Holster: Light Up or Down?

When you carry a flashlight in a holster (or web gear, et cetera), do you carry it with the bulb facing up or down? And why do you carry it that way?

I do security work, and I carry a Nightcore MT2A in holster on my hip. I carry it bulb down, as I find it easier to draw and present that way.

New to forum. Hello. Didn't see a poll option. Are there polls in this form?

Welcome to CPF

Given a choice, for me it is light facing down, and for the same reason you gave, but also as I feel the light is better protected.

However, you often don't have a choice as there are many lights where the head of the light just won't fit into the holster body so they end up being light facing up. This means you have to juggle with it to have it the right way round in your hand, but for some the head is easier to grab than the tail.

I think you can post a poll once you have more posts under your belt.

Palantas said:

When you carry a flashlight in a holster (or web gear, et cetera), do you carry it with the bulb facing up or down? And why do you carry it that way?

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That depends on the holster and the light. I'm not concerned with the ability to quick-draw a light, but in most stock holsters, I carry lights head down when possible (keeps the window clean, and I find it a more natural position from which to activate the light). I have several NiteIze adjustable holsters, and usually carry lights head up in those. The nice thing is, though, you can use any orientation you like, and the hold is secure. I sometimes point the holster straight forward or down for hands-free use.

With the exception on my TM06's, all of my holsters are designed for head up carry. The heads diameter are too large in diameter for the holster to support without making the holsters larger.

The other issue is that in most cases the batteries are heavier than the light head so the natural balance would be off.

Carried Led Lenser, Surefire, Mag Light, Nitecore, and Fenix lights, all head up.

I prefer to carry head down, but not all holsters allow that.

it really depends on the light, holster and location.... If its on a belt usually bulb down, if its on a vest, more then likely bulb up.

I also prefer head down on my holsters. I only have one light that doesn't fit that way on my belt (Fenix TK75), and I'm not sure I'd want to holster that light anyway due to its size. I prefer head down for the same reasons already mentioned so far.

I prefer the head facing up in a holster. For me it is easier to grab and turn on.


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Depends on the light, holster and where its carried.

the holsters for my HDS, SWM V10R and SF U2 are the only ones with a head down option.
all are carried forward of the hips.

everything else is head up, and rides behind the hips.

All of my 1xAAA lights are clipped for bezel-up carry, so I can attach them to the bill of my baseball cap as impromptu headlamps.

Everything else is bezel-down as far as possible, both to protect the lens - I wear armoured gloves - and for access to the tailcap switches most of my lights have. I find that my thumb falls naturally on the switch when I draw the light from bezel-down carry.

I prefer head-down, but as kj2 pointed out sone light/holster combos don't allow for that. (i.e. my TK15 and my Predator V2.5)

wjv said:

I prefer head-down, but as kj2 pointed out sone light/holster combos don't allow for that. (i.e. my TK15 and my Predator V2.5)

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Yeah, wish my Predator Pro could go head down in the stock holster.

Well, I happen to have a bit of experience with flashlight holsters, and since I used to work as a LEO, I prefer mine bezel down for quick access.
Some lights won't accommodate a bezel down carry very well as has been mentioned.
Now, if you can't find a stock holster that holds your light the way you want it, I'm sure someone on the forum could point you in the right direction to have one made...

I carry my quark 123^2 in a universal knife holster I got at REI. I carry it horizontally on my belt with the head facing the rear.


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Cody Jansen said:

I carry it horizontally on my belt with the head facing the rear.

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Non-Conformist!!!

Bezel down is my preference.

But, since Hogo is sending me a free holster to try out with my HDS, I won't be picky at all. :buddies:

Head down in a Kydex light pouch on my weak hand side. This puts the light in my weak hand in a good position to pull it out and work the thumb switch.

Hogokansatsukan said:

Well, I happen to have a bit of experience with flashlight holsters, and since I used to work as a LEO, I prefer mine bezel down for quick access.
Some lights won't accommodate a bezel down carry very well as has been mentioned.
Now, if you can't find a stock holster that holds your light the way you want it, I'm sure someone on the forum could point you in the right direction to have one made...

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Some say, he is a rum fuelled holster making machine, and he spends way too much time hanging out in the HDS threads

all we know is he is called The Stig
no, wait, thats not right.
All we know is he is called Hogokansatsukan !

Horizontal!
The last time that I carried a flashlight in a holster, and on my belt, it was in a horizontal kydex model just forward of my 1911. As I drew the firearm at night with my right hand, I also drew the original Surefire 6P. This was a more natural movement for me.

I no longer carry the 6P when I replaced it with the 6Z. I no longer carry a combat flashlight in a holster; just in my sports coat pocket during daylight hours or in my hand when the sun goes down.

When I pack one of my HDS's I use Hogo's bezel down holster with a CR123 pocket. When carrying one of my Malkoff's, I use a bezel down Holester.

Bill