• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
The Loadout Room

The Loadout Room

Professional Gear Reviews

Hardcore Gear and Adventure

Menu
  • Shooting
        • Pistol
        • Pistol Accessories
        • Rifle
        • Rifle Accessories
        • Shotgun
        • Machine Guns
        • Air Guns
        • Ammunition
        • Optics and Sights
        • Weapon Lights
        • Tips & How-To
        • Concealed Carry
        • Holsters
        • Suppressors
        • Precision Rifle Shooting
        • Firearms Training
        • m243The M24: America’s Headhunter
        • skorpFull-Auto Fun — Shooting the full-Auto vz. 61 Škorpion
        • p320-full-leftSIG Sauer M17/M18/P320 Pistol Just Can’t Seem to Escape Safety Controversies
        • TISAS_10100520_1__98179Tisas 1911A1 U.S. Army Review: Best Budget .45 ACP WW2 1911 Clone?
    • Close
  • Gear Reviews
      • Mission Gear
      • Camping Gear
      • Survival Gear
      • Medical Gear
      • Adventure & Travel
      • Knives & Tools
      • Overland
      • Disaster Preparedness
      • Footwear
      • Womens Gear & Clothing
        • Viking-Bags Logo 2Pic of the Day, Viking Motorcycle Bags 45L Tactical XL Bag
        • Hunting in TexasThese 5 ATV Dealers Will Get You Ready For Hunting Season in Texas
        • ac65a540-2ef3-4598-8d11-afdf53f46e94.__CR0,0,970,600_PT0_SX970_V1___Streamlight ProTac Rail Mount HL-X: A Thoroughly Bright Review
        • Bluetti 2 handsfree power backpackBluetti Handsfree 2 Review: The Ultimate Power Backpack for Off-Grid Adventurers
    • Close
  • Men’s Lifestyle
      • Fitness
      • EDC
      • Eyewear
      • Watches
      • Electronics & Technology
      • Downtime
      • Mens Clothing & Accessories
      • Manly Skills
      • Style & Grooming
      • Gentleman Drinks
      • Crate Club
        • Neoron Energy DrinkNeoron Brain Booster Review: A Clean Hit of Focus
        • Viking-Bags Logo 2Pic of the Day, Viking Motorcycle Bags 45L Tactical XL Bag
        • Tom and Blake Sell TeaHow Sasquatch Tea Is Revitalizing a Stagnant Tea Market With Veterans and Outdoorsmen in Mind
        • redcat-blackwidow-articleheaderWar of Words: In the Ultra-Competitive Defense Tech Industry, Storytelling is a Secret Weapon
    • Close
  • News
  • Video Demo
  • Buying Guides
  • Shop
  • Advertise
EDC

Features To Look For In EDC Flashlights

August 16, 2017 by Scott Witner 1 Comment

With the threats we face today, just having a light may be all you need to create enough space to get off the X (away from the threat). From a legal standpoint you can carry a flashlight anywhere. There will be places (such as airports) that you cannot carry a firearm or knife, but will be able to have a light. A quality light can become a force multiplier in a potential life threatening situation. One of the features that tends to be a point of confusion is the amount of lumens the light emits. It’s easy to think that a light with a 300+ lumen output would be the way to go, but I disagree. In reality anything north of 60 lumens will get the job done. The light I carry as a possible defensive tool is also the light I use for my everyday tasks, so I find it to be overkill to be over 200 lumens unless I want to blind myself looking for something in a drawer.

When it comes to choosing a light to carry everyday, the amount of choices available can make that a harder decision than it needs to be. Over the years I’ve several different brands of lights from the tried and true mini mag light, Fenix lights, Streamlight and Surfire lights. Based upon my experiences of how these lights operate and carrying them I have learned a few things. Personally I have 3 different lights that I rotate through depending on where I’m going and what I’m doing.

Serrated strike bezel – A good strike bezel can certainly help with inflicting a little pain onto any would be attacker and provide you the time needed to get the hell out of dodge. The O Light M18 has a very aggressive strike bezel that would put a serious hurt on an attacker.

The O Light M18 Strike Bezel
The O Light M18 Strike Bezel

Press on/off tailcap – Under stress the last thing you want to worry about is finding the correct mode on your light. There are a few available that have only a single on/off mode such as the Surefire 6PX Defender.

Push button tailcaps
Push button tailcaps

Quality pocket clip – Not every quality flashlight has a quality pocket clip. The only light that I have found with a clip worthy to call quality is Streamlight. They claim that the clip is unbreakable. The clip found on Streamlight flashlights is also reversible so that you can use it on a baseball cap for hands free work.

Streamlight Protac 1AA Pocket Clip
Streamlight Protac 1AA Pocket Clip

Power source – The most popular out there are the CR-123 batteries. These generally provide more power output than your standard battery. Lights such as the Streamlight 1AA (my every day carry) utilize the standard AA battery that can be easily found at most stores anywhere. When I travel I take this into consideration.

Take a look at the following video to see what Brandon Webb says about having a light on you all the time.

Former Navy SEAL Brandon Webb on how to protect yourself


 

Share This

About the Author

Scott Witner is the Editor of The Loadout Room and handles product sourcing for both Crate Club and Cuna Dog. He is a former Marine Corps Infantryman with 2ndBn/8th Marines and was attached to the 24th MEU(SOC) for a 6 month deployment to the Mediterranean. He has completed training in desert warfare at the Marine Air Ground Combat Center, mountain warfare and survival at the Mountain Warfare Training Center and attended the South Korean Mountain Warfare school in Pohang.

See All Scott Witner Articles

More From The Loadout Room

Comments

Primary Sidebar

Most Read

  • Black Widow and the Brain: Palladyne and Red Cat Prove the Future Is Autonomous
    Black Widow and the Brain: Palladyne and Red Cat Prove the Future Is Autonomous
  • Mossberg 930: the affordable 12 gauge auto-loader
    Mossberg 930: the affordable 12 gauge auto-loader
  • Vakarian Plate Carrier Review: Elite Comfort and Modularity for Under $300
    Vakarian Plate Carrier Review: Elite Comfort and Modularity for Under $300
  • My First Single-Action Revolver Purchase: Heritage Rough Rider .22 LR/.22 WMR Range Report
    My First Single-Action Revolver Purchase: Heritage Rough Rider .22 LR/.22 WMR Range Report
  • The Biggest Little Roundgun: The 3-Inch Kimber K6s
    The Biggest Little Roundgun: The 3-Inch Kimber K6s

Find Us on Facebook

Recent Comments

  • Stepvenlau on Different Types of Rifle Scopes and How to Choose One
  • Stepvenlau on UH-1 Holographic Sight by Vortex Optics
  • Stepvenlau on Vortex Spitfire AR Prism Scope with Bullet Drop Compensator (BDC) Dial

Latest From SOFREP

News

Morning Brief: Admiral Daryl Caudle Becomes Navy’s Top Officer, Air Force Lifts Suspension on M18 Pistols, Coast Guard’s Historic Drug Seizure

News

Evening Brief: Trump Signs Executive Order Targeting Flag Burning, A Military Contractor in Germany Indicted for Offering Intel to China

Military

The Mexican Border Defense Medal Is Here

Aviation

Ukrainian F-16 Shoots Down Russian Su-35 Super Flanker

Military Content Group

© Copyright 2025 Military Content Group · All Rights Reserved.

  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Advertisers
 

Loading Comments...