Strobes: Practical or Gimmick?

[Tomac]

Did a search but didn't find any really satisfactory answer.
My Streamlight TLR-1S' are my first weapon lights w/a strobe function, so on a HD pistol/rifle is a strobe function practical or just a gimmick?
Tomac

[msap]

In the course of my duties I've never thought to myself, "gee I really could have used a strobe on my weapon light at that last call". This is just one man's opinion...gimmick. Simplicity is my answer. No silly modes or brightness settings to fumble through when it comes to weapon mounted lights.

[PatrolRifleGroup]

It is a viable searching technique, if you have been trained in the proper use of strobing. The purpose of strobing is to help mask your location from a suspect who might be waiting to ambush you, during a search. The strobing makes it harder to pinpoint how close an approaching Officer might be. Once an Officer locates a suspect, you need to stop strobing and power all the way up. Otherwise, the strobing tends to disorient you as well.

Is it the end all, be all technique? No, but it is another tool for the toolbox. The key is having a flashlight that is capable of swaping from strobe/full power very easily. Strategos was probably one of the first to really offer training on strobing, at least in my area.

[TehLlama]

I do think there is a viable use for it, but other much more frequently used techniques should be mastered before this. The fact that this feature is included with so many otherwise gimmicky tactical lights doesn't help its case, but I can't totally discount the idea.

[JohnnyC]

Gimmick.

From a lighting designer/programmer standpoint (as in actually having had to take classes on psychology and physiology of light, as well as color theory, for my BFA program), it's as disorienting to you as it is to them, and trying to accurately acquire a good sight picture will be next to impossible while the light is in party mode.

Stand in a room, have someone flip the lights on and off, and try acquiring a good sight picture on something and dry fire at greater than a couple yards. Anything closer and you probably won't be requiring sight alignment anyway.

I'm not denying it's disorienting for whoever you're lighting up, but they really have to be facing you for it to have any real effect on their optic nerve. Beyond that it's not going to make someone freak out, all while denying you adequate light during the engagement.

[NCPatrolAR]

I don't care for a strobe feature on a weapon mounted or handheld light. The few times I'll strobe a light is when I'm searching a structure and I'm more than capable of doing so with a normal tailcap switch.

[K1tt3n5]

IMHO strobes are much more of a gimmick than they are useful. A solid light is more blinding/ distracting than a strobe.

[Dennis]

I have not found it to be much more effective than constant on with most subjects although everyone is different. I had people fall over, and some not even notice. I do use strobing during building clearing sometimes and it generally does NOT get in the way of my viewing/shooting so either I have adapted to it or my strobing lights are not working at a "correct" frequency, whatever that may be.

I have found that the newer super bright 500+ lumen lights are much more disorienting and blinding to subjects than previous lights in the sub 300 lumen range.

I have the original Gladius flashlight and it only had like 100 lumens or 160 with the upgrade. Bright at the time but overall not that impressive to targets downrange so maybe strobing was more useful back then. The sheer walls of light that newer LED's can put out now are impressive, my theory being that they fill up more of your visual field including your peripheral vision and are more overwhelming.

My current favorite duty rechargeable light with Gladius type instant and positive beam type selection. Also bright as heck! On Black Monday sale now too!
http://www.batteryjunction.com/thrunite-scorpion.html

IMHO. YMMV.

Dennis.

[SIMBA-LEE]

Strobes could confuse the user just as much as the target, in my opinion. I'll stick with manual on/off tail cap lights.

[scottryan]

Gimmick. And the fact that most lower end lights feature this, rather than upper end lights, is called a clue.