What's Your Go To Lumen Range... or.. What If Your Light Could Have Only 1 Setting

[LGD]

My duty light is around 200 lumens I believe, and there are only a few occasions I can think of where I would've liked more (that's where the rechargeable searchlights come in).

At home, the light I use the most is a fauxton that cost me £0.99. It's indestructible! I bought 4 as I thought they'd be short-lived but I'm still on the first one a year later despite dropping it hundreds of times and drowning it a few, and with the battery getting a little bit low, it still gives me plenty of light to do most tasks without lighting up the whole room (a bonus when you're getting ready for/coming home from work at 3am and trying not to wake the mrs!) It can't be much more than 3 lumens but it does it's job.

 

[mikedeason]

I just find myself hitting the setting closest to 300 to 400 lumens the most when I am out walking at night....the only exception is my Zebralight Headlamp H600 which I run at 500 lumen because it has a more floody beam.

For me, anything below 300 lumen just doesnt light up my surroundings enough at night.

Of course indoors is different but I use battery powered light less indoors.

 

[Burgess]

Very interesting thread here !

:thumbsup:


Wide range of opinions -- with most of 'em on the High side.

lovecpf



For me ( not needing to deal with Life-Threatening situations ),

i would choose 10 - 25 Lumens.

 

[Sgt. LED]

Let me throw in my 2 bits here.
60 lumens got me through many many years of heavy use.

 

[Derek Dean]

For me the issue would come down to battery type and runtime. If runtime was no issue, then 60 lumens would be my pick, a good balance between enough for outdoor walking but not to much for closeup.

Of course if runtime was truly not an issue, I guess it might be better to pick 600-1000 lumens, knowing that I could always filter the output to cut it down when required.

Now, if runtime is a consideration, then I would pick something more in the 20 lumen range, which in reality I've found to be a very usable amount of light for most applications.

 

[Xacto]

80 - 120 lumen, just like the P60L or KX4 head. Not too bright for indoor use, bright enough for so called tactical use. Now if there would be a dropin with a hotspot like the G2X.....

Cheers
Thorsten

 

[Bozzlite]

About 100 lumens seems about right for me if it could only be 1 setting. Or whatever the Quark AA puts out on high.

 

[MadAmos]

I would go with ~80 OTF lumen's as a good place a little bright for indoors, and good for short/ short medium outdoors. It reminds me why I don't miss the days where a big Maglight was as good as it could get one output level and heavy as a brick. The only good memory I have is that they made a decent club... :devil:

Amos

 

[azzid]

80-100 lumens would be enough for me.

 

[africanexperience]

60 lumens would be just fine for me (assuming I could only have one level and one light). Bear in mind I literally have lions around my living space. As PJAndy has pointed out I really don't like losing night vision. In remote places with no light pollution 60 lumens can seem a lot. But strolling around the neighbourhood of my GFs house in suburban Germany last night 60Lm was not enough to really darken the shadows etc - not that I really needed to - but I just sort of feel ridiculous walking around at night and not checking my surroundings.

 

[ragweed]

50 lumens does it for me. Good general purpose light & used it today.

 

[SantaClawz]

The more the better. You can never have too much light output.

 

[Quiksilver]

For me, a comfortable balance between lumens and runtime is a Malkoff M61LL. I think its around 60 lumens.

 

[eebowler]

Something like 50 (40-60 or somewhere about) lumens would be acceptable for me. Of course, it would have to be from a focusing flashlight such as a maglite to handle close and far situations.

 

[brandocommando]

I have my HDS 170T programmed to turn on at 18 lumens!

The other levels I have set in are 1, 71, and then the full 170.

I mostly just use 18, or a quick double tap for 71.

 

[UpstandingCitizen]

I'd go with something like 50 lumens with diffusion film.

 

[thefool]

Ok, So discounting the guy who said the more the better, the guy who uses a 5000, the rancher who uses the 800 and the guy who uses a 500 when the lights go out here is the count:

Between 10-120 Lumens 22 Posters
Between 120-400 Lumens 5 Posters

It seems the trend is towards the low side.

But here is my question from an EDC and tactical standpoint, what is the brightest lumen that you could tolerate while looking through a drawer but still stand a chance of disorienting someone when you point it at their eyes?

 

[Animalmother]

When I go exploring I like to use max, yup. I love my max mode. I charge it when I recharge when home I don't really EDC anything,
Mid or max and low in the house. Love 500+ANSI and a nice mid mode of around 250.

I love light.

 

[thefool]

Ok, So discounting the guy who said the more the better, the guy who uses a 5000, the rancher who uses the 800 and the guy who uses a 500 when the lights go out here is the count:

Between 10-120 Lumens 22 Posters
Between 120-400 Lumens 5 Posters

It seems the trend is towards the low side.

But here is my question from an EDC and tactical standpoint, what is the brightest lumen that you could tolerate while looking through a drawer but still stand a chance of disorienting someone when you point it at their eyes?

 

[Sparky's Magic]

With my HDS, I have a choice.

Around the house at night, bathroom etc. Level 1 - 0.07 Lu.

Most other chores. Level 16 - 13 Lu.

The Dog path. Level 24 - 200 Lu. (nominal) but somewhat brighter; dropping to level 23 after 42 seconds (mine). On the darkest of nights, Level 21 - 71 Lu. is more than adequate.

This is one hell of a Flashlight! I wouldn't change a thing on this 'light: The way Henry has configured the levels and
functions is sheer genius and his HDS 'light a masterpiece!