Really Need?
It can be tempting to say you want a 4,000-lumen flashlight. If youre going to have the tool, why
not have the best and most powerful tool possible? The reality is that the vast majority of
people will never need more than 150 or so lumens.
! 1-20 lumens: finding keyholes, walking in the dark, reading in the dark.
! 10-25 lumens: general household use, when the lights go out.
! 35-60 lumens: general outdoors uses, car repairs, hiking/camping in the woods.
! 100+ lumens: tactical lights, security purposes, work duties (police, firemen, construction).
! 1,000+: search and rescue, caving, heavy-duty outdoors uses.


! Water Resistance (uses IP ratings). Some lights will also have ratings for water and
impact resistance. Water resistance is rated using the IP system. Three ratings are used
for flashlights:

! IPX4 splash resistant from all angles, after the impact test (see below) has been applied.
! IPX7 temporary immersion of up to 30 minutes at a depth of 1 meter.
! IPX8 submersion up to 4 hours at the specified depth.

! Impact Resistance (meters). Tested by dropping the light onto a concrete surface at the
rated distance with all bulbs, lenses, batteries, etc. The light will still function after being
dropped from this height. As with any electronics device, however, treat it with care. This
test is primarily to ensure the light remains functional after occasional accidental drops.




YOUR NEW HEIDER CFX !!

750 m beam distance
140600 cd
High: (1500mA/OTF 480 lumens/1.5 hours)
Low: (400mA/OTF 158 lumens/6 hours)
IPX8 - 5 m
1m impact resistance

Flashlights: The Most Underestimated Tool for Personal Defense
Helps identify threats. Attackers often use the cover of darkness as an
advantage. A bright flashlight can help identify threats in a low-light environment
and eliminate the advantage of an attacker stalking in the shadows. Simply
shining a light on a bad guy can be enough to get him to take off.

Momentarily disorients attackers. Have you ever had a bright light shined in
your eyes when it was dark outside? You probably felt disoriented and even
blinded for a bit. You can take advantage of that natural reaction to bright light
to defend yourself against would-be attackers.
Whenever you encounter a possible threat, shine your flashlight directly in their
eyes. Your assailant will likely reach his hands up to his face and experience
three to four seconds of disorientation and semi-blindness. That gives you
enough time to either flee or attack.

Bonus use: Improvised weapon. Some tactical flashlights have a serrated or
toothed bezel. After youve shined the light in your attackers eyes and
disoriented him, strike his face with the toothed bezel as hard as you can. The
motion should be like stamping him with a giant rubber stamp.
Be careful with the toothed bezeled flashlights when flying. My friend, Mike, had
one taken away by a TSA agent because it was deemed a striking tool. When
in doubt, put your flashlight in your checked bag.

Which Flashlight Is the Best Flashlight in Tactical Situations?
! Small. You want something small enough to carry in your pocket every day.
Your flashlight should be no bigger than the size of your palm.
! At least 120 lumens of light output. For a flashlight to be an effective self-
defense tool, it needs to be bright enough to disorient attackers.
! Simple.
! Waterproof.
! Ruggedly constructed. Look for one made from hard anodized aluminum.
! LED.
When you hear something go bump in the night and you think that something
might be armed and dangerous, theres a particular way you want to maneuver
in a dark space when using your flashlight to maximize your safety. Heres how
to do it.
Try the light switch first. If youre in a low-light environment, your first step
should be to simply turn on the main light source if its convenient and safe to
do so. The more light you have, the better.
Light on, scan, light off, move. When youre maneuvering in a low-light
environment and believe theres an armed attacker nearby, you dont want to
leave your flashlight on the entire time. That just makes you an easy target.
Instead, follow this sequence:
Light on - Scan environment - Look for threats - Light off - Move - Repeat -


Your threat will likely shoot at or attack where they last saw the light from your
flashlight. By turning off your light and then moving, youll increase the chances
that youre not standing where your threat is going to shoot or attack.

How to Use a Tactical Flashlight When Youre Unarmed
Whenever you encounter a threat, shine the light on his face, and dominate his
eyes. The bright light will cause momentary blindness and disorientation, giving
you enough time to flee or engage your attacker. If you dont have any
combatives training or if you dont know whether or not your threat is armed,
your best option is to flee. No need for the macho stuff; living is manlier than
having your gut poked through with a knife.

If you must engage your attacker, a quick, hard hit to the face with the toothed
bezel on your tactical flashlight should incapacitate him enough for you to get
away. Low, hard kicks to the groin or knees are also effective in this situation as
he wont be able to see them coming with the light shined in his eyes.




YOUR NEW HEIDER CFX !!

750 m beam distance
140600 cd
High: (1500mA/OTF 480 lumens/1.5 hours)
Low: (400mA/OTF 158 lumens/6 hours)
IPX8 - 5 m
1m impact resistance