My first post: Duty flashlight questions

I currently own: a Surefire 6R, Surefire Z2, Streamlight Stinger XT and a few battery powerd Maglites.

I'm new to flashlights being anything more than a tool on my belt or in my duty bag or sittting around my house. This site is making me see them in a sort of different way.

Here's my situation: I have worked for the past five years for a PD that issued Streamlight SL-20X's and SL-20XP's. They also encouraged us to use personaly owned Stinger's. Our SL-20's have been used and abused and I've seen them fail in all sorts of ways. I've had good luck with my own Stinger, but I've treated it fairly gingerly. My Surefire 6R has had problems since I got it, but seems to be doing ok now after a trip back to the factory (the lamp failed without having any real hard use and I've had battery issues). The Z2's lamp failed after only having it for a month and a half (Surefire sent me a new one, but it doesn't make me feel real confident in the light). I've had nothing but good luck with the battery powered Maglites. I've had a lamp go out now and then but that's easliy replaced. Now that I'm moving on to a new PD, I have to buy my own duty flashlight. What do you guys recommend? I've been looking at buying a Surefire 8AX for my belt and either a Maglite Rechargeable or Streamlight SL-20XLED for my duty light. I like metal flashlights, what do you guys think/recommend?

A M@gcharger sounds about right . Plus you can easily upgrade the bulb to something alot brighter. I think there are threads here to replace the battery pack with something much better as well (NiMH pack comes to mind). All in a nice bombproof M@g body with ac/dc charger i think. As for something smaller, maybe an LED light seeing as you've run into problems with incans. A SF with a Lux 5 maybe ? Massive flood of wall light and very bright, and generally LEDs are lifetime...

Checkout www.flashlightreviews.com if you havn't already for a massive database on torch reviews too. Quality torches mostly.

The Magcharger is one good light for distance/throw, look it up on flashlightreviews.com
But of course a duty light will take a beating and along with, the bulb.
The stinger has been and always will be one heck of a good belt light!
But the LED'S are very hard to beat, My Inova XO3 has taken a frickin pounding, and yet no matter what I do to that poor light it just keeps going.

I would say run a LED belt light!

...The other thing to remember for your big light/main light, is that LED'S will lack some of the throw/distance that the Magcharger will give you.
You will gain a clean swath of light with the LED but will lose some throw.

Yah that's what i meant, LED on belt, and the M@gcharger charging in the car for when you really need light...upgraded with the WA bulb and a better battery pack.

You might want to consider the Gladius, some of these testimonials by LE and military users may be of interest;

http://www.night-ops.com/Gladius-Testimonies.html

Andrew

And let me be the first to say "Welcome to the CPF"!:buddies:

Welcome to CPF,
When I first started out I bought a Blaster Flashlight,
Very heavy duty, LED long battery life

digilight has some impressive offerings in lithium powered xenon lights- currently, they have some of the most efficiant xenon lamps on the market, they are on par with the lower end of LED efficiancy. Build quality similar to a surefire, but generally cheaper for an equivalent light. The digilights will give you the output of a surefire with 3 fold runtime. (example: P90 lamp from surefire, 105 lumens for 60 minuts. P91 lamp from surefire, 200 lumens for 20 minuts. DRB-9VHP lamp from digilight, 175 lumens for 80 minuts)
the 12V lamp is incredable as far as output goes, 227 lumens for 80 minuts from 4xcr123 cells.

just another brand to throw into the mix to consider.

Welcome to CPF, KevH!

I am a strong supporter of Pila flashlights. I just had the chance of seeing their new models at SHOT Show and must say I'm impressed. Among other characteristics of Pila lights you have: really well built, enhanced design to improve grip, they have really bright incandescent lamps plus an LED tailcap (on the same flashlight) for those times when you don't need full illumination, they work either on primaries (CR123's) or li-ion rechargeables, good size for duty (in fact, I know a couple of LEO's on CPF who carry these while on duty).

Here are a couple of threads discussing the GL3 (which is what I'd recommend you get)

GL3 Commendatore first impressions
GL3 Commendatore review

Another option would be the Streamlight Strion. It's also small and rechargeable, but only has incandescent option. Our Corrections and State Police Officers use them.

Stick a G&P 3watt module in your Z2 and you'll have one dependable light! http://www.lighthound.com/sales/gp_surefire_accessories.htm

Just wanted to say Hello and Welcome KevH!

Enjoy!

If you can bear the additional weight and size of the Stinger, I'd stay with that.

Since you're going to a new dept. you might want to check there to see if there is some sort of uniform preference amongst the other members of the department as that you offer you more flexibility in day to day usage (e.g. charging in someone else's charger or even swapping out a battery (Magchargers and SL20's all use the same sized battery).

KevH said:

Now that I'm moving on to a new PD, I have to buy my own duty flashlight. What do you guys recommend?

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Thanks for the input guys. I've seen a bunch of different lights at this PD, including Magchargers, Stingers and SL-20X's. Let me rephrase my questions:

What's better (reliability,brightness, etc.), a Streamlight SL-20X, a Magcharger or a Streamlight SL-20XLED?

Some people may find the variable focus of the Magcharger to be a hinderence (one more thing that you might have to mess with in a stressful situation). The SL 20s (all) use a fixed lamp assembly that includes the reflector, so there is nothing to adjust or knock out of focus (at least not in theory). The SL20X appears to have been discontinued and replaced in Streamlight's product line by the SL20XLED. It's also been mentioned that the Streamlight is discontinuing the use of the 1/2D battery stick and using a Ultra Stinger type 6V battery stick in the SL20XLED with a sleeve (first thing that I would do if you're considering this light is to confirm that it will take a standard SL20/20X battery stick.) One advantage with the SL20XLED is that you can use the LED and it is adequate for use with a traffic wand; no need to use the short running halogen for that purpose. Additionally, the LEDs would be handy for use inside of the car without having to blind yourself . For the relative minor difference in price for the SL20X that are still in the market place and the SL20XLED, it would seem that the LED version would be a worthy investment.

The Mag Charger may be a bit brighter than the SL20's when they're focused all the way down to the tightest level for the hot spot.

KevH said:

Thanks for the input guys. I've seen a bunch of different lights at this PD, including Magchargers, Stingers and SL-20X's. Let me rephrase my questions:

What's better (reliability,brightness, etc.), a Streamlight SL-20X, a Magcharger or a Streamlight SL-20XLED?

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Hello KevH!

Well, here's another one that you may wish to look into from Vortex Vision.

http://www.vortexvision.us/id12.html

http://www.imagometrics.com/FLReviews/RECH_8.htm

The Maglite Rechargeable is a great all around full-sized work light in my opinion. Don't know about Streamlights though. . .Enjoy!

KevH said:

What's better (reliability,brightness, etc.), a Streamlight SL-20X, a Magcharger or a Streamlight SL-20XLED?

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OK, gents, let's focus here. I like the MagCharger; our local PD has those.

You're kidding? They're pretty much standard in just about every police car in most of the Bay Area communities, including your own

CHC said:

Don't know about Streamlights though. . .

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What I mean is that I don't have said model of Streamlights. Not that I'm referencing "don't know" to mean not good. . .

Enjoy!

Ah! Sorry about the confusion.

That being the case, I'll cast a vote for the SL20 series, just because you don't have to worry about someone having changed the focus on it.

CHC said:

What I mean is that I don't have said model of Streamlights. Not that I'm referencing "don't know" to mean not good. . .

Enjoy!

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KevH,

I am surprised that nobody has suggested this yet. You may want to consider an SL-20X with an SL-35X lamp assembly. That having been said, I think that the SL-20X-LED might just be a heck of a good choice. (A lot of help I was.) I actually have a modified "mini-Ultrastinger" in my unmarked car. That is the Stinger with the HP head, an Ultrastinger bulb, and custom 6 volt battery sticks. It is a great light, BUT it will run about 40 minutes max. Will your new agencies squads have chargers already mounted in them?