Tactical lights and actual lumens used

[CDR_Glock]

I have had my new lights for a week. One is a Fenix PD20 and the other a Quark 123/2 Turbo. One has a max intensity of 180 and the other 230.

Balancing out practicality and duration of the battery, I don't need to ever use the maximum intensity.

I am happy with the low or medium setting with the Fenix at 3 or 9 lumens (47 at the most) and 4, 22 or 85 lumens with the Quark Turbo 123/2.

What are your practical or more commonly used settings?

 

[Cosmoline]

I've been experimenting with various low lumen and high lumen lights, particularly after dark when my eyes have adjusted. I really prefer moderate lumen tac lights to the 100+ numbers. Beyond a point the light is so bright that reflection back off interior walls and objects is blinding to my night-adjusted eyes. This is exacerbated by snowy conditions.

I'm really liking the E2D Surefire I picked up a few months back. It throws a 60 lumen spotlight for about an hour. After the switch was broken in it engages pretty easily. The only thing I need 150+ lumens for is a bicycle spotlight for night riding. And that one is rechargeable.

 

[owlhoot]

I suppose I am close to being a flashlight junkie. I have several of the high tech lights, one in each vehicle, one in my wife's purse, my EDC, one near each exterior door, one in the garage/shop, one in the bedroom on the nightstand, one upstairs in the den, and a couple of extras. In addition to all of those, I have one that fits on the head and a big rechargable number that puts out a gazillion CP.

My favorite is a Fenix that puts out a max of 220 lumens. I use the full 220 often. I live in the boonies with several outbuildings. The Fenix will throw a good beam 100 yards but more importantly, it will light up the entire front or back yard. If there is a critter scurrying away from the hen house, I will see it even without it being in the beam. If I'm looking for a critter in a tall tree, it will light up the entire tree. I most often use just two of its seven settings, the lowest and the highest, but I appreciate having the other options available. Outside I've never had a problem with bounce-back or reflected light impairing my vision. I don't see much snow, but I do get fog and the higher setting helps cut through that. Inside, I just use a lower setting. Of course, the good news is that there is such a variety of lights available today that there is the perfect light to suit most anybody's requirements.

 

[JShirley]

I find around 15 lumens is a good task setting, and 100-220 good for "tactical" use.

 

[ArfinGreebly]

Fog Glare

. . . but I do get fog and the higher setting helps cut through that.

Interesting. What do you do to manage fog glare? Do you use off-axis beam, shine along ground, or do you just shine straight ahead?

I have had problems with fog glare when shining too bright a beam along the same axis as used for sight. I find I have to offset or use some angular displacement to avoid that.

 

[wannasupra]

use fog lights. in all seriousness, get a higher lumen light, and throw a yellow filter on it. it'll help with the glare and add contrast in wet/foggy weather.

 

[DAdams]

4Sevens Preon

I have been buying LED lights now for 4 years. Most of what I buy these days are 4Sevens, and I have a couple of Fenix which got me on path to a minor flashaholic addiction.

My most used is a Preon II, stylus format. I like it because it can be carried in the shirt pocket on a lanyard around the neck or in the side pocket. It also uses readily available 2XAAA and I feed it Eneloop rechargables which have been cycled about 50 times now.
I bought one early on when they did the convertible kit lights which came with a 1XAAA body as well.



Lumens OTF are 2, 24 and 90 which is a nice range for most jobs.

The new S2 Bin Cree run is 3, 26, 120. I ordered one of these today as the S2s are about sold out.
It is about to become the EDC LED.



For high output, boating and camping I have two 4Sevens G5 Maelstroms. One is on a pressure switch on an AR. On the AR mount the bezel and anti-roll ring are removed. .2 lumens to 350. 2X123A.

 

[Texas Gun Person]

My most used settings are the lowest, and the highest settings.


The Moonlight modes on 4Sevens lights are awesome in no light conditions. The light will run for days and day and days, but still offer enough light for you to see in black conditions.

I used the highest setting because it's juts sometimes the most convenient.

 

[DAdams]

4Sevens Moonlight mode....

The light will run for days and day and days, but still offer enough light for you to see in black conditions.

It really is quite amazing how little light is needed when it is really dark.

2 lumens suffices for a trip behind a tree w/o killing the night vision.

I like to carry a headlight with 3-4 settings and one in red. My favorite is the Energizer brand and a pretty good deal at $14. Great for chart work at night.

 

[CDR_Glock]

I am finding that low light capability is as important as the converse.