• Happy Weed Appreciation Day! 🌱🌿🌻

Strobe Function on Flashlights, yes or no?

G

Guest

Guest
The thread on illumination for reading in the tent got me thinking about the various functions on our lights. Flashlights, Luci-Lights, battery op lanterns, dang near all of them have low, high and strobe settings.

Low power is OK for extending battery life, if too dim for nighttime reading. High is acceptable for reading, but some small lanterns that (supposedly) will run for 20 hours on low only manage 45 minutes on high.

The strobe function is simply annoying, especially with “click once for low, again for high and again for strobe”. Arrgghhhh, I’m ready to turn off the light and go to bed and suddenly the tent is a flashing discoteque.

I can envision (emergency) situations where a strobe would be useful, but have never used one for such. Years ago we did set up illuminated waypoints for folks who here doing a nighttime paddle in to join us on a bayside trip, but used Cyalumes which we retrieved on the way back out.

Strobe function yes or no? Anyone here every really needed that strobe setting?
 
My marine radio has a strobe when wetness hits it. In that case that function is very very useful
In camp I prefer my lights not dance or flash.
So I am a maybe. Or a sometimes.
 
Extra features are fine - they sell more flashlights I guess. What I can't stand is their activation happening through the power button. There are no standards, so if you have more than one device it means memorizing each secret handshake. I no longer have the mental equity to invest in such banalities.
 
Extra features are fine - they sell more flashlights I guess. What I can't stand is their activation happening through the power button. There are no standards, so if you have more than one device it means memorizing each secret handshake. I no longer have the mental equity to invest in such banalities.

I keep pressing on that button to get what I want.. Red or white but steady.. GRR. I have learned to print out the secret handshake and keep it in a zip loc with the headlamp

Yes I too have no use for that gadgetry. I did buy a headlamp recently that was simple....r. I got it at Ragged Mountain Sports which is a real outdoors store where I could rant and they sympathized. Now what did I do with the headlamp. Is it in the camera gear or the backpack or the kitchen or camping gear

grrr
 
I own a gps, a PLB, and a strobe. The gps and PLB have only been on one trip but I carry the strobe on every trip that lasts more than one day for emergencies. The strobe is on my person. It’s a dedicated white strobe and waterproof. I don’t take a flashlight, but my headlamp has a strobe function. That function is pretty cheesey, but the headlamp itself has been flawless for 14 years. As much as I like the headlamp I too dislike the push button function control between modes.

barry
 
Extra features are fine - they sell more flashlights I guess. What I can't stand is their activation happening through the power button. There are no standards, so if you have more than one device it means memorizing each secret handshake. I no longer have the mental equity to invest in such banalities.

I keep pressing on that button to get what I want.. Red or white but steady.. GRR. I have learned to print out the secret handshake and keep it in a zip loc with the headlamp

I don’t want to require a flashlight to printed-sheet refresh my memory about the “secret handshake” button push function. That “How many times do I push what” memory challenge is beyond my memory capacity.

After some flashlight investigation I now carry two (different) CREE LED flashlights, two “stadium style” Luci Lights for book reading in the tent (stationed as soon as the tent goes up; I’m not attempting that dark of night and maybe tipsy installation when I finally crawl into the tent) and a mini Luci Light in the “Ditch kit” Spares & Repairs bag. I swear all of them, except one*, requires a different secret handshake sequence.

*These simple things. CREE bulb, one mode, no strobe, 300 lm bright, simple pull/push zoom focus beam.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07BDGD8KR/ref=ppx_od_dt_b_asin_title_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

The single double AA battery doesn’t have great run time, but as a mini-pocket flashlight I’m usually flicking it on for seconds. Everyone in the family has one in their kit, and there is one is every vehicle.
 
But as I do astrophotography I don't want a white night light to see my camera controls. Ergo the red and white is a must for me. Perhaps I need a camping only no picture light. White.
 
Yes, you need to aim the strobe at yourself and do the funky chicken, all the while shrieking and howling. Typically you do this so that the remainder of your trip is solo.
 
The strobe function is simply annoying, especially with “click once for low, again for high and again for strobe”. Arrgghhhh, I’m ready to turn off the light and go to bed and suddenly the tent is a flashing discoteque.

Spot on.

Strobe function yes or no? Anyone here every really needed that strobe setting?

A resounding no. Never needed it, and don't want it!
 
This thread made me curious about the purpose of a strobe on a flashlight. This article suggests that a strobe is a component of a Tactical Flashlight. It can be used as a defence against a potential attacker, who becomes disoriented when looking into the strobe. I still don’t feel I need one, or would purposely purchase one. though.

https://www.tacticalogy.com/strobe-function-flashlight-for-law-enforcement/
 
I had to search the interweb to see what strobes are for. Yes, it seems they're good for non lethal tactical measures to confuse perps. Would they work on campsite bear intruders?
 
Last edited:
Strobe lights are very useful for kayaking or ocean boating emergencies at night. Once on a club paddle at night the Coast Guard pulled up and chastized one for having the strobe on. Often worn on lifejackets and he was using it as an I am here marker.
 
Strobes are used as an emergency beacon function. As YC says, seakayakers are encouraged to carry them as part of routine safety equipment and ditch kit. Some PLB's have a strobe function to help aerial rescue teams locate the person in distress, and a strobe flashlight could be used by a wilderness canoeist in that same situation.

All in all, a worthy safety function to have on a wilderness tripping light, but not one I've ever needed to use -- oh, except once to mark a seakayak takeout on Lake George. The extra button push sometimes needed to turn it off doesn't bother me at all.
 
Ok, I get that a strobe is valuable for open ocean sea kayakers, and potentially other need-rescue instances. I can even see the tactical flashlight strobe defense against an attacker, although my last ditch defense flashes only once or twice, depending on how many times I pull the trigger. And it makes a very loud, dissuading BLAM!

I understand that a strobe is a simple function feature to incorporate on a light. I still think that feature is generally unnecessary on a canoe tripper light.

The flashing setting on my Luci Lights? Seriously, I’m gonna find that obscurely hidden button and what, hurl a dimly lit 2oz plastic ball at an attacker, hoping that by the time they have finished laughing I have run far away?

Because that strobe feature is now so ubiquitous I’m sure I’ll always have one, but dammit I don’t need every light to go full discotheque when I try to shut it off.
 
The best head lamps have an on and off function. I don't like strobes, red lights or other gimmicks. I really don't like going through the whole list of functions to get the danged thing off. Camping with other people, it is impolite to walk up to someone with your headlamp pointed at them. Turn it off. A head lamp needs to be turned on a and off several times each night. Make it simple.
 
The best head lamps have an on and off function. I don't like strobes, red lights or other gimmicks. I really don't like going through the whole list of functions to get the danged thing off. Camping with other people, it is impolite to walk up to someone with your headlamp pointed at them. Turn it off. A head lamp needs to be turned on a and off several times each night. Make it simple.

Exactly.
 
The best head lamps have an on and off function. I don't like strobes, red lights or other gimmicks. I really don't like going through the whole list of functions to get the danged thing off. Camping with other people, it is impolite to walk up to someone with your headlamp pointed at them. Turn it off. A head lamp needs to be turned on a and off several times each night. Make it simple.
You said it. My current headlamp (some Black Diamond model) has like 96 modes and only one button. You're supposed to kind of slap the side of it to make it extra bright (32 of those modes), but that isn't a button since it only happens by accident. Did they win some design competition for only having one button? Like, where the grand prize is a worn out Steve Jobs black turtleneck or something.
 
I get the complaint, I do! There are plenty of options with just a flood light or just a spot light, or both with minimal sequence chains. Or if you prefer, there’s headlamps out there that automatically adjust based off of distance/depth, hands free. Pretty neat idea, but I have zero TRUE opinion on those besides tech specs. I don’t fully disagree, but the RGB do come in handy for myself and friends when we’re hunting. Looking at stars. Blood trailing. Biking. Etc. Same with the strobe effect.

But there are a lot of options out there that don’t require a manual to operate a forehead light. Check out biolite, Princeton Tec. Petzl classic series. And although contrary to some of us gear geeks, simple off brands. My brother has a backup energizer headlamp and it’s simple and good. Same for a friend who is too cheap to buy name brand gum.. he has a super bright Amazon light that requires a couple simple clicks.
 
Back
Top