I may be wrong, but my impression is that when people talk about "tactical" lights, they mean lights that mainly have a focused beam, with a smaller side spill, as opposed to a floody light. Is my understanding correct? If so I am curious as to why it is so defined? Put differently, why are floody lights not "tactical". What does tactical really mean anyway? Thanks.
Curious: why is "tactical" defined as focused beam?
- Thread starter highseas
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djblank87
Enlightened
The beam of a light honestly has nothing to do with whether a light is tactical or not. The majority of people that use lights in tactical situations will say they want an equal balance of throw and flood.
In here the opinions will always very on beam characteristics but tactical operators like a good equal balance.
Tactical is a floofy buzzword from the firearms community that has also leeched into the light and all-around gear community.
Type of beam is dependent on mission profile. If you are doing search and entry in close quarters, room sweeping I'd never want a pencil-beam. Flood all the way.
Outside? Maybe if you want to use visible light, there are much nicer alternatives without alerting anyone to your presence.
That being said, one of my favorite quotes is:
"Superior gear will never make up for a lack of training or attitude."
Tactical isn't in the 'hardware,' but rather it lies in the 'software' - the one utilizing the device.
That being said, most companies will try to sell tactical lines, and most will be productive. God, I just bought a shotgun that says "Tactical" on the side of it. I guess this also makes me a mall-ninja. *Sigh*
Type of beam is dependent on mission profile. If you are doing search and entry in close quarters, room sweeping I'd never want a pencil-beam. Flood all the way.
Outside? Maybe if you want to use visible light, there are much nicer alternatives without alerting anyone to your presence.
That being said, one of my favorite quotes is:
"Superior gear will never make up for a lack of training or attitude."
Tactical isn't in the 'hardware,' but rather it lies in the 'software' - the one utilizing the device.
That being said, most companies will try to sell tactical lines, and most will be productive. God, I just bought a shotgun that says "Tactical" on the side of it. I guess this also makes me a mall-ninja. *Sigh*
I'm starting to hate products using the buzzword 'tactical' in it. I don't want to be confused with the goofy mall ninja when it comes to a flashlight. :sick2:
That's hilarious on a multitude of levels.
The only thing better would be a nuke that says "tactical" on the side
JNewell
Flashlight Enthusiast
That's really the nub of it. The KX2c is a bit of a mystery to me, since it's supposed to replace the KL4 as a weaponlight head...
gallonoffuel
Enlightened
That's hilarious on a multitude of levels.
The only thing better would be a nuke that says "tactical" on the side
Off-topic:
I fail to see why engraving Tactical on the side of a tactical shotgun is funny. Maybe it is, if you assume all firearms are tactical, but that is not the case. The same receiver for that family of shotguns might also have Sporting, Skeet, Trap, Competition, Field, etc, etc.
Mercaptan, what'd you get?
torpeau
Newly Enlightened
It's a pretty "floofy" term in the firearms community, too.
gratewhitehuntr
Enlightened
The only thing better would be a nuke that says "tactical" on the side
Do they make them?
Where would I get one?
Type III ano ??
Strobe perhaps?
FNH TPS
Yeah, tactical is getting pretty obnoxious, and as always, steer clear of those mall ninjas!
Hrrm, I wonder how hard it would be to make a 'mall ninja' forum-smiley.
I'm also wondering how can a light be defined as a "Tactical" light. Seems nowadays manufacturors like to announce their products as "tactical".
In my opinion the key of a "tactical" light is the switch, which have to have the "click" function, that's to say you can turn on the light by slightly pressing down the switch but not fully, so one can let the light to blink as they want ---- maybe sending Morse Code? I'm not sure.
In my opinion the key of a "tactical" light is the switch, which have to have the "click" function, that's to say you can turn on the light by slightly pressing down the switch but not fully, so one can let the light to blink as they want ---- maybe sending Morse Code? I'm not sure.
Flashlight Aficionado
Enlightened
- Joined
- Jul 12, 2006
- Messages
- 834
FN Striker-6 tactical light from page Mercaptan linked.
Still trying to figure out if it is a twisty or a clicky.
Still trying to figure out if it is a twisty or a clicky.
StandardBattery
Flashlight Enthusiast
:sick2: :twothumbs 
greenLED
Flashaholic
Neither; it's a gimmick.
Surefire defined the "tactical light" industry. Read up on the history and founding of the company.
Surefire lights in general have fixed focus beams with lots of floodlight sidespill. The quote jNewell used in his post
"Type of beam is dependent on mission profile. If you are doing search and entry in close quarters, room sweeping I'd never want a pencil-beam. Flood all the way."
Is right on the money.
It's typical of a newbie to come on the board here and say something like "I want an eye searing beam that will reach out 800 yards and light up a tree" They almost never need it, it not practical they just want bragging rights (which is ok ) I usually recommend a laser pointer
FN Striker-6 tactical light from page Mercaptan linked.
Still trying to figure out if it is a twisty or a clicky.
:green::huh:
Very good way of putting that.
GeneralTsao
Banned
- Joined
- Sep 11, 2008
- Messages
- 41
Everyone is jumping into the tactical bandwagon lately and they seem to be doing pretty well.
I think tactical lights are the ones aimed for the LE market but rather people are taking the wrong message because it's being diluted by poor marketing strategies from the manufacturers.
I think tactical lights are the ones aimed for the LE market but rather people are taking the wrong message because it's being diluted by poor marketing strategies from the manufacturers.
