Self defence

[JAYSKY26]

Here's what I'm after: (please help!)

- Self defence flashlight (not heavy, just incredibly intense on the eyes - say 300 lumens +?)
- From 9-12cm in length (no more than 3cm in width)
- An easy and quick button-click at the tail (may not have time to fumble around with settings which need twisting)
- Strobe and turbo mode preferable
- I don't fancy spending more than £60

I checked out the Eagletac D25LC2 Mini - it looked absolutely ideal - APART from the fact that you needed to mess around twisting dials through different settings. I want to be able to hold the flashlight at head level, in a fist, clicking at an attacker with ease and speed.

Any ideas would be appreciated! :thumbsup:

 

[enomosiki]

It's a little longer than 12cm, but Klarus XT2C will be perfect if you don't mind the extra length. It's bright and has dual-switch for quick access to strobe and mode toggle. If you MUST have something smaller, Klarus XT1C will be better suited, although its output is rated at less than 300 lumens.

Now, if you are going to be carrying a flashlight for self-defense, you are going to need Plan B. Flashlights will make people hestitate for a few seconds, but will not necessarily stop the most determined attackers. It's fine if you plan on dazzling the attacker and then book it outta Dodge, but you might also want to carry something else to back that up, just in case.

 

[Norm]

Do not let this thread get derailed by discussing the use of a flashlight as any sort of impact weapon. - Norm

 

[fyrstormer]

Honestly, if you live in the UK, you're probably better off just running. It's only a matter of time before Parliament becomes concerned that super-bright flashlights could damage the poor innocent retinas of your attacker.

That being said, the Jetbeam PC25 has a nice random-strobe function that is easily accessible by pressing a special mode-change button on the side of the tailcap. The main switch doesn't have to be turned on for the emergency strobe to work.

 

[roadkill1109]

+1 on the XT2C. If you want a slightly bigger one with a crenelated strike bezel, get the XT11.

sidenote: that's a horrible news about the UK Parliament! So what about your rights while you're being violated by the attacker?

 

[Labrador72]

That being said, the Jetbeam PC25 has a nice random-strobe function that is easily accessible by pressing a special mode-change button on the side of the tailcap. The main switch doesn't have to be turned on for the emergency strobe to work.

+1

Both the Klarus XT2C and the Klarus PC25 as well as the Klarus XT10 and Klarus XT11 allow for one hand operation and easy access to the strobe. The XT2C would probably be the most compact of the 4 but have less throw compared to the other ones which have a bigger head.

Personally I think "self-defense flashlight" is an overstatement for most flashlights, used by manufacturers for marketing purposes. I can agree that in a self-defense situation anything is better than nothing though, including a flashlight.
IMHO, 300, 400, or 500 lumens won't stop anybody, even unmotivated attackers unless they are completely wasted and stumbling and in that case I guess you wouldn't really even need a flashlight.
Unless the place is pitch black at most they will buy you 1 extra second - better than 0 seconds I guess.

 

[reppans]

A 4Sevens Quark X 123^2 Regular (or Foursevens QP2L-X, as rebranded on their new site) meets all your requirements.

Just keep the head tight and you alternate between Turbo and strobe with the clicky.

 

[ledmitter]

Do not let this thread get derailed by discussing the use of a flashlight as any sort of impact weapon. - Norm

My last thread about this topic got deleted. :shrug:

If you can carry a flashlight, you can carry OC spray.

 

[Dougcov]

4 cell maglight

 

[Norm]

My last thread about this topic got deleted. :shrug:

Because you mentioned using a flashlight as an impact weapon in your opening post :shakehead

Norm

 

[F250XLT]

I guess crenelated bezels are just suppose to look pretty? What's wrong with using a light as an impact weapon in a defensive situation?

 

[Norm]

What's wrong with using a light as an impact weapon in a defensive situation?

That's entirely up to you, just don't discuss here as requested above, any discussion of this nature will result in this thread being closed. - Norm

 

[F250XLT]

post removed by admin. Take it off board, Tim...

 

[eh4]

Self defense is a mindset anyways, definitely don't fixate on any kind of gear to save you.
Don't fixate on anything for that matter, and don't focus on a person's face if you are feeling threatened, but look at the triangle of their head and their shoulders, which will show their movements better than if you are looking at their eyes.

Anything with sufficient mass and hardness can be used as an impact tool, even a rolled up newspaper.
Ok.
So for the purposes of discussion, without compromising the board, we can simply discuss the merits and imagined merits of sudden bright light.

I agree with previous posters, and imagine that a bright light is at best a momentary advantage, best followed immediately by a quick retreat or something definitive.

Extremely durable lights, which can withstand repeated drops onto hard surfaces can surely be mentioned as such. Good, reliable lights should survive being dropped, rolled over by cars, skidding down the road -falling off a bike, etc.

BTW, Malkoff Little Twisty is extremely durable. It is about two inches longer than my closed hand and weighs about 6 oz with two AA batteries. The light is a twist on design, no tail cap switches, nothing a bit fancy or "tactical" about it.
If you know ahead of time that you might want momentary function, you can simply twist it until it just turns on, and then turn it counterclockwise just a couple of degrees so that it's off. Now you'll have a nice momentary switch effect by simply pressing the head of the light on the side with your thumb.