Less Than Lethal Self Defense Options: Lesson 1 - Flashlight
A well-made flashlight is an incredibly versatile tool that should be within reach at all times. It prepares you for emergencies, enhances your safety, aids in various tasks, and adds convenience to your daily life. Most importantly, a flashlight contributes to your overall situational awareness. A side note here: the flashlight app on cell phones is not synonymous with the tool we are discussing. Too often, people rely on their phones, scrolling through apps to find the "flashlight" function. They do this while keeping their heads down. This is dangerous on multiple levels. In contrast, having a dedicated flashlight allows you to quickly grab it with one hand, turn it on, and immediately assess the situation without distraction.
When carrying a flashlight for self-defense, quick and easy access is essential. It should be stored in a way that allows immediate use (ideally with your non-gun hand), such as in a pocket or an easily accessible section of a purse. While your flashlight doesn’t need to be expensive, it should be bright, compact, one handed operational and comfortable enough for you to carry it daily. [If it’s not convenient to carry, you’re less likely to do so consistently—and a flashlight you don’t carry consistently won’t be useful when you need it most.]
A powerful flashlight can be an effective deterrent. Remember, a bad guy doesn’t want to spend too much time, get caught, or get hurt. A bright, disorienting light can give you the critical moment you need to create space and get away without causing harm. Not every situation that requires light will also require a gun, and there’s no harm in shining a light to see what’s happening. If you’re in a dark place, it’s reasonable to use a flashlight to identify what someone may have in their hands or what they’re doing. However, it’s not reasonable to point a pistol-mounted light at them unless the situation escalates.
To help you choose the right flashlight, let’s break down the essential parts of a quality tactical flashlight.
[NOTE: The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) regards flashlights as tools and advises that flashlights under seven inches can be carried in either a carry-on or checked bag. If the flashlight is larger than that, it must be packed in checked luggage. Lithium-ion batteries like CR123As carried outside a device are not allowed by the TSA. Loose spare batteries should be stowed away into your check-in baggage to prevent them from being confiscated. Some flashlights have a very aggressive bezel which the TSA can interpret as a weapon and not allow on a plane.]
The Anatomy of a Flashlight
Lens: The lens is the transparent cover at the front of the flashlight that protects the bulb or LED and helps focus or disperse the light beam. Some lenses are made of tough materials like tempered glass to withstand impacts.
Reflector: The reflector is a component inside the head of the flashlight that surrounds the bulb or LED. Its purpose is to gather and reflect light forward, enhancing the beam's intensity and focus.
Bezel: The bezel is the outer ring or lip around the lens. It serves multiple functions, including protecting the lens from scratches, providing a grip surface for twisting to focus the beam (if applicable), and sometimes incorporating features like crenellations for self-defense purposes.
Head/LED Housing: This is the main body of the flashlight where the LED or bulb is housed, along with the reflector and lens. In more advanced flashlights, this area may also contain electronic components for adjusting brightness levels or activating different modes.
Battery Compartment: The battery compartment is where you insert and store the batteries that power the flashlight. It's usually located in the handle or body of the flashlight and may have a cap or cover that screws on to secure the batteries in place.
Pocket Clip: The pocket clip is a metal or plastic clip attached to the flashlight body, allowing you to clip the flashlight to your pocket, belt, or gear for easy carrying and access.
Tail Cap: The tail cap is the end of the flashlight opposite the head. It typically screws onto the body and houses the switch or button used to turn the flashlight on and off. Having a tail switch on a tactical flashlight offers several advantages over a switch located on the body of the flashlight.
Tail Switch: The tail switch is the button or switch located on the tail cap. It controls the flashlight's operation, such as turning it on/off, activating different modes (e.g., strobe, low/high beam), or adjusting brightness levels.
Flashlight Ring: A flashlight ring is an optional accessory that can be attached to the flashlight's body, usually near the head or tail. It provides additional grip and stability, especially when using the flashlight in tactical or high-intensity situations.
Understanding elements like hotspot, spill, throw beam, flood beam, lumens, candela, watts, and lux will help you to select a flashlight that meets your specific needs. Each of these factors plays a unique role in how the flashlight performs. By familiarizing yourself with these terms, you will be better at choosing a flashlight that delivers what you need for your application.
Hotspot and Spill:
Hotspot: The hotspot is the central, most intense part of the flashlight beam. It's where the majority of the light output is concentrated, resulting in a focused and brighter area. The hotspot is useful for illuminating distant objects or focusing light on a specific point with high intensity.
Spill: The spill refers to the outer area of the beam surrounding the hotspot. It contains less concentrated light compared to the hotspot but still provides illumination over a wider area. The spill is essential for peripheral vision and general area lighting, making it easier to navigate and observe surroundings.
Flood vs. Throw:
Flood Beam: A flood beam is characterized by a wide and evenly distributed light pattern. It illuminates a broad area with uniform brightness, making it ideal for tasks that require close-range visibility, such as reading, camping, or working in a confined space. Flood beams are also useful for general-purpose lighting and enhancing peripheral vision.
Throw Beam: A throw beam is focused and projects light over a longer distance with greater intensity. It creates a concentrated hotspot that can reach far distances, making it suitable for outdoor activities like hiking, search and rescue operations, or tactical situations where long-range visibility is crucial. Throw beams penetrate through darkness effectively, allowing users to spot objects at a distance.
Flashlights designed for specific purposes often feature adjustable beams or multiple modes to switch between flood and throw settings, allowing users to adapt the light output based on their needs and environment.
Flashlight Brightness Measurements
Lumens: quantify total light output.
Candelas: measure the intensity and focus of the beam.
Watts: indicate electrical power consumption (historically correlated with brightness but less relevant with LED technology).
Lux: quantifies brightness per unit area at a specific distance.
When discussing how powerful a flashlight is, most people focus on lumens. Lumens measure the total brightness a light source produces—the higher the lumens, the brighter the light. However, lumens alone don’t tell the full story. A flashlight’s ability to illuminate effectively also depends on its design, including the reflective surfaces in the head and the lens, which direct the beam of light. This is where candela comes in.
Candela measures the intensity of a focused light beam, which determines how well the light can penetrate through light pollution or other visual barriers without being washed out. A flashlight with a high candela value and low lumens typically has a very tight, focused beam (hotspot) with minimal spill—useful in certain scenarios but not ideal for self-defense. On the other hand, a flashlight with low candela and high lumens may create a broad, diffused light (like a floodlight), which also isn’t ideal for self-defense situations.
For self-defense purposes, the goal is a flashlight that balances reach and spill. You need a beam that can illuminate a potential threat clearly, allowing you to see their hands and identify whether they pose an active threat. At the same time, the beam should provide enough spill to illuminate the surrounding area, helping you identify any accomplices or bystanders. This balance ensures you can make informed decisions in a critical situation.
Putting it all together
This is a lot of information so let’s summarize this to help you make the right decision. You need:
A size you can easily carry. Approximately 4”-5” long and 1” thick.
Power source CR123A or Rechargeable 18650 batteries.
Simple operation. No need to program your light. On/Off tail switch will be sufficient.
An approximate 1 to 20 ratio of Lumens to Candelas. This will give you a good combination of total output to focus beam. Example 550 Lumens and 10,250 Candelas will give you a crisp hotspot and sufficient spill.
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