Backup/Secondary Lights

Hi Guys,

Two is one; one is none.

I have been giving a lot of consideration to backup/secondary lights lately. One of the questions that has to be dealt with in choosing a backup light is what it should do. Should it be an identical redundant copy of my primary EDC light? Should it be a battery container for the EDC that emits light if the primary fails? Should it be something that just gets you out of wherever and back to your spares? Should it have a fundamentally different function than the primary light?

Obviously the answer to those depends upon what you are doing. Combat duty in Iraq might dictate two duplicate and substantial lights. A summer evening trip to the theater might dictate that your spare is very small. Below are the kinds of things I am envisioning.

High stress situations. If you are doing any skill-intensive job in a hostile environment you probably want a light that is second nature to use and reliable. And you probably want to grab the same thing if you lose your primary light for any reason. Two SureFire G2s would be an example. If one bulb fails, you grab light #2 and get back to business with 100% of original function.

Travelling light. You have your primary light, but maybe it isn't essential to have that level of function in your backup light. Say you are going along in your everyday (everynight) travels with your regulated flashlight and -poof- the battery goes dead. Maybe all you really need is the bare minimum to keep going. This could be my current carry: McLuxIII-PD and a Photon Freedom.

Battery carrier. Maybe your primary light source is reliable (quality LED light) but you might need spare batteries. I got a SureFire L4 that was supposed to fill that role for my L2. I generally use the low setting on the L2. The L4 makes a small (but expensive) battery carrier that allows me to keep going with my L2's two brightness levels. And the L4 will work on its own if the L2 is KIA.

Something different. Some lights just don't do some jobs. I love my little PD, but doing a quick-draw for use as a defensive tool? That ain't happenin' -- It's too short and too smooth, and I'm not sure pressing through a dim level to get to bright is the best thing for stunning someone's retinas. But I still want the low level for normal use. Maybe a Night-Ops Gladius would be a good backup then. Or a red Gerber Infinity, if I am more interested in doing a little stargazing, not attracting attention, or general dark-adapted vision preservation.

What do you guys think?

What kinds of redundant light do you carry (if any), and most of all, why did you choose that option?

Scott

at work i carry a Magcharger as a primary , Inova T4 as a rechargeable secondary and a surefire 6P as a shtf last ditch light

off duty its a L4 and a E1L
2 spare 123s in my edc bag

at work i carry a Magcharger as a primary , Inova T4 as a rechargeable secondary and a surefire 6P as a shtf last ditch light

off duty its a L4 and a E1L
2 spare 123s in my edc bag

oh and a photon2 clone hanging around my neck 24/7

High stress/work/professional work tools at night
For primary I'm using a Streamlight SL-20 or on occasion a Surefire 10x in the hand
For secondasry/backup it is either a Streamlight Stinger or Surefire 8NX on the belt.
In addition, I have taken to carrying a lightweight 2 123 light on the belt or in the pocket. I'm using an E2e. Any one of these would be fine. They weigh virtually nothing in a pouch or in the pocket.
In the trunk is an alkaline battery flashlight. Mine is a Pelican M10 -4 C cell for those emergency or long duration situations. Extra batteries and lamps don't weigh much either.

Traveling
Depending on where I'm going I don't typically bring anything expensive or rechargable. I'll stick with lithium or alkalines primaries.
I always keep a Princeton Tec Blast or Attitiude in my toiletries kit. I usually have an ARC AAA on a key chain or a Photon. I may bring along a Princeton Tec Surge or Surefire E2e. I also have just gotten a Gerber Infinity 1 AA LED. Nice small inexpensive pocket light for close up work and general illumination/navigation.

Battery Carriers
I have taken to the slim profile of the wallet carriers for 123's. The ones from Amondotec carry twelve. I also subscribe to using another light to carry your batteries. Sometimes two of the same lights are all you need. If you already own them, two E2e's or an E2e and an L4, or two G2's, etc. Sometihing to be said for the simplicity and redundancy.

Lately I have been carrying three lights in tactical operations, all with different capabilities.

The lights I carry on missions are the Weaponlight on my M4 with IR filter, the C2/BOG 3 W and a TW4. I also carry 1 Surefire spares carrier with 6 123's and the P60 for the C2. The Weaponlight is intense incan or night vision capable, the C2 is a good GP light, low level red with the filter or good general use with the LED drop in with the incan in reserve, and the TW4 with a rechargeable cell as a back up or small flood.

On the base, and when I return from Iraq, I intend to carry my A2 in a Surefire pouch on my belt next to my Leatherman tool, and The TW4 in my pocket. I also carry 6 123's in a wallet style carrier from BOG.

The two lights with two levels each will handle just about any close to medium range situation. The A2 is good for longer range with the incan and the TW4 makes for a good pocket flood. The low on the A2 is good for long general runtime, and the low on the TW4 I found is better for reading without trashing your night vision too badly.

Sometimes the size of the light makes a difference too. I may want a larger light that feels better in the hand, or a smaller light that I can hang around my neck by the lanyard or clip to my Helmet or hat to use as a headlight.

I use my Pila GL3R as my primary duty light, and carry it on my duty belt in a nylon web holster with snap-and-velcro-closure flap immediately behind my pistol holster.

I have a Pelican M6 xenon as my secondary light, also carrying it on my duty belt in a similar holster on my weak-side. I use 1 x 168S rechargeable li-ion cell in it.

I have a Maglite 3 C modified to use 2 x 150A rechargeable li-ion cells, a KPR112 bulb, a fivemega MOP aluminum reflector and flashlightlens.com UCL which I carry in my patrol car.

I just bought a black Gladius, and hesitate to put it into service just yet - my wife has questioned my sanity when I mentioned what it cost me! However, if I DO think I am sane for doing this, I may make the Gladius my primary light, the Pila my secondary and either sell my P M6 or put it in the trunk with the Mag.

The Pila gets used hard, and its cells, as well as those used in the P M6 and Mag last a really long time. None are used in weapon-mount situations, however - mind you, my S&W 5946 only gets drawn to be fired for qualification or to be unloaded and locked up after work!

I'm really not a "tactical" type of guy- my brighter lights are really just fun to play with. However, I do believe a good medium/close range light is very important and useful. A recent camping trip reminded me of the importance of more than one light, being that if I dropped one light while it was off (which happened a couple of times- I'm not always consiencious with lanyards), I could just reach into my pocket and use another light to find the one I dropped.

Back when I was using more CR123s, I used a nice primary light (either a T1, QIII, HDS or Surefire L1) and also had my Tekna Splashlite LED as a "light emitting battery carrier."

However, I agree with NotRegulated about not traveling with expensive lights. With the new Fenix L1P, I'm excited about being able to use AAs, so on an upcoming trip, I plan on taking it as my primary with an Ultra-G as backup. I'm also going to take my Jil-DD with swivel clip as a reading light since its so small and even though the battery is weird, I just need to pack a spare as they last over 20 hrs.

I've no real tactical use for my lights. I EDC a SF U2 in holster and an HDS U60 in pocket. So my secondary is an HDS U60.

I"m guessing that my Gladius could make a nice Backup/Secondary. It's lightweight and not too bulky, plus extended runtime on lower settings with high just two clicks away.

I also carried the G2 around last night (tertiary) along with the usual two. I just put it bezel up (and locked out, of course) in the same pocket with the HDS. Wasn't too bad, but I have literal deep pockets.

There are good points made here about consistency of UI/light operating methods and expensive lights while travelling.

A spares carrier for the SF A2 is coming with it, so I should no more about that aspect soon. I had no idea of the wallet style! I'm gonna look into that. One thing I like about the HDS is that if needed, you can really stretch the battery life.

Just my observations about Spares Carriers.

I like the Surefire ones because they also hold a spare bulb. The SC1 and SC2 are a little to round and large to put in your pocket. The SC3 is much better especially for the E1e and E2e but still a little bulbous in the pants pocket. I tried the wallet type and immediately fell for them since they carry so many batteries and slip into your back pants pocket. You just have to remember not to sit on them. I am using both types now but usually reserve them for my bag, trunk or someother place not on my person. I have found carrying two 123's in a plastic waterproof match case is lightweight and slim for front pants pocket carry. The batteries are very well protected and the case is very sturdy. We talked about it some in all the posts about carrying another similar light carrys your spares. The "E" series Surefires are pretty lightweight and slim.

I EDC a McLux III PD in my pocket and a TnC AAA around my neck (ball chain. No parachute cord around my neck, please!) I also have a photon or similar on my keychain.

The McLux is my go to light. The two levels are perfect for me, and offer plenty of runtime. I have the TnC for when I need a hands free light. The photon is a give-away , if nessassary.

Speaking of back-up's I do have a spare of each of my EDC's. It took me a long time to find my own perfect set up- and these custom lights may not always be available.

I don't have a tactical need for my job, but I do like to be prepared.

Echo63 said:

at work i carry a Magcharger as a primary , Inova T4 as a rechargeable secondary and a surefire 6P as a shtf last ditch light

off duty its a L4 and a E1L
2 spare 123s in my edc bag

oh and a photon2 clone hanging around my neck 24/7

Click to expand...

I carry simillarly at work. A MagCharger, with a SureFire 9N as backup and a SureFire E2E in my pocket. I also have a few others in my car or backpack, the 9PT (mostly just to have it, and I haven't bothered taking it out after playing with it one night).

When I was overseas, I used my 9N as my primary, the MagCharger in my ruck as a backup, a PT 40 with a Mag bulb and nimh AA's as a third, my 9P, then later the E2 just in case. Actually the issued Stinger HP's would have been used after the 9N and MagCharger. Brighter than the PT40 and still not costing me anything.

Normal bumming around, the E2E and that's usually it. I'm thinking of getting some other small light in case that one goes toes up on me.

How well do you like the T4? Good throw? It's one of the lights I'm thinking of getting.

hmmm... I'm not into tactical stuff, but I consider my Arc LS my primary EDC light, with a backup Arc AAA on my keychain as secondary. When I go outside at night, I take my GL3R, which bumps all the other lights one step down in the hierarchy.

Most of the time when I go out I carry either my A2 or my E2d with KL1, a Dorcy AAA as backup and then a lot of times a keymate with green led and my keychain has a red PT sqeeze light. That's in the city or on a normal day. When its colder and I'm wearing a jacket everywhere I'll probably have my C3 or TL3 plus my A2 or something similar.
As for hunting or rough outdoor stuff I'm not sure what I will carry now, it used to be an E2e and a G2, now probably an EOS, TL3 and E2o with red filter. I'll just have to see.

On duty I alternate between my PILA GL4R and an Inova T4 on the belt ( I just love both of them ). I also carry my Gladius on the belt.
In my duty bag I have the PILA GL2R,Inova T3,Ultrastinger, Streamlight TL2-LED and TL3-LED. In my shirt pocket I carry an Inova X1.

The T4 and the GL4R can be carried in the same holder.
Off duty usually I carry the Surefire G2 with PILA lamp and battery.

Spare batteries and lamps in various plastic boxes and Surefire spares carriers.

I used a magcharger as a primary light for the first 16 years of my career. Then I discovered the ultrastinger. That's been my primary ever since. For two years, I used a regular stinger as a backup on my belt. It was nice as they both drank from the same charger that I could carry with me in my bag. I replaced the stinger with a pelican m9 as primary backup. I just liked the pelican better. I replaced the ultra stinger with the pelican m11 for a short time, believing that brand commonality was a good thing. It was an older one that just never was right. It is now a reserve backup light.
When I saw the pelican 123a lights, I bought one, after making sure the little gems ( batteries) were covered on my equipment allowance. Since then I have used first the pelican m6 incan and now the pelican m6 3watt haIII. I thoroughly love the newer style holster that lets you bring a spare set of batteries with you. There have been days when every rechargeable I had died on the same day, same shift.
Since researching my pelicans, especially the 2390, on CPF, I have realized that for off duty, I can carry a light. I never had one on my person off duty, just one in the car for emergencies. For an edc light I chose the Inova X1 in white light. A great sized light that is on my belt 24/7. I recently bought the X5 to get a floodlight. At night, they back each other up, one being a nice tight spot and the other a great medium distance flood.
So far I have resisted the urge to get the Inova keychain lights, so far.

Non-tac also, and only three "main lights" i ever use but need light's in my line of work. simple but cover's good ground:
main EDC is a HDS B-60 with a li ion. It goes out the door with me
even to the pop machine a half mile down the road. If I am going to be gone more then a few days i take my custom fitted pelican 1010 case with me, holds 4 batts, and the light. two batt's are primary other 2 li ion. and a nano charger.

Peak 1xLED/1xAAA ultra po lug body or ARC AAA-P

Jillite 1.3 for a backup if gone out on extended periods weekend/or touring.

Photon night vison green on keychain.

spares: minibugout bag (man purse) has a spare lithium cell for each light, and if i go out for more then a week i have a batt stn 1010 case with 10 primary 123's, 5 CR2's and 5 lithium AAA's that's it. even on a long road trip i basically
just need to grab two little cases and split. VDG