I have installed this module in a 6P host that is intended as a self-defense light (aka "fight light"), with or without the use of a handgun. FYI, the use of a hand held light for this application has been a focus of study and experimentation for me, including attending low-light firearm training at the Sig Sauer Academy in NH.
Lights obviously have many uses and applications, but for the sake of this short review I need to define what the most important attributes of a fight light are based on the experiences of those who use a hand held light for this purpose;
- Single output only. When used in a self defense application, there can be zero chance the light will activate in anything other than maximum output.
- A simple UI. Due to the way a light is typically held for this purpose, a single tailcap switch is ideal.
- Momentary only. The Surefire Z41 is the gold standard for this application: push the button for momentary, twist for constant on. Its really important in this application that the light is foolproof in this regard.
- Blinding output. There is no hard rule here, but a candela rating of at least 10,000 is generally regarded as the minimum to disrupt the vision of an assailant in low light conditions. More is obviously better.
In application, a fight light is held one-handed, generally with an "icepick" grip. The light is controlled in short bursts, being able to
turn it off instantly as important as turning it on precisely when needed. Also extremely important in this application is that can be ZERO doubt the light will activate at full power in that moment of need, with no worry the light was left on Nordic SOS blinky or firefly mode the last time it was used. Without a doubt, dedicated "fight lights" are specialized tools that do one thing extremely well at the expense of being general-use task lights.
With that out of the way, my goal was to determine if
this EDC Plus module would be suitable for this application. Rated at 560 lumens using a Cree XP-L HI V2 emitter and a deep, highly polished reflector, it certainly is designed for throw. Not mentioned on the EDC Plus site is it rated candela, which is something I was able to estimate based on comparisons to my other lights with know candela (or lux) ratings.
I installed the module in a new 6P host with a 16650 2500mAh cell;
6P Lego shown with Solarforce lanyard ring and DIY finger lanyard (used to retain the light when both hands are needed).
A deep, highly polished reflector focuses the beam into a tight hotspot.
The 6P Lego shown with my dedicated fight lights: a Malkoff Bodyguard v.2 on the left, a Malkoff MD3-M91T on the right.
The Bodyguard is rated at 1,000 lumens with an unofficial lux rating of around 12,000.
The MD3-M91T (my go-to fight light) is rated at 750 lumens (900 momentary) and 19,000 lux.
So how does this EDC Plus module do in comparison? Here are beam shots taken with a Canon 50D DSLR with manual exposure fixed for all shots. Distance to target is 21 feet;
As can be seen in these beam shots, the EDC Plus produces a very tight beam. At 21 feet, the well-defined hot spot is about two feet in diameter. What is not so apparent in the photos is that the spill of this module is better than depicted. The human visual system can resolve a far greater range of contrast than a camera, so the spill appears brighter to the eye than depicted in the photo. That said, the total width of the spill is considerably less than the other two lights.
Based on the 12,000 lux of the Bodyguard, the light on-target is visibly higher with the EDC Plus module, and is in fact very close to the M91T. Based on these photos, I would estimate that the lux of this module is in the 16,000 to 18,000 range. Note: at one meter distance, the lux and candela rating of a light are the same (info here). Most manufacturers list their ratings at one meter.
Conclusions
For this application (and stated as "tactical use" on the EDC Plus website), this module delivers in the most important ways: high candela and one mode operation. While the beam is more narrow than some others, the spill is wide enough and certainly bright enough for self-defense use. The module itself appears well made and has a potted PCB.
While far from ideal for a general-purpose task light, set up in a 6P host for use as a dedicated fight light, this may well be the best bang for the buck fight light Lego. While not as capable as the Malkoff M91T (or the M61HOT), with only a 1.7 amp draw it offers better runtime with little trade-off in candela. For $39.99 including delivery this module can turn that old Surefire 6P you have collecting dust into a very capable light dedicated to self-defense use.
