EDC Flashlights - (Every Day Carry) : We have become so comfortable with modern technology that many people really do not notice an everyday need for a dedicated flashlight. After all, we all have that little camera flash - flashlight on our phones all the time now! But I can tell you, once you carry a dedicated flashlight and practice or use it for its intended purposes, you will never go back. I now have a flashlight for my EDC, on my nightstand, by our main door, in the car, on my handgun, and in my kit.
I initially started carrying a decent flashlight when I was working security in college. Not only did I have to work at night, but I regularly had to walk through a building that was not currently in use and had some incidents of hooligans trespassing. If anything will wake you up to wanting a good flashlight, walking through a dark, creepy building by yourself at 2am, will definitely do it. My phone flash light was terribly insufficient for the job.
And, like I mentioned, once you start using a dedicated flashlight, you wake up to all the different uses and start to wonder how you lived without it before. I dont think I could count how many different situations having a dedicated flashlight served as an extremely valuable tool.
There are a lot of videos and articles out there on the "tactical" uses for a flashlight, so we wont focus on those here. BUT, they really are a solid first line option to identify and sometimes dissuade a potential threat before having to resort to... higher liability tools. You can identify, blind, disorient, mask yourself by standing behind a bright light, and even manipulate your perceived location to a degree. Check out the Every Day Citizens Tactical Podcast Episode 14 for some more descriptions of these tactics and real life stories.
The important thing to remember is when you NEED to see, you NEED to see. Add that to the fact that bad guys like to work in the dark, and we really should have a good case for the EDC flashlight. If you want a very real, tactile experience to learn this lesson, try applying a tourniquet in the pitch dark. Or you could even let a friend hide in your home in the total dark and try to have a little scuffle or self-defense simulation. Even trying to change a spare tire, in the dark while trying to balance your smart phone on something is not a fun time.
One tip, if you already have a concealed carry weapon mounted light, so you don't think you need another EDC light. I would ask you to reconsider. The first rule of firearm safety to is always keep your weapon pointed in a safe direction; and there are a lot of emergencies we can think up, where whipping out your smoke-wagon to use the flashlight would be pretty inappropriate.
In closing, I recommended the Streamlight 2L-X but there are many valuable options out there, another I would recommend (Not based on my own experience but industry reputation) for someone looking for a better pocket-fit is the Streamlight Wedge Slim. These are absolutely solid options for the beginner who might not want to sort through all the noise regarding flashlights. Last tips: Do not buy cheap brands, its tempting but you will regret it (ask me how I know). Do not buy from sites like amazon. These sights are notorious for knockoffs that are hard to spot. Always buy from a reputable website.
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