Light

Princeton Tec Sync headlamp revisited: Still good

One of the most popular headlamps on the market for some time has been the Princeton Tec Sync LED Headlamp. There are plenty of sources praising the Sync’s versatility and simplicity, which also comes wearing an inexpensive price tag. I have seen multiple people using the Sync in both field training as well as on the trails. The Sync’s array of features is appealing enough that even Backpacker Magazine couldn’t resist branding it with their Editors’ Choice designation back in 2015. For this review, we will be focusing on some of the subtleties of the Princeton Tec Sync rather than laying out all of the specifications you may already be acquainted with from our previous Sync reviews.

Before getting too far into the review, it is important to note that there are actually two different Princeton Tec Sync models. The model used in this review provides a max output of 150 lumens while the older model provides 90 lumens. Aside from max light output, these headlamps are nearly identical.

One of the most convenient features on the Sync is the power dial. The power dial was implemented over a traditional on/off button and offers easier manipulation, especially while wearing gloves. When the dial is placed in the “OFF” position, the user can turn the dial up (clockwise) for a red light or down (counter-clockwise) for four different white light variations. Each successive notch on the power dial will increase the overall light output. This is convenient because it minimizes the chances of accidentally turning on a white light and disrupting your natural night vision.

However, one gripe I do have about the Princeton Tec Sync is that it is not waterproof. The Sync’s water-resistance rating is at IPX4. This means the Sync’s water resistance is minimal, and while is able to withstand small splashes of water or light rain, it isn’t recommended for prolonged use on a rainy day (though some have better luck than others). Fear not though, Princeton Tec does offer great alternatives that do implement waterproof capabilities such as the Princeton Tec Eos and Princeton Tec Quad Tactical MPLS (though the drawback is the max light output). The key is figuring out what is most important to you in a headlamp.

If you prefer a short and sweet summary:

The Good

Great price for features
Offers both spot and flood light settings
Red light easy to utilize
Made in the USA

The Bad

Not waterproof
Bulkier than other headlamps

Everyone should own a headlamp. Regardless of whether or not you have a job or pastime that requires one, a headlamp benefits every individual. Even if you happen to be the type of person who never leaves his home, there may come an inconvenient or dire situation where a hands-free light becomes a vital tool. At the time of writing this review, the Princeton Tec Sync LED Headlamp is available on Amazon Prime for $24.15, a price that fits every budget. The Princeton Tec Sync isn’t the best headlamp on the market, but it offers one of the best combinations of features for its price tag, which is why it remains a popular option.

Do you have any experience with the Princeton Tec Sync? Use a different Princeton Tec or another headlamp? Let us know what you think!

The 1200 lumen pistol light | Valkyrie PL-2

The tactical light world is chalk full of companies that are trying to reinvent the wheel these days. But it begs the question – Why? At the end of the day, we’re talking about a flashlight that’s mounted to the end of your weapon system. It needs to be reliable, it needs to be bright, and it should be low profile with minimal weight. Well, Olight has achieved that with great success.

The team at Olight reached out to me to test their premium weapon light – the PL-2 Valkyrie. Seeing as how I have used and own most other lights from other manufacturers, I pitted the Valkyrie against the TLR-2 and the X-300 to see how it stacked up against its competitors. My findings were quite surprising.

What really stunned me about this light is that they boast an absolutely impressive 1,200 Lumens. That is double what Surefire says the X-300 is blasting and over four times the lumens from the TLR-2. I was curious if this was a little exaggerated on Olight or if they actually made a 1,200-lumen weapons light. So what I did is I put fresh batteries in all three systems and tested them from my roof overlooking a wide-open lot. Not only was the PL-2 brighter than the other two, but it also had a really nice focus beam and a good amount of wide illumination. This is perfect for a tactical scenario so you don’t get tunnel vision on one singular beam of light and fail to see other peripheral threats.

If the 1,200 lumens weren’t enough of a bonus, the PL-2 is not only waterproof, but it’s also the smallest and lightest out of the three competitors. Coming in at 3.25” long and only weighing 2.28 ounces, this is significantly less of a footprint than the TLR-2 and X-300. This compact size really keeps the carbon off the lens keeping it clearer, longer and also prevents fatigue due to the extra weight at the muzzle.

Another design function that I found pleasing was the almost haptic click response of the on/off switch. Even with gloves, you can feel a firm response to finger pressure making every on and off activation of the light very deliberate. This seemingly simple feature is very critical in a tactical situation so as to not unintentionally destroy your adjusted eyes or give away your position. The Surefire X-300 failed miserably at this task, but the TLR-2 did a good job. I think that the PL-2 switch far surpasses the TLR-2, especially with the seamless use of keeping the light on or only momentarily.

With an attainable price point of $99.95, the Valkyrie should be a must-have for any responsible citizen or law enforcement professional. Olight has tapped on all of my must-haves for a weapon light – Bright, reliable, compact and lightweight. The PL-2 met and exceeded all of my expectations.

Purchase here

Beam Distance (ft)	770
Beam Distance (m)	235
Max. Performance (lumens)	1200
Charge type	Optional charger
Compatible Batteries	2 x CR123A/RCR123A
Light Intensity (candela)	13800
Light Form	Standard hotspot diameter with impressive distance. The perfect all-around beam profile.
Lens / Reflector Type	TIR reflector (big, defined wide hotspot)
Mode Operation	Side Switch
Form/Size Factor	Small size (Car key / Zippo Lighter)
Series	Series PL (gun flashlight)
Unique Characteristics	ambidextrous switch that can be front pushed or side pressed compact to fit all standard pistol sizes narrow and simple design perfect for IWB carry

Streamlight TLR-6 | Tiny Light, Big Performance

The Streamlight TLR-6 is a small handgun mounted light/laser combo that is designed to be affixed to a weapon and left attached indefinitely. Housing a 100 lumen C4 LED illuminator and a 640-660nm red laser, the TLR-6 fits on more than 18 subcompact pistols, and many more full and mid-sized guns.

This light is both shockproof and IPX4 water-resistant. The engineering polymer used in the housing is tough and incredibly lightweight. The TLR-6 comes in at 2.3-2.9″ long and a scant 32-36 grams (depending on model). The CR-1/3n batteries can be replaced without removing the light, which has a run time of approximately one hour, the laser coming in at eleven.

Everything you need to install the TLR-6 onto your handgun’s trigger guard and rail is included in the box. Three screws clamp the two halves of the housing together using the included allen key. The light and/or laser are activated by pressing one of the buttons on the right or left side. Pressing both at the same time switches between modes, with light only, laser only and light with laser being the options. A quick tap on the power button leaves the light on, while holding it down cuts the power as soon as you release the button.

vs.

If 100 lumens doesn’t sound like an overwhelming amount of light, let me present two points. One, the parabolic reflector keeps a very tight, focused beam in the midst of a wide peripheral illuminating ring. Two, huge lumen counts come with downsides, namely bigger size and the chance to blind the person aiming down the sights as well as the target. The TLR-6 is designed to stay on your defensive handgun no matter if you’re at home or out in the city.

I’ve found the TLR-6 to be more than sufficient for clearing the house. 100 well-focused lumens is plenty in the middle of the night at normal “Castle Doctrine” distances. The laser holds zero and gives an effective option for low-light aiming.

Small enough for CCW, bright enough for home defense and versatile enough for both. The Streamlight TLR-6 is an effective tool to have at your disposal. This product can be had for $99-$118 depending on model, with many holster options already available.

Flashlights, weapon lights and your EDC options

Carrying a flashlight is a great idea and can seriously come in handy. It’s one of those tools that when you need one you really need one. There are a lot of light options out there and picking the right one for you can be a bit daunting. That said, carrying anything is better than nothing provided it isn’t impractical. I have my own personal preferences but really it’s about using what fits your lifestyle. Essentially, I would break down everyday carry (EDC) lights into two categories and that would be handheld lights and weapon mounted lights.

Handheld lights are excellent because they are versatile and above all can be used without having to pull out a gun — as opposed to weapon mounted lights — something imperative to not breaking the law. A handheld light can still be used (although not as effectively) in conjunction with a firearm too. They can also be used to blind an attacker momentarily or as an impact weapon. Handheld lights come in a variety of shapes and sizes. I prefer ones that are pen shaped/sized because they are small and barely take up space in my pocket. Standard sized flashlights like the Surefire G2X and 6P variants are excellent choices but tend to take up a bit more space, many people like to run lights this size on designated belt holsters.

Weapon mounted lights are a rather specific option that many feel are imperative to an EDC firearm. There are quite a few variants but my personal preferences are Surefire, Streamlight and Insight when it comes to handgun compatible lights. The benefits of weapon mounted lights are most apparent at night — which is probably when you’re going to find yourself in conflict. They allow you to positively identify targets and threats while simultaneously maintaining positive control of your weapon.

When selecting a light, it’s important to get the most out of it. Some things to take into consideration are durability, lumens and interface. Do your research and be sure to select lights that are robust since they may take a beating, weaker designs can be prone to failure under stress which results in darkness. Lumens are a unit of measurement for light output and the more you can get the better off you will be, higher lumen counts equal better visibility and potential to (I use this term loosely) stun an enemy combatant. Pick out a light or combination of lights that work for you and train with them to get the most out of your everyday carry tools.

Photo courtesy of the Author

Originally published on SOFREP and written by Kurt T

Small design, big performance: SureFire Sidekick LED Flashlight

Flashlights are a common every-day-carry item, but honestly, they’re left at home in a lot of cases to make way for other items. Having a light in certain situations can be critical to one’s safety and convenience. With the introduction of SureFire’s Sidekick LED flashlight, there is no excuse to be without a light anymore.

Virtually everyone leaves home with a set of keys, and the Sidekick is meant to be included on a key ring. Of course, pocket carry of the Sidekick is always an option too. It weighs in at a mere 1.2 ounces and is only 2.5 inches in length with a bezel diameter of only .58 inches. It comes with a 6-inch micro USB cable, key ring, and mini carabiner clip. It is available is black, pink, or white for $79.99 MSRP. An optional belt clip key reel and a compatible headband are available from the manufacturer as well.

The Sidekick allows you to set brightness sequence depending on your preferred use-cases. By default, output sequence is low (5 lumens) – medium (60 lumens) – high 300 (lumens) by pressing the activation button. I chose to set my sequence to high – medium – low because as a semi-defensive EDC item I want maximum lumens right away to blast a threat. This sequence change can be done by following some very simple directions provided with the product by SureFire. Whatever your preference is, the process to change only takes seconds.

Runtime for the low setting (5 lumens) is approximately 45 hours, 4 hours for the medium (60 lumens) setting, and 1.25 for the high (300 lumens) setting. Performance wise this is excellent. Although, I do wish the Sidekick listed a water resistance rating as one of the features.

With the uncovered micro-USB port, this flashlight is not meant to get wet. It is listed as “weather resistant” but I wouldn’t trust it getting any more wet than a light sprinkle of rain. Be mindful of that although with most modern electronic vehicle keys, a keychain is something that most people prevent from getting wet in anyway.

Overall, for being so small the Sidekick is very comfortable, convenient, and durable. The beams provided by each setting are clean, crisp, and wide enough to make it perform like a much larger flashlight. The convenient USB charging combined with excellent runtime means that the Sidekick is a piece of gear that requires little thought to charge on occasion to make sure it is ready when you need it.

*All images provided by Nick Coffman

Petzl TIKKA headlamp: Compact headlamp for proximity lighting

Since 1975, Petzl — the company — has been building products stemming from generations of family exploration and mountaineering experience. While they have developed many product categories such as climbing harnesses, helmets, packs, and countless other devices and accessories — to me they are most known for their affordable and impeccable headlamps. The Petzl TIKKA headlamp offers an affordable headlamp option for camping, climbing, travel, or general everyday use. At a $29.95 MSRP, the TIKKA offers a great compact and versatile lighting option.

My favorite features on the TIKKA are the emergency whistle, phosphorescent reflector, and red lighting mode option. The emergency whistle is seamlessly embedded into the fastener on the headband and provides a small but potentially important safety and survival feature that doesn’t get in the way. The phosphorescent reflector surrounding the primary LED is intended to help you locate the headlamp in the dark, and as the image below indicates the bright green glow can be very effective. The red lighting mode is great for ensuring your light doesn’t blind members of your group while providing a stealthy light mode for yourself. The red lighting mode also features a strobe option that can be visible at 700 meters for up to 400 hours.

Specifications on the TIKKA> include a maximum lighting output of 200 lumens (lm) at full charge while offering a 100 lm and 5 lm option when less light is required or to conserve batteries. Batteries are included with the purchase of the TIKKA (3x AAA), but there is an option to purchase an additional rechargeable CORE battery pack if you wish. Battery life ranges from 240 hours at 5 lumens (white lighting) to 60 hours for 200 lumens. Lighting modes are operated by a single button and are very easily navigated. At 86 grams, the headlamp is incredibly light and is very comfortable on the head. The adjustable head strap ensures a good fit with or without a hat/helmet. The TIKKA is IP X4 water resistant which essentially means it is splash resistant. I would not recommend submerging it or exposing it to prolonged amounts of heavy rain.

Overall this product is a great option for travel, camping, or emergency scenarios. The only downside to this particular model is the mild water resistance, but it is durable and has a great burn time in regards to battery life. For such a compact accessory, it is no trouble to include one in a pack or vehicle to have when hands-free lighting is required. Petzl is a well-known brand in this space, and they certainly deliver a winner with the affordable TIKKA.

5 lumens

100 lumens

200 lumens

Lighting performance specs from Petzl

Lighting color	Lighting modes	Brightness	Distance	Burn time
white	MAX AUTONOMY	5 lm	10 m	240 h
	STANDARD	100 lm	40 m	60 h
	MAX POWER	200 lm	60 m
red	proximity	2 lm	5 m
red	strobe	visible at 700 m for 400 h

*All images courtesy of the author