The 'Strobe' function.

[Dr. Bullseye]

What was the original reason light manufacturers started adding strobe on the first place?


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I was told the strobe disorients the person you are shining the light at. Mine comes on with two, timed depressions of the button. I'm going with whatever does come on though.

[n4aof]

Two things I can do without:
1. Strobe function, or at least make it easy to disable the strobe. Especially on a WML. For all the reasons above.
2. High/low function tail caps. If I need a retina-searing death ray that emits a low hum when I turn it on, I'm pretty sure I won't need to read a map or look under my car seat a half second later. I'll carry a smaller light for admin, use my iPhone, or make do. Or, at least make the low function operate from a different input than the main tailcap switch.

I have to agree that these are things that I could do without -- but I will say that the only "feature" that really annoys me on any light (handheld or mounted) is if I have to cycle through each of the 'modes' to do anything. This tends to be more of a problem with lights intended for handheld use.

As long as I can turn a light on and off without any additional fuss, I really don't give a damn what "features" it might have that I'm not using. In that regard, I do object to mounted lights that use a quick on/off/on cycle to trigger the strobe mode because I find that occasionally such lights will go to strobe unintentionally.

Strobe is a function that sounds better in ads than it performs in the real world. Yes, a properly designed strobe will tend to disorient the person being illuminated. BUT what the ads don't mention is that if it is really dark enough that you need a light, the strobe will disorient the user almost as much as the subject. Strobe can be especially dangerous in any situation which might involve "furtive movement" by the subject. Strobe can make you see movement that wasn't there or miss seeing an actual movement.

So, I have no interest in using strobe; but I really don't care whether or not a light has strobe as long as that "feature" stays out of my way. Having strobe does not add to the already inflated cost of a light (if it did, the companies would offer a non-strobe version at a slightly lower price). The electronics for the strobe function are an off-the-shelf OEM part that typical manufacturers use across their entire product line.

[n4aof]

It’s all on what you require. I have 3 protac hls. Two are on rifles and are switched to hi/low only. One is on my duty belt and is set to hi/strobe/lo and I use the shit out of strobe when doing stuff around traffic (accident scenes, needing to step out into traffic, walking back to the car after completing a stop, etc)

Great idea! -- use strobe to disorient approaching drivers when stepping out into traffic.

I am all too often amazed at the 'thinking' of many emergency responders and the companies designing "warning" products intended for emergency responders. I have to wonder just who thought up the idea that blinding approaching drivers would enhance safety. Now we see an even better idea - use a light that is designed specifically to disorient!

My favorite stupidity in recent years has been road work crews contracted to work at night so as to not interfere with heavier daytime traffic - who then light the work scene by setting up massive banks of high intensity lights down at nearly road level facing directly into the approaching traffic!

[TheTick]

It’s all on what you require. I have 3 protac hls. Two are on rifles and are switched to hi/low only. One is on my duty belt and is set to hi/strobe/lo and I use the shit out of strobe when doing stuff around traffic (accident scenes, needing to step out into traffic, walking back to the car after completing a stop, etc)

Saying “useless” should be followed by “to me”...

Great idea! -- use strobe to disorient approaching drivers when stepping out into traffic.

I am all too often amazed at the 'thinking' of many emergency responders and the companies designing "warning" products intended for emergency responders. I have to wonder just who thought up the idea that blinding approaching drivers would enhance safety. Now we see an even better idea - use a light that is designed specifically to disorient!

My favorite stupidity in recent years has been road work crews contracted to work at night so as to not interfere with heavier daytime traffic - who then light the work scene by setting up massive banks of high intensity lights down at nearly road level facing directly into the approaching traffic!

At what point did I say that I shine it in their face?

Generally I’ll shine it in their direction from a considerable distance to get their attention. If cars are close by, I’ll shine it at my feet or put it back in my belt bezel up blinking away so they see me and don’t run me over.

So, just as you’re amazed at the “thinking” of first responders, I’m equally amazed when you “think” you know what you’re talking about and how to do my job. Why don’t you pump the brakes on being sassy?

Secondly, strobe doesn’t disorient anybody. I’ve seen the “1,000 lumen disco” shined at plenty of people to zero effect. It’s useless in that regard.

[Screwball]

I did try the strobe when I first got a light with it... gave me a headache.

Good thing, you can easily disable them on Streamlights. Made sure they all are disabled, and good to go.

There might be a good use for a strobe, I just haven’t found it yet. If one comes up, I’ll reconsider at that time.

[Itsahak]

Epilepsy runs in my family. My mother has it, and both of my sons have it. I do not, and have never had an issue with it. However, things like strobe functions tend to give me a queasy feeling. It's been my experience, especially inside of a structure, that using a strobe function affects me as well as the other person in the room. I do not like them at all.

[PatEgan]

At this point it’s probably useful to restate what all of us know, both intuitively and from experience:

Lights are supposed to enhance and augment what we already have, and that’s excellent vision as a species. We don’t see in strobe mode, and nothing is improved by using it on what we’re trying to observe. Invariably, we use them to replace what isn’t there at night or in that dark interior, which is adequate, ambient light. If you were using a noise amplification device, would it be improved by introducing a yelping siren sound? Of course not, and that’s pretty much my point.

By the same token, I think it’s irresponsible of light manufacturers to advertise strobe functions as being something that can magically disable opponents on the receiving end. Professional end users know better and wouldn’t bother with it, but that ridiculous claim is somehow still out there. I’ve also worked plenty of scenes at which I used a hand held to get drivers’ attention, and I never needed a strobe function, all I did was wave the light up and down in their specific direction and it worked, every time. No additional modes, settings, rotations, gyrations or dance moves required. The strobe function is just something that needs to fade away and into the company of other pointless ‘good ideas’ of days gone by.


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[Vandal]

In my short experience in law enforcement (2.5 years) I have only used the strobe feature on my Stinger HL DS for the following:
1) Screwing with my squadmates in the office or in our secure parking lot.
2).....

For every other patrol function using handheld lights and WMLs, and for EDC I want on and off. Period.

[TheTick]

In my short experience in law enforcement (2.5 years) I have only used the strobe feature on my Stinger HL DS for the following:
1) Screwing with my squadmates in the office or in our secure parking lot.
2).....

For every other patrol function using handheld lights and WMLs, and for EDC I want on and off. Period.

Agreed on the screwing with squad mates. There is a soulless ginger on my squad that can unflinchingly stare into the strobe from only a few feet away. It makes me fear for his eternal damnation.

[Vandal]

Agreed on the screwing with squad mates. There is a soulless ginger on my squad that can unflinchingly stare into the strobe from only a few feet away. It makes me fear for his eternal damnation.

Each strobe just replays the image of the stolen souls in his mind. I'm pretty sure every squad has that guy.