Perfect, durable, inexpensive bite grip

I've been meaning to post this for a few months.

I use my EDC flashlight every single day, numerous times a day at my job and at home. When using it, I find I almost always need to use both hands for the task and therefore, need to place the light in my mouth.

I can't stand the feeling of bare metal against my teeth, let alone the chance I may chip a tooth while biting a bare aluminum light, so I came up with what I consider the perfect bite grip for my lights.

My current EDC is an Olight S10-2 Baton which I've been EDCing for 6 months (prior to this, an S10 Baton original for over a year). I also modded my original S10 in this manner.

I went to Harbor Freight and bought this adhesive lined heat shrink and cut a piece slightly longer than the tail cap of my light. Both items pictured below are the same part number- don't know which is the newest.



I removed the tail cap so the rest of the light wouldn't need to soak up the heat from my heat gun and shrunk the tubing. I then trimmed around the lanyard attachment as well as evened up around the top edge.







The thickness of the adhesive in addition to the heat shrink outer layer, makes this a perfect bite grip. It is permanent with normal use (I've used this as a bite grip nearly ever single day for the last six months with no sign of wear) unless you decide to remove it. Then, just cut down one side and peel it off.

I cannot say that Maglite sells this but I have a bite rig that fits nicely on a minimag.

smokinbasser said:

I cannot say that Maglite sells this but I have a bite rig that fits nicely on a minimag.

Click to expand...

If I'm not mistaken, that will only fit whatever diameter light the minimag is. This solution will fit any light up to the ID (1 1/16" diameter) of the heat shrink tubing AND it WILL NOT slip off. In addition to that, my solution doesn't cover the tail of the light, allowing tail stand capability and/or in the case of the S10, still allowing the magnetic tail cap to remain fully functional.

There's these lights you can strap on your forehead, so you don't have to put stuff in your pocket into your mouth, and straps to mount any small light the same way...In case that option might be of interest.

I personally hate wearing stuff on my head...but also want my hands free sometimes. I just tail stand a strong floody light, and that typically covers it.

You can plastidip things as well.

TEEJ said:

There's these lights you can strap on your forehead, so you don't have to put stuff in your pocket into your mouth, and straps to mount any small light the same way...In case that option might be of interest.

I personally hate wearing stuff on my head...but also want my hands free sometimes. I just tail stand a strong floody light, and that typically covers it.

You can plastidip things as well.

Click to expand...

I have several head-lights and am fully aware of ALL the options for similar choices but don't have room in my pocket for one of those in addition to my EDC things. I don't like something strapped to my head, either.

Plasti Dip is great for grips on things but I'd never want to bite that stuff. It takes days to weeks/months for it to cure completely depending on how many layers you put on (I have a hatchet handle I dipped 6 or 8 layers about 4 months ago and it STILL smells like xylene, the chemical that makes it liquid). Plasti Dip wouldn't work where the light has a tail switch whereas this solution does.

I will agree that it's a great solution. I have done the same on my Surefire EB1 but for the purpose of adding a little more grip to the slick body.

think2x said:

I will agree that it's a great solution. I have done the same on my Surefire EB1 but for the purpose of adding a little more grip to the slick body.

Click to expand...

That's a great point. I never even considered this type of heat shrink for added grip, but it's actually more rubbery than some types are and would work great for that application as well.

Just an update- can't believe another 6+ months have gone by since I first posted this thread. Here is the same light with the same heat shrink- still no wear other than some teeth marks on the heat shrink.