I'm kind of a "flash-o-holic". Not as much as some people (check out CandlePowerForums to see what I mean. As with just about any tech subject, there are some real flashlight "geeks" out there!), but I have more flashlights than anybody I know personally and try to get the "newest best thing" when available, often to the detriment of my pocket book.
My interest in flashlights grew out my professional need for them and my fascination with the development of their application as a personal safety and self defense tool. The fist "tactical" flashlight I ever purchased was a SureFire E2e with the corresponding GG&G TID (Tactical Impact Device. Sorry, the computer I'm using won't allow me to link to this. You'll have to "Google" it yourself). I carried this for many years as my EDC (Every Day Carry) light and thought it was "the shit" at a full 60 lumen (for reference, a MagLite incandescent 3 "C" cell puts out 45 lumen while a Mini MagLite incandescent 2 "AA" cell puts out 15 lumen.)
I then started to do more uniform security (as compared to loss prevention) and wanted something a little more robust, so I purchased a Surefire M3. This put out 125 lumen and I thought this was the peak of tactical flashlights! The first time I got to use a flashlight in a "tactical" capacity was with this light. I was doing security at a large local retail store during Christmas and was performing a perimeter patrol of the building at night. While doing so I came across a homeless (I assume) man sleeping behind some steel storage containers that were located along the side of the building. I turned the M3 on, placed the beam approximately at his torso and attempted to wake him up. It took a little while but I eventually managed to do so. Once he was awake and standing he began to walk toward me to leave the area but stumbled in my direction. In the moment I responded as if he were rushing me and moved the flashlight beam from his torso to his face. The man responded as if I had stiff-armed him. He put his right hand up to shield his eyes and said something to the effect of, "get that fucking light out of my face". As it was no longer just theory for me, I was now a "true believer" in the use of "white light" as a self defense tool. Unfortunately I still had to carry my E2e when not in uniform because the M3 is so large.
Sometime later I discovered Malkolff Device's M50 drop-in bulb assembly (no longer available. It has been replaced by the M61). The M50 put out an amazing 250 lumen! I immediately purchased it (from Unique Titanium) and a SureFire Z2 body to put it in. I now had a super bright compact flashlight that was appropriate for both professional and EDC use. I have had this for a couple of years and have loved it. A little while later I also purchased a SolarForce bezel with stainless steel crenellated bezel ring (from lighthound) and a Blade-Tech kydex "pouch" to carry it in.
Recently I discovered a company called OVEREADY (they applied the capitol lettering) and got very excited about a number of their products. The first thing I purchased from them was a Peak Logan XPG light with a momentary switch and a stainless steel pocket clip. I did this because it puts out 50 more lumen than my SureFire Z2/Malkoff Device M50 at about half the size. Although the size of the Z2 isn't really that much of an issue, if I'm wearing clothing without a belt, e.g., sweat pants, it's kind of a pain to carry and I noticed I've had a tendency to leave it at home. The smaller size of the Peak Logan assures that all I have to do is slip into my pocket and I'm good to go. This has become my EDC light and I carry it with me any time I'm out of the house (it's my back-up light while I'm at work).
I then purchased from OVEREADY a TorchLAB L3 Triple XPG - Three Level Drop In and a SureFire 9P body to put it in, along with a black stainless steel crenellated bezel ring and a McClicky "hard press" tailcap. This set-up puts out a stupendous 1100 lumen! On top of this it is adjustable to 330 lumen and 22 lumen as well. I've had the chance to use it on unruly patrons at work (as a bouncer) and it stops people in their tracks like nothing I've seen. People just can't look at it without turning away. I've stopped fights with it and have made most of my coworkers envious. (Added on 03/28/11: I had a slightly different experience this weekend while using this flashlight on an intoxicated young woman who wouldn't drop an issue and leave the property at the club. As she was yelling that she was going to kick some other girl's ass at the top of her lungs and trying push through two bouncers to get to her I walked up and shined the flashlight in her eyes. She immediately stopped in place, closed her mouth and stared wide eyed into the light, something like a deer caught in the headlights of a car. I'm not sure what would have caused this response, in a neurological sense, but it worked wonderfully and gave us the opportunity to direct her away from the object of her attention.)
Now the only problem is that the wheels of technological advancement are continually turning. As I was looking up links for this blog, I discovered that OVEREADY is already offering a new compact flashlight based on the TorchLAB L3 called the "Moddoolar Pocket" . It's only a little larger than my Peak Logan and puts out 800 lumen. Oh well. I'll give it a couple of years and then probably get something even better...
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