note: article first appeared in January 2015

Let me start this review of the LED Lenser V2 by describing what I was looking for in a flashlight.

The mission was:

“A single flashlight that was compact, lightweight and bright enough to standardize on a single brand & model.”

Here were the flashlight requirements:

1. Metal & tough enough to handle any field or tactical handling.
2. Lightweight & compact enough for pocket use.
3. AAA or AA batteries.
4. Water resistant/proof enough to handle any rain and momentary submersion.
5. Bright enough for any tactical weapon usage. Minimum beam distance 100 yards. Narrow beam.
6. Fit any 1” light mount.

To sum it all up – This flashlight does the job in every aspect, excels at each requirement.

So here are the technical details –

• Length: 4-1/2”
• Diameter: 1”
• Weight: 3.6oz
• Tough aluminum housing with checker boarding for sure non-slip grip.
• Uses 3 AAA batteries.
• IPX4 water resistant rating (it’s not designed as a submersible light but is water resistant under pressure).
• 94 – 104 lumens (brightness) in a narrow beam that can reach nearly 180+ yards.
• 4 hour constant burn time with medium quality batteries.
• Finish: Black matte

I first started using this brand/model of flashlight nearly 8 years ago and I’ve never been disappointed. Actually, I’ve been thrilled with it! It is a great size for my pants pocket and fits any flashlight holder on a spare belt mounted spare magazine holder that I use. I use a Command Arms Accessories Flashlight Holder Grip Adapter on my AR and this light fits it perfectly. The light shines a very bright narrow beam of light that exceeds my expectations of a tactical light. The light is not so bright that it will washout my vision in the dark but plenty bright enough for me to do whatever I need to with it. The distance the beam goes is amazing for such a little unit running on AAA batteries.

My Duracell batteries will last well over two years in the light depending on how much I use it. The battery carrier/cartridge is absolutely high quality, as is the entire housing. I felt the quality and close tolerances as soon as I began to unscrew the battery cartridge. This flashlight is a top-quality piece of equipment.

The checker   boarding on the body is substantial but not uncomfortable, they struck a happy medium. It has never slipped in my hand under any conditions, wet or dry. The newer models have a thumb switch that has ‘nubs’ on it as well to ensure that your thumb won’t slip off. And speaking of the switch, it does have the momentary-on capability or the ‘click-on’ for a constant light.

This flashlight has replaced all my other flashlights except my big 4 x D-cell Mag light that I keep under the front seat of the truck. You won’t need another flashlight (other than a ‘tire check’) once you’ve tried out this keeper, you’ll love it! Use with absolute confidence.

The price on this can vary from about $28 – $40 out on the Internet so shop around. I’ve bought mine (6 of them now) off of eBay.

Note: If you are going to submerse your tactical light for any length of time you might not want to search elsewhere or waterproof the Lenser yourself. I don’t think it would hold up too long underwater but I haven’t done any conclusive testing on it for that particular mission.

note: article first appeared in December 2015

Back in January of this year I did a review on a tactical flashlight that I have been using for a number of years now. It is the LED Lenser V2. I absolutely love that flashlight! It has done everything I’ve ever asked of it and then some. It has never failed me, that is saying something.

The V2 was always plenty bright enough, tough as nails, fit my carbine’s vertical grip perfectly and was just an all-round perfect tactical flashlight. It was so good actually that I made it my family’s all-purpose flashlight. Yes, that means we standardized on it.

Then LED Lenser discontinued manufacturing it. But, they supposedly replaced it with a new and improved version. I am always leery of “replacements”, they never seem to be as good. This review is all about the “T Square” replacement version (model # 880229) of the LED Lenser.

The mission:

“A single flashlight that is capable of operating in the most demanding of tactical environments, bright enough to see a minimum of 100 yards, and battery efficient.”

Here were the flashlight restrictions and requirements:

• Metal & tough enough to handle any reasonable field or tactical handling for our family/group.
• Lightweight & compact enough for pocket use.
• AAA or AA batteries.
• Water resistant enough to handle any rain and momentary submersion.
• Bright enough for any tactical weapon usage. Minimum beam distance 100 yards.
• Narrow light beam.
• Fit any 1” light mount.

The flashlight specs:

I’ve owned this line of flashlights for a very long time. I think I had one of the first V2’s that hit the market. I really like the way they feel, and how sturdy and dependable they are. The first model had a slick/smooth switch cap in the end of the tube. I am not talking “slick” as in a good thing, I am saying there was no positive grip to it. Then they upgraded to a nice button with checker boarding in the rubber. That really made this flashlight a winner.

So, I open the box, excited as always anytime I get a new product to review, and what do I see? This stupid orange target on the switch button cap. I mean bright orange and it looks just like a clay pigeon. I hate that!

OK, that relieved a little stress. Can anyone in their right mind tell me why a company would go with a bright orange anything on a tactical flashlight? I mean seriously…do they think we can’t find the button without it being bright orange? And another bad thing is the button cap is now back to being “slick” as in slippery.

Well, that is the downside. Everything else about this flashlight rocks!

The finish on the flashlight is better than before, less reflective. I also found that the finish added to my ability to hold onto the tube. This is especially helpful when your hands are wet with body fluids or something similar.

One of the first things I noticed, after the bright orange crap, was a distinctive red band around the inside of then lens right below the flashlight’s lip. I liked the “look” of it but had no idea what the purpose or advantage would be. So I kept looking at it from different angles. Low and behold I figured it out. While it may be unintentional it is interesting. I held a V2 model up to the new model and saw that from the side view the red band inside the lens drastically reduced the amount of light seen from the sides.

Yeah, think that one through for a minute. If you are trying to reduce your night-time profile you want to use red light. But for most tactical purposes you want to keep your overall location pretty much to yourself, right? So there you are in a warehouse, the middle of the night, using your new 240T on low beam. The red reduces the amount of light seen from the side and reduces the other guy from being able to get a solid “fix” on you. Sure, they can see your beam out in front of you but it is hard to spot the origin of the beam. The red simply helps keep you more covert.

Well, while I was playing around with that idea I tried shining one light on the front of the other light’s front. The light without the red in the lens reflected back brightly. The red lens lights barely reflected at all. So another nice feature at covertness.

Here is the biggest change to the new 240T light…the button switch. There are multiple positions now for the switch. The V2 had a partial depress would give you the beam that would turn off as soon as you let up the pressure on the switch. Fully depress the switch and the beam would stay on until you fully depressed the switch again. The new 240T has a high beam and a low beam light.

You activate the light just as before, but this time when you partially depress it the first time you get the high beam. Next time you partially depress it you get the low beam. Same goes for full depression of the switch for constant on. You have to do the depressing quickly for the switch to go from high to low.

What I mean is it alternates between coming on with the high, then the low beam. But it “resets” after about 5 seconds to come back on with the high beam.

So I have mixed feelings and opinion about the whole high/low beam thing. The low beam keeps your projected light much closer in and significantly increases burn time. And that is a really nice thing. I think the vast majority of my flashlight time is more closely associated with low beam needs than high beam capability.

I wanted to verify that Amazon had them for sale. While I was looking at the product to validate it, I noticed that there was a review with a “one star” rating. So here is the 1-star review, “When i received I saw different than this in the picture, and when I was using did not work.”

Yeah, I don’t put any value to that review whatsoever. It reads like they are from Russia. I think it was a “plant” to run down the product vs. what someone who actually bought and used the flashlight. I have bought a bunch of these flashlights over the years; never, not once, did they arrive broken or misrepresented. Actually, I have yet to break one of these flashlights or even burnout a bulb.

Other than a couple of subtle differences, the newer version flashlight is as rock solid as the V2. And I love the V2!

Final note, the flashlight carries the name “Leatherman” and I believe this is a marketing thing only. I don’t think this is a true Leatherman designed, engineered, and manufactured product. But, that being said, it is still a quality piece of gear.

My recommendation…”BUY!”  I did…multiple times.

Tip: The LED Lenser tactical light fits perfectly in a pistol magazine pouch.

note: first appeared in July 2015

I am a big believer in layers, redundancy, and modular “prepping.”  I don’t get locked into the conventional way of thinking as most prepper “experts” do. I try to think in terms of, and focus on, “mission.” And the same applies to my “Go Bag” and how it integrates with my overall philosophy on my “prepper” way of life.

So, as always, I always designate a “mission” for everything I have.  For my gear and equipment I want ensure that I am staying on task, staying focused and not just acquiring “stuff” for its own sake. So here is my “Go Bag” mission:

A bag that contains the absolute minimum to defend myself, my family and begin the trip to my survival cache. To minimally survive independent of any other source of resources while maintaining as low a profile as possible.

This bag was to be small, lightweight, low-profile and something I could grab if I couldn’t grab anything else. This would be the bag that I could carry anywhere and it would not raise any attention, let alone suspicion. In other words, this would be the lowest level building block of survival bag…a “go bag.”

So I kept adding things to the list, then crossing them off, adding some more, and crossing off a bunch more. I had to whittle it down to what I considered to be the absolutely bare necessities. And I am not kidding…the absolute bare necessities.

I had to maintain compliance with the L.I.P.S. principles. I also had to meet and over come the standard list of threats listed in priority order; violence, injury/sickness, lack of communications, dehydration, exposure, and starvation. So I really had to look very, very hard at what was practical and what had to take a back seat. So here is the gear & equipment list of my “Go Bag”:

• 1 x Sig P229 pistol (.40cal S&W)
• 2 x Sig magazine, P229, 12-round
• 50 x 180gr XTP rounds
• 1 x ESEE 3”
• 1 x Blackhawk SERPA Level 2 holster, flat dark earth
• 1 x xGalco International magazine and tactical light holster
• 1 x LED Lenser tactical light with AAA Batteries
• 3 x AAA batteries
• 1 x Dressing, First Aid, Camouflaged, 4” x 7”, Sterile : NSN# 6510-00-159-4883 – Elwyn Inc.
• 1 x Bic Lighter

That’s it, nothing more; the bare necessities. Why nothing more?

Well, that can be answered a whole lot of different ways. But, the primary reasons are “low-profile” and priorities. I’ve learned over the years that your primary priority is to stay alive. And trying to carry a whole lot of stuff is not a good way to stay alive when you are being pursued. Not a good idea to be carrying a large backpack in an urban area where folks want what you have, or they just want to kill you.

Well, one way to avoid a stupid mistake being low-profile. And being low-profile means that anyone tracker you can’t distinguish you from any other folks. And that is exactly my point, being able to move about, returning home, or traveling to a survival cache, without being noticed. But if you are noticed, you must then have the ability to defend yourself with extreme violence if needed. My “go bag” gives me the ability to do that.

Contents –

So let me go through each item and explain my reasoning:

1 x Sig P229 pistol (.40cal S&W)

This is my primary defense weapon for this situation. Yes, I normally conceal carry when I am outside of the home. But there are rare times that I just can’t, or don’t choose to, carry. That being said, I will always have my “go-bag” in my vehicle. So why a Sig P229? Well, I am very, very partial to Sigs. They are an extremely dependable gun and they fit my hand perfectly. I like their reliability and have no problem betting my life, or my family’s safety, on them. Why a .40cal? It is a fast round, very lethal, and I can carry 50% more ammunition than my Sig 1911 Ultra Compact. I can hit 8” targets consistently at 100 yards and that round can still be fairly effective at greater distances.

2 x Sig magazines, P229, 12-round

I carry this brand and size of magazine because it is 100% compatible with my Sig P229 and 100% reliable since it is the same high-quality manufacturer. I carry one of the mags in the pistol and the other in the Galco holster. I don’t include more mags due to weight and space restrictions. I believe a single extra 12-round magazine to be entirely sufficient in this situation. I am not looking to get into a firefight. I will defend myself when the situation calls for it as I withdraw to safety and then switch in “evade” mode.

50 x 180gr XTP rounds

I chose this round because it is extremely efficient and lethal. It has a high velocity, can be shot long-range, and the stopping power is incredible. If you counted it, I have enough rounds for a full load of magazines and one complete reload. I don’t carry more than this due to weight and space restrictions.

1 x ESEE 3” Knife

Knives are a beautiful thing! Think about it for a second, you grab a high-quality knife and it just feels so good in your hand it isn’t even funny. The “feel” is hard to explain without sounding like some whack-job. But, a high-quality knife is essential when it comes to survival in an emergency or disaster. I chose an ESEE knife because they are so freaking good. I mean they are simply the best in my opinion. You may have to prepare a fire, skin a jack rabbit, or defend yourself up-close and personal. An ESEE knife will do it all and it will not break on you.

1 x Blackhawk SERPA Level 2 holster, flat dark earth

You may be wondering why this exact holster for this application, and it would be a good question to ask. I don’t use a “retention” holster when I conceal carry. The reason is pretty simple, I don’t want any hindrance when trying to draw my weapon. I want to be able to draw my weapon quickly, no fumbling, and then get it on target. So why not the same for my go-bag? In normal conceal carry times I have no, or very little, active threats to worry about. In other words, I don’t feel that people will be standing in line to try and take my weapon. And if someone does try and take it, they will have to contend with a combination of Krav Maga and Kempo. During a “grid-down” or other serious situation when I am using my “go bag” to get home I see more people looking for, and willing to take, weapons from anyone they can. Society norms and morals, what little we have, will drop away quickly. In a fight, or if I am jumped, I don’t want it to be easy for a person to take my primary weapon from me.

1 x Galco International magazine and tactical light holster

No specific reason why a Galco holster for my extra magazine and tactical light, they are good quality holsters and it fits my specific need. I use a combination holster simply because I want to go to the same place for either my spare mag or my tactical light. I have “muscle memory” through training that drives me to my “weak side” naturally for either item. Yes, I could put them in my pocket but I don’t think I can pull either out of my pocket as fast as I can get them off my belt.

1 x LED Lenser tactical light with AAA Batteries

I am all about stealth most of the time. No, not like some “not-so-secret jet” or a Ninja warrior. But in a bad situation where I am needing my “go bag” I really don’t want a lot of people knowing I am around. This is especially true traversing an urban setting. So I don’t want to be lugging about a big four D-cell Mag light. Yeah, they’re kind of cool to club someone with, but they are heavy and very conspicuous. My little LED Lenser is very compact, easy to conceal but yet is awesome when it comes to lighting something up. I can shine that beam a 100 yards and see whatever I am looking at. Or, I can use my hand to pinch off a bunch of its light to a very small area where the light is barely noticeable. It is my “go-to” light for all tactical situations and use.

3 x AAA batteries

I have a couple of LED Lenser flashlights that have had batteries in them for a couple of years and the lights are still working just fine. But you never know when the batteries will hit that magical spot when they are done and just quit on you. When that happens I will have a spare set of batteries to get it going again.

1 x Dressing, First Aid, Camouflaged, 4” x 7”, Sterile : NSN# 6510-00-159-4883 – Elwyn Inc.

This is my “blowout kit” (BOK). Yes, a full blown Individual First Aid Kit (IFAK) would be nice to have but it is bulky and high-profile. Remember, the whole idea/mission behind my “go bag” is to simply get me home, or some other specific destination with the minimum of gear. It is not a GOOD-BOB or even a GHB. So I am not going to worry about an IFAK at this point. I am going to avoid, evade, and conceal rather than engage. This dressing is to stop any bleeding that I expect to encounter. If the injury or wound is more serious then I go into “adapt and overcome” mode.

1 x Bic Lighter

No, not to smoke a cigarette or a blunt, I don’t do either. But I never know if I am going to need a fire to stay warm or purify some potential drinking water. There are also ways to use it as a weapon to defend yourself. Yeah, you gotta remember my profession to appreciate that statement. I am a wildland firefighter and retired structural firefighter. Part of what I do for a living is setting fires. So a lighter to me is a natural tool to have. Besides, it is very versatile.

So there you have it, my “go bag.” I hope you weren’t disappointed. It is small, light-weight and low-profile. But before I conclude this article let’s talk about the bag for just a second, it’s important.

What bag did I choose and why?

Remember, in this situation I want to maintain a low-profile, I don’t want to attract attention to myself. I want to be that “gray man” you’ve undoubtedly heard that term before. So I wanted something muted in color, not really visible at night, small and lightweight. And more than anything else, I didn’t want it to look “military” in any way, shape, or form. That military look would draw instant attention, and that is not what I am wanting.

So I happened to stumble upon a “Tek” pack by Camrac. It was built for carrying a SLR camera and a few extra accessories. It measures about 10” H x 8” W x 5” D. it is light-weight, no waist strap, dark blue and black in color. It weighs less than a pound by itself and is padded internally. There are several zippered fish-net interior pockets and the bag has a carry handle on top. Twin shoulder straps are more than adequate. The padding is an added bonus.

If all of the contents are in the bag and I am carrying it around you probably would even notice. It just seems too small and insignificant to be threatening…or valuable.

Now, when it comes time to put it into action:

1. The Blackhawk and pistol go on my right hip.
2. The Galco, light and spare mag go on my left hip.
3. The lighter goes into my left front pants pocket.
4. The ESEE goes horizontal in the small of my back.
5. The dressing goes into my right front pants pocket.

That leaves the pack virtually empty. I can make the decision at that point to move the batteries and spare ammo into a pocket and discard the pack if I need to. Or I can retain the pack and use it to carry whatever I scavenge along the way.

For instance, if I was at work and the only option was my “go bag” I would take a couple bottles of water and an MRE with me inside the pack. If I was in my truck when the need arose (and I didn’t have my GHB or my vehicle kit in the truck), I would take my map and my two spare bottles of water with me in the pack.

That concludes my “go bag” list of contents and reasoning behind all of it. This is not the kind of “go bag” that you use to get out of dodge, head to the mountains, or even live out of while fighting off zombies. This bag is simply your option when the situation demands it or there is nothing else for you to use. It provides the minimal equipment and gear allowing you to defend yourself, treat a basic injury/wound and keep moving to your destination.

A couple of items that I might consider adding to the bag that you might find useful, and items that I almost put in there:

• Map
• Compass
• Couple of granola bars

So why didn’t I put those items in the pack? No need for a map and compass for this mission. At this point I am in town and know my way around…or I can acquire a map. We have a mountain range that orients me north-south. As for the granola bars…I probably won’t be on the road long enough to need them. If I am, I will acquire food on the move as needed. See, I can boil it all down to the most basic gear; I can keep it small and light.

What was the “myth” I busted?

The myth that you always need to “go big or stay home” that many preppers feel is the right way to go in virtually all circumstances.

I believe you pick and choose your gear based on the “mission” you’ve identified. If you can’t identify and clearly define the mission, then you will not be able to, and not going to, choose the correct gear and equipment.