HOW TO SELECT A SELF-DEFENSE FLASHLIGHT

In the past, I’ve talked about why a knife makes an excellent everyday-carry (EDC) tool. However, not all environments allow you to carry a blade — e.g. airport, federal buildings, and cities with restrictive laws.

Furthermore, there are some people who don’t feel comfortable carrying a blade for self-protection for a variety of reasons. There are other choices that include less-lethal options, like a Kubotan or pocketstick. However, if I’m going to carry an object I can use for self-defense, I prefer if it has some other functions, such as a very sturdy pen, a KeySmart-style keychain or, in this case, a flashlight.

Here are a couple of key things I look for when choosing an EDC Flashlight:

• Sturdiness: While it doesn’t have to be made out of Adamantium (Wolverine’s claws), it should be durable. If I drop my flashlight or hit something with it and it breaks, it is too weak. There’s no hard rule — like, it has to be made out of material X, but it should feel strong and sturdy in your hands.
  
  I tend to like brands like SureFire, which I know are comfortable with the ruggedness of military usage and are designed to withstand the recoil of being attached to a rifle.
  
  
• Lumens: You want a flashlight that has a bright output. Just like sturdiness, there is not magic number of lumens you are looking for. Furthermore, every flashlight company measures lumens differently so I would only compare the lumens number if you are comparing within the same brand. Additionally, be aware that the brighter the flashlight is, the quicker the batteries will need to be replaced.
  
  In my opinion, the brighter the better — but there is a tradeoff associated with brightness, and it usually comes at the cost of weight, size, and price.
  
  
• Size: You don’t need the giant Maglite flashlight with three D-cell batteries from the 1980s. (Do they still make those? Google tells me they do.) I need something I can carry in my pocket and not have it be uncomfortable or weigh me down.
  
  Personally, I like ones with a carry clip just like a folding knife. This means all my repetitions where I practice drawing a folder under pressure will transfer over better than if I have to pull my flashlight out of a pouch. For flashlights, I want it to extend just slightly beyond my hand with a closed grip. This means the striking edge sticks out the bottom, but not so far out the bottom that someone else could grab it and pry it away from me.
  
  
• Single-Hand Activation: Your flashlight should be able to be activated one handed. This means if it is a twist flashlight, I would put it back on the shelf. Button- or switch-activated flashlights will depend on the placement of the button. Since I like to hold my flashlight in a reverse or icepick-style grip, I want the activation button near the back of the flashlight.
  
  
• Not Too Aggressive: You can buy some flashlights with crazy beveled edges in the front that look more like a weapon than my knife. Chances are, if you are buying something like that, authorities won’t let you carry it anywhere that doesn’t allow self-defense tools. Instead, I like something with a slight edge but little or no bevels on the front.
  
  
• Fits Well in My Hand: Finally, my EDC flashlight needs to fit in my hand well. The grip can’t be too slippery, the thickness can’t be too thick or too thin, and I need to be able to put my thumb on the tail of it. If it has a sharp tail cap (more of a problem with tactical pens than flashlights) it is of little use. The last thing I want to do is strike something and my thumb takes more damage than the target.

As with anytime I talk toolset for Tiga Tactics, I can’t emphasize enough the importance of getting the right mindset and skillset for implementation.

For Tiga Tactics, they have a specialized course that focuses on EDC Flashlight that I highly recommend taking. It not only talks flashlight selection as well as uses for striking, but also for using it as its primary purpose: to illuminate the unknown in the dark. If you’ve already taken EDC Flashlight I would encourage you to check out Flashlight Fighting to dive a little deeper into the skillset.