How to know what light is for what use?

I've been checking the forums for a few days and Googling flashlights that I think look good.

Only problem is that even on their website, I can't seem to find out what each flashlight is good for, or what they should be used for (EDC, home, in the car).

They all have loads of numbers, but don't seem to mention the main use. As in, good for walking, good for lighting something a long way away, good for lighting up a large area, good for hitting someone over the head with )) and so on.

As it seems a lot of you have a different flashlight for each need, how do you work out that a particular model would be suited to the job?

Thrower lights (narrow beam for longer distance) are good for outdoors spotting, flooders are good for indoors, something with moon mode (very low output, under 1 lumen) is good for the bedroom or reading, etc.

grifter182 said:

good for hitting someone over the head with

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That topic's off limits, rightfully so; the only defense light is attached to a Picatinny rail.

That's a good question, and I think this is something everyone could chime in on. For all intents and purposes, a light is a light. But that's where the similarity ends. And because there are so many choices these days, there are many people who amass collections while having one or several goto lights. That's when lights become very use-specific.

Something to keep in mind: The BEST light is ALWAYS the one you have with you when you need it; much like a knife...or anything else. Here's some things to look for.

INCANDESCENT vs LED. Incandescent is the old filament style. MagLight is a popular example. Newer lights are using LED mostly.

FLOOD vs FOCUSED BEAM. It's a preference. Where focused beam has been the rage, flood (or wide angle) flashlights are gaining popularity. Depending upon strength, a flood would be great to light up a room during a power outage.

As a longtime backpacker and outdoorsman, I've always found focused beams with little to no spill lacking (try looking through a couple paper towel rolls and you get the picture). While it's not really necessary when in the outdoors, because you don't need a lot of light, if any at all, I've always wanted something more; something that lights up the surrounding area and trail I'm on.

Of course focused beams are fun and have their place, especially if it's a light used in the work environment, military, or police personnel. They're great for pointing out and isolating wildlife, blinding a potential threat, or highlighting a feature (much like a laser)...or in the case of a high intensity focused beam - for use as a searchlight. They're also fun in a spooky-campfire-story sort of way, because you have to turn and point the light in the direction of a noise, intruder, etc...instead of just looking.

Once again, it's all preference. And it all relates to you and what you like.

And you're right, most websites don't disclose these things. But they do categorize in terms of tactical, edc/every day carry, search lights, bicycle lights, headlamps, keychain lights, work lights/lanterns, uv lights, intrinsically safe, and so forth. There's also something called go big or go home. It's the overkill light, the fun light, and it's used mostly for showing off to your friends. Hey, it's another toy have fun with it!

The second best way to find out what your preferences are is to read up on reviews and ask questions in forums. Figure out what you're looking for specifically, and then talk to people, even call internet companies and ask questions. The first and very best way to discover your preferences and learn about lights is from personal experience. You can't know what a flashlight is capable of until you get it into your hands in real world situations. You're going to get one sooner or later, and it probably won't be your one and only final purchase.

I can't post urls here, so do some googling and read reviews. And by all means search the forums and ask questions.

That's just some of what I know from my own experience. Maybe some other more seasoned members can chime in? I just joined today.

You learn by doing. And after a while you learn what fits your needs. For me I find that a tight beam is useful for inspection (I sometimes have to inspect air cargo containers) and in well lit areas. Everything else I'll use a wide beam. But my needs and preferences differ from everyone else. You just need to figure out what you need the light for and go from there.

Great question and one I love to talk about.

As noted by Peace Train, the best light is the one you always have with you. For me, it is an AAA light running on an Eneloop. 2 modes, good runtime, eye candy, very reliable and useful for a variety of tasks. Low provides light for close up tasks and high has some punch. But it doesn't do everything. Some people want a sub-AAA light because it is small enough to always carry. Some people always carry a 2XAA, 2XCR123 or 1X18650 because this works for them.

All lights are a compromise. Runtime vs. size - an 18650 will provide longer runtime than an 10180, 10440, 14500 or 16340. And a primary or Eneloop has more capacity (mAh) than a li-ion. But the higher voltage li-ion will generally provide more output. Throw vs. Flood - an aspheric light will throw but doesn't provide flood - an aspheric isn't good for walking in the dark, lol. And a pure flood light, such as a mule, doesn't provide any throw. Even tint is a compromise because a neutral XP-G2 doesn't have as much output as a cool white XP-G2.

One thing I won't compromise on is build quality, which equals reliability. Malkoff, Surefire, Oveready, HDS, McGizmo, Tain are all high quality lights that are very robust and reliable. There are other manufacturers that build good quality lights. But if you want to hit someone over the head (which I don't advocate) and know the light will still work, stick to high quality lights.

Given these compromises, there are two routes to take. You can decide which characteristics are most important to you and find a light that meets these needs. Or you can get a few (or many) lights that serve specific purposes and select them for use as appropriate.

Welcome to CPF! Get ready for a journey and be ready to learn. Li-ions are great cells, but require basic procedures for safe use. Feel free to ask questions to get information. But be careful, if you don't word your question the right way, it is likely you will get a list of favorite lights. Asking, for example, what is the best EDC light, will get a lot of responses, but these won't answer your question. In fact, try at all costs to use the word best - it may exist, but at what cost and with what characteristics? The journey has been fun for me - it took me time to find the right EDC for my circumstances and the other lights that serve specific purposes. I also have a number of general use lights - some throw with lots of spill, various levels of output and different sizes.

The journey doesn't really have a destination for me and has been fun. Along the way, I developed a problem with AAA lights - I love the size, output on li-ions, and the ability to have them all over the place. Some are pocket rockets running on li-ions, some have long runtime on Eneloops or Energizer lithium primaries and some are just nice, basic AAA lights. I also developed a liking for high quality custom lights. But not all my favorite lights are custom, high cost lights. This is a hobby and addiction that I enjoy, isn't destructive, provides a lot of stress relief for me. I don't have shelf queens and all my lights get used, and have the scratches, dings and marks to prove it.

Seems self explanatory to me without needing any lengthy debating. Simples you select the best suited light to your intended need and the job is a good un boxed up and ready to use.

Mr. McNair, I thought you liked healthy debates? I just looked up the Fenix E05SS on their site. The description says "broad beam" and "powerful 45 meter throw." So what is this light from the description? Floody or throwy?

:welcome: grifter,wow cant really add to whats been said but your at the right place . Like minded people,all the info you could want and all the advise you could need.

Research is part of the fun,reading reviews
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/forumdisplay.php?19-Flashlight-Reviews

Fine tune you research to the lights you want...........

My advise is research,ask if not sure,if there is an actual purpose like spotting deer 350yds away or general EDC use there are plenty to suit your needs. Walking the dog in built up areas to woodland,different tints for different surroundings.......Personally i dont think 1 light cuts it,really several for different applications,throwers ,flood,combinations of both. Then actual fuel from 10180 to maybe 26650 or larger,li ion to alki to nimh etc be it 1 cell or 8...........

Is it something to carry on you without knowing its there,something to carry on your shoulder or your head.

Find what tints you like,or have a few of each warm like incans,neutral for colour rendition or cooler whites. A small edc with you on your keys is always a good option,then an EDC on you. Decent thrower for fun or hunting,walking,sailing etc .

Just to name some(not all) of the uses i have for some of my lights...

Keys -DQG spy
EDC- D25cvn(modified by vinh)
Thrower -tk61vn
General all round use -tk75vn
Camping-tk51(i tend to take a few)
Camping-mm15vn and tn35vn as i like the mtg2 tint and output

Work lights-lenser t7.2,Klarus P1A,Thrunite T10s,Olight sr51,Olight i3s on work keys and lenser p3/p2 as easy to get/use lights in tool box.

So just some of my lights and uses(only examples as most can be used for many applications)

The bonus is that its quite hard to go wrong with getting a suited light. All the info and reports/reviews on here thanks to the members

Enjoy

Mr yoyo,i have an e05ss on the way,will let you know once it arrives,to me its a general use light with a little throw and flood. Great edc light as long as a little more weight would not be too much of an issue on keys for example I can see you getting one soon as its SS and an AAA light:naughty:

It's a little like wanting the screw driver to list the types of projects it can drive screws for.

For lighting. ..try to think in terms of what you want to see and how you want to see it.

For tasks indoors or out, a flood lights it all up....same for a trail or other situations where looking at what's out there through a paper towel tube type view would be annoying.

If you need to see far away. ...A smaller light NEEDS to concentrate it's smaller amount of light into that tube view to be ABLE to reach. ..so it might simply need a tight beam to see far enough.

So, it's rarely the case that a tighter beam shape helps other than to reach...but it does exist

One clue about whether a given light is throwy or floody is to look at the size of the reflector or optic. Chances are, a light with a larger reflector will be more of a throwy light, while one with a smaller reflector will have a less intense, wider hotspot.

For multi-emitter lights, look at only one optic/reflector size for comparison of throw.

For more specific needs, though, CPF has a section where you can copy/paste a questionnaire form with your needs, and members who have more experience with a wide range of lights will offer up their suggestions:
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/forumdisplay.php?135-Recommend-Me-a-Light-For <check out the sticky for the questionnaire form.

To the OP: I would suggest starting a "recommend me a light for" thread here, once you've determined exactly what you need/want in a light. It would be easier to get recommendations from the CPF community instead of trying to research every light on the market to see what features it has.

mcnair55 said:

Seems self explanatory to me without needing any lengthy debating. Simples you select the best suited light to your intended need and the job is a good un boxed up and ready to use.

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I think he's asking, how can you tell what each light is good for, before buying one? I believe he's not asking which light he should buy, but how is he able to determine a light's typical use before he has it in hand.

I say ignore "throwy vs floody" descriptions, as they are too subjective to be useful.

Start with how far you want to see what at....that's tells you the cd of the light. ...no matter what it's "throw" is called....that's how bright it is at any given range.

Then, most of the time, the more lumens it puts out - the fatter the beam at that range will be.

Then you look at form factor an ui.

The form factor dictates how much energy it can store (how many of what cell, etc). It also tells you if it fits in your pocket/holster or whatever matters.

The larger the head, typically, the more range a given light can have.

If you think a light that comes on in max is perfect. ..get a UI that does that. If the idea of being blinded trying to find your boots in the tent to head out to the latrine at 2 am is a problem. ..get a UI that comes on in a low mode and ramps up instead (not tactical).

If you can get the range and pocket ability but not the run time. ..you might need to accept a tighter beam to maintain the range, or sacrifice range to get less of a tube view, etc.

yoyoman said:

Mr. McNair, I thought you liked healthy debates? I just looked up the Fenix E05SS on their site. The description says "broad beam" and "powerful 45 meter throw." So what is this light from the description? Floody or throwy?

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It is good all round key chain light and nothing more lol

Wow guys, so many great posts.

Thanks for making this all a bit clearer for me. But as mentioned, I think it's going to take a lot of time, research, and testing of my own to understand more.

Going to read through them all a few more times and give Google a workout looking up all the terms I don't understand.

However, it seems most people have a few lights, say, an EDC, a flood, a throw, and maybe one for home. (And several hundred more for fun!)

Also, I was joking with the "hitting someone over the head" comment. Yet looking around it did seem to be why people have a Maglight.


Finally, I have no idea HOW I become instantly addicted to flashlights! I don't really have to use them every day (I work in an office), but for some reason I want them all!

grifter182 said:

Finally, I have no idea HOW I become instantly addicted to flashlights! I don't really have to use them every day (I work in an office), but for some reason I want them all!

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I do use them at work, but I shared your experience. One visit to CPF, and I was doomed. They are just so cool, and being useful is a bonus. And learning about, buying, and anticipating a new light is all part of the fun.

yoyoman said:

Mr. McNair, I thought you liked healthy debates? I just looked up the Fenix E05SS on their site. The description says "broad beam" and "powerful 45 meter throw." So what is this light from the description? Floody or throwy?

Click to expand...

Contrary to what has been suggested, ALL lights have both flood AND throw. What it really comes down to is the amount. A 'throwy' light has little flood, and throws far. On the other hand, a floody light illuminates a large area. But it doesn't throw as far as it could if it had a throwier reflector. However, if output is sufficiently high, a floody light actually CAN throw fairly well simply due to its high output. This certainly wouldn't be the case for a AAA keychain light like the E05ss. But given that it produces 85 lumens from a small, keychain light and it should be quite floody due to the small reflector, it will throw a decent distance for what the light is. Remember, 45 meters isn't very far - 147ft, if you are metrically challenged.

grifter182 said:

Wow guys, so many great posts.

Thanks for making this all a bit clearer for me. But as mentioned, I think it's going to take a lot of time, research, and testing of my own to understand more.

Going to read through them all a few more times and give Google a workout looking up all the terms I don't understand.

However, it seems most people have a few lights, say, an EDC, a flood, a throw, and maybe one for home. (And several hundred more for fun!)

Also, I was joking with the "hitting someone over the head" comment. Yet looking around it did seem to be why people have a Maglight.


Finally, I have no idea HOW I become instantly addicted to flashlights! I don't really have to use them every day (I work in an office), but for some reason I want them all!

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When doing a surf you should come across a first class light seller in your country,i was very impressed with his site and his pricing was competitive,sorry cannot remember his site name but others on another thread knew of them.

grifter182 said:

Only problem is that even on their website, I can't seem to find out what each flashlight is good for, or what they should be used for (EDC, home, in the car).

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And you never will. Manufacturers and retailers do not want to limit sales by suggesting a use. If an MM15 duct taped to your handle bars makes the perfect bicycle light for you, who are they to say it isn't?

As earlier replies have said, it all comes down to personal preference and your particular needs. I find something the size of a D25C to be a great EDC. A lot of folks EDC a PD35. I find that way to big to carry around with me every day.

So what do you do? You buy them all and see what works for you! Only half kidding about that. You can (and should) read all the reviews you can but no reviewer is going to have your specific set of preferences and requirements. So you pick a light you think you might like for a task and try it. Maybe you'll nail it first try (unlikely ) But maybe you'll decide that light is good for something else. Then you use what you learned to try again. Just know, your preferences will evolve as you get to know the strengths and limitations of each light.

Just a a sample scenario, you may start with a D2 for EDC. You may love the size and the output but over time decide you need more runtime, so you try a CR123 sized light like an HDS. Maybe the D2 becomes your backup light.

After a while you decide the HDS is great but larger than you want to have in your pocket every day so you try a D25C. Maybe the HDS becomes your car light.

Or maybe you decide the HDS is the perfect size but your needs dictate you frequently need more throw so you get a TN31 and carry it in a holster. Maybe the HDS becomes your backup light and you put the D2 on your wife's key ring.

Bottom line, like most personal use items, no one can tell you what will work for you, but you. And the only real way to know that is to try one and see how it does.

Have fun with it!

Ken