My Family’s favorite around the house and self-protection flashlight:
You may be a little surprised to find a flashlight in the ‘personal security’ section. No, you do not use it as a big stick to clobber someone over the head with. As you may know, at SecureHomeHero I like to keep criminals far away. If they are close enough for you to hit with a flashlight, it is too late. So here is the question:
Can a flashlight be used as a self-defense weapon?
Yes. The right flashlight is a great non-lethal self-defense and self-protection tool that can be used by adults and children alike. If you ever had a bright light shine into your eyes as soon as you woke up, then you know the feeling of temporary blindness and disorientation a bright light can induce. That is the concept behind flashlights as personal protection. A strong-enough light will blind and disorient an assailant so you can escape. Science teaches us that flashlights with 300 lumens of output (a unit to measure brightness) are good. The flash light I use (Soonfire Cree XP-L 1000 lumen LED Rechargeable Flashlight) has 1000 lumens!
Why the Soonfire Cree XP-L 1000 lumen LED Rechargeable water-proof Flashlight?
‘Bing a flashlight’ said the email for our upcoming community camping trip. That set me on an internet quest to find the ‘right’ flashlight. Something small, can withstand the elements, and would be useful not just for this trip, but for future uses. Here are my impressions after using it for a week:
Pros of the Soonfire Cree XP-L 1000 flashlight:
- Small and easy to carry (see image for the size in my hand)
- Solid construction
- Water-proof (make sure the rubber flap covering the charging port is sealed)
- Very bright (my 11-year old son came to me and said: Our flashlight is much brighter than all the others)
- Adjustable brightness (4 different levels)
- Strobe mode (rapid flashing. Ideal for self-defense and grabbing attention)
- Rechargeable battery
- Also accepts non-rechargeable batteries (2x CR123A)
- Has a ‘storage mode’ that preserve the battery if plan not to use for a long time)
- Very reasonable cost (here is a link to Amazon)
Cons of the Soonfire Cree XP-L 1000 flashlight:
- Odd charging procedure (the flashlight has to be turned on when you plug in the MICR-USB cord in order to start charging) (see image of manual)
- Rubber charging port cover is a bit difficult to close and seal (see image of my flashlight)
- When the battery gets low, you can no longer use the brightest setting(s)
Care and Maintenance of the Soonfire Cree XP-L 1000 flashlight:
According to the manufacture, the flashlight is waterproof to about 2 meters (6 feet.) That does not mean to go swimming with it. Keep it nice, dry and clean.
Store the flashlight properly: If you plan not to use for a long period of time, rotate the handle a quarter of a turn to disengage the battery. This will prolong the life of the battery.
Are there other non-lethal self-defense, self-protection tools you can recommend?
Yes, you have many options for self-defense (and you can carry more than one.) Check out my article here.