You grab your gun, a spare mag, pepper spray, and knives… and you should have a flashlight as part of your EDC (every day carry) too. There are the obvious reasons for having it like a power outage, finding your keyhole on a dark night, or reconnecting that USB plug under your desk in poor lighting… but there are other reasons for carrying a tactical light that you may or may not have considered.

Before we get into the true tactical applications, however, let’s discuss what to look for in a tactical light. First, you’re going to want something small that can tuck into a pocket easily, and you may need more than one based upon the various clothing requirements you have for work, recreation, etc. You may be able to fit a larger one in your jeans on the weekend that doesn’t fit with your Monday morning skirt and blouse. Next it needs to be easy to use, typically with a single on-off button on the back or end of the light. Lumens (how bright it is) are important too. You need more than 200 lumens to have sufficient brightness and range. The light should also be an LED which is more durable and dependable than conventional bulbs, though most lights produced anymore are almost all LED anyway. Finally, the light needs to be durable, resistant to shock and water. Just as with finding an LED, most of the tactical lights on the market now are constructed for hard-use and water resistance.

Tactical uses for the light start with movement. For tactical movement, use the light momentarily while moving instead of leaving it on the whole time. This allows you to move without giving away your position constantly while still being able to quickly scan for threats or obstacles. Many InSights students use their lights on a daily basis from checking on sleeping kids, to taking out the dog, to chasing a bear away from the neighbor’s garbage while taking out the dog.

Another tactical use for a light is to deter a threat. The answer to someone asking you for anything on the street is “NO”… even if they ask you what time it is, the answer is “NO.” If pressed, or if you feel that the situation may call for it, “NO” can be combined with 360 lumens in their face to help you convincingly fail the victim interview. The light can also just simply be turned on as you approach a potential threat to suggest that there may be easier targets tonight than you. It’s rather uncommon for people to suddenly have a high powered flashlight appear so use it to your advantage.

Your light can also be used with your firearm to help illuminate the space, the threat, and/or your sights. Grips and how you use the light may differ based on the situation… this could be a topic for its own blog and course all together. The key, as with anything, is getting professional training and keeping up your proficiency with those tactics and skills.

Finally, where you carry your light is important too. Ideally, the light is carried on your support-hand side so that it can be accessed at the same time you access your firearm or pepper spray. If “NO” with a few hundred lumens isn’t enough, a face-full of pepper spray will certainly help further convey your message. A pocket clip on the light can be very helpful in carrying it comfortably and keeping it in-position as well. As with all of your gear, test your light and ensure you change the batteries more often than you need to. If your light takes common AA batteries the half-spent cells make excellent options to put in kids toys or other non-critical devices whenever you rotate in fresh ones.

In sum, a tactical flashlight is a very important piece of EDC. Your light, quite possibly, may become the single piece of gear you use the most. As with all your gear, make sure is of good quality, test it regularly to ensure it is functioning properly… and remember, as always, that it doesn’t do you a bit of good if you don’t have it when you need it.

Content by Greg Hamilton
Written by Doug Marcoux