How much use do your medium to large sized LED lights really get?

[HighlanderNorth]

Obviously most of us dont carry Fenix TK70's strapped to our belts as EDC lights. WE carry smaller lights, but the smaller lights just cant provide that field illuminating brightness or monster throw that seems so cool and impressive. Most of us probably dont need that 2000+ lumens of brightness or 50,000-250,000 lux that these lights can output either, although some of us might. Yet its still cool to have lights that can illuminate large areas or throw a beam over 200+ yards, so we buy these big lights for those more rare occasions that they may come in handy.

But how often do we end up using them in real life? I've had my TN-30 for over 6 months, and I've only actually used its medium to higher levels once.... I live on a cul de sac in the 'burbs, so going out after dark with a 2700 lumen light just isnt practical and it would probably annoy the neighbors. My TK41 is in the same boat. With it, I just dont have the distance outside my house to take advantage of its throw. Plus we have houses all around, and street lights outside. My last house was much better suited to using these lights, unfortunately I didnt own the more powerful ones when I still lived there on that rural, 1-1/4 acre property with a big field on the other side of the road, and no street lights.

The only way I can get any use out of these larger lights now is to go for a drive out into the country, pull off the side of the road, and shine them on something til a car rides by and the people wonder what the heck I'm up to!

So unfortunately the bigger lights I own dont really get used much. That also includes the higher modes on my single 18650 lights and my multi-AA lights as well. If I was in a better, darker situation more removed from surrounding houses, I'd take them outside and shine them around all the time, but thats not in the cards where I live now.

How often do you use your more powerful lights, or how often do you just go and check them out after dark on their higher settings?

 

[Larbo]

My edc includes a TN-11 during the day and also at night a Nitecore TM11,gotta love cargo pants with alot of big pockets.

 

[Kaban]

I plan on using my Fenix TK40, Jetbeam RRT-3, and Surefire UB3T on night fishing trips. When you're out on the river in a secluded spot in the forest....it's pitch black. And at night you hear all sorts of noises that you never notice during the day... I assume the throw and good light output of these types of lights should do the trick in spotting what I want to see during these situations. Do I really need them? I guess you can argue that....but it's definitely nice to have.

 

[magnum70383]

I carry a zebralight S6330 in my winter jacket everyday. It packs 2400+ lumens and it's half the size as my TK41. I use it all around the house since I never turn on the lights. There was a time where I thought someone was breaking into my neighbors house. I turned my bad boy to max and lit up her entire house. Ended up she was just fixing her door... It's really awesome how small and powerful this light is. It's with me instead of being stashed away at my house!

 

[ShineOnYouCrazyDiamond]

My small handful of big (not huge) guns lights include:
- EagleTac G25C2 MK1 (not a big gun but great throw and powerful enough that use on high is generally never needed)
- JetBeam RRT-3
- Mac's MiniHID (upgraded to Ushio Solarc NGX 14W HID system [almost a drop-in replacement] - 1000 lumens of pure throw)

Do I really need any of them, definitely NOT.
- The EagleTac is a great light for walking in the woods but I don't do that very often. Maybe get's used for real 3-4 times a year. Other than that playtime.
- RRT-3 XM-L2 triple. This is a huge combo of throw and flood and is my garage work light. I use it a few times a year for real when working on the car.
- Mac's MiniHID. This light has no real purpose for me although I have brought it for walks in the woods. It is a complete handheld throw monster and will make things at 150 yards show up almost clear as day. It's a toy but darn fun to pull out every once in a while to put a smile on my face.

I find smaller lights that can put out 50 or so lumens for hours on end and 200-300 lumens on high for brief moments get the most use.

 

[n2deep]

This is me to a T!!!! I sure my neighbors are always wondering "why the hell is he shining a light on that tree at the end of the street"
.

 

[Kaban]

This is me to a T!!!! I sure my neighbors are always wondering "why the hell is he shining a light on that tree at the end of the street"
.

LMFAO..... this is comedy gold!

Some people just don't understand...but don't worry, we at CPF understand

 

[roadkill1109]

my big boys, 800+ and up lumen lights stay at home most of the time, they come with me only when the job i will be doing requires big lighting. I also use them when there's an extended power failure at home and i distribute them around the house for emergency lighting. (we've stopped using candles now)

Any of my other six (6) EDC lights are enough for my daily tasks. Two in service, four backup lights.

 

[HotWire]

I love my big lights, but use them less than smaller flashlights. I like to have a small Peak in my pocket and a Jetbeam PA 10 in my shirt pocket. That way I can instantly see what needs to be seen. Most of my older Surefires have become shelf queens. My large lights are kept charged and ready to go even though they get less use.

 

[yoyoman]

Great question and thread.

Forget the neighboors. My wife is always wondering why I get a glass a scotch and an armful of lights and go out and shine the lights at trees. One night was very foggy and she just couldn't understand why I was so excited.

I have a Fenix TK35 and, to be honest, I don't use it that much. I don't even keep it in my knapsack all the time. But when I know I'm going to need the extended runtime or brightness, I throw it in the pack. The TK35 is not that big either.

Then there are the throwers - they get even less use than the TK35, which is floody. Again, when I know that I'm going to need them, I throw them in the knapsack.

I live in Switzerland - about 15 minutes from Geneva - and there are farm fields, cow pastures and an apple orchid just across the street from my house. So some nights I put a few lights in my coat pocket, grab the dog and go for a walk. It is just for fun, but it really is fun for us flashoholics. And that's the point - sometimes I use the lights as tools and sometimes I use them as toys. I think that's fine.

 

[CarpentryHero]

In my experience, my big lights get use when I make a poing to make sure and use them. For bringing them to work, I put them in the lunchbox with there holster (if I have one for it) and off I go. If its too large for that I stop at my work van and put er in before parking. On days off if I'm visiting any of my friends that have an acreage I bring along a couple, either for something to talk about or a just for the fun of it. You have to put it in your head that your going to use them and Get er done, otherwise only buy lights that fit in your coat or pocket and miss out on a whole lot of AWESOME.
I didn't buy my TK75 to edc, I bought it to wow myself and to use when I need a lot of light in a reasonable size

bringing a light to work will brighten your day

 

[mgscheue]

The only way I can get any use out of these larger lights now is to go for a drive out into the country, pull off the side of the road, and shine them on something til a car rides by and the people wonder what the heck I'm up to!

So I'm not the only one who does that.

I've realized I'm pretty much the same way. I like my TN30 and TN31 a lot but I think I do prefer smaller lights: P60 size and less.

There's a long line of trees in our neighborhood that goes through our backyard and our neighbors' yards. I'm always going out in the backyard and shining lights up into the the treas. I'm sure the neighbors wonder what the heck I'm doing. We also have a rental property in a much more rural area. There I can shine my lights into the trees and across the fields without worrying much about looking like an eccentric. Though I am and I suppose I don't really care that much who knows it.

 

[twl]

I live in a rural area, so I use my larger lights for around the house and yard. I mostly leave them on the shelf, and when I go out in the yard at night, I bring one.
For everything else, I use my EDC.
On sporadic occasions, I will bring both the EDC and one of the larger lights in a belt holster or coat pocket, if I am planning to stay out all night or camping or something like that.

I think it's a fairly universal maxim that if it doesn't fit in your pocket easily, you won't be using it much, unless carrying a big light on your belt is part of your job.

 

[Admiralgrey]

Yep I'm lucky to have a job that allows me to exercise my beasts of throw. Reminding people to turn on their headlights will occur at least once or twice a night. I like to think about those averted crashes when my feet are getting cold on a project's price tag.

If it was not for that then I would be reduced to the rare night fishing trips, camping, or planned flashlight adventure walks. One more excuse to head into the great outdoors!

 

[BillD]

I use my Big Bruiser or Skyray King almost every night. I live on a one acre wooded lot and its very dark when I have outside chores at night, so I take one of these lights with me. I also use it to search around my property when my dog begins barking at night when he's outside. I want to spot any intruders, animal or human, as quickly as possible and there is no substitute for max lumens. I've also used the big lights to check out a neighbors house when their alarm activated and they were away on vacation. I could do a quick scan right from my yard and verify that nothing was amiss. I've also found that the SRK makes a great emergency light on low power with a diffuser, so that can become a dual purpose light, especially since it will run for a long time on low.

In honesty, however, most people don't need a light as powerful as these, but it is sure nice to have one when you can really use it.

 

[Jash]

I use my big lights about 1/3 the time I need portable illumination. Time wise, my big lights win hands down as walking the dog takes at least 45 minutes and I usually use the TK41 or even a modded 3-4D Maglite. Sometimes I use a smaller light but not often.

Bought an E50 recently, and it will likely replace about half a dozen lights from the mighty MD2 up to the modded 4D. It's about as perfect an all rounder as I could want.

Might be time to gift some lights away!

 

[Vortus]

Just depends on my access to them. If I can, I grab the bigger light more ofthen than not. I like the run time and the brightness.

 

[LGT]

I work outdoors for an electric company. My medium to large sized lights, Thru-Nite Catapult, ArmyTek Predator and Viking all get plenty of use when the situation arises. It could vary between once to ten times a month.

 

[ScaryFatKidGT]

This is why I got a TN31 and I am planning on one of saab's modded ones

 

[Vortus]

Nightly. Little lights for little jobs like looking under the couch. But going out in the yard at night i dont want to search the yard or back area with a small light. I want it all lit up right now. I could tun on the flood and spot lights on the house, but then I couldn't play with my lights....