Let's lighten up a little...

I wanted to take a look at one of the latest offerings from a premier designer of flashlights. But not just any old flashlight - a rechargeable LED tactical light with solid design features built in. Let's start by saying that this post is an overview and, needless to say, much more could be said about the science and technology that go into sophisticated tools like this. The purpose is to introduce some of you to the concept that there are flashlights out there that can fit in your back pocket, might cost $200 and can peel the paint off a wall (just kidding, but it certainly looks like it could!).

Lights like these should not be confused with some of the others you may have seen that have hand cranks or solar panels attached to handle. These tools are commonly used by public safety professionals but available to anyone. In some cases the battery life may be less than an hour and often the output is far more than even a 2 D-cell Maglight will illuminate. These are not the typical junk drawer flashlights.

First a little terminology about rechargeable LED tactical lights, in general:

• I recognize that most any flashlight could be considered rechargeable (therefore considered powered via renewable energy) by using an aftermarket battery system such as the new system by Energizer or another brand. But for the purpose of this post, I wanted to stick with manufacturer integrated systems.
• LED's are considered a good bulb choice because they strike a nice balance in terms of affordability, availability, life expectancy, and durability when compared to other common alternatives (incandescent or xenon) and I personally prefer the bright, clean white quality of an LED over the others. there have been technology breakthroughs recently making the cost to benefit ratio very appealing also.
• 
• The word tactical in this case refers to application in law enforcement setting or built to be more durable or with features and accessories that may allow it to be used as an improvised weapon. Tactical also implies that the brightness or intensity of a particular light reaches a specific threshold of 60 lumens - enough temporarily blinding a would-be assailant whose eyes are dark adapted.

So, do you need a rechargeable LED tactical light? If you live, work or travel in areas where you might encounter a potentially violent or dangerous situation then one of these products might help you negotiate the situation in a safer fashion. Proper deployment of a tactical light can provide an opening to escape by distracting an attacker or finding your way down a dark stairway.

 The 5.11 Tactical UC 3.400 is one of the newest models available and actually one of the greenest. According to the manufacturer, the Light for Life will fully charge in just 90 seconds and provide 60 minutes of a blinding 90 lumens of light. The battery system is designed to be charged once a day for the next 135 years and claims LED life of 50,000 hours. One of the more interesting features is a strobe function that will disorient anyone that looks into the beam. The light is not the smallest available at almost one foot long and one pound (about the same as a standard D cell light) and probably a good choice for home or auto rather than personal carry. It was listed in Wired Magazine's Hot Summer Gear 2009

This 7 minute video will probably tell you more than you want to know but there is a neat demo of the strobe feature

Rechargeable and built to super duty standards with features professionals can appreciate. Renewable, Reliable and Remarkable.