New 5.11 PC3.300 light for life

[Groove]

Customer Appreciation day at the local cop shop and the 5.11 rep had the new Light for Life on display. It seemed pretty cool. It is smaller than the first model, which is great because the other one looks stupid. I don't care how many awesome features they cram in to the monster it looks F*&^in' dumb. I think the smaller version will do better because it is more in keeping with the trends in flashlights, small, bright and bomb-proof. It has a tail button which is nice and it has a button on the front. It's extremely lightweight, not sure if that's good or bad. I work in a jail so i'm not as concerned about using my light as an impact weapon as someone on the street might be. seemed to be pretty bright. It had the two modes and strobe feature.

Other than needing to style the thing differently I think 5.11 is on to something with the capacitor stuff.

[leesrt]

I can't afford to spend that much money on an experiment. I'll give it a year or two and see how it does.

[akflyer]

Ha! I just checked out a video on youtube regarding the bigger version of this "light for life" and stopped watching when it said it could handle temperatures from -4 to 104 degrees. Shoot, I wouldn't be able to use it for half the year up here! During the other half I wouldn't need it anyway! Kinda cool but it wouldn't work for my environment.

[fordman318]

Ha! I just checked out a video on youtube regarding the bigger version of this "light for life" and stopped watching when it said it could handle temperatures from -4 to 104 degrees. Shoot, I wouldn't be able to use it for half the year up here! During the other half I wouldn't need it anyway! Kinda cool but it wouldn't work for my environment.

Well I cant use if for the other end of the spectrum. Over 104 is a common occurrence in the summer. Im out

[VChopefull]

I will stick to flashlight makers who have been around longer and have proven themselves.

[toasterlocker]

I will stick to flashlight makers who have been around longer and have proven themselves.

And are brighter and last longer before having to be recharged. If a light that big (I'm talking about BOTH 5.11 models) can't do 200+ lumens for more than an hour, NOT INTERESTED.

[r6less]

I wasn't impressed, I use mine as a backup.

[Groove]

I wasn't impressed

I wasn't really either. I do think the capacitor technology is interesting and hope to see more innovation with it. I think 5.11 is doing too much. Seems like they are trying to cover every single thing and some of their quality is suffering a little bit as they try and cater to every single part of the "tactical" LE market.

[jswwjw]

The large light was bulky.....but wait...it flashes!!! Were in the heck are you going to put that thing? Not to mention I, like most of you, keep my flashlight tucked under my left arm during contacts. This this was kinda square.

The price tag did not impress me as well,......but wait, buy the flashlight and get a bag made in Vietnam!!! out of my way....lol

[SirLancelot]

I see a lot of "I didn't like it comments" but can you guys who don't like it try to explain why? I don't have one but have thought about the new smaller version as my flashlight on my belt.

I dig the 90-second charge time, competative run times (about the same as Surefire, Pelican, etc.) and the fact that I'll never have to change out batteries. Obviously there are downsides to the flashlight (the "I don't like it comments") but I'm not seeing much being specifically addressed yet other than temperature range and bulk. I carry the SL-20 from my squad car every time I exit regardless of time of day. I obviously only use it at night or while doing building searches, but it's always on me. Bulk doesn't matter in that regard unless it won't fit in a standard SAP pocket. Temperature? Unless you live in Alaska, Minessota, or the deserty south (Phoenix) I can't imagine ever really needing to actually use it in any temperature extremes. Here in the Seattle area, I'd have no problems with temperature.

I really do want to know the REAL good, bad, and ugly. Got any real specifics you can divulge?

[SirLancelot]

In reference to jswwjw's comment about a flashlight's strobe function, I'll be the first to admit I thought a strobe function of a flashlight was a hidiously retarded gimmick for quite a while. Until I went to Active Shooter training, that is. The instructors there did some demonstrations of building searches utilizing a strobe that effectively won over probably 100% of the attendees. I have yet to talk to a single one that went through the training with me or in prior/later classes that thought it was still retarded.