How much light is too much?

[AtlMedic]

I was just clicking around looking for deals and saw the Streamlight TLR-1 HL now puts out 800 lumens.

Am I alone in thinking that is too bright for a weapon light? Especially one designed for a pistol. I've never thought any of my 200 lumen lights were too dim.

 

[Cudruln]

Go big or go home.

Just think if you can't hit em you can always temporarily blind them.

 

[Leshaire]

kinda agree with that. ive always assumed my TLR would also help blind an intruder. I cant really think of any downsides... Battery life maybe lol

 

[lftd&pwrstrok'n]

I have the Streamlight HPL mounted on a 10/22 for dispatching predators at night. It is a great light for distance, but is too bright for anything up close or to see the ground directly in front of you. It washes everything out. It is 775 lumens. Still a great light though.

 

[AtlMedic]

whate walls + 800 lumens = you get blinded as wel as the bad guy.

 

[Laufen]

I don't think 800 lumens is necessary. Comparing my 1000 lumen handheld to the 200 lumen streamlight weapons light, there is some difference, but not enough to matter. Like leshaire said, I'd rather have longer battery life and less light "splash" back in my own face.

 

[AtlMedic]

I could see the use of 800 lumens if it had a long throw with minimal splash for use on rifles, but pistols it seems like it would cause more harm then good.

 

[NWS]

I had a 750 lumen Primary Arms Weapon light on one of my carbines for a while until I accidentally shined it at a white post on my porch one night while out looking for a dog that ran off. The splash back instantly blinded me and I couldn't see shit for a couple of minutes. I have since stepped my lights back down to standard TLR-1s.

 

[Leshaire]

whate walls + 800 lumens = you get blinded as wel as the bad guy.

good point. any lighter colored walls could do that really

 

[dial1911]

Ha... yeah- lights can definitely be too bright to use. I was inspecting a house once with my new O-light headlamp. I was impressed because I could see darn near all the way across the crawlspace with it on high.

And then I raised my head up right beside an a/c duct... you know, the kind wrapped in shiny insulation. It was almost physically painful as the light beam hit me in the face.

I clicked the headlamp back down to low after I could see again. I don't remember how many lumens that thing is rated for- but I'm sure it's not 800.

 

[BackWoods]

I have a standard trl-1 on my bedside and it's plenty of enough. Especially, going from pitch dark to light instantly. Doesn't mess with your eyesight.

 

[boss_hawg]

For outdoor use, I prefer more lumens to see at distance.

 

[NEATFREQ]

I can tell you right now that there are two major downsides to having anything over 500 lumens, and even then I think 200 lumens is more than adequate.

1) Battery life - if you do a simple search of specs you'll see the battery life is dramatically decreased with the higher lumen lights.

2) Close Quarter Manipulation - White light indoors is pretty intense and the bounce back from 600+lumens off a light colored service is and can blind you and take away from your vision, not to also mention picture frames, mirrors, reflective house hold items. Surefire was first to do something about this and released the Intellibeam Fury (auto sensing dimmer), which I own but even still training in low light with high lumens is just too much, anything over 200 lumens and the intruder/assailant will be blinded.

 

[KGmade]

Unfortunately this is one of those cases where the industry is just supplying what people think they want. Most people when standing in front of a rack of flashlights will compare two things, price and light output. They dont think about what the light will be used for, they just see the lumen rating. More must be better, right?

I would avoid a light that bright for home defense with a pistol. Too much light will blind you, wash out details, and ruin your natural night vision.

 

[AtlMedic]

I mounted a Streamlight polytac to my AR, it's rated at 300 lumens. I blacked out my house and went around and wasn't blinded by any reflections luckily my house doesn't have any white walls which helps.

It's also bright enough to light up my yard so I should be good for any possible HD use.

 

[Woodstock]

I have the Streamlight HPL mounted on a 10/22 for dispatching predators at night. It is a great light for distance, but is too bright for anything up close or to see the ground directly in front of you. It washes everything out. It is 775 lumens. Still a great light though.

This, any kind of distance I dont think its a problem but anything close it can become nearly worthless

 

[adamp313]

I have the TLR1- HL. I like it. the 800 lumens doesn't bother me, as the battery dies the output decreases. Battery life doesn't seem to be an issue, when would you be looking to change them, like while you be operating your nightstand/predator gun to the point of battery exhaustion? Using something like the TLR-3 with only 90 lumens doesn't even hold a light to something like the TLR1-HL.

 

[medium187mph]

Ive had a few different wml and to be completely honest... More light the better.

 

[Creeper]

For indoors 200 lumens will light a room up, outdoors is a different story

 

[cmshoot]

For indoors, you don't need more than 200 lumens. A bit more than that won't hurt. Too much splashback off of white walls, glass in picture frames, mirrors, stainless steel appliances, etc.

Been there, done that......

I routinely run white lights that are more powerful than 200 lumens, but it's just not necessary for indoor use.