Ultimate duty light

In addition to being a Law Enforcement Officer I am also a flashlight nut and am always looking for the ultimate duty light. Thinking back over the different lights I have carried on my belt I have put together a wish list of what I would want in an ultimate carry light. It may not be possible for a light to have all of the following characteristics, but perhaps someone here may know of something which is at least close.

- LED Light

- High Output of 500 + Lumens

- Hybrid of both Throw and Flood

- Be able to run on single 18650 Protected Cell LiOn battery

- Max Length of roughly 5.1 inches (allowing it to fit in a Gould & Goodrich K-Force Flashlight Case designed for the Strion and SureFire 6P)

- Minimum Runtime of 1.5 hours on max output

- Hard anodized III finish

- Waterproof (20ft) & Shockproof (6ft drop)

- Flush tail clickie (prevents accidental turning on while in holster)

- Momentary on tail clickie

- True one handed operation (rear bezel slider to change modes similar to gladius - or second button such as olight MC30)

- Modes: Max, 50%, 15%, Tactical Strobe (either constant in the12-16 hz range or random like LiteFlux LF5XT: (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1weIT8CHmi0)) Strobe should be effective enough to cause disorientation in someone and must be easily accessible from one handed operation. One implementation which is very effective is the "double click" method ie: two rapid presses on the tail clickie within 0.25 seconds of one another activates strobe

Does anyone make a light with these qualities?

Thanks in Advance.

More output doesn't mean more throw.

If you want 1.5 hour runtime on max, you won't be getting 500 lumen out the front with a single 18650 battery.

By a hybrid of throw and flood, I'm guessing a medium type beam would be good?

I don't recall any light that suits your requests. You might have to tweak your requirements to find a fitting light.

:welcome:

I would have to agree. I can't think of anything that fits the majority of those requirements.

The closest thing I can think of is the new Olight M21 coming out shortly.

500 lumens for 1.2 hours on 1 18650. Uses a SST-50 emitter which is the perfect combination of flood and throw. Forward clicky but it does pertrude a little, I dont think it can be that easily turned on accidently. It is a bit bigger 5.7", but you wont find a brighter light in a smaller package.

Is the M21 really going to push out its max. 500 lumens with an 18650? I always assume the lumen ratings of a flashlight correspond to the highest voltage you can give it, which in this case would be 2 x RCR123s

I have played with the Olight M30 with 2 18500s and a Malkoff P7 2C mag with 2 18500s. I know you want only 1 battery, but the two 18500s keep the form factor similar and is only a little longer. The M30 is also supposed to have a smooth tailcap soon (still hoping...)

pipspeak said:

Is the M21 really going to push out its max. 500 lumens with an 18650? I always assume the lumen ratings of a flashlight correspond to the highest voltage you can give it, which in this case would be 2 x RCR123s

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Not if its like the M20 Ti, that light is more like 300-350. I hope I'm wrong but I bet it's gonna be the same guts as the Ti.

It's still a very nice and bright light though.

Best 18650 battery available =
2900mAh unprotected cell

Drive current available to make the 18650 run for 1.5 hours:
2900mAh / 1.5h = 1933mA
- 10% for multi-mode driver losses = 1836mA drive to the LED

An SST50 WJ bin (if you can actually get one) will theoretically put out around 600 lumens at that drive level if you get a hand picked one.

So in theory what you ask for is possible but only as a custom made light to get the hand picked cream of the crop emitter.

I assume you mean a forward clickie, as momentary switches don't "click". As for the UI: not gonna happen anytime soon. Manufacturers are notoriously bad about listening to most customers about UI and mode levels, etc.


However I think I can get you something pretty close:

For your UI the closest I can come is this Optics HQ Tailcap.
Use a 5Mega 18650 compatible C body.
And get a Nailbender Custom SST50 or SST90 Dropin.
And pick up a high quality 18650 cell or three..

This may get you relaly close.
There are some problems though:
I'm not sure if the Optics HQ tailcap will work with the current that the SST50 or SST90 will be pulling.
Second large emitters pulling so much current in such tiny are going to get hot... so hot on max in fact you risk damage to the LED. Furthermore large surface area emitters like the SST 50/90 and the MC-E and SSC P7 don't throw very well in small reflectors. And wanting a small light like that you're stuck with a small reflector.

So in the end what you're asking for is just over the edge of possible/ practical. But in theory one can come close to the majority of your requirements.

debby said:

So in the end what you're asking for is just over the edge of possible/ practical. But in theory one can come close to the majority of your requirements.

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I'd say the Wolf Eyes Storm is close, but uses 3 18650s

The Thrunite Catapult SST50 reviewed here recently would seem to meet all these requirements and can be run in 1 or 2 x 18650 format.

neninja said:

The Thrunite Catapult SST50 reviewed here recently would seem to meet all these requirements and can be run in 1 or 2 x 18650 format.

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I think this light is too big/heavy for a duty light. Plus the Catapult is only the second light produced by Thrunite. Not sure how how much I could trust it, coming from such a young company.

For Patrol, I use a Wolf-Eyes Explorer. 580 lumens and rugged.
Just my $.02
Deputy Dave

In that size and with that battery, with that runtime, you're going to have some trouble finding a light that fits your needs. The most efficient l.e.d. currently available is the R5 bin Cree XP-G that can put out about 300 out the front lumens. The ThruNite R-5 drop-in that just came out will run around 2 hours regulated at 300 lumens on an AW 2600 mAh 18650 cell. You may find a Malkoff drop-in that is brighter (probably using an MC-E) A Cree MC-E will put out over 500 lumens, but it probably won't run at that brightness on 1 18650, it'll take at least 2 (and efficiency will be lacking compared to an XP-G-i.e. less runtime). With a drop-in, you can choose any body light that will fit it. Some drop-ins have two or three brightness settings or you might find a switch that can do that or at least offer a strobe feature. I don't think that light you want exists, but you can piece together much of what you want now.

M30 with 2 x 18500

has everything but is a little longer. Awsome medium beam for Leo and instant strobe with second button. I use it, carry it on the belt 100% of the time and love it. The stock M30 pouch is absolutely crap:green:. I use a Tasmanian Tiger Baton holder which fits the light like a glove. Its even squarish in shape so the stock blades on the tail cap actually fit in perfectly. See pic
http://www.jpt-australia.com/images/duty & OD gear/tasmanian tiger/ttm30.jpg

Waiting to see the m21 thoMight be a good back up, but wont have instant strobe. I have the M20 though which is an awsome LEO light too, I think I'm becoming addicted. I'm trying to fight the urge.

bkumanski said:

I have played with the Olight M30 with 2 18500s and a Malkoff P7 2C mag with 2 18500s. I know you want only 1 battery, but the two 18500s keep the form factor similar and is only a little longer. The M30 is also supposed to have a smooth tailcap soon (still hoping...)

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It's around the corner (the tailcap). I'd give it till January +/- a few weeks. The prototype looks great btw; it's the scalloped cap that should be the accessory, not the other way around.

if you want it to run on a single cell then your pretty much looking at a SF body with any D26 drop in you want - like the malkoffs. the 6p body has the lock out tail cap. You can get variable mode drop ins. No matter what any manufacturer says I think you'll struggle to get 500 true OTF lumens on one cell without taking out a new mortgage, if at all. Even if you did, for close searches your going to blind yourself. The only way to cover all your patrol bases if to carry more than one light.
I have the LF D26 6P on my belt, UF500 in the car (500 lumens - thrower, still carryable), and a LOD in my pocket.
What have you used before? Which came closest to what you want?

Malkoff Wildcat?

any of the better builders here can build a light like that.

for $300.

$70 mg pli is very close, just needs a strobe.(different driver)