San Bernardino County Sheriff volunteer

[fireluvrandrew]

Hey everybody! this is my first post on your forums.... i love this place already!!! Anyways I am a volunteer with SBSD. I am an Explorer. I go on a lot of ride-alongs with the deputies. Right now I carry a streamlight Ultra-stinger as my main light which I LOVE! Unfortunately since I mostly go on graveyard shift, I often need a backup flashlight, if my main dies... or I leave it in the car. Anyways i have been researching many lights, im looking for a small tactical handheld around $120+-. So far im considering the new pelican "lapd" 6070, the falcata 9v, hellfighter x-15, or something of that sort maybe a surefire.... I really want the biggest punch in the small package. I need a LOAD of lumens... yet a well balanced (as in overall performance) light. according to the web the hellfighter puts out 150 lumens, though i know that might not be accurate... basically i need a good, well built, BRIGHT, solid, and intimidating light. For me the light is not only a tool, but a deterent, since i dont carry weapons, yet have contact with criminals. ANY help would be great guys.... open to any suggestions or knowledge you have of the lights i listed thx!

 

[Bushman5]

:welcome: and a thanks for volunteering! :wave:

 

[fireluvrandrew]

Thankyou!!! And your welcome

Anybody got some suggestions?

 

[KeyGrip]

A NovaTac 120T is more what I would consider small, so I'll suggest that. I think it would be an excellent compliment to your Ultra Stinger.

 

[fireluvrandrew]

thats a nice light, will deffinately consider, although im looking for a little bit bigger.... like the size of a falcata or surefire 9p or somethin...

 

[fireluvrandrew]

although i like the idea of haveing the strobe feature.... very useful

 

[skalomax]

The Pelican seems like a good choice.

Also have a look at Surefire E2L (Cree) for a backup light, It will serve you for hours at bright output.

Fenix's are also a good choice since they have multi-level outputs.
The L2DCE or L2D Rebel should also serve you well since they use inexpensive AA's and still produce a great amount of light.

You could always buy Rechargeable AAs for a inexpensive solution.

:welcome:

Enjoy the forums.

 

[Gunner12]

Punch as in throw? Then I would suggest the Tiablo A9. The best throwing stock LED light as of now. But it's not really small(though smaller then the LAPD 7060, minimag length but thicker).

The Novatac 120T/120P would be good for your application, it would have less throw then the Ultrastinger.

A good throwing, expensive, and very well built AA light is the Maxlite Extreme.

:welcome:

 

[fireluvrandrew]

well for me the issue isnt so much throw as "in your face" kind of light, he have spotlights and such for throw, or my main light, i mainly need the smaller one for up close confrontations

 

[fireluvrandrew]

Punch as in throw? Then I would suggest the Tiablo A9. The best throwing stock LED light as of now. But it's not really small(though smaller then the LAPD 7060, minimag length but thicker).

The Novatac 120T/120P would be good for your application, it would have less throw then the Ultrastinger.

A good throwing, expensive, and very well built AA light is the Maxlite Extreme.

:welcome:

took a look at the tiablo a9 very nice... im adding it to my maybe list with the others.. thx!!

 

[PayBack]

took a look at the tiablo a9 very nice... im adding it to my maybe list with the others.. thx!!

I'd look at the A8 also then if you're planning on using rechargeables. IIRC the A9 is better with A123 Primaries and the A8 is better with 18650 rechargeables.

If you're using it regularaly A123's could get expensive to replace too often.

 

[fireluvrandrew]

nice... i like it, i had no knowledge of the tiablos....... i like the high output of the beams they have, hmmm any other suggestions anyone?

 

[depusm12]

Check out www.pts-flashlights.com Check out the 9AX 9v rechargeable and if you want you can order it with a led module with a strobe option.Contact Mike at PTS and register there and you can get a CPF discount. Or one of the led lights. PTS has excellent great customer service and Mike is fantastic to deal with. If you want any more information on the Pelican 7060 light send me a PM, I carry one on duty myself.

 

[Derek Dean]

Howdy fireluvrandrew, and welcome to CPF,
Just to get you started right, here are some review and information sites you should become familiar with:

http://www.lightreviews.info/

http://www.flashlightreviews.com/features/buyers_guide.htm

http://www.cpfreviews.com/

http://flashlightnews.org/

And I'll add my 2 cents. The new Pelican 7060 is looking better and better as a reliable, well thought out light. I especially like the built in redundancy of multiple switches. I also really like the NovaTac 120P, and can easily recommend it as a highly versatile, easily pocketable light that I have been using as my EDC (every day carry) for several months now. I especially like that you can program it exactly the way YOU want it. So, you could have it come on at Max (120 lumens), but have a disorienting strobe just the push of a button away at any time, while also having access to lower levels of light for close up tasks.

Here are 2 more lights you might want to consider. I believe they are both very well built and provide multiple levels of output (extremely helpful in my opinion, and something I look for in any light I purchase).

http://www.cpfmarketplace.com/mp/showthread.php?t=169692

The 2 stage Dereelight can use both primary and rechargeable batteries, while the 5 stage (which includes strobe) will only operate on an 18650 rechargeable.

http://www.pts-flashlights.com/products/product.aspx?pid=1-99-103-113-6314

The Defender with run on both primary cells as well as rechargeables, but you would need to order the optional 2 stage LED module for multiple levels of output.

Just a few ideas to get you started. Mainly, keep reading, asking questions, and looking around the forum. Happy hunting.

 

[fireluvrandrew]

thanks for the overwhelming help!! I will definatley bookmark all those sights!! also thanks for the suggestions, and i look forward to more.


OK so on my list i have:
falcata 9v
hellfighter 15x
pelican 6070
tiablo a8

what would be my best pick for what i need the light for out of those?
also what would be the outcome of just buying a surefire and puting the super high output bulb i think 350 lumes in it?? would it just be rediculusly short battery?
anyways how should i narrow my list?

 

[Bushman5]

narrow the list? nope, your on CPF now....there will be no list narrowing....it will start with one light....then another,pretty soon your fellow Officers will be nicknaming you "The Flashlight Nut with a badge", your shift will be spent checking CPF constantly for the latests gear.....

"narrow it down" he asks..... :naughty:

i'd go for the Tiablo, tons of light, ruggedly built, and relatively inexpensive :thumbsup:

 

[Scott Packard]

There's a used Stryker-VG for sale in the "Sell" forum.

 

[Glen C]

Welcome Andrew, by your nickname I assume you go to a lot of fires. A number of my clients who are first responders prefer incandescent flashlights rather than LED for use in fog or smoke filled environments as they believe the incans cut through smoke better. You may want to consider that.

 

[djblank87]

Hey everybody! this is my first post on your forums.... i love this place already!!! Anyways I am a volunteer with SBSD. I am an Explorer. I go on a lot of ride-alongs with the deputies. Right now I carry a streamlight Ultra-stinger as my main light which I LOVE! Unfortunately since I mostly go on graveyard shift, I often need a backup flashlight, if my main dies... or I leave it in the car. Anyways i have been researching many lights, im looking for a small tactical handheld around $120+-. So far im considering the new pelican "lapd" 6070, the falcata 9v, hellfighter x-15, or something of that sort maybe a surefire.... I really want the biggest punch in the small package. I need a LOAD of lumens... yet a well balanced (as in overall performance) light. according to the web the hellfighter puts out 150 lumens, though i know that might not be accurate... basically i need a good, well built, BRIGHT, solid, and intimidating light. For me the light is not only a tool, but a deterent, since i dont carry weapons, yet have contact with criminals. ANY help would be great guys.... open to any suggestions or knowledge you have of the lights i listed thx!

I thought the SBCS are carrying Tigerlights? According to the recent contract signed by Tigerlight and SBCS, that was going to be the main duty light for you guys?

Check with you CO in regards to the TL and see if the department will issue you one. I know being a volunteer means you might not be able to get the TL but it is worth a shot.

I would look into the Pelican 7060, I have had mine now for three weeks and love it, great throw, dual switch, 1.5 hours runtime, rechargeable in three to five hours.


This forum is such a wealth of knowledge and the people here are unbelievable with information that they can provide you on a recommendation for a duty light. There is only one problem with some of the lights that people here will suggest to you.


Some of these newer lights like the Tiablo is a throw monster in my opinion and a great light but by any law enforcement department standards it will most likely would be turned down. It would be turned down because departments like a proven track record with lights and also a light that fits and looks proper while being carried on a duty belt.


Although there are holsters for almost every light on the market, departments like lights that fit current holsters from Bianchi, Uncle Mikes, Mirage and so on.


So departments almost always recommend the following:

1. Streamlight "Stinger Series" lights anyone of them of course. I did see you already have the Ultra-Stinger.
2. Maglite, of course you already know to big and not enough power.
3. Pelican 7060, great throw, 1.5 hour runtime, regulated output = 130 lumen out put all the way until the light is out of juice and three to five hour recharge time.
4. Surefire products, lumen output can vary by lamp change, durable as hell, super bright and so on, plus you can modify them in a lot of different ways.

I'm going to get flamed, burned or verbally destroyed for saying this but I dislike Surefire for just a few reason as a duty light :duck:.

1. Batteries
2. Runtime
3. Cost

Yes, I do know that you can by a rechargeable kit for almost every single Surefire light but for the cost of the light and then spending another $69.00 to $79.00 dollars for the rechargeable kit is not worth it to me. This is not a knock at Surefire in anyway shape or form like I said they are in my opinion the company that other companies look up to and seem to follow. But there down fall for providing solid rechargeable duty lights that have at least an hour runtime with high output is lacking.


Look into getting the Pelican 7060, for general duty purposes but if you dealing with fires you are not going to want an LED light.

Also the hellfighter 15x I do not own one but there was a thread about this light months back and the reviews were not good, try the search function about the hellfighter and read up on it.

 

[Sigman]

Have you considered a Gladius? Here's a review as well...

A Google search will of course render more reviews & opinions.