Looking for self defense flashlights for women

[CarlMc]

My wife and soon to be daughter in law will be driving across the country next month. My wife will be along for the ride and flying back without checking luggage. Recent events have caused my wife to begin to take her security seriously, and for a number of reasons, carrying firearms is not one of the options for this trip. My wife and I talked about a number of defense options for both of them, and I'm not thrilled with many of them, but the daily carry of a flashlight has begun to impress her with the defense options, and that's the route I'm inclined to go for both of them.

The flashlight should be small, less than 1" in diameter and 6" long, have a crenelated bezel and a rear switch. I want it bright enough to be useful in general applications, and a strobe function would be ideal. A metal body is mandatory for defense applications. I'd prefer AA batteries, no more than two, as CR123's are going to be harder to find for replacement. There's a few more considerations mostly related to how women manage their personal stuff (purse, keys, etc) but I'm unsure how these items play in right now. I'd like to spend less than a hundred bucks each on the lights, but if I find the perfect product, I can be persuaded to pay more.

I've spent a lot of time looking for flashlights, but haven't found anything that really seems to fit my bill and there are way more I could spend hours looking for with no guarantee I would find the best one for the job. I thought it might be worth asking for guidance or suggestions. I honestly didn't think this would be difficult.

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[Creeper]

I'd prefer AA batteries, no more than two, as CR123's are going to be harder to find for replacement.

As CR123 batteries can be bought at just about any hardware store in the country... and most certainly any gun store, I find your reasoning on this to be slim. Unless, you will be taking lots of back roads and staying away from towns and cities... in which case, your reasoning my be valid.
Still, if you buy a few extra 123s, unless you intend to be on the road for years, you should be well covered.

If you must have a AA battery powered light, I'd suggest reviewing the <broken link removed> , in particular the LD41.... although at 40mm in maximum diameter, exceeds your diameter limit.

Cheers,
C

 

[CarlMc]

The reason for the CR123 batteries is because the flashlights are not for me. They are for women who are not technically savvy in any way and I will not be there with them at any time during this trip. As such, if there's any difficulty at all finding replacement batteries, the risk of the lights not being on their person at all times goes up dramatically. One of the rules in my life about many things, and this being one in particular, is to make it easy to do the right thing. I don't like condescending to women, so I'm open to ideas, but again, these aren't for me.

 

[Creeper]

I gotcha Carl. Did you get a chance to take a look at some of the Fenix lights?

Cheers,
C

 

[xd45acp]

i would recommend fenix too.

 

[edogg]

Quick note...if one is fighting in the dark and uses thier flashlight as a weapon, the flashlight will likely become useless for illumination after the fight is over. Carrying a weapon (knife, little metal stick, roll of coins) and a separate flashlight may be a better idea.

Flashlights are a world of themselves. Check out CandlePowerForums for some great tips, very helpful suggestions, and comparisons.

Some brands to consider:

Fenix
FourSevens Quark
Jetbeam
Zebralight
Romisen (for those on a budget)

 

[9mmguy]

I know you're asking about flashlights, but if your wife would also consider a pepper spray, this kit is sweet and a good deal: Combo Home Pepper Foam 2.5oz & Away Pepper Spray 0.54oz Protection Kit The foam can does some serious damage. There are a few very favorable reviews on the Internet.

 

[BearArmy]

While these use CR123's, this is what my wife has and its one wicked weapon

 

[Hawaiian]

The E2D posted above is a great light for what you are looking for. You can always pack a couple of extra batteries for them. Check out the laws of the states they will be driving through and see if pepper or bear spray is legal to carry. Best to not let the bad guy get close enough to where you need to use a knife, much less the 'tactical' bezel of a flash light.

 

[CarlMc]

Indeed the list of options is dizzying and my wallet very simple. I wound up getting a couple of these "Lightning Strike" kits from brite-strike.com which is a flashlight with strobe capability and a so-called personal alarm.
As it often turns out, plans change, but their recognition of their safety while out and about is still there, and if anything, I'm hoping they'll be keeping these devices handy.
The flashlight is simple, which I wanted, albeit a bit on the light side, but my hands are much bigger than theirs. The personal alarm surprised us all when I pulled the pin (and set my dogs off, of course.)

Thanks for all the offers and suggestions. My wallet and wish list rarely meet on the same level, and the concept behind the product I ultimately got seems good enough, so I went with that.

I'll see how they do with them until they leave and make observations along the way.

 

[bruzer]

Wow, Flashlights have come a long way since the 15" Mag-light club I carry when something goes "bump" in the night.
Good luck and stay safe,
Mike

 

[coop44]

Wow, Flashlights have come a long way since the 15" Mag-light club I carry when something goes "bump" in the night.
Good luck and stay safe,
Mike

still prefer it though, clubbing the crap outa some idiot sure beats the "flashing light imobilizer", much more satisfying. BTW my wife has a 5 cell under the seat, go ahead give her some crap! She is looking for a chance to bat one outa the park.

BTW most Supermarkets have CR 123 batteries.

 

[rayd8]

My daily carry light is a surefire e1b....takes one cr123 battery....and it's a carry on item when I travel. Small, super bright (2 modes), and I got one for my wife.

Coctailer is a sponsor and surefire dealer.

 

[Blitzkrieg]

Fenix and 4 Sevens are good basic LED flashlights that use AA.. we are trying to get away as muuch as possible from the CR123s since they are hard to find locally for a reasonable price. There are lithium AAs if longevity matters

Amazon.com: 4Sevens Quark AA² R5, Flashlight; Black; 205 OTF Lumens; 2xAA: Camera & Photo

 

[Shaolo]

If anyone needs CR123s or rechargeables, hit me up on IM.

Thread is old, but I too would put in a vote for Fenix. TK70 if you want big.

 

[LiaB]

She's clever enough to stop an attacker with just a hand held flashlight, but not enough to get replacement batteries for that flashlight? I find that hard to believe. She can easily pack more with her if it's that much of a problem.

Also ...
I've been looking for some non-lethal items to carry, so thanks to everyone that gave such great ideas in this thread.

 

[camosolo]

My daily carry light is a surefire e1b....takes one cr123 battery....and it's a carry on item when I travel. Small, super bright (2 modes), and I got one for my wife.

Coctailer is a sponsor and surefire dealer.

He may be a dealer but I too recommend the E2D. Fits great in the hand. I carried mine in Iraq for 4 years.

 

[Solomon]

Fenix PD32 Ulimate Edition. 740 lumens on high. I carry one every day, it's the "latest and greatest" in that size segment, it came out last month.

Amazon.com: Fenix PD32 UE Ultimate Edition 740 Lumen CREE XM-L T6 LED Tactical Flashlight with Customized Diffuser Tip and Two EdisonBright CR123A Lithium Batteries.: Everything Else

 

[Dinged]

Old thread I know.. But here's my 2 cents. Fenix LD20, fits your criteria. About an inch in diameter, probably 5 inches long or so, uses 2 AA batteries, metal body, tail cap switch, has 4 modes (low, medium, high, turbo) including a strobe mode. Run time on the lowest setting (which is plenty bright for everyday use) is like 6 hours. I use one as one of my on duty back ups, it's really handy when searching inside a car or confined space and I don't want to use my big Pelican light. I've had it for about two years now, paid like $40 or $60 for it, very satisfied.

 

[Shaolo]

+1 on the PD32UE.

Had a gentleman email me the other day:

my sheriff buddy found a suspect using the 740 lumen mode that was missed by his Stinger-very cool. Thanks.