What do you use your "strobe" function for?
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Halfpint
Newly Enlightened
This summer we have been having problems with coyotes and racoons around our farm. I'd originally gotten an Olight SR-91 for use as a handheld substitute for a pickup mounted spotlight when out chasing down livestock. Remembering that it had a `strobe' function our hired hand and I decided to give it a try on the `yotes -n-coons' to see what it might do. Whoa! Hit them with the SR-91's strobe and it is almost like you had `pinned' them in place! We had plenty of time to let them have it with either the 12ga or .223 semi-auto. (BTW, the `coons usually took 2-3 blasts of 00 buck whereas the `yotes could generally be dropped with no more than a couple rounds of 52gr ballistic tipped .223. Amazingly the `coons could absorb all most all of a 10rnd mag of the .223 before they were stopped! [It's pretty danged impressive to have a *big* boar `coon charging at you and seemingly being almost unstoppable even after you have pretty much emptied your mag! I was starting to wonder if my 1911 was going to be enough to give my hired hand enough time to pop in another mag.])
I'm not really a big fan of the strobe function.
Sure, on one hand, it disorientates an assailant.
BUT, if that flashlight is the only source of light, and your bad guy is running at you, it can get very sketchy, very quickly because every time the flash goes off, he is closer and closer. It just makes the bad guy look like he is going in slow motion at you.
I'd rather just have a piercingly bright, constant light and maintain constant positive ID.
Sure, on one hand, it disorientates an assailant.
BUT, if that flashlight is the only source of light, and your bad guy is running at you, it can get very sketchy, very quickly because every time the flash goes off, he is closer and closer. It just makes the bad guy look like he is going in slow motion at you.
I'd rather just have a piercingly bright, constant light and maintain constant positive ID.
Tiresius
Enlightened
Parties? I honestly don't have a use for strobe. I doubt if there are much nearby that'll understand the SOS signals.
Aside from annoying my family members and my girlfriend, I do not have a use for strobe mode.
Aside from annoying my family members and my girlfriend, I do not have a use for strobe mode.
I've been on the fence about strobes, but in the case of HDS lights I think its done right.
First and foremost they need to stay out of the way unless they are needed, not a problem with the programmable HDS. Strobe modes being in the way with no option to disable them is surely the reason that they are so commonly hated.
Zebralight also hides their strobe away nicely.
Emergency strobe (slow), "tactical" strobe (fast), and even SOS are plenty useful if the need for them ever arises.
I tested HDS' tactical strobe on myself. When shining into my eyes on high in a dark room while facing a mirror my eyes rapidly adjusted to where I could see myself in the mirror. With the rapid strobe however it was impossible for my eyes to adjust, alternately too bright and too dark to see, and the sensation of my pupils trying to keep up with dilating and contracting in time to the strobe was quite uncomfortable.
In contrast when I'm shining it properly Away from my face, the rapid strobe is sufficiently fast to give me a good view of whatever I'm lighting up.
I find it a very useful, very obnoxious, and aggressive feature, so long as it isn't activated accidentally.
First and foremost they need to stay out of the way unless they are needed, not a problem with the programmable HDS. Strobe modes being in the way with no option to disable them is surely the reason that they are so commonly hated.
Zebralight also hides their strobe away nicely.
Emergency strobe (slow), "tactical" strobe (fast), and even SOS are plenty useful if the need for them ever arises.
I tested HDS' tactical strobe on myself. When shining into my eyes on high in a dark room while facing a mirror my eyes rapidly adjusted to where I could see myself in the mirror. With the rapid strobe however it was impossible for my eyes to adjust, alternately too bright and too dark to see, and the sensation of my pupils trying to keep up with dilating and contracting in time to the strobe was quite uncomfortable.
In contrast when I'm shining it properly Away from my face, the rapid strobe is sufficiently fast to give me a good view of whatever I'm lighting up.
I find it a very useful, very obnoxious, and aggressive feature, so long as it isn't activated accidentally.
Empire
Banned
I was leaving school(Night shift) and I heard a gunshot, Blasted the person with 300 lumens from a AA flashlight which was SADLY on strobe and blinded me too.
Turns out the gunshot was a car driving over a container and the person was some homeless dude walking out of the salvation army.
What a crazy life have I!
Turns out the gunshot was a car driving over a container and the person was some homeless dude walking out of the salvation army.
What a crazy life have I!
madecov
Flashlight Enthusiast
I dislike SOS mode. But use strobe often for signaling. As long as it is seperate from the other modes it's fine. I have gotten used to strobe in the general sequence but not really enamered with it.
tam17
Enlightened
- Joined
- Jun 9, 2011
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- 737
Making drivers notice me in traffic (in evening/night/poor visibility), mostly on pedestrian crossings. Signalling someone in crowds or whenever yelling or cell phone don't cut it. Just annoying someone (usually my wife).
Cheers
Cheers
bladesmith3
Enlightened
believe it or not.... if you shine the strobe at bats you can see them fly in stop motion. i walk every night with the dogs and find myself watching the bats. seems stupid but it is a fact.
CamoNinja
Enlightened
And I can do the same with my TN-11 on high. It is the bright light coming out of no where that makes them pause, not the strobe.
I always keep one of those red traffic wand addons for my Fenixes and Surefires in my car. In case of an emergency I would use the strobe on my Fenix in combination with the red plastic tube to alert other people. So far that has never necessary but I think it would be quite effective. Apart from that I've used tactical strobes to annoy my colleagues and that worked really well 
My old eternalight features a high frequency (adjustable) strobe which can be used to inspect rotating machinery. It is also quite interesting to watch computer fans and electric toothbrushes moving in slo-mo...
My old eternalight features a high frequency (adjustable) strobe which can be used to inspect rotating machinery. It is also quite interesting to watch computer fans and electric toothbrushes moving in slo-mo...
I always keep one of those red traffic wand addons for my Fenixes and Surefires in my car. In case of an emergency I would use the strobe on my Fenix in combination with the red plastic tube to alert other people. So far that has never necessary but I think it would be quite effective. Apart from that I've used tactical strobes to annoy my colleagues and that worked really well
My old eternalight features a high frequency (adjustable) strobe which can be used to inspect rotating machinery. It is also quite interesting to watch computer fans and electric toothbrushes moving in slo-mo...
Your third listed use is interesting...
Mr.Sun
Newly Enlightened
My wife uses it whenever I pole dance.
CamoNinja
Enlightened
To blind herself lol? Sorry had to say that.
EdFromOhio
Newly Enlightened
- Joined
- Aug 12, 2008
- Messages
- 23
For 2 things, mainly. 1> When riding my bike on a road, I have it pointed down so the spill and a flashing light on the pavement are what the auto drivers see. I don't care if it irritates them - it has prevented me from becoming roadkill. 2> When walking the dog at dusk (steady light for dark.) It's harder to see the light, even 900 lumens, at dusk.
It's also fun to shine the strobe on street signs. It looks like they're bouncing at you if your light is bright enough.
It's also fun to shine the strobe on street signs. It looks like they're bouncing at you if your light is bright enough.
Mr.Sun
Newly Enlightened
EXZACTILY 
My wife sez we've been having a peeping Tom problem
My wife sez we've been having a peeping Tom problem
I usually use it just to let other potential dogs walkers know that I'm about with my dogs also. My dogs are dog friendly but some others are not around here so it's good to give a warning to avoid any potential dog fights etc. (Usually take dogs out on night walk) I don't shine it directly at people but it's there just so people know I am there.
I also use it in emergency situations, handy if a chopper flies past if needed.
Also when in the country side sometimes walking on certain lanes you get off roaders driving down there, so it's good to give them a warning you are there. (And potentially with dogs also)
I also use it in emergency situations, handy if a chopper flies past if needed.
Also when in the country side sometimes walking on certain lanes you get off roaders driving down there, so it's good to give them a warning you are there. (And potentially with dogs also)
Loed7984
Newly Enlightened
The main use I have for strobe is to signal my presence to vehicles when I'm in ambulance duty.
A second use is controversial here. As I used it a few time to defend myself. In Italy is legal to strobe everyone you want, i doesn't mean that I used strobe in an agressive way, I simply used it for taking a little more time for get away from bad situations. As disclaimer : if you think that a strobe can stop an aggresion you are wrong. It's a distraction device that allow you to runaway and stay safe.
A second use is controversial here. As I used it a few time to defend myself. In Italy is legal to strobe everyone you want, i doesn't mean that I used strobe in an agressive way, I simply used it for taking a little more time for get away from bad situations. As disclaimer : if you think that a strobe can stop an aggresion you are wrong. It's a distraction device that allow you to runaway and stay safe.
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