Posted: 11/21/2010 1:52:05 PM EDT
| What do you guys carry on duty? I'm looking for a small handheld LED which i carry on my belt for when i go into buildings and such so i don't have to grab our duty full size streamlights (unless in a huge field they are obviously better suited). I ended up getting a Streamlight Polytac LED and this thing SUCKS! I'm not exaggerating when i say after 15-20 minutes the batteries in it are done, after that 15min or so it loses about 70 percent of its power and doesn't light up anything. What do you guys/gals use? Surefire? Fenix? and what model besides just the brand. Thanks guys |
I'm the cheapskate economy minded guy here - I carry one of these:
Ray-O-Vac Aluminum 3W (2) AA LED Flashlight It's a great little light that's water resistant enough to survive drainage ditches and puddles, can light up a whole room and doesn't suffer the environment like a plastic bodied light can. The only downside it there aren't a lot of add-ons (heads/tailcaps/switches). While it's not gonna meet Surefire extreme duty standards at under $30 I won't cry over the $$$ if it gets lost. |
| I carry a Surefire 6P Defender LED on the belt all the time in a V70 holster. After five years it's still doing what its supposed to; great tough little light. Lowes now carries SF batteries which is convenient ($4 for 2). I work morning shift (2100-0700) and its been like a month or two since I last replaced them and I use it everyday. One cool feature is that light output decreases (noticeably) when the batteries get low and doesn't just stop working like with incandecents, so you can still use it, just not at max output. |
|
Quoted:
I carry a Surefire 6P Defender LED on the belt all the time in a V70 holster. After five years it's still doing what its supposed to; great tough little light. Lowes now carries SF batteries which is convenient ($4 for 2). I work morning shift (2100-0700) and its been like a month or two since I last replaced them and I use it everyday. One cool feature is that light output decreases (noticeably) when the batteries get low and doesn't just stop working like with incandecents, so you can still use it, just not at max output. thanks for the info! I'll look into that one |
|
My standard reply to duty flashlight threads:
Streamlight Strion LED rechargeable. It's what I currently carry and I don't predict anything will replace it anytime soon. |
|
TerraLux 220
Uses 2 AA batteries, 220 / 100 lumen dual clicky switch. Great Beam and Throw, comes with a nylon sheath, about 30 bucks on line. TerraLux 
|
|
I have a Wolf Eyes Sniper I carry on my belt (in addition to the incan Stinger I'm issued which I hate) and it works great. Brighter than the Stinger, batteries last a long time (I can take batteries that no longer give any output from my Streamlight TL-2 incan, use to be my go to light, and get another hour or so of useful light out of the Wolf Eyes). I also have a Wolf Eyes LED module in my Surefire 6P that works basically the same.
I know a bunch of guys using the Polytac and they have been happy, you might want to check with Streamlight since that doesn't seem like normal performance. I would also check out the new Surefire X line (G2X, 6PX). |
|
Please please take a serious look at Streamlight Strion C4 LED and Stinger C4 LED rechargables. I started my career, not that long ago, using my city issued SL-20 as my primary light with a Surefire 6P LED as a back-up on my belt in a surefire scabbard. I've spent my entire career on nights so I use my lights every day. The SL-20 is a pretty shitty light aside from the fact that you can give someone a wallop with it if needed. But its heavy, not that bright, and swings around on your belt as you walk. I've been racked a couple times while running and I've had to hold my SL-20 so it would fly out of my belt ring. And the Surefire 6P LED is a good light for occasional use, but the CR123's are way expensive and the LED head was weak and just didn't cast a good enough beam for use as a primary light after I began to loath my SL-20, plus it was too small to tuck under my armpit on traffic stops and during SFSTs.
So I began my search for a light that was compact enough to fit on my belt and would be sure in some form of holster, would have a long run time, a good beam, had switches that could be positively activated and yet could be comfortably tucked under my arm. Basically a good middle ground between a Surefire and the SL-20, having the benifits of both and weaknesses of neither. Ultimately I came to purchase a Streamlight Stringer LED C4 HP with duel switches. It has the flared out head. I have been using it sinces fathers day, whenever that was. I use it every day and I have been utterly impressed. The max output , 200 lumen, is way brighter than an SL-20 and longer run time. The lowest run time, 50 lumen, has an estimated 7 hour run time. The Strion C4 LED rechargable is close in size to must Surefires, but offers similar performance to the Stringer I purchased. I chose the Stinger over the Strion because I already knew a light the same size of a Surefire couldn't be comfortably and securely tucked under my arm. I tend to drop lights that size when I try to use them in this manner. editted to add: I can use my Stinger to identify stuff a hundred yards away and drop the lumens to look for stuff in my trunk. Plus it has a stobe feature if thats your thing. I usually just use my pistol light during building searches. Hope this helps. |
|
Quoted:
Fenix LD10 uses one AA battery nice and cheap and works well for a belt back up, especially in a home/business room clearing. http://www.fenixlight.com/viewproduct.asp?id=117 I have the LD10 and absolutely love it. As far as single AA LED lights, it's one the best, or possibly THE best light on the market. I deployed with it and only changed the battery once in 5 months. 
|
|
Quoted:
My standard reply to duty flashlight threads: Streamlight Strion LED rechargeable. It's what I currently carry and I don't predict anything will replace it anytime soon. I agree. I carry one everyday. Tough and bright. |
|
Quoted:
I have the Polytac, and I love it. Brighter than the Surefire equivalent (until the new Gen came out) and cheaper too. Maybe yours is messed up. Maybe it is. There is no exaggeration when i say it only lasts about 5-10minutes then it loses all power and only puts out about 10-20% of its actual output |