strobe lights?

[Spike_akers]

To try and keep my mind off of some recent happenings I'm going to ask something I've wondered for a while now.

I'm sure everyone has seen a movie or show, where the good guy uses a strobe light to disorient their attacker. Is this really a viable tactic? Now I've been flashed with a rather powerful streamlight strobe, but wouldn't that pinpoint your location rather than give you an advantage?

 

[JohnBiltz]

If you are being attacked then your attacker already knows your location.

 

[basicblur]

I've never tried it (I don't want to look into those new lights), but I've seen videos where the operator used a normal flashlight, and you could always tell where they were - you could follow the movement of the light (side to side, fore / aft).

The same demonstration with a strobe showed that you have no idea where the person holding the light is fore / aft - they could be going away from you, or walk right up to you and hit you in the chest (which the instructor did), and you'd never know they had closed distance on you.

Of course, this demonstration was done in almost complete darkness - the more ambient light you have...?

I don't remember 'bout sideways movement - I think they were just demonstrating how you could either give yourself distance, or close on your attacker, whichever tactic you decide on.

It also takes a well trained person to fight through the natural human reaction of ignoring a blinding light - initially, most folks are going to turn their head away, or try to shield their eyes, etc. Those seconds can be precious to a defender.

 

[Fred Fuller]

The little light I carry (a small 1 AA LED Boker) has a clicky tailcap and comes on at full brightness. I need a light to see, and that's enough - I don't want to be trying to remember click this then click and hold and whatever - it's a LET THERE BE LIGHT moment and light is all I want.

I can't see where a strobe makes all that much difference, at least with any light I'm going to be carrying clipped into a pocket alongside everything else. The little Streamlight Pro-Tac 1AA I carried till I broke the lens (the Stinger with my truck keys in that pocket got it) had a strobe function, but with the first click it came on full bright. I'm basically a 'simpler is better' person, and the last thing I need is something else to fumble with if the pressure is on.

Fine motor skills tend to evaporate in an adrenalin dump...

 

[Al Thompson]

Doing night time security at a public park, I probably illuminated 20ish folks for ID purposes and my safety. The old 120 lumen flashlights would gain me a quick look at their hands, waist line and face in an instant. I also noted that most folks would shut their eyes, avert their faces and raise their hands to ward off the light.

Can only be better with the 500 lumen lights.

Giving away my position was way secondary to making sure the opposite party was armed or un-armed and generally assessing their condition.

If I had needed to fight, I think having my target positively ID'd as a legitimate target and blinking a bit would have put me ahead of the curve.

 

[mljdeckard]

I certainly don't see them as a BAD thing, but I think it is a ways down the list. They are in the 'nice to have' category. I think having and knowing how to use a regular flashlight is much higher on the list.

 

[conw]

I think they do offer a great benefit if used properly, in certain scenarios. If the strobe isn't needed it doesn't detract from "tactical" application of light.

Of course the marketing hype is huge. A strobe type flashlight no more disorients an opponent than a modern JHP handgun round stops an opponent by itself. The tool and the technology behind it are just the beginning.

That said, I really like my two Klarus lights (xt1c and xt1c - one and two cell lights that are pocket size with an identical interface) because they are bright with a beam profile optimized for my needs (as opposed to, for example, wilderness usage) and the interface allows me to use the strobe with a dedicated button that cannot be locked on. This interface is the best I've tried.

The strobes in the 12-16hz range tend to allow the user to take "snapshots" of his surroundings, ID persons, etc, but are much harder for others nearby to visually track, particularly when used properly.

Southnarc does an excellent low light movement module in his Armed Movement in Structures course.

 

[JohnBiltz]

I walk 2.5 to 3.5 miles a day. Since I live in Phoenix and daytime temperature is over 110, I leave the house at 4 AM while its still relatively cool. I do the walk with a light in my hand. The nice thing about the light is it is the one useful piece of gear you can have in your hand and no one will say or think anything about it.

 

[Averageman]

I don't see the use in a strobe light.
If it disorients the the person being strobed, how does it not disorient the person using it? I suppose you would be somewhat prepared for it to happen, but it still is useless to me.
I would rather use a steady beam.

 

[Onward Allusion]

Not sure about using a strobe to disorient, because it will somewhat disorient the user, too. A bright flashlight can be used to set up a good defense. 200+ lumens focused on the eyes will blind anyone momentarily.

 

[PBR Streetgang]

In my training as a young officer ,we were taught we could put a flashlight in strobe mode and roll it along the floor away from ourselves and directed in the area of our search....being used inside as in building searches......we were told it would not give away our location and disorient whoever else was in the building.

 

[MDH90]

I have a cousin who is a parole officer, and he carries a streamlight PT2AA that we gave him for Christmas. He's told me that several times he's found an absconding parolee in a closet and he has used the lights strobe function to disorient them. He says that it disorients them just enough for him to assess their threat level and respond accordingly.

 

[basicblur]

In my training as a young officer ,we were taught we could put a flashlight in strobe mode and roll it along the floor away from ourselves and directed in the area of our search....being used inside as in building searches......we were told it would not give away our location and disorient whoever else was in the building.

I would have to wonder about this one (how long ago was that?).

I think Ken Hackathorn (among others?) advises against this - Murphy's law being what it is, not only have you just given up your means to light someone up (if this is the only light you have), but you run the risk of the light coming to rest and illuminated you - the criminal probably appreciates that.

I think he also doesn't recommend the old FBI method of holding the flashlight above and far away from you (the theory being if they shoot the light, they'll miss you). Trying that method can be tricky in tight spaces, and trying to hit the target with a light hung out in that method can be problematic.
If you don't light up the target, then you have probably given away your position since your aim was not accurate enough to disorient the target.

And no, a strobe does not disorient me when I'm behind it, but it sure as heck does when I'm on the other end.

I'm no big proponent of 'em, but I also have no problem with them on a light as long as they cannot be activated easily / by accident.

'Bout all my lights are Streamlights, which I prefer for simplicity of operation, and the fact that they come on high beam first.

I don't want a button / software that cycles through 50 modes to do what I want. If I'm carrying the light as a possible SD weapon, I want the first mode activated to be high beam.

 

[herrwalther]

A strobe does not disorient the user nearly as much as the person it is pointed at. It is similar to the effect of gun fire being louder when it is behind you rather than you behind it. I have used and had a strobe light used on me. They work. Just keep in mind bright + strobe works best. Strobe is rather ineffective on a dim light. So go for 180 and more.

 

[Shadow 7D]

Kinda, that being said, I've also been hit by one of the crowd control laser, they strobe at a certain frequency are very bright and will do MUCH more than any pocket flashlight is capable of. It's not a 'drop you and make you puke' (but it's been known to happen, so have seizure....) the biggest thing on the strobe is the reaction to look into the light, and hence kill your vision.

 

[Shawn Dodson]

The purpose of a flashlight is to ID the threat. You'll have other, more important things to manage than the On/Strobe/SOS/Dazzle/Low Power/Off mode of your flashlight. Keep it KISS simple folks.

 

[Deltaboy1984]

Don't need them I got enough of them at dances and parties back in the 1980's

 

[herrwalther]

The purpose of a flashlight is to ID the threat. You'll have other, more important things to manage than the On/Strobe/SOS/Dazzle/Low Power/Off mode of your flashlight. Keep it KISS simple folks.

Yup. When I was looking to replace my Browning pocket flashlight, I almost settled on one that had almost 12 different settings that used a rotating end cap to choose. I have very little use for SOS, high low high, wave settings etc on a flashlight. Depending on how bright it is, a high and low will work for 99% of needs. A strobe being an extra. A high enough lumen light will still disorient a potential threat. I have warded off several dogs in the neighborhood simply by using my flashlight on its default high setting. But sometimes you don't need or want to use a full power setting on a flashlight, so that is why I like low settings. Strobe has its uses sure but to spend 200 or more dollars on the newest strobe light craze makes you a dance club owner.

 

[Blackstone]

The torch I carry is more than powerful enough to disorient someone for long enough so that I can run or strike him if necessary.

 

[diablo2184]

I prefer to use a strong light that can blind or disorient an attacker versus a strobe. the constant beam also helps me to see and keep an eye on his movement, even if its a slight hand move.