6 Features of Tactical Flashlights

If there is one item most people have in their homes, it is a flashlight. It can come to the rescue in so many instances. A sudden blackout, searching for the runaway cat, or even a fun night with the kids. What we are describing is the standard or everyday-carry flashlight.

Tactical flashlights, on the other hand, are a whole different ball game. These powerful tools are common in the military, police, and law enforcement. Thus, it is not uncommon to think that tactical flashlights are weaponry lighting.

Law enforcement or police use a tactical flashlight in conjunction with a firearm. It allows the soldier or law enforcement officer to aim at a target while illuminating it. That makes them ideal for police flashlights or security flashlights.

Yet, the use of the tactical flashlight goes beyond law enforcement. Indeed, you can use them in day-to-day applications.

Our article looks at the features of tactical flashlights. This will be a fantastic shopping guide if you are ever in the market looking for one.

Tactical Flashlight vs the Everyday-Carry Light (ECD)

When shopping for a tactical flashlight, it is crucial to understand the difference from an ECD.

Your EDC is pretty basic. Like in the case of tactical flashlights, the ECD is excellent for lighting. Depending on the brand, you also get other features. These include Bluetooth connectivity and USB charging. 

Further, the smaller size of ECD makes them pretty convenient to carry around. You can easily slip the flashlight into your pocket or a small-sized bag. 

On the other hand, if you look at a full-size tactical flashlight for police officers, they are usually a bit larger. They may range from 8 to 12 inches and weigh a couple of pounds. 

While they are comfortable as handheld flashlights, it is hard to fit them in the pocket. But there are other key features you need to be aware of about tactical flashlights. 

• Higher Light Output

If you compare the light output of a tactical flashlight to the ECD, you will notice a big difference. Tactical flashlights are very bright. They can dazzle if you look at them directly. That makes them ideal for police security flashlights. 

The officer can temporarily blind suspects, making it easy to arrest them. The best flashlight for law enforcement can reach up to 1219 lumens in brightness. 

Also, there are different brightness settings; low, medium, and high. Cops can use the low setting to avoid detection. The user should also have the option of staggered pulse or strobe lighting.

Strobe lighting is quite helpful for disorienting suspects. The quick on-and-off lighting tends to confuse due to flicker vertigo or the Bucha effect. 

• Durability and Other Features to Note

The best law enforcement flashlight should be:

• Durable because of the harsh conditions they work under.
• Waterproof because the weather can change anytime in the course of duty. Use the IPX scale to see how waterproof the torch is. An IPX8 tactical flash is submergible and can continue working for hours in less than one meter of water. On the lower scale, an IPX4 tactical flashlight can continue to work even if water splashes on it. But, it may not if water gets into the interior.
• Shockproof to withstand the rigors of outdoor use. Many tactical flashlights comprise strong material like stainless steel and titanium. Such are resistant to cracking, bending, or breaking. This is unlike the normal ECD, which will feature light material like plastic.

• Tactical Flashlight Size

As we said above, a flashlight for police officers can be a bit bigger than the normal ECD. But you can also find those that are small, at around 4 inches in length. Such flashlights have a single battery setup. They will also have a deep reflector for throwing the light further. 

Medium-sized flashlights are about 6 inches in length. They have two batteries, thus more power. This translates to better LED and high lumen output. Please note that the reflective quality will have a significant role to play as well. 

Large flashlights are anything above 6 inches. Some features include many settings, LEDs, and colors. You can be sure of a lot more power with larger flashlights. That makes them ideal for security cops or law enforcement flashlights.

• Beam Distance of Tactical Flashlights

Beam distance refers to when and by how much the beam starts to fade away. At the least, the flashlight should still produce at 0.25 lux. Lux is the lumens per surface area on the beam.

Several factors will affect beam distance. These include light bezels, lenses, and focus. The wider the beam, the shorter the reach. But it is ideal for surveying open areas.

Spot or focused beams are narrow and can shine far. Finally, an adjustable beam gives you more control over width and distance.

• Ease of Use

The best flashlight for law enforcement needs to be easy to use. Think of the typical scenarios where the flashlight may come in handy. The police could be chasing a suspect into a dark building. They will need the cop flashlight for illumination. But, putting on the torch is very difficult because the critical features are hard to access.

A flashlight for police officers needs to be lightweight. More modern designs allow for one-handed operation. That way, the officer can have their weapon in the other. The smaller sizes ensure quick reach because they are in the pocket or belt holder.

The police security flashlight should also have a tactical tail cap for easy on and off switching. The tail cap also makes it easy to identify which end of the torch has the power buttons.

Tactical Flashlight Batteries

There are considerations when shopping for tactical flashlights. They are:

1. Run Time

A police security flashlight should be able to maintain its charge for a long time. The average shift time is about 12 hours. Thus, the flashlight should be able to work longer than that. The brighter the tactical flashlight, the shorter the battery run time.

2. Rechargeable Batteries

You don’t want to keep replacing batteries whenever yours runs out. Thus a rechargeable police flashlight is ideal. This can be convenient, cost-effective, and sustainable.

3. Regulated vs. Unregulated Flashlights

Regulated flashlight maintains the same brightness until the battery drains. With an unregulated flashlight, the light becomes progressive dimmer as the battery drains. 

For police tactical flashlights, unregulated would be a better option. It tells you when you’re running out of battery, especially when you’re using it on important operations.

Final Thoughts

A tactical flashlight is common with law enforcement officers. But it is also an excellent tool to have in the house. Use our features guide above when shopping for one.