Hey all,

I'm a new LEO (graduate the academy this coming week!!), and for some reason I have this fascination with flashlights. I already have a Streamlight Stinger (huge, but bright), and a Nebo clip-on light that I wear on the front of my vest. I like this light because it frees up both hands and I'm not fumbling with the light when I need both of them.

I want a secondary light similar (possibly another Stinger in case the first one goes down) or smaller for a backup or secondary light to carry on my person at all times.

Any suggestions? Pen light, such as a Coast rechargeable? Fenix? Streamlight?

What does everyone else use?

If this is the wrong section, I do apologize!

You can't go wrong with any of the stinger/Ultrastinger series, Streamlights will not let you down. Another good small light is the Surefire Fury series.

The Fury series seem to be quite a bit more expensive than Streamlight and others, but I will look into them further. Thanks!

I use the stinger for when i was in uniform. In detectives, I carry a streamlight protac 2l. Works like a dream

I don’t work nights anymore but if I did, I would use a Stinger DS as primary and a Protac 2LX in my pocket as secondary with lights on all weapons.

My brother uses a Streamlight Protac HLX and loves it.

Yep, I have the DS.

Looking into the Protac 2LX.

Have a light on primary pistol and squad car AR.

Your good to go then. Wait until you are off FTO and getting into the flow and see if your mission dictates a change.

I use a Stinger HL as my primary and a Fenix UC35 as my backup.

Former LEO turned aircraft mechanic here. I love my Streamlights. I currently use the Protac HL5 on the flight line. 3500 lumens of almost pure sunlight. Plus it will run of the included 18650's or CR123 batteries. The new Streamlight 18650's have the charger built into the top of the battery and includes the usb cord with two plugs so you won't need a separate charger.  I keep my old Protac HL4 as a back up.

Strion, HL 700 lumens.   Hard to keep up with the advancements, still have a couple of stingers but retiring the ultras.

I'm going give this recommendation because you didn't give a price range and I truely believe it is the most reliable, bullet proof design in a small package.  Get one of HDS Systems EDC lights - particularly the tactical series for your line of work.  They are bright, the UI is very well thought out, and are very difficult to break.  Henry stands behind all his lights with a lifetime warranty too.  They are little on the pricey side, but should last forever regardless of what you throw at them.  I have a little bit of an addiction to HDS lights and have over a dozen.

HDS flashlights

I carry the streamlight hlx on my belt, great with the 18650 battery and I can carry a couple spare cr123s in my bag just in case. I’ve also been rotating in a fenix tk20r, super bright, it cuts thru all tints and great for perp searches, I love the tactical ring, can recharge it in the car.

Protac HL is a great backup light.

Depending on your shift, but in general, you should have a backup main light.  I have two stinger DS HD for mains and then a backup on me.

I carry a Stinger on my belt, have an SL-20 in the car, a Surefire Backup(?) that I carry in my back pocket and a Streamlight single AA or AAA that I carry on the epaulet of the uniform shirt.  The backup is a little pricey, but it's never let me down and I like how small it is, and that it's almost as bright as the full size when I do have to use it.  Which unfortunately is sometimes often because other guys don't have lights on their belts, so you go into a building and end up giving them your stinger, then using your secondary.

I have a stinger led, but it rarely comes out anymore.  Been using an o light m21x for the last probably 5 years.  The nitecore 18650 batts last a long time.  They are light and easy to carry in case it goes dead.  
Its bright as heck, can be turned down, and I've put it through hell tracking groups(border patrol) night after night and has never failed.

I am loving my Streamlight HLX.

Figure out what, if any, batteries your agency provides and decide from there on your flashlight unless you like spending money on batteries all the time.

I mostly use a rechargeable Streamlight and a 3 D cell Mag-lite with a 500 lumen LED head because my agency gives you as many standard batteries as you want but they are stingy as FUCK with CR123's and only give you enough to change your weaponlight batteries twice a year.

Hard duty like it will likely see over a career...Surefire is what you seek.

Cry once and all that.

They offer a good first responder program and there is a seller in the EE that participates.

Check out Olight. Some great deals right now, and really nice lights

I'm old school and now retired.  When I started in 92 I bought an SL20x.  It's gone through a couple of battery sticks over the years and one switch assembly.  Still got it and it sill works.  Thought about getting an LED conversion kit for it.

Also bought a Stinger when they first came out to carry on my belt.  Still have that too.

A stinger is considered huge? Give that  man an SL20X

Issue here is the pelican rechargeable.

I have a LAPG recon rechargeable I use daily.  It uses a micro usb charger so you can do it right in your car.

https://lapolicegear.com/lapg-fl-recon-rechargeable-flashlight.html

My department issues Stinger LED HL. Small enough to carry on the duty belt, and it can be fitted with the orange traffic cone if necessary.

I carry a streamlight stinger on my belt and have a back up streamlight strion hl. Small enough to fit in a bag or in a pocket and still extremely bright.

Malkoff Devices are well loved by LEO/ Mil. Or Elzetta, both solid companies. Elzetta uses Malkoff dropins, by the way

I've gone through a ton of lights, my thoughts over 7 years beating the shit out of them:

Streamlight: I've never had one go down. The more expensive bundles include a car charger as well as the wall dock. Most departments will usually have a ton of extra chargers laying around all over the place and they're built like tanks. I have yet to break one. Usually not the absolute brightest and lacks all the fancy shit but I have never once doubted mine will light up when needed. Stinger is bigger and heavier though but the protac and scorpion are also great.

Surefire: I've had their lights for EDC in the past and they're everything arfcom says and more. That said, I have a P1R Peacekeeper that I got for a killer sale and it's super "meh". I'm not a surefire nerd so I know you can find about any mod known to man but I got it because of the surefire name and it accepts 18650s out of the box with no fucking around. The output is good, dual mode, easy operation. Came with a  good battery and a pretty good charger but it's really only meant for high cap 18650s. Any lower capacity batteries will rattle quite a good bit but I suppose you wouldn't use anything but high caps anyways. Lastly and most importantly the tailcap is trash. Not the easiest to operate button, can't tailstand, and it broke after 6 months. I replaced it with a malkoff clicky cap which can tailstand and the button is much better. So it's a con I had to replace it but on the plus side most of the surefire is more or less standardized between models so that there are plenty of interchangeable parts. Other than that it's been a tank. Last pro would be the holsters, you can find the v70 speed holsters for cheap and they're much faster than fucking with a streamlight belt loop IMHO. The holsters can be used with other lights that are similar size though so it's not like you can't use a fenix tk series in a v70 holster for example. Also makes for a lighter setup as well.

Fenix: I'll probably go back to them. Tons of output, sometimes to much for duty use IMHO, 1000 lumens in a tight beam is nice for searching an area but it'll spit a ton of light back in a room. Great for punching through heavy window tint but not so great for lighting up some paperwork for example. I have broken fenix lights but I've usually gotten 1-2 years out of them and I have a couple that have been ticking well longer than that. One of the ones that still works is a little loose in the buttons now but hey, it was ran over by a dually so I can't really complain about my $50 light. I wouldn't hesitate to use one for duty use again.

I would personally hang onto the stinger in the car as a backup and use a smaller high output light on my belt like a fenix pd35 or a surefire p1r/fury/etc.

edit: If it were me I'd want something with a wider throw on my belt and something with a longer throw in the car. However that's based off my sort of work. 99% of the time I'm dealing with people, cars, or their stuff so I don't need a shit ton of light in a tight beam right next to my face. Sometimes if I'm away from my normal work area it'll always be outside and I'll need to see stuff much further away than usual so I'll grab something with a tighter throw like my stinger. Just some thoughts.

I've been looking at lights lately as I use a smaller 5.11 tactical rechargeable that was issued to me.  Its POS and has been fixed several times but since the HQ for 5.11 is 10 minutes from my office I can't complain too much.

I've been looking for a smaller light (Stinger size) that can fit on my vest and is used to search houses so it need to have more of a flood beam then a spot light beam.

FD Here but just as much rough use I only use Surefire on duty and have never been let down. Just picked up a DFT Fury

I carry a Malkoff MD2 with hi/low switch on my belt. It uses a rechargeable 18650 battery.  It's bright, tough, simple, and has great battery life.  It's the same size as a Surefire 6P and fits in the same holders most of the time.  Not the cheapest option, but I'm a bit of a flashlight buff, so I appreciate quality stuff.  If you want something smaller check out their MDC lights.

I can't keep up with my flashlights.
I lose the little ones.   The only ones I have been able to hang on to are my old Maglight, and my Surefires.

Pick up a Quiklite for your shirt pocket...multiple color options, I like the red/white mode.  Used it almost every day while taking notes, and I swear it's internal battery seems to last forever.

Fenix had my PD35 and TK series since 2008. Beat up, run over and still goes
Half the price of surefire/streanlight. Head over to expertcity they
Run a 40-50% for members.

A Surefire G2X would be a good backup light in my opinion.  Plenty bright and doesn't take much belt space and if used as a backup the batteries should last a good bit.

Stream light

All else won’t give you the customer service this company will. I have 16 year old stresmlights that if they fail, they fix it.

Buy a Streamlight Microstream for less than $20. It fits in a pocket or on an exterior carrier and uses a common AAA battery. Use only for when everything else breaks or dies.

I carry a Streamlight Strion LED. Good light, but kinda small for holding under your arm when you need your hands free.

I carry a fenix pen light, 2 AAA in my vest, a surefire bored out to fit 1 18650 battery and a stream light protec 123 battery, in my pocket. Mag light in the charger of the car. Carry extra rechargeable batteries in a small pelican case with foam cut out for batteries. A plug in battery charger for extra batteries in my car.

Running in the woods at night after a armed offender is a SOB when your flashlight goes down. Carry several, you will use it more than anything on your belt, if you work nights.

Get some thing that can use common AA batteries.  Worked several blackouts and its not alway possible to recharge your flashlight

Good call on that one.  Although I usually recharge in a car while I'm working.

I think I may switch my lapel light back from a AAA to a AA and put a couple extra CR123's in my bag.

Even old dogs can learn new tricks.  

True, I believe you can run the Stinger with 123 batteries, if your rechargeable battery goes dead.

I always carried a cheap surefire G2 as a backup light when I was in patrol.

I carry a Strion HL as a back up. I use to be a Surefire Snob but getting department issued batteries was hit or miss. I like the rechargeablity of the streamlights.

I have been running fenix for the past few years.   Had the pd35, upgraded to pd35ue, now running a uc52.

Price for light output is very appealing.   They hold up very well.

I love my Streamlight DS HL, it’s my go to, and I have a TLR-1 HL on my Glock 17. The Strion would be my next choice as a smaller alternative, or if I were to venture away from Streamlight I’d run a Felix PD-35 or the like.

My department issues Stingers, much of the time I carry a rechargeable Bushnell 900 lumen I bought for $58 at Walmart, it charges with a micro usb.  It's bigger but I date back to when rechargeable maglights where the shit.  I keep an Ozark trail 250 lumen in a cargo pocket and a little bushnell 2 AAA on my vest.  I'm on my second Ozark trail light, the spring in the first one got tired after 3-4 years, the replacement was $7.  I won't buy the leo name brands anymore, flashlights keep getting better so fast I'm not spending the money when Walmart or Lowes will have a better light in a week.  If the cheap light quits, so what I carry 3 and one on my gun, but my experience is they hold up well.

The light you're looking for is a Surefire G2X Pro. 600 lumens on high and 15 lumens on low all with the easy touch of the tailcap. I am a patrol deputy and have carried this light on my belt for years. Plenty of lumens for when you need a bright light and perfect amount of low light. I use the low side more than I do the high side. I carry this along with a streamlight stinger and a streamlight TLR1 mounted on my glock.

Working night shift you will find its easy to have too many lumens. I like using the dim mode for tasks such as HGN, reading documents, or when I'm trying to preserve my night vision.

The G2X is also really affordable and will take a beating.

So what do you carry for a light now that you are no longer on nights?