2 new duty light recommendations

[j-moose32]

Looking for two new duty lights. I recently got a Nighstick LGL 160 (1100 lumens) weapon light for my rifle, and this thing blew away my Streamlight Strion that I'm issued and carry every day. The Strion served me well as far as dependable for almost 10 years of hard use but after seeing what's available with new lights, its time to upgrade. I went to the local supply story and got the "Strion HL" which was still dwarfed by the Nighstick weapon light, and will be going back.

So looking to replace the Strion, and then also get a second light that rides shotgun in my duty bag.

Light 1-
6" size area as it is on my belt. Under 250$. 100 yards max, but easily blast the whole front of a house from 15 yards and in, illuminate a garage, blast the whole inside of a car etc.

Light 2 -
Size doesn't matter, it will be in my duty bag, under 300$. I grab this for crime scenes and traffic. I want this to be extremely bright. 100 + yards, lighting up the whole football field type light.

Durability, rechargeable, and holding a charge are top priority, as I work nights exclusively

Lemme know what you guys think

Thank you

 

[Eicca]

I'm feeling an Olight Warrior X or Warrior X Pro for number 2. The X Pro has a bigger battery for longer runtime, but is a proprietary cell. The standard X also takes a "proprietary" 18650 but can be run on 2xCR123s. Both use a very nifty magnetic recharging system, which is proprietary, but super convenient. Both use a "gas pedal" UI where a half press engages the "low" mode of 300 lumens and a full press engages the turbo at 2000+. Maximum throw is 500-600 meters. The standard X has a strobe mode but has to be configured so the default setting is just "low-turbo" which is what I think is best.

The UI does take a bit of getting used to, but I feel like it's actually a win for a duty light. If you're under stress and you need light fast, what are you going to do? Squeeze the button as hard as you can. Doing so gives you direct access to turbo with these lights, no fiddling with side switches and junk. You'd just have to determine if the battery types and charging are something you're ok with.

I really love my Warrior X Pro. I wish I had more excuses to go out in the dark and use it.

 

[j-moose32]

Thanks @eicca for the recommendation. I actually have heard of olight as they are starting to dable into weapon lights. I don't care too much about how it charges, as long as it charges, holds it, and works when I need to. Will check that out for sure for my big light

 

[Buck91]

What are your thoughts on UI for these lights? Sounds like Light 1 needs to be simple. Surefire G2X/6Px type. Maybe elzetta or streamlight or malkoff if you want 18650 rechargeables.

Light 2 is a lot more wide open. I'll be curious to see what's recommended here.

 

[knucklegary]

Duty lights I'd look at Malkoff Devices dot com.. KISS

 

[j-moose32]

What are your thoughts on UI for these lights? Sounds like Light 1 needs to be simple. Surefire G2X/6Px type. Maybe elzetta or streamlight or malkoff if you want 18650 rechargeables.

Light 2 is a lot more wide open. I'll be curious to see what's recommended here.

agreed. Light 1 simple tail cap click on/ off. Double click for strobe. Pressure for momentary on.

Light 2 is more open for sure but if the same or very similar UI to #1 that's fine. I'm just hoping for light #1 I'm not living in fantasy land as far as the brightness goes. I was just absolutely shocked to see how terrible my go to every shift light was compared to just a new weapon light

 

[Scotty321]

I'm pretty impressed with my Nitecore P20i. However, I still gravitate towards the lower lumen Surefires, often for the purely simple UI, CS record, and reliability record.

I think you might want to consider a few things:

1. Floody or spotty... lighting up an entire football field would probably be a combination beam. A spot might illuminate a 10x10 yard sign at 100 yards very well but minimal illumination for the rest of the field, where a flood might be barely visible at 100 yards but light up everything under 50 yards like like you turned the sun on. At around 75 yards, my light with a decent hotspot seems brighter at 280 lumen than my flood at 1,100 lumen at the same distance. However at under 50 yards the flood lights up everything in front of me, while the spot is mostly focused into a small circle I have to aim and scan with, or distracts from the spill area. Similarly, if the spread is so wide that while scanning an area, you are lighting up 3 houses in a row or 10 other emergrency crew when you are trying to just illuminate a certain area, is that good or bad? Have you tried floody lights in the snow, rain or fog? They light up all the fog/snow in front of you, and can make it harder to see things in the distance.
2. Will you need it to fit certain accessories like an orange traffic wand diffuser?
3. Ramp down... how is it 2 minutes into use? 15? 45? Are you looking for a certain runtime with a certain lumen? Some of the smaller, single battery lights are good for 10-90 seconds before their output drops, sometimes as much as 90% under continual load. Are you OK with multiple battery lights? Do you monitor the heat of your light at that bright lumen output for long durations. How much light do you need for longer durations?
4. UI and on/off or changing modes... this is why I keep going back to Surefire for certain duties. Some lights have no momentary on. Some lights take a 1/2 second or so to turn on after you press the button. Some lights require holding the 'on' button for a second or two before the light turns on. Some lights cycle through the modes by holding the button and waiting for the modes to cycle.
5. Are you OK with batteries that are harder to find, e.g. 21700's, 26650's? How about non-replaceable batteries?
6. Are you OK with a proprietary charging connector like on the Olights?
7. Do you want 1 mode, two modes, 5 modes, etc? Strobe? Will you be needing a lower mode for writing reports at night, or checking ID's?
8. Do you want multiple buttons, i.e. an on and off and a mode button? Do you want a tailcap button, side switch, rotary, etc?
9. Do you want hi/turbo to turn on first/always, or do you want mode memory? Different button for each?

I can't find runtime graphs for the Nighstick brand online. It might be worth your time to test it by turning it on for a longer stretch such as how you would use it on the job, and compare the brightness level at the end of that runtime, i.e. for 15-30 minutes and see if the brightness is similar towards the end of the test... Also how hot are the lights at that time?

 

[Dave D]

I posted the below in a similar thread.

There are many lights from many manufacturers to choose from so I have not tried every light available, but i have tried quite a few!

For me 'Cop Lights' can be categorized in three groups Belt Light, Bag Light and back-up.

The stand out lights for me personally at this time are the following:

1. Malkoff M91T MD3, small enough to always be on a duty belt, 750 continuous lumens, 1 1/2 hour runtime on 2 x 18500 batteries. Always comes on in high with the head tight, but has a very useful low mode when the head is loosened slightly.

2. Streamlight Stinger HL DS, 800 lumens, 1 1/2 hour runtime on high, the go too duty light for many Officers. If your department fits Streamlight chargers in your cruisers then this is a no brainer of a choice. In my opinion it's too bulky for a 24/7 belt light but it should be seriously considered for the midnight shift.

3. Streamlight ProTac HL 5-X is a game changer for searches or non tactical use, with an output of 3500 lumens on high and a runtime of 1 1/4 hours but more useful is 1000 lumen mode that will run for 2 1/2 hours. Upgrade the batteries to 3600mAh 18650's and the run times will be even longer. The head size is the same as a Maglite D cell so the traffic wand should also fit the HL-5 for Traffic duty.

4. A back up light should be compact, bright and fueled with lithium primaries. An old Surefire 6P with a Malkoff M61 drop-in and a pair of CR123's for me is ideal.

Above L-R Streamlight ProTac HL 5-X, Streamlight Stinger HL DS and Malkoff M91T MD3.

Whatever you choose, stay safe out there! :thumbsup:

 

[bykfixer]

Dave,
Have you tried the latest MagCharger(s) the ML150LR or LRS (s is for short) or seen your breatheran use them?
I like the Stinger option to have a piggy back charging a backup cell where Maglite does not.

And it has been said here Gene Malkoff is offering M61 modules with the more throwey SST-20 LED.

 

[j-moose32]

I posted the below in a similar thread.

There are many lights from many manufacturers to choose from so I have not tried every light available, but i have tried quite a few!

For me 'Cop Lights' can be categorized in three groups Belt Light, Bag Light and back-up.

The stand out lights for me personally at this time are the following:

1. Malkoff M91T MD3, small enough to always be on a duty belt, 750 continuous lumens, 1 1/2 hour runtime on 2 x 18500 batteries. Always comes on in high with the head tight, but has a very useful low mode when the head is loosened slightly.

2. Streamlight Stinger HL DS, 800 lumens, 1 1/2 hour runtime on high, the go too duty light for many Officers. If your department fits Streamlight chargers in your cruisers then this is a no brainer of a choice. In my opinion it's too bulky for a 24/7 belt light but it should be seriously considered for the midnight shift.

3. Streamlight ProTac HL 5-X is a game changer for searches or non tactical use, with an output of 3500 lumens on high and a runtime of 1 1/4 hours but more useful is 1000 lumen mode that will run for 2 1/2 hours. Upgrade the batteries to 3600mAh 18650's and the run times will be even longer. The head size is the same as a Maglite D cell so the traffic wand should also fit the HL-5 for Traffic duty.

4. A back up light should be compact, bright and fueled with lithium primaries. An old Surefire 6P with a Malkoff M61 drop-in and a pair of CR123's for me is ideal.

Above L-R Streamlight ProTac HL 5-X, Streamlight Stinger HL DS and Malkoff M91T MD3.

Whatever you choose, stay safe out there! :thumbsup:

Great way to put it, belt, bag and backup. Light 1 is for belt, light 2 is for the bag. I actually saw the streamlight protac HL 5-X doing some searching on here and was thinking about that for the bag light. Seems like it is a bright SOB that would be good for searches, traffic etc.

I also heard of Malkoff but dont know much about them, was considering giving them a call this week, heard they are extremely durable. Maybe they have something that will greatly out do the Strion.

As far as the Nightstick and drop off rates, I dont know, but I do know being a rifle mounted light, it wont be on for extended periods of time. Quick hits to illuminate a room etc, its a constant on off, never really on for any extended period (at least for my purposes/ uses).

Im definitely a noob when it comes to preference about batteries, but I don't mind if they are different, as long as they are rechargeable, and hold a charge. There is nothing worse than going to grab your "big" flashlight at 2am as you stand in the street to find that the batteries are dead.

 

[Owen]

What is "traffic" to you, and what are you doing at crime scenes?

 

[Dave D]

Dave,
Have you tried the latest MagCharger(s) the ML150LR or LRS (s is for short) or seen your breatheran use them?
I like the Stinger option to have a piggy back charging a backup cell where Maglite does not.
And it has been said here Gene Malkoff is offering M61 modules with the more throwey SST-20 LED.

I was put off Maglites in the 80's and haven't tried the latest incarnations, hopefully they've done away with the doughnut beam effect.

I only recommend lights that I've actually some experience with and I don't own any the newer Maglites so feel free to recommend what you think would be suitable.

With reference to the SST-20 M61 has anyone done an outdoor beam comparison and runtimes etc?

 

[j-moose32]

traffic is anything from a busy 6 lane road, to smaller 2 lane side streets trying not to get ran the hell over. Over head emergency lights are like magnets, everyone stares at em/ drives towards them. This is where I try to blind people quickly when they are far away to get there attention that someone is in the road.

Scenes are usually looking for stuff on the ground in the road, yard, sidewalk etc... use your imagination for a city lol

 

[Scotty321]

I posted the below in a similar thread...

...

The stand out lights for me personally at this time are the following:

1. Malkoff M91T MD3, small enough to always be on a duty belt, 750 continuous lumens, 1 1/2 hour runtime on 2 x 18500 batteries. Always comes on in high with the head tight, but has a very useful low mode when the head is loosened slightly.

2. Streamlight Stinger HL DS, 800 lumens, 1 1/2 hour runtime on high, the go too duty light for many Officers. If your department fits Streamlight chargers in your cruisers then this is a no brainer of a choice. In my opinion it's too bulky for a 24/7 belt light but it should be seriously considered for the midnight shift.

3. Streamlight ProTac HL 5-X is a game changer for searches or non tactical use, with an output of 3500 lumens on high and a runtime of 1 1/4 hours but more useful is 1000 lumen mode that will run for 2 1/2 hours. Upgrade the batteries to 3600mAh 18650's and the run times will be even longer. The head size is the same as a Maglite D cell so the traffic wand should also fit the HL-5 for Traffic duty.

4. A back up light should be compact, bright and fueled with lithium primaries. An old Surefire 6P with a Malkoff M61 drop-in and a pair of CR123's for me is ideal.

Above L-R Streamlight ProTac HL 5-X, Streamlight Stinger HL DS and Malkoff M91T MD3.

Whatever you choose, stay safe out there! :thumbsup:

I bookmarked this post. Thanks for the info!