Does anybody else get the deer in headlights look when you give the response for carrying of a flashlight is because it’s dark out…
I get funny looks for carrying a knife. When I produce a blade to help people more easily perform a task, I sometimes get a “Why do you have that?!” look. My girlfriend from Australia especially. IMHO people who give you a shady reception for carrying “tools” are not cut from the same cloth we are. They are not not of the same mindset. Most are, for lack of a better term, “brainwashed” by the media. Carrying of a knife, flashlight, gun etc., is not something certain people understand. These are the type of people who have too much blind faith in the system. Preparedness is nothing to sneer at.
My little E1B is my favorite carry light. But I have to admit I get somewhat lax about it.
Interesting comment on the knife reaction above. Of all the handguns, shotguns, rifles, suppressors, MG’s, etc that people I work with see me use and carry routinely (And themselves carry) the most often shocked comments I get are in regards to the Emerson UBR Commander I carry in my right pocket.
Go figure.
I have two lights on my person majority of the time. An Innova Micro on my key chain and a SF E1L riding in a pocket. Why most sheep would be surprised to find what we carry on us, I’m just as surprised at them for not having the means to navigate in/out of a building during a power outage, inclimate weather, some unforseen calamity, etc. I’ve been in a Barnes & Noble during a tornado and a movie theatre when it caught on fire.
I got my better half to keep a Streamlight ProTac 2L in her purse.
I used to get ribbed about carrying a flashlight all the time. I don’t think that will happen quite so much anymore.
A couple weekends ago I was down in Raton, NM. Myself, my father, and several friends were eating dinner at a restaurant when the lights for several square blocks went out. It was pitch black in there. I just said, “Wow, I wish I had a flash…oh wait.” Click it comes out and on and we continue eating dinner until the lights come on about five minutes later.
Those in attendance will not make fun of my flashlight again.
All the time. People think I’m an idiot for having a flashlight on me in broad daylight. But when they need a flashlight to look behind a desk or when the power goes out they suddenly need a flashlight and guess who’s not so such an idiot anymore. So I carry a SureFire G2Z in my pocket at all times. Or an E2E clipped to my Leatherman’s pouch of I decide to carry a Leatherman.
A few of years ago my wife’s softball team had an end of season picnic. All of the players and their families, it was quite the gathering. I was the only one there with a knife and you should have seen how popular I was when they all needed their hot dogs packages opened.
I am never without my lights. Fortunately, you can even still fly with them. I have used them on multiple occasions during daylight hours for both safety and utility.
Worth noting though: Practice discretion and use good light discipline. Having a light at a time or place no one else does attracts attention. It may be positive attention, where those around you will seek out assistance or appreciate help. It may also be negative attention from those who may have created darkness with nefarious intent, or those in authority you may be a distraction to. Positive or negative, you will cease to be discreet and anonymous. Both are handy traits when you are trying to peaceably coexist with the unwashed, or you’re trying to un-ass a place that’s going south.
I carry a Surefire outdoorsman EDC, and an Emerson CQB-7.
I get more comments about the flashlight, believe it or not.
I carry a AA Arc with me on my keychain all the time for the last 10 years or so and have used it many times. Done everything from the mundane tasks of finding a stranger’s keys in a dark movie theater to getting out of a dark building when the power went out.
Typically I have 2 lights on my person when awake. A Novotac 85T on the belt and a Lummi RAW Al on the keychain. If I can get a new belt holster to fit it right (bezel down) I will start carrying my Eagletac T10c.
Surefire Lumamax L4 and a Backup. On the ground and in the air.
Lately adding a Nightstick Tac-200. $35 and in the 120 lumen range.
I carry a little (2") ITP brand A2EOS w/ me every day in my pants cargo pocket for about a year now. Three light outputs by twisting the light head, pocket clip keeps it in place. Yeah, it’s a chicom 
light but—
very bright for the size, has proven itself waterproof ( left it in the pants 3x when they got washed & dried), handy size, can hold it in your mouth, metal case w/ orange peal reflector, less than $20 at a gun show. I do building inspections and having it w/ me sure beats going into the basement and opening an electrical panel with nothing but the homeowners 40 watt bulb glowing from 20 feet away.
My EDC light is a Streamlight Polytac. I am required to carry a light at work (issued a Pelican 2360) and feel naked without one.
I usually do a Surefire E2l or when that’s to big I edc a akoray or ultrafire single AAA. Although there should be a Jetbeam RRT-0 in the mailbox tomorrow.
Streamlight PT1L. Awesome little light.
I carry a Surefire E2D just about everywhere. It comes in very handy. If I could have found an E1B I would carry that, but the E2D was all I could get. I rarely use anything but the 5 lumen output.
I get a lot of funny looks. Some people have asked me why I carry it in doors (either at work or out shopping, etc). Some people tend to forget that power can go out.
i carry a E2D-Led everyday. when i have to use it and people scoff at the idea i carry a flash light with me, i just say “well it doesn’t seem that crazy right now does it?” that usually shuts people up pretty quick.
I carry two 4sevens’s Quark AA2 models everyday. I wear cargo pants and stick one clipped in each leg pocket. I find that I use one often to search for something or to augment my ageing eyesight for detail work.
Have been using the JETBeam RRT-0 with a single cr123 for a couple of days now and I love it. It has a deep carry pocket clip and provides a lot of light when needed. It has 5 modes a low that is about 3 lumens and a high thats about 240 i believe.