What's the tightest beam, no-spill, brightest light available?

Boom Stick

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I've been on with my fire department for a while and I've got to admit none of the lights in my collection are cutting it in a smoky environment. Every time I turn on my light inside a smoky building it turns a gray dark cloud into a huge white wall, neither of which I can see through. So, in an attempt to limit the amount of light that is reflected back at me I have elected to look for a flashlight with the narrowest brightest beam possible. Anyone have any idea what light would foot the bill?

btw... I'm hoping not to break the bank. Less than $60 would be good (less than $40 would be optimal.)
 
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Lit Up

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Re: What's the tightest beam, no-spill, bright light available?

Aren't you limited in selection you can use for safety factors?
 

Boom Stick

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Re: What's the tightest beam, no-spill, bright light available?

Aren't you limited in selection you can use for safety factors?

I'm not necessarily disagreeing, but what factors specifically would you be referring to?
 

Saiga

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I think he's refering to lights that are rated for gaseous environments,guaranteed to have no spark when turned on. Seems you'd already know this.Anyway, from what i've read, streamlight pro-polymers are especially popular with firemen,search & rescue,etc. for this reason.There are others as well, but only pelican comes to mind. I was at "ranger joes" ( local mil-surp operation) just yesterday looking at a pelican that had a photo on the package comparing beams with what looked like a 3C streamlight pro-poly, and the pelicans beam seemed to stay tight and penetrate the smoke while the SL got all floody, doing what you're trying to avoid. Hope this was usefull.
 

LukeA

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Any of the Pelican Recoil LED series would be perfect. They point the LED back into the reflector, so all the light that leaves the front is in the beam, no spill. They're even advertised as being able to cut smoke very well. I own a 2020, and it's very nice. Pretty bright for just being a Luxeon, UL rated Class 1 Div 1 (intrinsically safe in environments of flammable gas), and very tough. Runs regulated for 6 hours on 3 C cells. The 2020 can be found for ~$45.

(the Pelican Recoil LED series is what Saiga is alluding to, and the 2020 is the light in the picture that compares the Recoil lights to themore conventional Streamlight)

Pelican's page on the light. I rounded the edges of the clip over on mine to make them less sharp and easier to hold.
 
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Rzr800

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It is comforting to me that so much attention is payed to the application of these lights (and any other electronic or even air-related device) in certain environments. The countries which accept these standards and actually live by them should be held up in esteem much more than they ever have in the past (not to get off-topic; but the E-Hedge sanitary and ATEX specs. in Europe come to mind that desperately need ratification/acceptance worldwide).

Edit: I have no idea what the requirements are for a fire department and my comments were directed more at the breadth of discussions that I've witnessed lately in regards to explosive environments rather than Boom Stick's initial request (again, my ignorance shines brightly here; as my very limited background is in industry).
 
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cv3po

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Just search CPF for "throwers"

BTW: Rzr800.............................what!?
 
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guardpost3

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ok, in addition to my full time security job, i have been a volunteer firefighter for almost ten years. i have had a streamlight survivor for about six years and it is intrinsically safe as my department requires. even if your department does not require it i cant see why you wouldent get it if you could. i have had this light thru a flashover and it is a bit warped but still works great. it is an incandecent and the bulb is pointed back twards the reflector to reduce spill. FYI streamlight just came out with an LED version that i would consider getting. pelican has one too it is called the big ed. just my .02
 

LukeA

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The tightest beam, no spill light would be a aspheric maglite.

I initially read this thread with the intention to recommend the aspheric mag, but there's no guarantee that it could survive the conditions that the OP needs his light to survive.
 

MikeLip

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Been there. Best advice is to keep the light low and away from your face. Bright doesn't count, beam control does.

You might want to try a light that is almost all throw like the Olight T20 (no, I haven't tried it), but unless it has optics, there will be spill. Don;t run it on full brightness.

Also try perhaps a good incan like a 6P or 9P.

Next time I'll have to drag my A2 into a house with me and see how it does! That tight incan beam might work very well.
 

Rzr800

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BTW: Rzr800.............................what!?

#165
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cv3po
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Re: SMJLED2- New, Better, Brighter, Cheap, and Soon
"...seems like an odd answer to a straight question...."



Sounds like I'm not the only one you're having problems with up here...
 

LukeA

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#165
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Re: SMJLED2- New, Better, Brighter, Cheap, and Soon
"...seems like an odd answer to a straight question...."



Sounds like I'm not the only one you're having problems with up here...

That post is from over three months ago, and your initial post in this thread didn't make sense to me either.
 

sawlight

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Old syle L1?
Nice tight beam, two levels, high should work good, and low will not hurt you're night vision. LED so no chance of sparking.
Just a thought.
 

Rzr800

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That post is from over three months ago, and your initial post in this thread didn't make sense to me either.

Then 'buck up' and tell me what you don't understand in terms of what I have offered instead of immediately following in lockstep with this other guy. When I have to get into what's acceptable in terms of conversing back and forth in an amiable manner...I tend not to bother explaining myself any more than I should have to concerning this concept.
 
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LukeA

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Then 'buck up' and tell me what you don't understand in terms of what I have offered instead of immediately following in lockstep with this other guy. When I have to get into what's acceptable in terms of conversing back and forth in an amiable manner...I tend not to bother explaining myself any more than I should have to concerning this concept.

What you wrote didn't have anything to do with the point of the thread. I'm not "following in lockstep with this other guy", I saw that your post didn't have anything to do with the beginning of the thread only a few minutes after you posted it, but I held my tongue until you were so confrontational with cv3po and now me.

You obviously don't have very much to add, so you're going onto the ole ignore list.

Back to the thread:
I still recommend any Pelican Recoil LED light.
 

woodrow

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I would buy a light actually made for fire fighters. The Streamlight SurvivorLED. It has a bright...good throwing thin spot, with a dim/but still usable spillbeam. It is made of heat resistant materials and will not burn your hand (as a steel light will) It will survive a 30' drop and runs on AA alkalines or rechargables.

Again, it is made to use while fighting fires. Plus it fits into your price range. There have been some reviews posted here.
 

scottaw

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Supposedly the newest light for firefighters is the Barbolight, they have their own forum here, so check em out. But personally i have no experience with their products.
 

Rzr800

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"...What you wrote didn't have anything to do with the point of the thread...."

Ahhh;)...now didn't that feel so much better to simply just get that off your chest instead of your "(unknown) didn't make any sense?"...

"...I'm not "following in lockstep with this other guy", I saw that your post didn't have anything to do with the beginning of the thread only a few minutes after you posted it, but I held my tongue until you were so confrontational with cv3po and now me...."

If you're up here "holding your tongue" until somebody (hopefully) chimes in to say but one word ("what")...then I'm guessing that you'll blurt out "confrontational" with more folks than me in the future.

"...You obviously don't have very much to add, so you're going onto the ole ignore list..."

(lol) :)
All I have to add is that I did my very best to not pretend that I knew a damn thing about a firefighter's flashlight requirements. There is not much 'danger' involved in the enjoyment of this hobby beyond blowing something up with the main instrument in it...and I just wanted to say that I am impressed with the number of people up here who actually realize this.

If that qualifies me for the 'ignore' list; well then you'd better get your name on there quick...as I may just say something else at any given moment that truly makes no sense what so ever...and I'd really hate to upset you one bit a second time.:santa:
 
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