Why can't they make a proper 14500 flashlight that has no sharp bezel?

[Centropolis]

I personally would prefer the NDI and the LF5XT without the "strike bezel". Anyone share the same thought?

 

[TOOCOOL]

They did it was a Rexlight 2.1 :thumbsup:

 

[regulator]

I'm with you. I like the NDI but wish it did not have the strike bezel.

I would love to either see a light just like the Bitz (with a smoother bezel)made for AA and 14500 cells. Another wish is for a slim style Novatac varient. I like the more understated lights that do not have multiple diameters or "decorations". These two have nice simple styles to them with nice knurling and a business kind of look.

 

[Aluminous]

I would love to either see a light just like the Bitz (with a smoother bezel) made for AA and 14500 cells. Another wish is for a slim style Novatac varient. I like the more understated lights that do not have multiple diameters or "decorations". These two have nice simple styles to them with nice knurling and a business kind of look.

Here's one that seems to fit the bill:

Wolf-Eyes Angel A/AX

http://www.pts-flashlights.com/products/product.aspx?pid=6550
http://www.pts-flashlights.com/products/product.aspx?pid=6551

Smooth bezel, simple style, takes regular AAs or Li-Ion 14500s.

 

[Zeige]

How bout the Jet I MK I.B.S ?

I just wish they would of made the switch not so stiff.

 

[greenLED]

I would love to either see a light just like the Bitz (with a smoother bezel)...

A Bitz without the crenalations (or shallower ones) would be nice!

 

[Yapo]

yeah i dont see much point of crenelated bezels on single AA/cr123 sized lights...I mean theyre abit small to be used for bashing/gouging people with if thats what they were intended for. I wouldnt mind if they were shallower/smoother like the surefire E1L/E1B/L1 etc where they add a nice touch to the look without digging holes into our pockets

 

[regulator]

I have the BitZ and it is a great light. It would be cool to see some additional bezel offerings for the BitZ like the Novatac. I noticed there are now more sellers carying the BitZ on the Dealer's corner. I hope the lights take off with more offerings.

The Wolfeyes new lights are nice but built too big for their given battery dimensions.

I think Jetbeam makes a very nice looking light but needs to refine their electronics just a bit. The Jet I IBS seems really good but needs to improve the medium output efficiency. The overall dimensions are a bit smaller than your typical AA light so that is nice.

 

[LightJaguar]

I like the NDI just the way it is. For all others there is always the Dexlight X1.

 

[greenLED]

yeah i dont see much point of crenelated bezels on single AA/cr123 sized lights...I mean theyre abit small to be used for bashing/gouging people with if thats what they were intended for.

'cuz everybody and their sisters wants to be tacticool.

 

[sb_pete]

'cuz everybody and their sisters wants to be tacticool.

I often put my light down bezel down and if there are other light sources about (think night time in the city / suburbs) then I sometimes pick it back up only to realize I have inadvertently killed my battery. I like crenelations for the sake of light spilling out the sides to let you know you let it on. That said, if you're going to have crenelations, you might as well make them tacticool. And yes, I admit it, I just like the tacti-cool-asity of the NDI.

As for using it as a strike bezel - well I can't imagine too many situations where I would want to bash somebody's head with sharp angled aluminum crenelations, but the NDI's would make a hammer-fist strike rather more painful. The light also fits in and shapes a fist much like a roll of quarters. I could see it being rather useful in this regard. It could also come in handy for some kubotan pressure point action I would imagine although I really have no experience with that so I might be talking out the wrong end there:shrug:.

I also think it is a nice compromise between the blatantly aggressive SF strike bezels like the defender or porcupine and the oops-I-drained-my-battery bezels like the jetbeams.

Bottom line - crenelations sell... and I buy them.
-Pete

 

[45/70]

I agree with the OP. A flashlight/torch for self defense is a joke. A 6D M@g is pushing your luck, at best. As far as setting your light down turned on and forgetting about it, that's your own damn fault! I have done that, but still feel the crenelated bezels aren't worth it, just for that.

I think it's just a fad. Some folks watched too many Saturday morning cartoons, and others spent Saturday morning waking up in a tent camping, playing little league baseball, sledding etc. I guess there's just more cartoon types!

Dave

Edit: Sorry Pete. You posted while I was typing. Still.......

 

[clintb]

Ooo, I know. How about this theory? Maybe, just maybe, people like crenelations because it's part of the entire design element. It breaks up an otherwise totally flat bezel. There are some lights, ok most lights, that don't have a low enough low, and setting it bezel down allows you to knock out some lumens. If only all lights had a low like a Novatac or LF2x... Sigh

Seriously though, I don't think anyone here actually buys a light with crenelations because they're gonna go all power ranger on someone. If they do, well, I dunno. Anyway, I think there needs to be a distinction between crenelations and strike bezels. The former provides a practical purpose for the average person, while the latter is only useful for, probably, a very small percentage of people.

NDI: Way too aggressive. Three points don't stand for jack. Redesign, please.
LF5xt: Fits really well with the light.
Novatac: Darned near perfect

 

[RyanA]

Eh, crenelations provide the option of using the pinky side of your hand as a striking surface. Which is unlikely and awkward (and without a hard object in hand, or Chuck Norris nearby, is also a great way to break fingers). But it does provide the option and thereby some slight advantage, if only a very marginal one. After all if it's animate object vs inanimate, inanimate almost always wins. It is on this concept that the Crenelated defense bezel is based, hopefully it should provide a slight egde against an assailant who, hopefully, does not have a superior weapon. For some people the ndi might be just the right size to fit comfortably in their hand and usefull from that standpoint, but I also agree a lot of it just has to do with marketing it as a "tactical type" light.

 

[xcel730]

Personally, I like crenalated bezel as long as they're not aggressive. I have no use of it for it intended purpose (self-defense). I find NDI and BitZ, and most crenalated bezels to be aggressive. Besides pointing holes through my pants, it doesn't do me any good.

I purchased the PEU stainless bezel for my Novatac 120P and I think it's perfect. It gives the NT120 a sexier two-tone look, and not aggressive at all.

 

[DrunkenDonut]

Did someone say tacticool? :duh2:
http://www.militaryimages.net/photopost/data/642/TactiCool.JPG

I really like the NDI, but I'm not a fan of the crenelations. Too sharp. Tone down the sharpness and it would be perfect. I generally like the look they add to lights though.

I have NiteCore Extremes with both style bezels and I use the stainless steel the most, but mainly because it looks good attached to the McClickie. The SureFire E1e crenelations are very nice - as above, you can see light if you left it on, but they're quite subtle so you don't end up poking holes in everything.

 

[frank777]

I agree with the original post. For me, the only thing that a strike bezel does is put ME or my clothing at risk.

 

[gadgetnerd]

I personally think the idea of self defense with a 1xAA torch a little far fetched (but am happy to be proven wrong), so sharp bezels are not a selling point for me. The idea of a crenellated bezel to let a little light out when the torch is head standing, on the other hand, is a great idea, particularly for those lights like the HDS/Novatac and LF5XT which can be set in a locator beacon mode. Perfect for finding the light at night.

The Ra twisty has the right idea - a stainless steel bezel which looks great, protects the head/lens, and has smoothly scalloped crenellations which don't tear your pocket apart. I'd like to see it on a 1xAA light too.

 

[SureAddicted]

Well there is one fix, that is don't buy them. The reason why we see strike bezels appearing on lights is because people want them. If you really want to make yourself heard then send a email to the light manufactures where you will get heard. Since we are seeing strike bezels appearing on more lights, seems the light manufactures know a bit more about what people want. I think strike bezels are here to stay, as they do serve a purpose rather than just aesthetics. Strike bezels aren't for everyone, and I could guarantee that more people want them than the handful of people in this thread that expresses their disappointment towards them.

Steve

 

[Fallingwater]

Not with you. I like the strike bezel on my NDI. I don't for a moment think it can have the same effect as a true strike bezel (some are basically daggers in civilian clothes), but if I ever have to strike someone in the face in self-defense (preferably after having shone the light on strobe in his face to gain that half-second of disorientation) a sharp bezel is going to hurt a lot more than just dull metal. I actually thought of sharpening it more, but then it'd destroy my pockets, so I left it as it is.