I felt weird carrying a light last night...

[hoongern]

If you're really worried about looking weird, you can always just take a small 1xAAA light! I carry my Liteflux LF2XT on a lanyard around my neck, and it's out of the way unless I need it. (If it gets in the way, you can always clip your 1xAAA lights to your pants, but make sure it's secured so it doesn't fall off and go missing!

 

[NewlandPhotography]

I always carry a light no matter what the lighting situation. You could have easily ran off path and needed one!

 

[THE_dAY]

Last night I went for a jog and brought my AA Inova X1 with me. I live in a well lit city and so flashlight is not needed. It felt pretty weird holding the light while jogging because I absolutely have no use for it. Should of left it in my car.

Anyone else bring a light to an event but it's not needed and felt weird?

Don't worry, it wasn't your fault, it was the lights fault.

Next time buy the light you are "lusting" after, then you will never feel weird carrying it, infact if will be quite the opposite.

 

[FRITZHID]

same principal as a condom... better to have and not need than need and not have, i smoke but not in my apt, so i go outside, and i carry my 3aaa mini tac 5w with me every time, and has come in handy more times than i can count, when i walk to the store up the road in bad weather, i take my 35w HID with me.... cant miss seeing a bright @ss white light like that crossing the road. and again has come in handy many a time, the neighborhood i live in isn't crime ridden but then again, EVERYONE knows that theres this "big bald guy w/a really REALLY bright light hanging out around and if he see's ya, he'll shine your @ss up like day time!" lmao

 

[Zeruel]

Anyone else bring a light to an event but it's not needed and felt weird?

Yeah, I'll feel weird because I would normally bring at least TWO lights.

 

[Tana]

Weird ??? No... I have a small holster with E1E+LumensFactory E Head on my belt all the time PLUS if I'm going into the night, I'm grabbing either MD2+M61W or L2T+NailbenderXML... why would someone feel weird about such a great hobby, anyway...

Never thought about flashlight as a defensive weapon, though...

 

[LEDninja]

I got caught with a working light but dead battery during the big blackout of 2003 and had to feel my way up 7 flights of stairs. Never again! Now I have 2 backups to my EDC when I leave my apartment.

Don't feel weird. You just have not run into a situation where you need light but don't have one - yet.

 

[damn_hammer]

Dr Beerwax diagnoses 'inadequate light stowage syndrome'. if you can find a better way to carry that light rather than in your hand these unwanted feelings will subside, returning you to 'flashaholic bliss'.

cheers

i agree. on early morning, or later afternoon runs i take either my zebralight sc51c, or lumapower incendio v3u xm-l. both have a clip. i clip it to my waistband, passers by don't see it, you won't feel it, and it's within easy reach when/if needed. i favor the lumapower.

 

[fyrstormer]

Uh...no, I've never brought a flashlight somewhere and felt silly for having it. Then again, I carried a Victorinox MiniChamp with me in high school -- I even loaned it to a teacher a couple of times. Would've been an automatic 2-year suspension if I'd been caught. Talk about feeling silly, I'd have felt damn silly if that had happened. Fortunately I had the good sense to not misuse it, and nothing bad ever happened. Funny how that works.

Unfortunately the Anglosphere is moving steadily in the direction of adopting the attitude that only experts and professionals have any business being equipped to handle unusual circumstances. Somehow that even extends to tools that have no feasible use as offensive weapons, such as flashlights. Most English-speaking countries are "ahead" of the USA in that regard. There are stories on here of Australian cops hassling people for having flashlights brighter than the ones the cops had. Ticks me off to no end.

I've definitely gotten a few odd looks for having a flashlight at work, and a few odd comments as well. I return the odd looks, and the odd comments I respond to with a reminder of the most recent power outage and how I was the only person on my floor of the building with a flashlight. I don't need a specific reason to carry a knife, or a multi-tool, or a flashlight, any more than I need a specific reason to carry a pen, and I refuse to entertain any suggestion that I should need such a reason. Being accosted for carrying a pen that could be used to stab someone when I don't have a specific need to write something on a given day might sound like an absurd scenario, but as long as people willingly back down whenever questioned about their personal effects, someday it won't be absurd at all. After all, couldn't you just send a text message? It's safer than using a sharp pointy pen.

 

[dealgrabber2002]

Dr Beerwax diagnoses 'inadequate light stowage syndrome'. if you can find a better way to carry that light rather than in your hand these unwanted feelings will subside, returning you to 'flashaholic bliss'.

cheers

That could be it. I don't have a good way to carry the light.

I don't edc light(s) because my job does not require me to. And when I go jogging, I wear those basketball short. The one I have does not have pocket and the lights I have do not have clips. But even with clips, I doubt it will clip to those type of materials.

Please don't revoke my flashaholic membership.

 

[trevordurden]

i agree. on early morning, or later afternoon runs i take either my zebralight sc51c, or lumapower incendio v3u xm-l. both have a clip. i clip it to my waistband, passers by don't see it, you won't feel it, and it's within easy reach when/if needed. i favor the lumapower.

Holding anything your hand while running feels weird to me, whether it be a water bottle, pedometer or flashlight. I love holsters/sheaths. my experience with them is that they're a lot better for running around or doing activities compared to clips.

 

[AFKAN]

Always have at least one light on me

But on Tuesdays I normally head round to see my Mum

On the way back I pass through a park. Not a big park, so naturally I take my RRT3 :devil:

Utter utter overkill but it sticks a mahoosive smile on my face

 

[fyrstormer]

That could be it. I don't have a good way to carry the light.

I don't edc light(s) because my job does not require me to. And when I go jogging, I wear those basketball short. The one I have does not have pocket and the lights I have do not have clips. But even with clips, I doubt it will clip to those type of materials.

Sounds like you need a paracord lanyard, one with a clasp at one end and a loop at the other, so it can hold the light at both ends and let you palm-carry the flashlight the same way you'd carry a camcorder. Alternately, 4Sevens has a rubber version of the same thing which might fit whatever light you carry when jogging.

It's better to carry the light in your hand when you're out-and-about, assuming you have no other need for your hands, because the time it takes to stop, unclip the light from your pocket, get it oriented in your hand, and turn it on can be critical if you really need to see if that guy walking towards you has a wrench in his hand.

 

[duro]

I'm not trying to bash you, but maybe get a little more confidence. You shouldn't spend your time thinking what others might think about you. Being considerate is one thing, but if you feel the need to play with a light, or even use one, then by all means do so. Life is short man. Live your life the way that you see fit and don't sweat the small stuff.

 

[fresh eddie fresh]

As long as you leave it off, I think no one will even notice it, but you will be glad you have it if you end up on a darker street with potholes or trash on it.

 

[damn_hammer]

carrying a light in-hand while running isn't natural for me either. that's why it's clipped to the outside right on the waistband unless needed. i've been looking for a sternum strap to attach a zl h501w, or h51w to. think i may end up getting a hydration belt, and then clipping it there.

i wouldn't worry too much either. anyone who runs in basketball shorts shouldn't care about being seen with a flashlight ... lol.

 

[crankitup]

Ok, this is a warning...anymore feeling weird carrying a quality light, and you will be asked to turn in your 'man card'. You should already know that you don't carry a flashlight for the obvious, they are carried for the unintended need. Now carry your light with confidence!

 

[TyJo]

Last night I went for a jog and brought my AA Inova X1 with me. I live in a well lit city and so flashlight is not needed. It felt pretty weird holding the light while jogging because I absolutely have no use for it. Should of left it in my car.

Anyone else bring a light to an event but it's not needed and felt weird?

I only feel weird when running and my light is in my hand, mostly because I think other people can see it and wonder what the hell is in my hand. Now when I run in a well lit area or there is daylight left I only carry a Fenix E01 or E05 on a paracord lanyard around my neck with my house key.

 

[fyrstormer]

There are enough people where I live who use crappy little flashlights while walking their dogs, I doubt anyone wonders whether I have anything dangerous in my hand. And if they suspect it's a can of Mace, well, so much the better. But it's a little too small and wrongly-shaped to be a gun, and missing one too many blades to be a knife.

 

[HotWire]

Preon 2 in my pocket looks like a pen. Peak in my pocket is "invisible." Plenty of light for most things. Extra lights in the car for emergencies. Don't feel weird no matter what you carry. When you need it you'll be glad you have it.