UKC

Torches are a great bit of kit, so what are your recommendations for the hand held variety?

My personal choice is a Frogman torch which I got off a work colleague. These things are excellent with a beam reaching well over 100 meters. They even knock spots of the huge maglite torches that Plod use instead of a truncheon.

Excellent for searching wide open spaces like beaches at night and for filling a room with usable light, in complete darkness, when shone off the ceiling. Very useful when the lights go out or are non existent.

Just don't shine them in anybody's eyes as they are sort of lazers. Bit to techy for me to understand but they are cracking torches.

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=frogman+torch&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&a...

In reply to The Lemming: I've kept one of those in my buoyancy aid for sea kayaking. Hardly used, but it's developed a loose connection. Put me off LED Lenser.

In reply to The Lemming:

The Frogman is one of the worst LED Lenser torches as well...

Have a look at the P7 or P14 for a good all-rounder with a nice even beam pattern and a good battery life.

The mighty X21 could be used to replace the headlight on a mountain rescue Land Rover in extremis

In reply to Dan Bailey - UKHillwalking.com:

I use mine while at work on nights. It does not go near water intentionally, but it is great for lighting up empty rooms.

In reply to shingsowa:

I've got a P7. Not the brightest for the cash, but has been completely reliable and bombproof for me in the last 4 years.

It's bounced its way down a few gullies!

In reply to The Lemming:

I Bought a surefire torch a while back for while i was working away...

Equivalent to this
http://www.surefire.com/illumination/flashlights/6px-pro.html

Worth there money, but batteries aren't cheap though

In reply to The Lemming:

I sometimes use one of these. Great for lighting up the whole room.

http://tinyurl.com/cdnlbw9

In reply to The Lemming:

Why use a handheld one? Isn't that what your head is for?

In reply to The Lemming:

How about one of these: -

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f8/Fleshlight_-_Lupe_Fuente...


Other images are available and even though I'm tempted, I haven't got one...

In reply to The Lemming:

I've got a True Utility 6-LED torch, which is surprisingly good for what it is.

Was given it as a leaving present at my last job - best thing about that job!

In reply to tlm:

Bang on. Once you go Petzl you never go back! BUT I do have a mini maglight I've had for years and it is most often used as a candle when reading in a tent. <lens off and used as a base if anyone didn't know they could do this. You'll also find a spare bulb under the bottom battery spring if you look too>

In reply to The Lemming: Ive got a sure fire, and a recgarger unit so i dont keep having to buy batteries but then i also ended with a p7 which is fantastic and doesnt require expensive batteries and lasts a whole lot longer.

ALl the sure fire has a window breaker on the bottom, and says on the packet it can be attatched to a pistol with part number bla bla and bright enough to temporarily blind some one wearing night vision goggles. i couldn't not buy it with all that!

In reply to happy_c:

Is it one of these?

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Lenser-8407-Torch-Gift-Black/dp/B0018O7UAA/ref=cm_c...

In reply to blanchie14c:

By removing the bulb and reflector, taking out the batteries and drilling an 8mm hole in the end cap, then packing the shaft with a home made baffle and screwing on a suitable adaptor to the lens thread a mini maglite also converts to a handy silencer for a 7.65mm pistol.

Pretty much anything from

https://www.foursevens.com/


awesome site, my quark mini 123 puts out 210 lumens! and its smaller than an AA baterry.

In reply to The Lemming:

Tesco did some very convincing LED fake 2D Maglites a while ago, 17 quid a pop. I have one and it's absolutely superb, only annoyance was that I didn't buy two as they didn't have them for long. Best torch I have had with a good quality, super bright LED.

Neil

In reply to talon_guy: Would you say these are better than Lenser torches (have you tried both?)
I am in the market for a hand held torch that fits easily in pocket that is very powerful.

Also, how do the Lenser head torches fair against Petzl? They seem cheaper for the same power from my little bit of research and you can buy a head torch/torch package on amazon for more savings...any advice gratefully received...cheers

In reply to The Lemming:

No one's mentioned the high end of the market!

http://www.hdssystems.com/?id=Edc&mType=Clicky&mFamily=T&mModel...

In reply to The Lemming: I just bought an H7 and a P7 on amazon for £72.50 combined. Bargain!

Night time running and dog walking sorted.

In reply to tlm:


Doesn't work nearly as well to counter-balance the weight of my glock when clearing rooms. http://www.themartialist.com/images/fightlight02.jpg


(god, having googled that to find a pic - Americans really REALLY do love their guns - and torches it would seem). I'm surprised some keep their hands out of their pants long enough to type some of their comments...

In reply to TobyA:

Always aim low and right of the torch Toby, works equally well on gun nuts and people with maglights ready for an over arm blow as per US cop shows...


They have head dobbers to hit the keys, hence the preference for hand torches.

In reply to Ridge:


Being a researcher, when I google anything it always feels faintly like I'm working, even if I'm not, hence now I know far more than I suspect I ever needed to about the Harries technique versus the modified FBI stance or neck index.

The disturbing thing is that in many of the 'self defence' oriented website there is a lot of serious discussion as to which of these flashlight techniques is the least likely to result in you shooting dead a member of your family in confusion over them being a "burglarizing" "bad guy". Personally, having spent about the most scared 30 seconds of my life behind a corner in my childhood home clutching a hockey stick preparing to brain the burglar coming up the stairs, I can understand this worry - particularly as said burglar turned out to be my slightly tipsy older sister trying to creep in late unnoticed. I'm sure had I been an over enthusiastic NRA card holding American she might have received two to the chest and one to the head before I had really reassessed the situation.

Hence my recommended technique would be the "hiding under the bed and calling 999 on the mobile" stance. Flashlight is optional but could be useful in the case of burglar looking under the bed. Flashing it in his face whilst screaming loudly may have the desired effect of you both running away in opposite directions.

In reply to The Lemming:
Fenix tk35 820 lumens for about £65, also my maglite pro 2 x AA with 220 lumens ish that only cost about £25