I live out in the boonies where I often take my 90-pound dog out for a midnight walk. The place is infested with deer which often make my dog go nuts and difficult to control. There are also the odd bear, foxes, and other critters. I like to spot them before my dog sees them so I can change direction if I can and keep everything under control. I started a year ago with a small flashlight and then cheap knockoffs with zoom lenses, etc., and finally decided to take the plunge based on this review. Wow!!! This blows away everything I have tried so far by a wide margin. It's also way brighter than the headlights on my car on high beam! I use the second level of brightness most of the time (15h @ 300 Lumens) and then move on from there as needed. I't nice to know you have that kind of firepower just one button click away. As an added bonus I find that drivers coming my way have a lot of respect for this kind of light. They slow down and dim their lights as soon as they see your light from 1/4 mile away.