Police backup flashlight

Hello all,

I was recently hired as a reserve officer and need to purchase my own equipment. I have a Streamlight 20XP that I can use, but also need something smaller as a backup to fit on my belt. A lot of Officers have recommended the Stinger and Strion, but those are a bit out of my price range at the moment (broke college student!).

I am considering the Streamlight Junior Luxeon ($30), and haven't really found anything comparable... However, I'm still not sure a LED light will work the best. Are there any other alternatives in the same price range that run on regular batteries, I don't want to have to continually shell out for lithiums... Also, can any officers recommend a specific flashlight holder for the streamlight junior, everything I've found seems to be specific for the stinger and strion, and I don't know if that will work.

Thanks!

Getting a smaller backup flashlight is smart for law enforcement. I wouldn't worry too much about the cost of lithiums because:

1. They aren't so expensive if you buy them online through Surefire or some of the others that are recommended by FlashlightReviews.com.

2. Since this is your backup light, it may not see much use. My backup light gets very little use.

3. You may not even use your primary flashlight as often as you might think. It depends on the hours that you work and the amount of manmade light in your working area.

My suggestion would be the Surefire G2. It costs $34 at Brightguy.com and includes at least one set of batteries. Here's a comparison from FlashlightReviews.com

Flashlight______Throw______Output
G2_____________59__________52/70 (optional high output lamp)
Jr Luxeon________19__________15

That is a difference you are definitely going to notice. I understand the financial considerations, but your safety must be the priority.

Thank you, I will definitely consider it... What about the Streamlight Tasklights?

As for the G2, I'm assuming a flashlight holder made for the Strion will work for the G2 as well - they appear to be similar shape and size.

I can only speak about LED lights:

If a 2AA light is not too long, certainly the Smartfire 3W 2AA ($20 from Emil) is the brightest such light, with a reasonably focused beam. It's more intense than a Streamlight Jr, to be sure. Pair it with an Energizer 15-minute charger and your operating cost is low.
http://emilionworkshop.com:3072/osc...d=231&osCsid=474429eb1cb08676b5c9342753669b50
There are also several 3 x AAA 3-W LED lights, some of which are brighter and shorter.
http://emilionworkshop.com:3072/osc...d=185&osCsid=474429eb1cb08676b5c9342753669b50

But I think most people would say that a 2AA light is too long for belt carry. Dae sells several inexpensive 1 x 123 LED lights, several of which can use rechargeable lithium ion cells. I don't think these have been reviewed, so we don't have numbers for beam intensity except for the lights for which Dae has given us numbers. But the prices cannot be beat, especially when you order a package with rechargeable batteries and a charger. The one with the widest bezel (and hence biggest reflector) is probably the one with the most intense beam.
http://www.qualitychinagoods.com/luxeon-lights-c-76_87_89.html
http://www.qualitychinagoods.com/flashlights-combo-c-76_85.html

This combo comes with the better 1 x 123 light, two protected cells, a charger, and a holster for $34.60 shipped! Dae lists the intensity as 2200 lux, which works out to a throw of about 47.0 on the Flashlightreviews.com comparison chart equivalent scale. So this light has a fair bit less throw than many of the 2 x 123 incandescents. But it's smaller and has better battery life.
http://www.qualitychinagoods.com/regulated-2x750mah-protected-nano-charger-holster-p-341.html

Lightraven said:

My suggestion would be the Surefire G2.

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Forgive me - I don't know anything about incandescents. What about the Pelican M6? It has more throw and it comes with a holster.

Indeed a Pelican M6 LED would be a good choice, as well as a Streamlight TL-2 LED, or a Surefire E2e-HA with a new generation KL1 on it!!

VSRexo said:

...I am considering the Streamlight Junior Luxeon ($30)...

Click to expand...

In general I'd recommend against this. The Jr is a good light but has a broad beam and only moderate output.

As others said the Surefire G2 is a great choice. Small size, big output, high quality, inexpensive. Yes it takes lithium CR123As, but they're only $1 each at www.batterystation.com.

Streamlight Scorpian
Surefire G2
Pelican M6 (incan)
Brinkman Maxfire

Any of these will be bright enough and small enough for on the belt

Former LEO here. Backup lights I would suggest...
-Surefire G2 or Surefire 6P (nice and small but good punch)
-Gerber LX 3.0 a little on the long side but runs on standard AA batts and has good punch.
-Pelican M6 incan (based on what others have told me NOT personal experience)

Sigman said:

Indeed a Pelican M6 LED would be a good choice

Click to expand...

I meant the Pelican M6 incandescent. For the price and throw of the M6 LED, I'd rather have Dae's light. Dae's light has similar throw and output, yet is smaller, costs less, and runs on rechargeable batteries.

Pelican M6 incandescent is good, from what I read. I just noticed that Brightguy is selling a silver Pelican M6 incandescent Xenon for $35. This includes a cordura holster.

Heck, this is a better deal than the G2, though silver isn't every cop's first color choice. Wouldn't bother me, I don't think.

Good recommendation, Balazer.

Peli M6 is a good light. The K9 officer I showed it to was very interested (and impressed at the brightness).

Check out a Pila G2, or GL3 also.

Maybe this is a wacky thought, but wouldn't it be nice if your backup light didn't have a filament that could break or burn out easily? Especially because the backup light is something that you probably won't use or test frequently. That's sort of the point of having a backup light, right? Because the primary light is an incandescent, and the bulb can burn out?

And as a backup light, being small and light is more important than being bright. Not that LEDs aren't bright. I just mean a 1 x 123 light, instead of a 2 x 123 light with a big reflector.

I'm just trying to make the case for LED lights.

balazer,
The only reason I wasn't generally steering him towards LED based lights was his financial situation. There are certainly LED lights that "make the grade" for LEO use but if he hasn't got the scratch to afford them then he needs to concentrate on one of the good incans and not wind up with a light that is insufficent for the job.

Does Dae's V2 3W regulated 1 x 123 LED light make the grade? I suggested it because it's cheap and bright. It looks fine in the picture, but I don't know of anyone who's purchased one. It looks the same as this light on flashlightreviews.com:
http://www.flashlightreviews.com/reviews/amart_nonlux_123a.htm

Based on the stats for the Advancemart light (assuming Dae's V2 is similar in performance) I'd have to say no.
Using Quickbeam's numbers I don't think I'd want something rated for less than 30-35 for the throw and 35-40 for the total output for use as an LEO. This is, of course, my personal preference.

By the same token, a photon freedom would probably also be handy for writing in a notebook at a scene so you didn't burn out your eyes <grin>.

Dae said the light was much brighter with a lithium ion cell. He said 2200 lux. That's like 47 throw in the flashlightreviews.com scale.

If that is accurate then the power is there so my next consideration would be the durability.

I'm not trying to knock down that specific light, I've just been "in the trenches" and learned that if you have a choice you don't go cheap on...
-Your duty shoes
-Your radio
-Your light (and backup light)
-Your SBA (soft body armor)
-Your sidearm

On that job quality is everything!

O.k. So should an incandescent be in consideration? How often do bulbs fail?

I have had a pelican M6 for about three years as an EDC and I haven't had to change a bulb yet. I would definately recommend it. A brighter light would be TL-3.

As for cheap, a propolymer 4aa lux is pretty bright and uses aa. I'm not an LEO so I am not sure if it will provide enough light for things like traffic stops, but for $23, it's not too bad for the times when you need light and it's not a "tactical" situation.