Your Thoughts on the Utility of a Strobe Function

[Ernst]

Years ago Surefire integrated a strobe function first used in the music/dance world into a flashlight. Over the years strobe functions have become a typical function on many tactical flashlights and weapon mounted lights. However, their use has always been a love / hate relationship. Many despise them and never use them while others think they are great. Some simple use a flashlight strobe to disengage from a potential situation to gain time & space from a threat.

The real question is do they have utility in home defense or close quarter battle operations?

What's your thoughts?

Do you like or despise them?

Have you actually used them in a defensive situation? If so, what was their actual utility?

 

[Bobster]

The thing I dislike about strobe functions are that you have to cycle through them to get a solid beam on inexpensive lights that incorporate them. Try to find a light that DOESN'T have the stupid 3-way switch (high, low, strobe)! Tactical gimmickry made mainstream and annoying...

 

[nitesite]

Great questions.

I kept my work lights as simple as possible. ON/OFF was my choice. I dislike with a passion having any flashlight with multi-mode switches in my line of work.

The only time(s) I was favorable to strobe was when directing traffic because it would really get a drivers attention. Put a colored cone on a strobe light, cut off the cone tip, and it's great at traffic control even in daytime.

Home use I have zero desire to own one.

 

[Ernst]

Thought I'd detail my own use and views.

I carry a small 200 lumen flashlight all the time. It has a simple off-on tail switch, no modes and doubles as a hands free work light since it can be clipped to my cap. This one gets used everyday for something and is always clipped to my pocket. My EDC light.

When I'm off the property, say to town, I carry a second and more powerful flashlight which is around a 1000 lumens and again has a tail switch. I have the strobe mode set in memory and the sole purpose is disengagement from a threat should it happen out in public. This is my only use of a strobe function.

Like others above I despise multi mode flashlights and weapon mounted lights. Plus I've always thought a strobe function impacts people's ability to use both iron sights and low power scopes in low light conditions.

Regards

 

[Larry23433]

I probably have a strangely unique view on this. While I can't fathom a legitimate use for a strobe function on a weapon mounted light I do use a light with a strobe function quite a bit for what you could consider self defense lol.

My property has lots of old buildings and sheds plus I raise chickens so I have TONS of pests. Coyotes, foxes, racoons, feral dogs, feral hogs, bobcats, some kind of crazy weasel things... you name it, it lives in my yard.

My girlfriend doesn't like to carry a gun with her so I bought her one of those goofy high pitched siren devices with a strobe light on it. She has used it many times to chase critters away with excellent results. I have used it plenty of times too. We had skunks under my deck and I turned the siren/strobe on and just tossed it under the porch. Skunks left peacefully within 5 minutes.

So strobe lights can be useful... but I hate them on my weapon lights or my regular edc lights. It's a feature that just complicates something that should be brutally simple in my opinion.

 

[Tom396]

It seemed like a good idea. However, I suspect it will end up disorienting me, more than an attacker, in actual practice. Take care. Tom Worthington

 

[cmcdonald]

Much like apexkeeper above I have found the strobe function on my Fenix light pretty useful. I can tell you right now that bears don't appreciate it as much I do!! LOL! Also the Fenix employs a secondary button for varying the brightness and activating the strobe function. Which I find works very well. I haven't had any issue with messing up which light gets activated, mainly due to the fact that the secondary switch is a different shape and size from the main switch. Meaning you don't have to look at it...just feel and press. It works.

FWIW - the strobe on my light is ridiculously bright...works perfect. LOL