Jaywalk3r
Banned
I don't like to be unarmed, and I don't like the stigma that can come from carrying weapons. The best compromise I've found is to carry a flashlight with a yawara stick form factor. I have some 6P's and an M2, but my hands are large enough to include consider them as illuminating yawara sticks, although they could work if that's all I had with me. While I still haven't found the perfect light in the yawara stick form factor, I have found some that I like pretty well.
From top to bottom:
SureFire E2d: I was surprised by how much I liked this light when I got it. It fits and feels very nice in my hand. I like how the crenellated tail cap effectively recesses the clicky switch, but the extra diameter doesn't lend itself so well to poking into soft fleshy areas. The tail cap does lend itself well to tail standing, which is a very practical benefit in a small light, since it is far more likely to be used for illumination than self defense. I don't like the crenellated bezel. Aside from having a significant (detrimental, IMO) effect on the beam shape, it looks too aggressive for my tastes. That aggressive look is counterproductive when my goal is for the light to not look like a weapon. I do have a standard E2e bezel on the way, which has much more subtle crenellations. Beyond that, I plan to swap out the lamp assembly in order to accommodate rechargeable batteries. I should add that I believe the E2d's strengths far outweigh its weaknesses.
Fenix PD30: This light is my EDC, and the closest I've come to finding perfection in this form factor. Both the bezel and tail cap are crenellated, but done subtly, having no noticeable effect on the beam shape nor drawing attention to the light as a potential weapon. The light also has multiple modes and a very well designed UI. On max, it is the brightest of my lights in this form factor. It accepts 17340 LiFEPO4 (my preferred chemistry) cells without any modification. My biggest complaint with this light is that it tail stands only precariously. I also wish it were just a little bit longer, but that's the price I pay for preferring CR123A sized cells over AA sized cells. (Incidentally, this particular light has a serial number ending in 00099.
:thumbsup: )
ASP Tungsten 2: I had very high hopes when I bought this light. In some ways, it lives up to my expectations; in others I was very disappointed. The fit and finish of the light are nothing short of outstanding. I'm especially impressed with the slim barrel and the fine knurling. Of these three lights, I think the ASP has the best length for use as a kubotan. The tail switch rotates into three positions, lock out, constant on, and momentary on. The latter two positions still require pressing the button at the tail. In constant on, the switch works like most forward clicky switches, in that a partial press works as momentary on. Output is similar to a P60L (ASP claims 79 lumens on their site. I've found other documentation that claims 125 lumens at the emitter an 90 lumens out the front.) Unfortunately, between the plastic smooth reflector and the lexan lens, the beam quality is easily the worst of the three lights, very ringy and very cool. I was disappointed to find that neither end of the Tungsten seems particularly well suited for striking, nor does the tail cap seem well suited for poking soft fleshy areas, except possibly in lock out mode. The light does work with both 3.2V and 3.6V rechargeable cells. Overall, I think the Tungsten is a pretty good light and adequate yawara stick, but it excels in neither category.
Do you have any yawara stick sized lights? What do you like and dislike about them? Post pictures, if possible.
From top to bottom:
SureFire E2d: I was surprised by how much I liked this light when I got it. It fits and feels very nice in my hand. I like how the crenellated tail cap effectively recesses the clicky switch, but the extra diameter doesn't lend itself so well to poking into soft fleshy areas. The tail cap does lend itself well to tail standing, which is a very practical benefit in a small light, since it is far more likely to be used for illumination than self defense. I don't like the crenellated bezel. Aside from having a significant (detrimental, IMO) effect on the beam shape, it looks too aggressive for my tastes. That aggressive look is counterproductive when my goal is for the light to not look like a weapon. I do have a standard E2e bezel on the way, which has much more subtle crenellations. Beyond that, I plan to swap out the lamp assembly in order to accommodate rechargeable batteries. I should add that I believe the E2d's strengths far outweigh its weaknesses.
Fenix PD30: This light is my EDC, and the closest I've come to finding perfection in this form factor. Both the bezel and tail cap are crenellated, but done subtly, having no noticeable effect on the beam shape nor drawing attention to the light as a potential weapon. The light also has multiple modes and a very well designed UI. On max, it is the brightest of my lights in this form factor. It accepts 17340 LiFEPO4 (my preferred chemistry) cells without any modification. My biggest complaint with this light is that it tail stands only precariously. I also wish it were just a little bit longer, but that's the price I pay for preferring CR123A sized cells over AA sized cells. (Incidentally, this particular light has a serial number ending in 00099.
:thumbsup: )ASP Tungsten 2: I had very high hopes when I bought this light. In some ways, it lives up to my expectations; in others I was very disappointed. The fit and finish of the light are nothing short of outstanding. I'm especially impressed with the slim barrel and the fine knurling. Of these three lights, I think the ASP has the best length for use as a kubotan. The tail switch rotates into three positions, lock out, constant on, and momentary on. The latter two positions still require pressing the button at the tail. In constant on, the switch works like most forward clicky switches, in that a partial press works as momentary on. Output is similar to a P60L (ASP claims 79 lumens on their site. I've found other documentation that claims 125 lumens at the emitter an 90 lumens out the front.) Unfortunately, between the plastic smooth reflector and the lexan lens, the beam quality is easily the worst of the three lights, very ringy and very cool. I was disappointed to find that neither end of the Tungsten seems particularly well suited for striking, nor does the tail cap seem well suited for poking soft fleshy areas, except possibly in lock out mode. The light does work with both 3.2V and 3.6V rechargeable cells. Overall, I think the Tungsten is a pretty good light and adequate yawara stick, but it excels in neither category.
Do you have any yawara stick sized lights? What do you like and dislike about them? Post pictures, if possible.
