Time for another “Daily Carry” post!
I’m pretty mobile & like to carry as many of the tools I might need as I can (Lift my Timbuk2 messenger bag & you’ll find out!).
A flashlight is one of those tools that you don’t really think about until you need it. I use my Surefire 6Z several times a week. It’s small enough to carry in your pocket yet it puts out an incredibly bright 65 lumins. That’s brighter than a 4-D flashlight!
I purchased my The 6Z several years ago and after years of abuse it still works like a charm! Unfortunately the 6Z has been discontinued but it’s been replaced by the (very similar) Z2. It’s machined out of aircraft grade aluminum and weighs 4.5 oz.
The 6Z is considered a tactical flashlight because it is designed to be used as not only a source of illumination but as a weapon to disrupt the vision of a would-be attacker. It’s also designed to be used with a firearm (held with your secondary grip hand and lined up with the barrel). The 6Z has a large rubber button on the tail cap that’s used to turn it on/off (you have to hold the button to keep the light on). You can also screw down the tail cap to keep the light on.
I recently purchased the Surefire LED conversion kit that boosts the light output to 80 lumins and increases the battery life from 1.5 hours to 10+. Not only is this going to save on the cost of batteries its also keeps the flashlight from getting hot during extended use.
With both lamps you get a really tight (non-adjustable) beam of light. The LED lamp produces a super bright white (slightly bluish) light that can travel a great distance. It’s great for inspecting plenum spaces at jobsites and for scaring off racoons in the backyard.
If you’re in the market fo a well built, reliable, and super bright flashlight check out the Surefire line of lights.