By Michael A. Black
Contributing Editor
Being able to see well in darkened and low light conditions is imperative for law enforcement, military, security, or home protection, so I learned a long time ago to be appreciative of good lighting devices.
I was recently able to do product testing on two of Fenix’s latest and best units that shed some light on dark situations.
I was recently fortunate to field test the highly anticipated Fenix PD36TAC flashlight which is the perfect flashlight for law enforcement, military, security, and tactical users. The compact LED flashlight is approximately 5.5 inches in length and weighs 3.2 ounces. The Luminus SST70 LED bulb has a lifespan of 50,000 hours. There’s also convenient pocket clip for easy carrying and can be fastened to a uniform epaulet for a hands-free lighting assist. It’s so bright that it even comes with a warning tag advising not to shine the flashlight onto inflammable materials for a long time due to the extremely high output. As they say, dynamite comes in small packages.
The Fenix PD36TAC has an output of 3000 lumens, which will certainly light up the darkness, changing night into almost-day. To say it’s extremely bright is an understatement. The beam has a maximum effective range of almost 900 feet (898 to be exact.) and allows the user to see objects and adversaries far into the distance. Composed of extremely tough A6061-T6 aluminum alloy, it’s rugged in both appearance and feel. Although lightweight, it has enough heft to reinforce your fist if you have to deliver a quick, definitive punch to the jaw or the gut, should the situation require it, and the crenulated end around the lens looks like it could shatter a car window with no problem.
The flashlight operates on a single 21700 battery that is rechargeable. It’s included in the kit, as is a USB type-C cable allowing convenient charging using a wall adapter. The battery has an indicator telling you when it’s charging and also when it’s finished. Normally, the charging time for is about 4 hours, which provides a maximum running time of 160 hours. Double springs keep the battery suspended, allowing it to resist damage taken from external impact. The flashlight itself is also waterproof and impact resistant up to 1.5 meters.
The PD36 TAC offers a state of the art design with a mechanical collar selector dial on that allows three separate modes, making it equally useful for everyday use and tactical situations. Rotate the selector dial to the center position and the flashlight is locked, just like the safety on a gun, so there’s no chance of it being turned on unintentionally. There are two clicks on either side of this Lock position.
One click to the left and you’re in Duty Mode, offering five different settings by clicking the tail-button switch. Tap the tail-switch for a momentary-on/off, or give it a full press, which will give you a constant activation. Then, further taps will let you cycle through the brightness levels. Pressing and holding the tail-switch for less than a second activates the strobe mode. There’s Turbo, giving off 3000 Lumens, lasting for 1.5 hours with a range of 898 feet; High: 1000 Lumens, for 3.2 hours, 524 ft; Medium, 350 Lumens, for 10.1 hours, 301 feet; Low, 150 Lumens, 18.7 hours, 193 feet; and Eco, 30 Lumens, 160 hours, 82 feet.
Switching the collar selector dial back to center in any one of these modes locks the lighting function in place, thus the flashlight cannot be accidentally turned off. You can also use this center position to lock in the current brightness level.
Twisting the collar selector dial to the right, going past the center lock position, puts you in Tactical Mode with a powerful High beam of 2000 Lumens, lasting for 3.1 hours and having a range of 738 feet. Clicking the tail-switch again and holding it turns the powerful light into a strobe, disorienting an approaching adversary. Once again, twisting the collar selector dial back to center position locks the particular function in place.
The tail switch is ideal for use with a handgun. The flashlight fits comfortably in your non-dominant, or “weak” hand. Bracing your hands, back against back, and using your thumb to activate the beam, gives you the distinct advantage of being able to light up the darkness in front of you. Any potential adversary waiting to do you harm will most likely be temporarily blinded by the high-output beam.
The PD36TAC is priced at $99.95(fenix-store.com/fenix-pd36-tac-flashlight). It’s the ideal flashlight for law enforcement, security, and military personnel, and for home protection as well. Keep one by your bedside to light up the night at a moment’s notice, should the need arise.
If you’re looking for hands free way to light up the night, the Fenix HM65R Rechargeable Headlamp will fill the bill and then some. Designed to resist the elements and for rugged outdoor use, it’s constructed of lightweight magnesium. It’s impact resistant and both dust and waterproof as well. The unit is rather small, weighing only 3.42 Ounces, and is 3.17 inches by 2.17 by 1.57 inches (Or, if you prefer the metric designations: 80.5 x 55 x 40 mm.)
It comes fitted onto a nylon top-and-bottom headband that can be adjusted for both comfort and snugness. The headband also has reflective markings along the sides as a safety feature. The HM65R has two Cree LED’s that can be adjusted upward through various degrees of brightness (low, moderate, high) for a floodlight or spotlight mode, and it also offers a blinking selection. The power source is a single 18650 rechargeable battery. Both the battery and the USB type-C charging port, for recharging the battery, come with the headlamp. (There is another option of using two CR123A batteries as well.).
The unit can be adjusted downward to an almost 90-degree angle to facilitate reading a map or making a weapon inspection. The twin switch buttons are located on the top of the unit, with the left one controlling the floodlight and the right one the spotlight. A quick press activates each one, and continued depressions allow for the low, medium, and high degree lighting variants. Pressing again and holding it extinguishes the light. There is also a lockout feature if you press and hold the two switches.
I was surprised by the brightness of the HM65R and the comfort while wearing it as I tested it out. I found it extremely good for lighting up the path in the darkness, and the adjustable feature of the headband made wearing it feel like a baseball cap. It was also convenient in that it minimized the need for head movement. It would be great for a camping or hunting trip where lighting is scarce, as well as working in a limited lighting situation in the home or at a construction site.
Tactically speaking, I tried to envision what uses might be appropriate for such a device. Certainly, for military or police work wearing such a lighting device on one’s forehead might not be practical in a combat situation in that the main disadvantage would be providing an illuminated target for an armed adversary, but this could be said of a flashlight, too. However, if one were consulting a map in darkness, at a search-and-rescue site, searching the interior of a vehicle or a crime scene, or even searching a suspect in a dark, unlighted or semi-lighted alley, having the ability to switch on these powerful lights and remain hands-free could be invaluable. Just as with any such military or law enforcement situation where an unrestrained suspect is being searched, proper precautions should be taken with one officer off to the side maintaining observation and being ready to step in if the suspect suddenly attacks while being searched.
The applications are endless, and so is the brightness. The Spotlight Output options includeTurbo, which offers 1000 Lumens for 2 hours to a distance of 534 Feet; High, at 400 Lumens for 22 hours and 331 Feet; Medium, 130 Lumens for 42 Hours to187 Feet; and Low, 50 Lumens for 97 hours to121 Feet. The Floodlight Output options are as follows: High: 400 Lumens/21 Hours/180 Feet; Med: 130 Lumens/50 Hours/98 Feet; and Low: 8 Lumens/300 Hours/19.6 Feet.
The Fenix HM65R Rechargeable Headlamp is priced at $94.95. (fenix-store.com/fenix-hm65r-rechargeable-headlamp-1400-lumens)
