Help me understand why I need my M6 (and other long throw lights)

[ShineOnYouCrazyDiamond]

Spending the weekend at the in-laws in Mass and went for a long forest walk tonight after it got really dark. Brought with me:

A2
E2e w/ 17670 and HO-E1R (w/ diffuser)
M3 with 2x18500 and Ho-M3T
M6 w 3x17670 and HO-M6R w. AW SoftStart

Followed a nice long trail up and down hill to the lake and played around on the frozen dock.

To my point. In the woods the E2e and A2 were more than plenty to navigate the trail and the M3 let me see as far as I could through the trees into the forest.

I tried to make use of the M6 but even on low it was too throwy for the trails. On high it didn't help me see further into the woods and when I hit a close tree with the beam I was slightly blinded. The only time it helped out more was hitting the far shores of the frozen over lake, which I could also hit to a larger extent with the M3.

I have a bunch of lights with the KT4 head and lots of throw and I guess I am looking for some examples of where/when I could make better use of them. Or when you guys find the M6 most useful.

 

[LuxLuthor]

For harsh interrogations of suspected terrorists.

 

[Steve in SoCal]

I find that the M series flashlights with KT4 heads are most useful from about 10 yards and out. I also have found that the M6 is not a great "constant on" walking light due to the focused beam and high rate of power consumption. I recently picked up a diffuser for the KT4 and I now love it for indoor use and for 0-20 yard usage.

 

[ShineOnYouCrazyDiamond]

For harsh interrogations of suspected terrorists.

Thanks Lux - :laughing: I'm glad I have the CB version of the head so I can smash skulls better.

I find that the M series flashlights with KT4 heads are most useful from about 10 yards and out. I also have found that the M6 is not a great "constant on" walking light due to the focused beam and high rate of power consumption. I recently picked up a diffuser for the KT4 and I now love it for indoor use and for 0-20 yard usage.

That's exactly what I was finding in the woods was that up close the spot was too small and intense and it actually hurt my eyes. I do have a diffuser for the KT4 and that did help a bit, but I didn't use it so much since I was testing out some of the other lights.

In all fairness the A2 did definitely shine through as the best overall light if I could have only had one light for the walk. I have the YG version and I sure if I had let my night vision adapt that it would have been fine for navigating the trails.

The E2e with HO and a 17670 combo'd with the M3 was also a great combo.

 

[jaundice]

I've found that for me, the best combo for night walks in the woods is a soft, exxtremely low floody beam like a zebralight on low. This allows me to see where I'm going and not trip without ruining my night vision. I keep a thrower in my hand, but off, so I can light up anything at a distance. This pretty much matches your experience.

As for the M6, well, it's designed to put out maximum lumens for a short amount of time. In that sense, it's sort of specialized.

I mostly use my M6 with an LED tower, which gives ~200 lumens for about 8 hours or so off of 3x17670s.

-John

 

[Dioni]

Indeed, in the woods we mostly don't need so output, I guess no more than 100 lumens are need to orientation. I have used my M6 with MN20 on 2x18650 for long throw.

For harsh interrogations of suspected terrorists.

 

[ShineOnYouCrazyDiamond]

Understanding that can you share a situation where the power and throw would really be used?

I live in a city and don't really get a lot of chances to let the light stretch it's legs - so I'd kinda like to find a place to do so.

 

[OfficerCamp]

When I was first getting into the "gear game" when I was first being introduced to my security/law enforcement jobs, I was caught up in the more/farther/longer aspect of flashlights. I even bought an Eagletac T20C2 because it supposedly had slightly more throw than my E2DL. Something funny happened with the T20C2 though...
One night, I was playing with the filters, and I decided to try out the diffuser; I have been forever a changed man. I could see so much more off to the sides of me and the beam had a pleasant "blanket" effect on the ground. Sure, it didn't throw far at all (25' max range), but it was so useful I couldn't believe it. I have adopted the saying "throw is for show", and now most of my lights use either an SST50 or an MC-E (all warm white). These emitters provide a much floodier beam than the single die/compact format emitters, and I love them dearly. I recently sold my M4 in the marketplace because I felt my M3 with a Nailbender MC-E module did a MUCH better job.
Throw has its uses, but for my money (and yours) diffused, beautiful, floody light is the ticket to happiness.

 

[Dioni]

Understanding that can you share a situation where the power and throw would really be used?

I live in a city and don't really get a lot of chances to let the light stretch it's legs - so I'd kinda like to find a place to do so.

Well, as the M6 was made focusing the military and LE I can't go wrong citing it. Where I work in LE we commonly need a good throwing light. The mostly occurrences occur during night. There are more situations, but is more certain that it involves open fields.

 

[ShineOnYouCrazyDiamond]

Throw has its uses, but for my money (and yours) diffused, beautiful, floody light is the ticket to happiness.

Yes - the diffuser is a nice tool to have on a throwy light. Was walking around with an EO-E1R in the E2e with a 17670 tonight and that with the M3 was again a wonderful combo to have.

Well, as the M6 was made focusing the military and LE I can't go wrong citing it. Where I work in LE we commonly need a good throwing light. The mostly occurrences occur during night. There are more situations, but is more certain that it involves open fields.

Thanks for the scenario - it's kinda what I was expecting to hear. I don't expect that I will be tracking someone across a field anytime soon - I imaging that some of my high power stuff will be going on the marketplace soon, but no way I'm gonna be able to sell it all.

 

[RichS]

I'm Kind of surpised to hear the question about the value of a long-throw light like the M6 when talking about going on night hikes. This one of my favorite things to do with my fellow flashaholic buddies so we can try out our latest builds or light purchases, and a long-throwing light is not only valued, it is a must on these excursions. We typically go to nearby parks with bike-paths that have thick woods that wind around. Most have streams and rivers along side, and plenty of wild life and always strange "noises" that make everyone stop dead in our tracks. The big lights are out most of the time looking far down the trail or deep in the woods for any type of wild-life or even fellow friendly (or possibly unfriendly) "night-hikers". It's also very useful to look far down the trail to see if any of the home-owners that happen to live on the edge of the trail are out looking for folks who shouldn't be out on the trail after closing for those times we just couldn't bring ourselves to leave at park closing...😗

None of my floody or short throw lights cover even near enough distance to make any of us feel comfortable on these night hikes. Even my M6 w/ HO-M6R doesn't cover near the length of the trail on some long stretches. One straight trail goes so far, we took my POB 35W HID spotlight to see how far it would be effective down the trail. It covered about 75% of the trail, but didn't quite light up the far end.

Anyway, as I've been using my lights to take night-hikes ever since I got into this hobby and know how much we all depend on the "throwers" on these hikes, I just thought it was strange for anyone to ask such a question. :candle:

 

[Paul_in_Maryland]

throw vs. flood

Something funny happened with the T20C2 though...
One night, I was playing with the filters, and I decided to try out the diffuser; I have been forever a changed man. I could see so much more off to the sides of me and the beam had a pleasant "blanket" effect on the ground. Sure, it didn't throw far at all (25' max range), but it was so useful I couldn't believe it.

Yep: I own an EagleTac P20A2, which came with a screw-on diffuser lens. I screwed it on and have yet to take it off.

I have adopted the saying "throw is for show", and now most of my lights use either an SST50 or an MC-E (all warm white). These emitters provide a much floodier beam than the single die/compact format emitters, and I love them dearly. I recently sold my M4 in the marketplace because I felt my M3 with a Nailbender MC-E module did a MUCH better job.
Throw has its uses, but for my money (and yours) diffused, beautiful, floody light is the ticket to happiness.

I couldn't agree more. Throw may be how flashaholicism lures recruits, but a year later, many flashaholics come to see the value of a broad beam. I dare say, for every flood lover who decides he needs more throw, there are probably 2 or 3 throw lovers who decide they need more flood.

 

[RichS]

Re: throw vs. flood

I couldn't agree more. Throw may be how flashaholicism lures recruits, but a year later, many flashaholics come to see the value of a broad beam. I dare say, for every flood lover who decides he needs more throw, there are probably 2 or 3 throw lovers who decide they need more flood.

It was just the opposite for me. The laser-beam throw of the DBS lured me in, and then I found wonderful flood and turned into a flood guy. I bought the M60F, ordered a heavy stipple reflector to use with a Mag61, got the F04 diffuser for my L1, etc...but in my favorite application of lights I realized that throw was a necessity, and focused on putting together a few good incandescent throwers.

Flood lights are great around the house and yard, which is where lights are used most of the time. But out on hikes and camping where you want to see what's out there well before you get there, you need you some good throw. When we were watching my sister's dog and it got loose in our development where there are lots of open fields and woods, we were glad I had a throwy Mag85. We found the dog in no time due to it's reach and crazy output. No flood light would have been helpful in that situation. I also love grabbing my M6 or throwy Mag85 to see if there are any deer out in the field across from house that sometimes wander out of the woods. Or when I'm checking for coyotes when I take the dogs for a walk down our access road, a flood light would simply be useless. Sometimes I'll just quickly grab my G3 w/ P90 and even it doesn't have enough reach.

But again, if it is out in the open outdoors that you are using your throw lights, you will have an appreciation for them. If not, you won't.

 

[jaundice]

Yep, you either have an application where you need throw, or you don't. Most people live in cities or suburbs, and those that don't most likely live in the woods. You don't need throw in those places. Probably the activities that need throw are public safety or maybe on a boat. Both of those involve the need to see threats at the longest range possible to avoid them, either people or navigation hazards. If you're not worried about threats, why do you need to waste battery power to have a bright light? It's basically sort of inefficient.

I live in the suburbs, and I like throw for the concentrated light on a point. I don't need the distance, I like/need the greater resolution for what I'm looking at. This is primarily because there's a lot of ambient light where I live, and lower power beams can't cut through it and illuminate the shadows. When I'm in the woods, or anywhere away from ambient light, I prefer lights less than 10 lumens, which I find is plenty bright to see what I need. My favorite light lately is a Surefire U2A, for the ability to set the dial to the light output I need.

When it comes to my M6, I actually find that it puts out a bit too much flood for me. Ditto for most mag builds. The spill is not enough light to really see too much. I would prefer to have a larger hotspot with less spill. I does light up a room very effectively, though.

-John

 

[ShineOnYouCrazyDiamond]

I want to thank all of you for your responses as you have definitely given me some perspective. Sounds like a scene from Ratatouille - "I'll have a little perspective" Hah! 😗

I've been looking around for a xx-lola on 3 li ion cells bulb for the M6 that would last all night. Something that would make a hell of a thrower light into and all night glow stick, and I now realize how silly that search has been. I have an E2e and an A2 and those lights are awesome for a tiny light xx-lola light that'll last 3+ hours depending on the setup.

I went for a walk again last night and used the light for what it was for, and hopping on Google Earth this morning I saw that with a WA1185 and a HO-M6R I was blasting 400 yards across a frozen lake lighting up the trees on the other side.

I don't know if I'll ever really have a real world purpose for these lights - but I now know what the purpose would be if I ever get out camping or biking out in the country.

Thanks guys!!:thumbsup:

 

[ShineOnYouCrazyDiamond]

I'm Kind of surpised to hear the question about the value of a long-throw light like the M6 when talking about going on night hikes. This one of my favorite things to do with my fellow flashaholic buddies so we can try out our latest builds or light purchases. :candle:

Actually a little jealous - wish I lived where this was possible (and also that my wife would enjoy joining me in this endeavor). Only have a small group of friends and they are true NYC crowd. No one has a clue what a real flashlight can do - the brightest flashlight they know of is a cabbie head light.

I may actually get my wife to camping with me this summer so - fingers crossed.

 

[RedLED]

Well, for one thing, at night I rule the neighborhood. Even the police have asked what is that.

We have little craps that get in our private country club at night, and I have run many of them out in fear, as they must think 20 guys are after them.

People do not know how to react to something like the M6!

There was one little freak that I lit up, and he ran away yelling in fear, like he saw a ghost. He may have been hopped up on meth, which is a huge problem in this area. A HUGE problem!