Whether you’re going on an outdoor adventure or simply going to work or school, you should always bring a tactical flashlight with you.
The Many Uses of a Tactical Flashlight
Illumination
Let’s start with the most obvious. A tactical flashlight is similar to your everyday flashlight as both allow you to see in the dark. Just one click and you light up the place.
Most tactical flashlights are twice as bright as everyday flashlights, which give off a high of 100 lumens and are capable of lighting up to 10 feet of dark space. A tactical flashlight can provide at least 200 lumens, which lets you see clearly up to 50 feet. To put it in a different perspective, the visibility of a tactical flashlight with 200 lumens can be compared to the size of a football field.
An everyday flashlight is effective if you just need to light up a small room, fix the sink, or look under the bed. A tactical flashlight, meanwhile, is so bright that anyone lurking behind the bush may change their mind about jumping you. You can also avoid tripping or falling into an open manhole thanks to its bright light and wide visibility.
Self-Defense
The most glaring difference between an everyday flashlight and a tactical flashlight is that the latter can be used for self-defense. Of course, you can hit your attacker with an everyday flashlight but it will not inflict that much damage. It may also likely break apart. A tactical flashlight, however, packs a punch since it’s specifically manufactured for use in self-defense.
A tactical flashlight is a non-lethal self-defense tool. Simply put, you can defend yourself with it without killing your attacker. This makes it an ideal everyday carry (EDC) item. Not everyone can carry or wants to carry a gun. You can get yourself a stun gun or a pepper spray but make sure you always have a tactical flashlight with you at all times.
Use your tactical flashlight as a blunt weapon and hit your attacker as hard as you can. You can also use it to inflict an injury that may be too gruesome to some but is necessary for survival. Most of these self-defense tools come with jagged edges, which can be used to stab or rip off the skin. You can also target the eyes to gouge them out.
Also, the extremely bright light of a tactical flashlight is effective in temporarily blinding an attacker. This may give you a chance to escape.
Breaking Glass
There are emergency situations that require you to make a quick escape. Sometimes, waiting for your turn to exit a burning building through the door may prove fatal. When you’re in a vehicular accident and you smell fuel, you need to get out as fast as you can. In both instances, breaking the glass windows may be your only chance to survive. Tactical flashlights are so sturdy that they can shatter windows into pieces.
Digging
The sturdy handle and jagged edge can be useful in digging. Use it to pound through a hard surface and use your hands or something else to scoop out the dirt.
Signaling for Help
When you’re stuck between a rock and a hard place, you’re only chance of getting out alive is if someone comes to help you out. If you’re lost in the jungle, drifting in the sea, or stranded on the road, for example, you can use your tactical flashlight to get the attention of other people. Learn how to use your flashlight to send SOS signals or Morse code.
Starting A Fire
In most survival situations, the ability to start a fire may spell the difference between life and death. As you probably know by now, fire is essential to one’s survival. Aside from providing light, the heat will keep you warm during cold days and nights. IN severe cases, fire may be the only thing that will keep you from freezing to death. Fire is also used for cooking and boiling water to make it safer to drink. It is also seen from a distance, especially at night making it easier for rescuers to find you in case you’re lost somewhere. The smoke generated by the fire can also be used to send signals.
With all those in mind, you should know that your tactical flashlight can be used to start a fire. One of the ways to make fire requires you to break the light bulb. Make sure you only break the outer glass of the bulb. You need the inner filament to be intact. Pace a small piece of tinder on the light around the filament then turn the light on. This should ignite the tinder and help you build your fire.
The second option lets you keep the tactical flashlight intact but may take a little more time before you can start your fire. Magnify the sun using the protective glass lens from the flashlight’s cap. Gather some tinder such as dried grass or paper and focus the sunlight on the using the lens from your flashlight. A bit of water on the lens will help make the beam more intense sots easier to start the fire.
Another way to start a fire is to shine your light onto tinder or some highly flammable material. However, this will only work if you have a tactical flashlight with very high lumens.
If you know other uses of a tactical flashlight, even some interesting and weird ones, go ahead and share them with the rest of us over in the comment section. You can also check out The Gentleman Pirate to know more about tactical flashlights and other survival gear. Another tactical flashlight you should take a look at is the TC1200 flashlight from 1tac. It boasts of being 25 times brighter than an everyday flashlight thanks to having a whopping 1,200 lumens.
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