# Best Lights For A Firefighter



## neal71 (Nov 20, 2009)

My father is a firefighter and I would like to get him a light for his helmet, since the city he works for does not supply helmet lights he does not have a backup and wont get one for himself. I would also like suggestions as to what would be the best light to clip on to his jacket as well. There are a lot of "firefighter" lights out there, but since number one, it is my father I do not want him carrying something into a burning building that is not going to stay on, and number two, I am a college student and I do not have a disposable income, I would like to know what you all think would be the best lights that are "affordable". Really all suggestions are welcomed since I really enjoy looking at and researching flashlights. 

If anyone is wanting to sell any lights that would fit the applications mentioned above, please PM me and I will get back to you as soon as possible.


----------



## big vin (Nov 20, 2009)

I gues you need a real thrower headlight to pierce the smoke, a real floody one would not be suitable


----------



## TooManyGizmos (Nov 20, 2009)

:welcome:

You need to visit the headlamp section .(forum)

I'm betting it will wind up to be expensive.

It has to withstand a LOT of heat without deforming or melting.
It also needs the right kind of beam to pierce thru smoke , steam and water mist .

It also has to be Authorized and Safety Approved to use in potentially explosive environments .

This "Surefire Firefighter" thread just came up in the dealers section , maybe it will get you started.

Do much research ..... and spend wisely ..... don't be too hasty to buy.

You might also talk to the *Captain* of the firehouse to get his *experienced* suggestions of what works.

...............................................................................................................................................

neal , P.S.
After you have researched and made an educated and wise decision on what to buy for your father ........
You may P.M. me on this forum to receive a donation for your fathers helmet light , F.I.R.E. Fund .
*** ( *F*athers *I*llumination *R*escue *E*quipment ) ***

:thumbsup:


.TMG.


----------



## yellow (Nov 20, 2009)

1.: the light - whatever it will be - has to be RUGGED
2.: ask Your father what he uses now and why. Then decide, based on the batteries used

... because he most probably wont use anything with "fancy" power source
(if he did, he already had such one)

I dont think You will find something under 50,--
but the last years this price class saw an evolution ...  totally crazy and nice.


----------



## neal71 (Nov 20, 2009)

I figured around $150 is what would be a reasonable amount, I have done a lot of google searches and the surefire keeps coming up, I have never owned an expensive light, so I do not know if the surefire is the best for light output and durability. The feelings on the forums seem to be a little mixed about surefire.

As far as batteries go, I will make sure he has extras and as long as the light will take them I will get rechargeable batteries.


----------



## guardpost3 (Nov 20, 2009)

check out the thefirestore, they have helmet light packages with either a surefire or a streamlight along with a blackjack helmet mount. also if you want to spend a little more then look at the streamlight vantage helmet light. the vantage is specifically for going on your helmet. it it the lightest option out there (which is important if your like me and already have two door chocks and a brass window punch up there) and it also has a bright blue led on the back so the rest of your crew can spot you thru the smoke. as far as budget goes, i would go with the streamlight 4AA and a blackjack mount, cheaper to buy and cheaper batteries plus it has an awesome beam for firefighting. also look at the streamlight survivor as a light for his coat i have seen them on fire and half melted and still working. they are not that expensive if you get the 4AA version and not the rechargeable which costs almost double. I like surefire, but all my firefighting lights are streamlight, they have always performed the best for me on the fireground.


----------



## DuncanHynes (Nov 20, 2009)

Whatever you get, replace the lens with Borofloat glass lens from flashlightlens dot com. Has about 95% light transference with "outstanding" thermal durability. Thats my 2 cents.


----------



## TooManyGizmos (Nov 20, 2009)

neal71 ,

Glad to see you are getting good replies on this.

Real world applications from real firefighters is just what you need.

I still think you should talk to the Captain at the firehouse too .

I forget the term used to describe lights approved for explosive atmosphere areas , but they have been discussed on here too. Maybe someone will post what the term is , so you can do a search on it.

It's an odd name ........ anyone ?
.


----------



## Boudreaux (Nov 20, 2009)

IIRC the term for flashlights approved for hazardous environments is "Permissable."


----------



## guardpost3 (Nov 20, 2009)

the term your looking for is "Intrinsically Safe"


----------



## MarNav1 (Nov 20, 2009)

Take a look at Pelican lights.


----------



## TooManyGizmos (Nov 20, 2009)

guardpost3 said:


> the term your looking for is "Intrinsically Safe"




Yes .... thank you ... I can never remember that term.

No further brain cell regeneration ... I guess.
.


----------



## rbryant2 (Nov 21, 2009)

I'll also give a thumbs up to Streamlight products. For my money it's hard to beat a Streamlight ProPolymer 4AA Luxon as a helmet light. You can pick one up for about $60 USD in a package deal that includes a Blackjack mounting bracket for attaching to a fire helmet. This bracket is by far the best I've ever used for attaching a light to your helmet.

As far a light for hanging on a fire coat, the Streamlight Survivor comes in several versions. The old standard is a rechargable incandescant version, the newer versions are LED's with a choice between rechargable and 4 AA alkaline battery models. These will start you at about $50 USD for the alkaline model.

I don't go in a fire without these lights, and usually a Lightbox too!!


----------



## neal71 (Nov 22, 2009)

I really like the streamlight products does anyone know how durable and reliable they are?


----------



## It01Firefox (Nov 24, 2009)

I'm a volunteer firefighter and my whole city uses Underwater Kinetics UK 4AAs. Pretty much all of us are still using the Xenon lamps only one guy has the LED version. I haven't seen this light compared to the Xenons so I can't comment on it.

The Xenons have a tight beam that's pretty good at cutting through smoke, but it's not useful for general lighting purposes as it has practically no usable spill. The beam is also not very smooth, but works well for use in smoke. 

There' a version that switch on by twisting the bezel and also one that has a clickie switch in addition to the bezel twist option. You can get lights with different safety ratings.
The light is supposed to be run on primaries and not on rechargables. The reason for this is that the safety rating is granted only for use with primaries.
Rechargables do work in this light, although some are a bit too short, so the rattle around and will lose contact with the lamp assembly. I'm only using rechargables on the one light that I don't put on my helmet.

There used to be a rechargable version of this light, but I can't find it on their web site right now. It has a slightly higher output that the normal one.
You can put this higher output lamp assembly in a normal non-rechargeble light, but again you'll lose the safety rating.

There are tons of helmet mounts for specific types of helmets available as well as generic ones.
Also you can get an accesory to convert it to an angle head light.

The alkaline version is supposed to run 4 hours on a set of batteries.

As for durability of the light, we have about 100 guys using these lights since 2003 and I'm not aware that one of them has failed, yet. They've gone into countless burning buildungs and none of them have melted or anything. They also get knocked around quite a bit on the helmet and I haven't had a bulb break, yet (not sure about everybody else, but definitely not in my station). The bulb is supposed to last 11 hours, if I remember correctly, but I've run quite a few sets of batteries through mine and I'm still using the original bulb that came with the lamp and it's still as bright as on the first day.

The newer LED versions have a higher lumes rating and are focusable, but as I stated above I've never tried one.

There's also a new series of lights from Pila (here in Germany distributed by Parat) the PX1 that use the same 4AA form factor (they fit in the same helmet mounts) and can be had with either a Xenon bulb or with "White" or "Amber" LEDs. But again I've never seen one of these light so I can't comment on them.

The biggest drawback is that the UKs don't have a battery indicator function, so you never know how much juice is left before the output drops down.


I hope this helps you in your search.
Markus


----------



## neal71 (Nov 25, 2009)

I like the black jack attachment, but I am not sure what light would fit the best with his helmet. I would really like to keep it a surprise so I am really leaning towards the streamlight. Anyone have any personal experience with this light, or heard anything about them?


----------



## guardpost3 (Nov 26, 2009)

this is the same setup I use and i love it, the beam on the streamlight is perfect for cutting thru smoke, i actually bought the more expensive streamlight vantage but ended up going back to this rig because of the beam. they are durable as hell and not too expensive to replace if you happen to mess one up.


----------



## Cataract (Nov 26, 2009)

I'm surprised not to see more than one mention about incandescent bulbs. My personal experience through fog is that a "cool" LED will show the fog rather than what you're pointing at. A "warm" LED is better at cutting through fog (and I suppose it is exactly the same for smoke) and a lot of guys here say that Incandescent is the best at cutting through fog and smoke. I don't have and INCAN yet, so I can't say by experience, but that's what I would recommend for a firefighter's use. It is more expensive and batteries won't last as long, but safety is the real issue here...


----------



## Linger (Nov 26, 2009)

Incan filament is vulnerable when they're hot. A helmet might be banged about and hit. Sure I realise they were used for years before LED's advanced, but is this one circumstance where a breaking bulb is not an option?

Bugger part of the recommendations is that often uber users won't take a vanillar led surefire or streamlights, the emitters / drivers are known to be substandard in comparison to the hosts. Oh well.
+1 Pelican brand has something of a reputation for these, do they not?


----------



## pec50 (Nov 27, 2009)

I have had positive experiences with the Streamlight 4aa luxeon and UK Eled 4aa. These are non-metallic bodies and hence less likely to burn skin after entry into hot environments and doffing of equipment. Both are easy to activate with heavy gloves and able to shed water adequately. If he is using the standard structural firefighter helmet, the clip type mounts seem to be okay. If the intent is for a much lighter weight hard hat for wildlands use, then I would recommend the rubber band mount as it holds the weight of the light closer to the center of mass and is less likely to tilt the hard hat. Or, for non-structural work, you might even want to consider a dedicated headlamp such as the PT EOS for wildlands or if he is an EMT or medic -- consider the bike version as it allows for a variety of mounting options. Personally, I avoid metallic lights due to the issue of heat conductivity and any lights with complicated switches as one's attention must be focused on the scene/patient.


----------



## to_fire (Nov 27, 2009)

I've been using a surefire c3 HOLA with a flip down red filter on my Cairns 1010. I fabricated a mount so it attaches to the faceshield mounting screws. I tried rim mounts, but they get banged off too much. I've been using my set-up for over 10 years with no problems (we run 3500 calls/year). It's been through all sorts of crap. In my bunker pant pocket I've got a surefire m6 HOLA attached with a gear keeper line. Great for getting under the smoke. I'm currently modding it with a Lighthound P7 head. In my coat pocket, I've got an old L2 which I sometimes use for medical calls and general stuff.
btw. Our department use the streamlight survivor xenons. I don't like them, but that's a personal thing.


----------



## C-Beam (Nov 27, 2009)

to_fire said:


> I've been using a surefire c3 HOLA with a flip down red filter on my Cairns 1010. I fabricated a mount so it attaches to the faceshield mounting screws. I tried rim mounts, but they get banged off too much. I've been using my set-up for over 10 years with no problems (we run 3500 calls/year). It's been through all sorts of crap. In my bunker pant pocket I've got a surefire m6 HOLA attached with a gear keeper line. Great for getting under the smoke. I'm currently modding it with a Lighthound P7 head. In my coat pocket, I've got an old L2 which I sometimes use for medical calls and general stuff.
> btw. Our department use the streamlight survivor xenons. I don't like them, but that's a personal thing.



Interesting! Can you post pics?


----------



## to_fire (Nov 28, 2009)

C-Beam, I'll try to post, but I'm new to the forum and not quite sure how to post pics. Or if you like I'll try to email the pics to you. Please be patient.


----------



## C-Beam (Nov 29, 2009)

upload them to tinypic.com and cut and past the


----------



## Double_A (Nov 29, 2009)

guardpost3 said:


> the term your looking for is "Intrinsically Safe"



Yep that's the word.

I used to do hazmat work, I used mostly Stealthlight 4AA Incandescent lights, but also Surefire G2's whenever I could.


----------



## TooManyGizmos (Nov 30, 2009)

Neal71 .

Did you see this similar helmet light thread ?

.


----------



## tundratrader (Nov 30, 2009)

I got one of the Blackjack mounts and a surefire gtl-fyl for my helmet. The blackjack doesnt work because we carry goggles on our helmets and the mount for them is right in the way. So mine is not on my helmet but I carry the light. On my helmet I have a UKEAA light that works well not the brightest but it works. The GTL-FYL is very good though. It is basically a nitrolon body with 6p bezel and z59 clickie. No one has figured out what makes it IDLH atmosphere safe. It is very durable. I have a malkoff m60w in mine right now and it works well in smoke cuts through all but the thickest. When it is very smokey in a building all lights are useless anyways. We carry pelican recoil led lights as well that work quite well on regular AA batteries. Surefire actually sells a helmet light combo now. With a malkoff you have brightness and longer runtime as well.


----------



## to_fire (Dec 2, 2009)

C-Beam
Here's a couple of pics with my C3 mounted to the side of my 1044.
I hope this works??!!
Mount can be slightly moved/bent to adjust where the C3's hot spot needs to be.




Sheet steel mount heated and hammered around C3 body.





Sorry about the blurry pic...phone-cam


----------



## C-Beam (Dec 3, 2009)

Thanks! I need to make something like that.


----------



## guardpost3 (Dec 3, 2009)

Good job:thumbsup:
must work well, it looks like its been there for a while.

What does the red helmet signify in your dept? (in my dept, red helmet=captain)


----------



## firefighter1241 (Dec 3, 2009)

+1 for the incan Streamlight 4AA and a blackjack mount. I also keep a spare incan Streamlight 4AA in my pocket. The 2nd light is nice if Im working on a paitent in a car when having a helmet on just gets in the way. The 2nd light is also a spare bulb and AA's for my helmet light if it goes out.


----------



## Kraeken (Dec 4, 2009)

For the last five years or so I have been using a Surefire G2 on my helmet. Aside from it getting really dirty, I've never had a problem with it. Its only used as a backup, I rarely turn it on. I use a leather helmet, so I just electrical-taped it to the rubber strap that holds my chocks. For me, the main concern for a helmet light is weight. I had a Pelican Stealthlight for a while, but it was heavy and dragged one side of my helmet down all the time. 

I know I have different opinions than a lot of other FF's here. But I never had a need for multi level light at a fire or emergency, and if my G2 melted or got lost, I wouldn't be upset, I'd just get a new one!

My main light is a Survivor LED. Even though we have them at work, I bought my own. 

They are also outfitting our new rigs with Brightstar Lighthawks. Very nice lights! But I think they're kind of expensive.


----------



## Bogie (Dec 4, 2009)

Like Ted above me I have had a G2 on my Leather for many years with no issues originally I just used two tyeraps to hold it to the rubber strap as well buy might get a blackjack mount.


----------



## Kraeken (Dec 4, 2009)

What's up Ricky! Stop copying me.


----------



## Bogie (Dec 4, 2009)

Hi Ted, Not much and I think I had my leather first :twothumbs


----------



## mdocod (Dec 4, 2009)

Some things to consider:

Incandescent bulbs loaded in reflectors will project a higher percentage of their overall output into the central beam than an LED loaded into a reflector. This is a result of the emission pattern of each light source. "spillbeam" is the light emitted outside of the central beam, (more intense with reflector loaded LEDs than incans). The spill-beam is often what causes all of the "back-scattered" illumination that actually blinds more than illuminates in a smokey/foggy environment. Strong spill-beam can be dangerous in a smoke filled environment.

It has bee argued, (and I think this is true), that short wavelength light sources, like cool white LEDs, tend to illuminate small particles in the air more intensely than longer wavelengths. This compounds the problem further when dealing with LEDs loaded in reflectors in a smokey/foggy environment.

LEDs are more reliable than incandescent bulbs, and this is a majorly important factor for a firefight IMO. LEDs run longer with better output for the same power supply (generally speaking).

So... How do we get the best of both worlds?

Warm LED + TIR optic 

A warm emitter loaded in a TIR optic will result in a longer wavelength light-source, with minimized spill beam, and all of the reliabilities and efficiencies of LED.

The trick is.. Can you find a durable option that combines these factors.

Then, with LEDs, heat is a problem. LEDs are sensitive to heat, so if the ambient temp in a burning building is high, then having an aluminum body for heat dissipation is a moot point. With this in mind, just go with the plastic/polymer body to insulate heat from the LED instead, and reduce risk of burns on gear after exiting the scene.

top that with a requirement that the power source be relatively safe if it over-heats and ignites. CR123 cells are not safe when they "go off." 

The optimal light does not exist. A G2 with a custom low output MalkOff warm and helm mount is very close to the requirement but would require the use of some sort of lithium cells. The only lithium cells that would be safe in this application would be LiFePO4, which gets a bit complicated. Using regular CR123s would be on the table but would compromise some safety.

Tough question here.

Eric


----------



## Kraeken (Dec 4, 2009)

OK Rick, I'll give you that. I also ziptied the light to the rubber band, but it was cutting through. When I had my other helmet, there was a perfect spot above the chinstrap mount where I could slide a pipe clamp through, and wrap it around the light. It worked great! Im not a big fan of manufactured helmet mounts, they seem to just get caught on stuff. You see guys coming out of the fire building with all kinds of crap tangled between their helmet and light- extension cords, socks...

mdocod- I agree with you about LED's in smoke, but the LED Survivor is amazing! I don't know how they do it with the reflector.


----------



## Bogie (Dec 4, 2009)

See now I never thought of keeping a extra sock up there.

As for heat setting off 123 cells if it's hot enough to set of the cells in my light I have other problems. I have not had any issue with it being on the strap as it's easy to position if needed. I only tightened it to the point of friction I can pull it out if needed.

Here is a pic of it on my helmet it went on after I bought my L2 as that became my primary carry, which became my Gladius then that got modded.


----------



## tundratrader (Dec 4, 2009)

Is the TIR the type of optic Malkoff uses? I have not heard of it before.


----------



## neal71 (Dec 4, 2009)

I really like the surefire set-up, has it caught or hung up in anything?

Does anyone know of someone using the streamlight vantage? My dad really liked the idea of the rear facing blue led, and I really like the compact package.


----------



## Kraeken (Dec 4, 2009)

If they do explode, the helmet will protect the wearer!

How much fun would that be, exploding batteries at a fire? I think batteries may be one of the few things that have not purposely been made to ignite or explode in a firehouse. We were recently filling rubber gloves with WD40... 

Seriously though, I never thought about the volatility of batteries. How do alkalines fare under high heat?


----------



## Bogie (Dec 4, 2009)

I have never had it get caught on anything bad (guess I'm lucky) but I use my chin strap all the time so a turn of the head will usually work for those times it has. Most of the lights I have seen pics of where the batts have gone off have pushed the bulb assembly out the lens as a whole or the tail cap off the body rather then blowing out the sides of the body (path of least resistance and all).

We will try to burn anything wont we I remember making Acetylene filled balloons and lighting the strings on fire (propane works too) :devil: Don't try that at home


----------



## DaveTheDude (Dec 4, 2009)

My family's two firefighters both swear by the Streamlight ProPolymer models. The young buck has the 4AA Luxeon model (tight beam, pendtrates smoke very well, about $35); the old man has the 3C Luxeon model (similar performance, longer runtime, also about $35). 

Both men use a Blackhack helmet clip to attach the light, and both report rock-solid attachment of the light even during intense activity. 

As to performance, I can only report htat the Luxeon model saved the young fireman's life when his standard-issue light failed during a thick-smoke blaze (for which his mother remains ever-thankful). 

As a gift for your dad, you'll be on solid ground with either choice,, and you won't need a part-time job to pay for it.

Happy holidays...


----------



## neal71 (Dec 4, 2009)

Seems like the blackjack is a really big hit with firefighters, but in the demo I watched when he put the shield down it seemed like the light would be shining right into it. Has anyone had this problem?


----------



## guardpost3 (Dec 4, 2009)

i haven't had a problem with it at all, but then again, I don't use my shield all that much any way when i have my mask on. the only time im really using it is when i am extricating or overhauling, and in both cases there is normally fixed lighting in place.


----------



## neal71 (Dec 4, 2009)

That is kind of what I figured, I only ask because my dad has not used a shield in a long time, but he stated on thanksgiving that he was going to be putting it back on.


----------



## TomInOregon (Dec 5, 2009)

neal71 said:


> Seems like the blackjack is a really big hit with firefighters, but in the demo I watched when he put the shield down it seemed like the light would be shining right into it. Has anyone had this problem?


 
That's one of the problems I had with the Blackjack mount. I included more detail in this thread. Since then, I have been in contact with the designer of the Blackjack mount who seems determined to make the mount work for me, which speaks well for their customer service. I will probably mess with it again this weekend to see if I can get it to work, but in my opinion, it's just not worth the effort. The designer of the Blackjack mount insists that there is no glare inside the visor and that if I have glare, it's because the light is too far forward. Even using a Surefire 6P, I just can't get the light any further rearward due to the downward turn of the brim at the rear. In the pictures he sent me of his helmet (same helmet model and using a Surefire G2), it looks like his light is at the same location, so I don't know why his works and mine doesn't with nearly identical setups. All I know is that I have spent probably 3 hours messing with it and still haven't gotten it to work where I'm happy (and that's just mounting it, that still doesn't address the glare issue), where the Helm-A-Clip was on and working in 10 minutes without any swear words at all.

I am currently using the Helm-A-Clip mount, which just works with no drama. It holds the light off to the side of the brim, but hasn't snagged on anything. It's also adjustable in the field using only your fingers, where the Blackjack uses Allen set screws. 

I will try to get pictures posted in my other thread this weekend after I mess with the Blackjack mount some more. At this point, I have given up on it, but he is determined to make it work, so I'm going along mostly to help find a solution for any other customers who may be having the same problems. 

Tom


----------



## neal71 (Dec 5, 2009)

I honestly do not see how there could not be a glare, shining any kind of light at a curved surface has to reflect something, especially dirty and scratched shields.


----------



## TomInOregon (Dec 8, 2009)

Here's my helmet with the shield down and the Surefire 6P on. The Surefire is mounted below the brim of the helmet. This is with lots of ambient light.

Here's my helmet with the shield down and the same light mounted the same way. This one is with very little ambient light.

Other problems I had were: With the downward angle the brim takes, I couldn't mount the light straight. I had to either angle the tail of the light left or right to make it fit, obviously causing the beam to aim left or right. Here's a picture of it mounted below the brim.

Here's a picture of the Mount I ended up using and showing how far it sticks out to the side. It definitely has more potential for getting hung up on something than the Blackjack mount, but it was simple to get installed and adjusted and it works well.

Here's a beamshot of the Surefire 6P. Here's the Fenix on turbo. Here's the Surefire 6P beam on the left and the Fenix TK20 on low on the right. 

Last, here's a picture of the Surefire next to the Blackjack mount and the Fenix TK20 next to the Helm-A-Clip mount to give you an idea of size. The Surefire/Blackjack combo is quite a bit smaller.

Hope this helps,
Tom


----------



## neal71 (Dec 8, 2009)

Awesome pictures, thank you. I really like other mount, but I was thinking about making one that would be held on by the screw that holds the sheild on.


----------



## TooManyGizmos (Dec 25, 2009)

Well ..... Neal ............ what did your Dad think of it ?


----------



## neal71 (Jan 5, 2010)

Well, my dad is on vaccation in New Mexico, so he still has not used it. He really liked the light and seemed really excited about the light though. I will let you guys know how he likes it when he uses it for the first time.


----------



## fisk-king (Mar 23, 2010)

Hey guys.

Earlier today I was in a smoke filled building (3 floors) doing FF training exercises. They supplied us w/ red streamlight right angle lights (?name) so I left my Ra clicky in the truck. Would the beam of a 200/170 cn be effective? As far as the light itself goes I understand it would not be suited for this situation because of the flush button.


----------



## Databyter (Mar 23, 2010)

Most Helmets in my Dept were Red if I remember correctly, The Capt. had a white one as did the Batt. Chief IIRC.

Regarding the lights a good powerful angle light is what was standard issue in my Dept. I wasn't that into lights back then, I just got the brightest bulbs available, LED's were toys.

I really liked the angle lights versatility in use, when using tools and in tight carmped spaces (like just about all the time standing right in a tight group of your team) a longer light gets in the way. Also it;s nice to hook it to your outer gear in front where it can be momentaried or used while attached and facing more or less in the right direction.

They do have to be made rugged, shockproof, and completely waterproof. It's more important than output since mostly you will be looking at objects within 5 feet of you! High power is great as long as it's ultra reliable power. It's more important in real usage that it's simply bright enough but bullet proof and handy and light (weight).

Regarding helmet lights, they are useful in non smoky environments so you can use both hands and have some illumination but remember in this most smoky environments it's not so much to illuminate far objects as it is to make you somewhat visable to your crew, and for very close utility light, like to see what your hands are doing etc.. Chances are if you need a stronger light someone else in your crew will be holding a handheld for you while you pry door, give medical aid etc..If your alone doing a search it's the handheld you need for cutting through the dark/smoke.

Of course now I guess there are alot better ones than when I was doing it, but back then they were usually designed for use in close quarters not for great throw or great power.

Our capt was generous in letting us experiment with off the shelf products that were not approved by the dept, as long as we made sure to carry our minimum Dept. approved gear as well. Once a light was proven, we could try to get approval for it from higher up, and don't hold your breath.


----------



## TooManyGizmos (Mar 24, 2010)

neal71 said:


> Well, my dad is on vaccation in New Mexico, so he still has not used it. He really liked the light and seemed really excited about the light though. I will let you guys know how he likes it when he uses it for the first time.




Has he ever used it for the first time ?

I'm hoping he liked it for on the job use .

And I hope it keeps him safe and lights his way so he comes home at night .
.


----------



## N10 (Mar 25, 2010)

Barbolight!!! bit expensive though


----------



## TooManyGizmos (Aug 15, 2010)

~

Well ... I guess Dad never got home from Mexico .

And Neal stopped posting in January .

We'll never know

~


----------



## guiri (Oct 4, 2010)

Oh, that's nice Gizmos...first you send me to another thread and then in the THIRD post in that thread, you try to send me to a surefire thread...yeah, pick on the stupid ones... :duh2:

Jez kiddin' of course and thanks guys.

I'm more concerned about the light handling in heat than finding a good light with a good beam. That's gonna be easier I think.

Didn't consider the warm tint option though which was good advice/learning experience although I knew fog lights are yellow...duh.

Thanks


----------



## CarpentryHero (Oct 6, 2010)

Here in E-town the firefighters use Pelican lights with the Recoil LED technology to cut through smoke.They have a flick switch that can be turned on with thick gloves. There's a 90 degree head type too.
The Surefire G2L is also a sturdy option.


----------



## guardpost3 (Oct 25, 2010)

On my way home from work today I was toned out for a multi-car accident with entrapment. When I got to the scene I realized that the light I usually have on my helmet (Streamlight Lux4AA) was GONE! Ihad taken it out to change the batteries and had never put it back. All I had was my HDS 170T and it fit right into the stock streamlight helmet mount. Im not sure its the BEST light for a firefighter but it did work darn well, the raised switch worked great with gloved hands. I even heard one of the nearby troopers say "Holy $%^!" when I fired it up. I doubt I would take it into a fire but it sure helped while I was running the jaws of life. Do the best with what you've got.


----------



## YIKES (Oct 26, 2010)

Oversized images removed.




to_fire said:


> C-Beam
> Here's a couple of pics with my C3 mounted to the side of my 1044.
> I hope this works??!!
> Mount can be slightly moved/bent to adjust where the C3's hot spot needs to be.
> ...



Only Captain's get red helmets in TO. He know what he's talking about. Beside in smokey house/building you can't see jacksh*t. Just follow your hose, lugs for life!!


----------



## TooManyGizmos (Nov 15, 2011)

~

Hey Neal ,

You've been gone quite a while .... nice to see you back again .

Did your Dad ever get home from his New Mexico vacation .....

You never did let us know how he liked his fire helmet light .

What did he finally decide on .... and what is he currently using ?

What has his fire fighting experience taught him about lights ?

Give us an update .

~


----------



## neal71 (Nov 16, 2011)

He absolutely loves the light. Ended up going with the stream light. It has performed flawlessly, above and beyond. I think it was maybe three months after he got it, he was up in an attic (no idea why anyone would go into the attic of a burning house) and fell through the ceiling onto his back, landed on his oxygen tank (he is fine now). Helmet hit the ground pretty hard the light made it through that with no problem at all. 


Neal


----------



## tundratrader (Nov 16, 2011)

We currently have guys using the Vantage. http://www.thefirestore.com/store/category.cfm/cid_42911_vantage/
It is great except for blowback and potential of CR123 self vent. 

We also have guys running the pelican stealthlight. Newer model with higher lumen value in Blackjack mounts. http://www.thefirestore.com/store/p...il_led_flashlight_w_photo_luminescent_shroud/

These are great. I have nothing but positive things to say about the Blackjack mounts. 

We also have a few guys running my Malkoff dropins on Surefire G2LFYL and G3LFYL hosts. The G3L has a M31L with AA alkaline battery. Both have gotten hot enough to deform plastic but dropin is still perfect. 

Stay safe guys,
Zach


----------



## ericjohn (Nov 19, 2011)

http://www.flashlight.com/responder-ra-right-angle/ i am not a firefighter. i never plan to be (unfortunately; i would really like to have that sort of job.) anyways, i have been wanting that flashlight described in the link for years (since I first saw it in 2006). i know it is designed for firefighters, and it comes with free replacement bulbs for life. if i was a firefighter i would want it of course i would want it anyways. there are also some streamlights that are designed for firefighters, but i cannot think of the model numbers right now. they are cool too but you need to hold them with your hand, whereas this one you clip it to your gear and it gives you hands free light. that way you can use both your hands to focus on getting the victims out. also i wanted to say that motorola makes intrinsically safe walkies for firefighters to use. i want to say it is the APX series they feature all of the latest technology (ie mil-spec, color screen, multi band operation, and apco 25 conventional and trunking) those of you who listen to scanners know what i am talking about


----------



## matt_j (Nov 20, 2011)

Streamlight C4 LED for your bunker gear. Awesome light. The end. Don't get the Knucklehead since even thou it is a great light in theory, in practice it sucks due to its size.


----------



## firefightergotoguy (Mar 11, 2013)

PELICAN 3715 all the way. Battery level lights, waterproof (I tried to drown it), tough as nails, glows in the dark, indestructible(tried it)


----------



## CarpentryHero (Mar 11, 2013)

Two blackJack clips for my Hardhat. On one side for long runtimes the Streamlight 4aa 100 lumen led, on the other side for shorter runtime but great throw, a VinhNyugen xpe2 dropin run in a Solarforce L2M. 
Now that I have this setup I no longer need to use my headlamp, and I like my Hardhat more. 





The Pelican 2410 Stealthlight with the recoil led and 80 lumens is a thing of beauty, I have one in my Gym bag


----------

