A question from a new member

Hello fellow members,

Greetings from Brittany, France.
I'm a volunteer firefighter/EMT-B in a rural area.
I'm seriously interested in flashlights for years; from what I've read in this forum I still own almost no *real* flashlights but I'm going to improve that very soon...

I'd like to get a personal flashlight for
my firefighter/EMT activities.
There are so many products that I
don't know what to choose. Maybe some
kind soul from this forum could help me to narrow the choice
set.

My requirements are as follows.
a. The flashlight must be no more than 5 inches long.
b. It must be splash proof
c. The flashlight will be used mainly for EMS activities (eg checking for injuries, lighting arms for IV shots), and thus
a clean beam is needed (no rings or dark spots).
d. The flashlight will be used as a backup light for searching and firefighting activities.
e. Ideally the flashlight body should be yellow or orange so that I can find it when I drop it in the grass
f. The flashlight won't be used more than 3 or 4 hours a week (ie not everyday)

Thanks!

Noel

Hi Noel,

You might try the www.surefire.com site and look at their 2 lithium battery lights. The E2 manages about 75 minutes at 60 lumems. The amount of light from these things is amazing. And while they are very expensive, I've not seen a comment from anyone expressing disappointment in their purchase. Unfortunately they don't come in the colors you mention.

Anybody else have a suggestion?

Byron

I`ve heard that SureFire`s Nitrolon bodied lights (G series?) come in bright yellow as well as black. The 2 cell version would be very small and very bright, and it`s quite a bit cheaper than metal bodied SFs. Not sure about water resistance, someone else would have to jump in here.

Alternatively is the Underwater Kinetics UK-2L. This is another 2-lithium-cell light which is waterproof, and I believe also avaliable in colours other than black. I don`t have one yet but many people here speak highly of it. They also cost less than SureFires, though the beam may not be quite as perfectly smooth. I believe there is a 4-AA-cell version of the 2L that uses the same bulb/lens assembly, but runs from cheaper and easier-found AA alkaline cells, but that may be my mind playing tricks on me, it does that sometimes I`m afraid...

A headlamp might be better for some of your activities -- keeps yours hands free. The Petzl zoom is OK and I think is made in France. Petzl Micro is smaller and cheaper, but not as bright. Both have some rings.
Walter

I would also suggest the Surefire line. I would say the E2 first, but the G2 in "screaming" yellow would be great also. The G2 is slightly larger and more water resistant. Take a look at my web site for some comparison shots. If you really want the ultimate light I would suggest the Surefire M2, waterproof, shockproof bezel. Amazing little light, but not cheap.

I agree 100%. I would strongly consider a headlamp. Petzls are pretty good, but have a lot of rings. On the plus side, they would attach nicely to a helmet (if you use one). You might want to look at the Vortec from Princeton Tec. I have never used one, but I suspect it is quite bright and has a smoother beam than a Petzl. You never need to look for your headlamp...its always on your head

A headlamp might be more practical, but if you're looking for handheld, SureFire E2 or Underwater Kinetics 2L. In my opinion, the E2 is a better quality light, and you might be able to overcome the body color by wrapping some reflective tape around it. The 2L is available in yellow and has a handy clip, but the beam is not as good as the E2.

You might also want to consider cost. The E2 is significantly more expensive than the 2L, and your stated usage of 3-4 hours per week would mean that you would run through 4-6 batteries per week. The 2L manufacturer claims a run time of 3-4 hours, which translates into just two batteries per week.

Just a personal opinion.

I like the reflective tape idea. I have a lot of reflectove tape on, well, everything I own . I like the SOLAS grade tape that is available at marine stores. I also have glow-in-the-dark tape on most of my lights too. It is often available at fishing stores. This is really handy stuff.