Strobe, SOS...blah, blah

I have been testing a number of different brands of LED's and I keep coming back to one conclusion--I HATE the strobe feature.

I'm sure that they have their use, but the way I use a light--on and off for various things--I end up hitting the strobe WAAAAAY too often. It is just highly annoying. AND SOS doesn't trip my trigger, either.

Just my short rant. For my personal use, I will always buy and use "tactical" models that don't do those things. Push on. Push off.

Avoid the hassle with JetBeam's IBS interface - the strobes are only there *if you need them*, and don't appear in any way in normal use. :thumbsup:

I'm ok with strobe, but SOS mode is completely uselss.

I like having a light that does SOS, Strobe, etc, on my keychain, like a LOD-CE, LF2, etc. Then my main EDC usually doesn't have strobe, sos.

okbohn said:

Push on. Push off.

Click to expand...

Boooo-ring!

:sleepy:

LEDs themselves don't have any modes, it's the drivers/circuit that provides the power from the battery which controls the output, strobe and such.

Those modes can be annoying, especially if they can't be avoided.

I love strobe mode. It´s very useful to me. :nana:

It´s quite simple: if you don´t like it, don´t buy it.

different strokes for different folks!

I resemble the boring remark.

I also hate the strobe/SOS modes, but only when the light has a MEMORY! Memory forces you to cycle through those things to get back to a lower level.

If a light has no memory (like the Fenixes), then it would be easy to reach a desired level and you would never have to see the strobe/SOS modes unless you specifically wanted them.

I recently got a KD light with the conventional 5 modes and a memory. I got it because it had good specs and a good price, thinking I could get used to the memory feature. The light turned out to be everything advertised, and I may yet get used to it, but right I still am very annoyed by the memory feature - hate it, hate it, hate it....:thumbsdow

The strobe mode is very effective in the tactical community. Go through a Strategos Tactical class and you will very quickly discover why this feature is SO EFFECTIVE!!! I'm curious what the difference is between some manufacturers calling it a "strobe" function and others calling it "SOS". IS there a difference?

Policetacteam said:

The strobe mode is very effective in the tactical community. Go through a Strategos Tactical class and you will very quickly discover why this feature is SO EFFECTIVE!!! I'm curious what the difference is between some manufacturers calling it a "strobe" function and others calling it "SOS". IS there a difference?

Click to expand...

I too agree that the Strobe function has it's place in a tactical scenario.

The terms "Strobe" & "S.O.S." are not interchangable. "Strobe" is a rapid pulsation meant to disorientate. "S.O.S." is the universal distreess signal.

Strobe is what you think it is:a flashing light

wheras SOS mode is like this:
flash(quick) flash(quick) flash(quick)
flash(slow) flash(slow) flash(slow)
flash(quick) flash(quick) flash(quick)

which is S-O-S in morse code
. . . _ _ _ ... _ _ _ ..., etc

Policetacteam said:

The strobe mode is very effective in the tactical community. Go through a Strategos Tactical class and you will very quickly discover why this feature is SO EFFECTIVE!!! I'm curious what the difference is between some manufacturers calling it a "strobe" function and others calling it "SOS". IS there a difference?

Click to expand...

I sure don't doubt its usefulness. Just not for me.

NOW...I wonder why various lines us "Regular" for the model with the strobe--one would think that the tactical model would be the strobe.

Why don't they ask me? I dunno.

Ya gotta have strobe! Ya can't call it a "Flash"light without it!

Don't like strobe and/or SOS? Don't use it.


We need a moratorium on these idiotic threads.

Some of my super-non-flashaholic friends have never had a led flashlight. They just WOW when i show them the strobe...

Strobe is made for show-off and disco mode, sos is useless.

Most CPF members are whitewall hunters/casual users, so features like strobe and SOS are useless.

Go out walking by yourself at night in the inner city and suddenly it becomes a very useful tool.

Strobe and sos mode are user interface annoyances. I would not use them but they are there and get activated accidentially.

Not buying any lights with flicker modes? That would exclude nearly the whole fenix lineup.

okbohn said:

I have been testing a number of different brands of LED's and I keep coming back to one conclusion--I HATE the strobe feature.

I'm sure that they have their use, but the way I use a light--on and off for various things--I end up hitting the strobe WAAAAAY too often. It is just highly annoying. AND SOS doesn't trip my trigger, either.

Just my short rant. For my personal use, I will always buy and use "tactical" models that don't do those things. Push on. Push off.

Click to expand...

Yesterday I witnessed a fairly nasty traffic accident, and our car nearly went into the one in front which was braking heavily. If I had a strobing light, I would have pointed it down the road on strobe to warn other cars of danger up ahead.


I'll be prepared next time.



And BBL, the LD01 has no strobe/SOS. I dearly hope fenix are not going this way with the rest of their lights. Though they can lose SOS without me complaining....

okbohn said:

I have been testing a number of different brands of LED's and I keep coming back to one conclusion--I HATE the strobe feature.

I'm sure that they have their use, but the way I use a light--on and off for various things--I end up hitting the strobe WAAAAAY too often. It is just highly annoying. AND SOS doesn't trip my trigger, either.

Just my short rant. For my personal use, I will always buy and use "tactical" models that don't do those things. Push on. Push off.

Click to expand...

You go dude:rock::rock::rock::rock::rock:
:buddies::buddies::buddies::buddies: