Should Concealed Carriers Carry A Flashlight?

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My father was in the World Trade Center back in 1993 during the first terrorist attack. He used the Indiglow button on his watch to navigate his way through his office when the power went out.

I took that lesson to heart and I now carry a small Mini Mag Lite AAA flashlight. I'm not going to blind anyone, but it will help me find my way out of the bathroom if the lights go out at work.
 
Plan2Live said:
I would highly recommend everyone carry a quality flashlight all of the time. With that said, this is one area I struggle with. My daily mode of dress; dress slacks, long sleeved shirt and tie (blazer or suit jacket as appropriate but rarely) I have not found a practical place to carry anything other than a small flashlight on my keyring. Right front pocket carries work keys and cell phone, left front pocket carries personal keys and knife. For reasons of personal preference, namely I don't want to look like I am wearing Batman's utility belt, I avoid hanging anything on my belt while at work. So, I struggle with this one.
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Having worn a suit a lot for work, I can caution you to be careful about the clip if you carry one in your coat pocket. I have a 5.11 light I carried like that for a while, and I ruined a couple shirt pockets with the sharp corners.

My Streamlight ProTac doesn't seem as bad, but I'm not sure I'd chance it.

guyfromohio said:
What do you people wear to work? Good Lord.... A flashlight?
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Have you seen the size of some of these flashlights? My Fenix is smaller than the Case folder it usually rides with. I wear slacks 5-6 days a week.
 
I have a 24 y/o handicapped daughter. We were in Wal Mart in a questionable neighborhood a couple of years ago. Three guys came up to us in an aisle who made me feel uncomfortable, but perhaps that was judgmental on my part. This was during the day, & then the power went out & all was dark. No flashlight & no ccw & I felt pretty helpless. Nothing bad happened, but now I carry a small flashlight in my pocket, & a Glock 19 when I'm at that Wal Mart.
 
I carry a small flashlight with me always. When I carry my beretta px4 I have a viridian light mounted to the rail, awesome little package.
 
On Page #3 of this thread, do people still picture the flashlight to be a 2 battery D-cell?

There are several capable flashlights smaller than Chapstick or one AA battery.

I want a light that'll illuminate the hallway, aisle or stairwell, not just a couple of feet in front of me.
 
I have a viridian light mounted to my CCW.

I practice activating it with my support hand when they meet on the draw. Gets rid of the need to remember to always keep a flashlight handy at night and gives me the ability to fully support the gun without having to worry about keeping something else pointed in the same direction.

Thats said. I almost always have a maglight xl50 in my jacket pocket or the center console. Damn nice light for the price.
 
I carry a Fenix E11 everywhere I go. It's hardly any bigger than the cig lighter thats in the pocket with it and it's way brighter than one of the old triple D cell Mag lights. Flashlights have come a long way in the last few years. I've often thought someone ought to manufacture a pistol mount for small flashlights like that. Something sort of spring loaded that just clipped on to the light. Generally, if you're using a weapon mounted light you should have one off the gun as well. Don't want to be checking on the kids or whatever with your gun pointed at them. Be nice if you could just pull the light off when you wanted and then just clip it back on.
 
Streamlight

Just today picked up a Streamlight STYLLIS PRO and its smaller brother,they were at LEO supply store and the price seemed right [ 18+ for the little one & 21+ for the PRO.

The light from either is good enough to shoot with [ iof required ] and the baby uses 1 AAA,the PRP uses 2 AAA.

I am VERY impressed and the baby can be woth deep in the pocket due to the position of the clip,as can the PRO model that I am now wearing as an EDC.

Just an fyi from a flashlight junkie.
 
Everyone should carry a flashlight. I keep a small (but surprisingly bright) LED light on my keychain and never know it's there. But man have I been glad it was few times.
 
Others have said it, but I agree - carrying a flashlight has nothing to do with being armed. And with the size of capable flashlights having shrunk down to the size of your pinky finger, there is no excuse not to carry one 24/7.

If I walk out of my front door, whether for 5 minutes or 5 days, I have the following items on me:

1. Watch
2. Keys (with Fenix EO5 27-lumen keychain flashlight)
3. Wallet
4. iPhone
5. Folding knife

75% of the time, I also have a Ruger LCP and an additional larger flashlight on me.

But I collect and modify flashlights - especially Surefire lights. I have 11 Surefires alone! I'm also a stickler for warm pleasant tints and perfect color rendering, so I prefer incandescents over LEDs, unless I know I'll be using the light for long periods of time. Once I got into Surefire incandescent models, rechargeable batteries and compatible Lumens Factory incandescent bulbs, my flashlight hobby became so much more enjoyable.

I use flashlights multiple times throughout the day and night, every single day. As someone said, once you start carrying a flashlight all the time, you start finding uses for it that you never thought of before. And I have been the hero with a flashlight many more times than with a firearm.

I truly believe it's a "must have" item for any self-sufficient person.
 
I carry a flashlight on my keychain, so it's a moot question. But if you want to carry something other than a gun to enhance your survival, I recommend, in order, 1. A spare magazine, and 2. a cell phone.
 
Vern Humphrey said:
I carry a flashlight on my keychain, so it's a moot question. But if you want to carry something other than a gun to enhance your survival, I recommend, in order, 1. A spare magazine, and 2. a cell phone.
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I agree. I carry a flat-ish flashlight hardly bigger than a stick of gum, because it's so easy. But my phone has a flashlight that's surprisingly bright. More importantly, my phone can call 911, AAA, a family member, a friend, police, pizza delivery, check the weather, find a restaurant, etc. It has a compass with geocoordinates. A cell phone is a fantastic tool for getting through the day.
 
Always a flashlight, knife, and phone. Not always a gun.

Casual Wear = Streamlight Protac 2L because at the time I bought it no Surefire was the right size and never the right price. I own about 6 Surefires of various sizes. Benchmade Mini-Griptillian

Business/Dress Wear = 2 AAA Taclite and/or iPhone Flashlight App. Swiss Army Keychain Knife

I use my flashlights frequently during daylight hours: dark restaurants to read menus, to pickup dropped small items in dark corners, inspection of engine compartment, etc.
 
I don't carry a flashlight with me at all times when I'm off work. Never really considered it. I do carry two in my car, though.

At work I'm required to have a flashlight with me any time I go aboard a ship for safety reasons, however. The purpose is to allow me to find my way off the boat in an emergency, should the lighting fail for some reason. I keep an Energizer LED keychain light on my badge lanyard for exactly this reason. Since I'm required to have my security badge withme at all times, my flashlight is also with me as well.

http://www.energizer.com/flashlights-lighting/keychain/Pages/high-tech-led-keychain-light.aspx

It provides an amazing amount of light for a flat, thumb sized button-battery light and is more than adequate for it's purpose. Great for shipchecks inside equipment, too, when I need to investigate problems.

Here's the LED light in my car:

http://www.costco.com/Feit-Electric-500-Lumen-Flashlight-3-pack.product.100049686.html

Brother of mine gave me one of these that he bought as part of a two pack at Costco. 500 Lumens using three C-cells and man does this light up the neighborhood!

He picked me up a two pack of Duracell's equivalent design, 500 Lumen lights at Costco so I could have some extras around the house and such:

http://costcocouple.com/duracell-led-tactical-flashlight-2-pack/
 
Double Magazine Pouch

Since 1995 I've been carrying a double magazine pouch that has one pouch for a mag and the other for my Gerber 3 CR123 battery flashlight. It is now second nature to me and I never give a second thought about having a flashlight with me.
 
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