The Firing Line Forums - View Single Post - What exactly happens when you hit somebody with over 1,000lumens at night?

Jim March · September 14, 2013, 03:25 PM

It turns out flashlights have become more powerful of late. My fiancee is dragging me all over Europe in a couple of months including flying in and out of London (ug) so...a flashlight seems to be the only practical answer. You can now get something the size of a 16oz soda can that packs 3,800 lumens. A typical "tactical" flashlight like a Streamlight with two 3v lithium CR123s puts out around 200 lumens, more than enough to blind somebody briefly. 3,800 lumens to the face...well...yikes, right?

What IS the effect of 2,000+ lumens to the face in dim lighting?

Limitations: I have to be able to disable it completely in the luggage or it could set the dang plane on fire in the middle of the Atlantic. That means removable batteries. And it has to avoid looking like a weapon - at all.

The kings of this type of thing are the appropriately named "Tiny Monster" series from Nitecore:

http://www.amazon.com/Nitecore-TM11-...e+tiny+monster

http://www.amazon.com/Nitecore-TM15-...e+tiny+monster

http://www.amazon.com/Nitecore-TM11-...e+tiny+monster

These are powered by either eight CR123s or four 18650 longer LiIon rechargeable critters.

On a more limited budget, this thing at 2700 lumens runs on three 18650s or six CR123s making it a bit more compact:

http://www.lightjunction.com/Eagleta...ashlights.html

I think that's the one I'm going to go for - no "aggressive smashing front ring" that can get it labeled a weapon, also doesn't have the length that makes it look like a bludgeon.

It does of course have a full-powered strobe function on a random pattern, the latest in "so you're not epileptic, eh? We'll see about THAT!" technology.

Anybody used anything in this class personally? Any idea what would happen if I strobe a knife-armed mugger with this kind of thing?

I plan to also carry a smaller light, my normal carry dual-CR123 160lumen piece worth $40 or so...THAT is what I'd bludgeon somebody with, not a $100-plus critter

. I'll keep that on their eyes...

Thoughts? Known effects of this class of light in either continious or strobe modes?

September 14, 2013, 03:25 PM	#1
Jim March Senior Member Join Date: February 14, 1999 Location: Pittsburg, CA, USA Posts: 7,417	What exactly happens when you hit somebody with over 1,000lumens at night? It turns out flashlights have become more powerful of late. My fiancee is dragging me all over Europe in a couple of months including flying in and out of London (ug) so...a flashlight seems to be the only practical answer. You can now get something the size of a 16oz soda can that packs 3,800 lumens. A typical "tactical" flashlight like a Streamlight with two 3v lithium CR123s puts out around 200 lumens, more than enough to blind somebody briefly. 3,800 lumens to the face...well...yikes, right? What IS the effect of 2,000+ lumens to the face in dim lighting? Limitations: I have to be able to disable it completely in the luggage or it could set the dang plane on fire in the middle of the Atlantic. That means removable batteries. And it has to avoid looking like a weapon - at all. The kings of this type of thing are the appropriately named "Tiny Monster" series from Nitecore: http://www.amazon.com/Nitecore-TM11-...e+tiny+monster http://www.amazon.com/Nitecore-TM15-...e+tiny+monster http://www.amazon.com/Nitecore-TM11-...e+tiny+monster These are powered by either eight CR123s or four 18650 longer LiIon rechargeable critters. On a more limited budget, this thing at 2700 lumens runs on three 18650s or six CR123s making it a bit more compact: http://www.lightjunction.com/Eagleta...ashlights.html I think that's the one I'm going to go for - no "aggressive smashing front ring" that can get it labeled a weapon, also doesn't have the length that makes it look like a bludgeon. It does of course have a full-powered strobe function on a random pattern, the latest in "so you're not epileptic, eh? We'll see about THAT!" technology. Anybody used anything in this class personally? Any idea what would happen if I strobe a knife-armed mugger with this kind of thing? I plan to also carry a smaller light, my normal carry dual-CR123 160lumen piece worth $40 or so...THAT is what I'd bludgeon somebody with, not a $100-plus critter . I'll keep that on their eyes... Thoughts? Known effects of this class of light in either continious or strobe modes? __________________ Jim March