Which Torch to choose?

We will try in this section to make it easy to choose a torch and have divided it into 3 sections, the first by use with some suggested torches, then a small table comparing the different capabilities of the torches, then some facts about torches.It should be noted that these suggestions are for personal purchase, often departmental needs are considerably different. If you would like advice on which torch suits your application, please email or call 1300 911 007.

Please click on the torch name in both the table and suggested use section for the full description and information page.

Suggested Torch by Use

Police

Sniper 260 - 260 lumens - 13cm - includes charger and battery - high, medium & low beam plus strobe LED torch - holster and a large range of options available - perfect torch for GD or specialist unit use - Our top selling torch to police, built like the proverbial outhouse and with great light output (both flood & spot), but still small enough to fit on a duty belt

Defender 260 - 260 lumens - 14 cm - includes charger and batteries - high, medium & low beam plus strobe - LED torch - Identical to the Sniper 260 except for the crennulated bezel allows this torch to break windows in an emergency. Often chosen by rural officers as they are first to a fire or inner urban HWP for drive offs

Guider - 260 lumens -13cm - includes charger and battery - high, medium & low beam plus strobe - LED torch - can tailstand (use like a candle) - a forward switch for those who prefer a torch with forward switch or needed for their low light shooting method

UV Explorer - 260 lumens - 15cm - provides a multi level LED and UV LEDs - L:ED torch- if you need to check for bodily fluids or secuity marks this is the torch for you

Raider 380 - 380 lumens - 16cm - includes charger and batteries - incandescent torch - this torch is often chosen by rural based officers due to its long throw in a compact size, still easily belt carryable

Sea Lion Hunter - 700 lumens - 23cm - includes charger and batteries - LED torch - often kept in the car by rural officers due to the long throw of this torch, or used rifle mounted by appropriate units

Champion - 280 lumens - 13cm - includes charger and battery - high, medium & low beam plus strobe - LED torch - roughly 90% as powerful as Sniper 260 tocrh due to smaller reflector - favoured by detectives and undercover officers

Angel C- 200 lumens - 8.5cm - high, medium & low beam plus strobe - LED torch - giant killer, lipstick size torch with huge output - backup unit for high risk squads or undercover officers

Army & Military

Sniper- 100 lumens - 13 cm - includes charger and batteries - rifle mount and guntailcap available - Great personal torch with IR filter available for NVG use

Raider 380 - 380 lumens - 16cm - includes charger and batteries - incandescent - rifle mount and guntailcap available - larger output than the Sniper flashlight with IR filter available for NVG use

Sniper 260 - 260 lumens - 13cm - includes charger and battery - high, medium & low beam plus strobe - LED torch - IR LED available and 4 levels for all round use.

Hunters and Shooters

Sniper 260 Hunter Solo - 260 Lumens - 13cm - includes charger and battery - gun tapeswitch as standard - smooth reflector for 100m throw - light 150gm weight - mounts available for std 25.4mm (1") size, 30mm and barrel - perfect to 100 metres with only high beam and provides both spot and light spill light from this LED torch - the perfect gun mounted torch for out to 100 metres possibly for use on a 30-30 or .22 rifle or shotgun this light provides a central spot surrounded by light flood or spill, quite similar to a miniature spotlight but without the bulk and weight

Sniper 260 Hunter - 260 Lumens - 13cm - includes charger and battery - high, medium & low beam plus strobe - gun tapeswitch as standard - smooth reflector for 100m throw - light 150gm weight - mounts available for std 25.4mm (1") size, 30mm and barrel - perfect to 100 metres with high, medium, low beam + strobe and provides both spot and light spill light from this LED torch - the perfect gun mounted torch for out to 100 metres possibly for use on a 30-30 or .22 rifle or shotgun this light provides a central spot surrounded by light flood or spill, quite similar to a miniature spotlight but without the bulk and weight

Defender III - 350 lumens - 14 cm - includes charger and battery - high, medium & low beam plus strobe - dual switch with removable tape switch as standard - focusable beam - light 150 gram weight - 200 metres throw - mounts available for std 25.4mm (1") size, 30mm and barrel - great for a centrefire to control foxes and other vermin out to 200 metres - a focussed beam from this torch with little spill light

Sea Lion Hunter - 700 lumens - 23cm - includes charger and batteries - high & low beam plus strobe - LED torch - 300m throw - gun tapswitches included - mounts available for std 25.4mm (1") size, 30mm and barrel - Great to 300 metres (400 metres for those with very good eyes!) and well suited to the longer shots - a very focussed beam with a very small amount of spill light

General Use

Angel C- 200 lumens - 8.5cm - high, medium & low beam plus strobe - LED torch - giant killer, lipstick size with huge output - Small enough for any pocket or handbag but with large output

Angel A HO - 200 or 120 lumens - 10.5cm - high, medium & low beam plus strobe - LED torch - uses both AA or lithium ion 14500 rechargeables - small size flashlight with good output even from AA

Angel A LR - 200 or 50 lumens - 10.5cm - high, medium & low beam plus strobe - LED torch- uses both AA or lithium ion 14500 rechargeables - small size and long runtime from one AA, perfect flashlight for backpacking

A1 - 110 lumens - 10.7cm - 5 levels plus strobe - LED torch - will tailstand like a candle - very handy single AA torch

A2 - 220 lumens - 15.5cm -- 5 levels plus strobe - LED torch - will tailstand like a candle - great output from a 2 x AA torch

Krait - 220 lumens - 16cm - focusable tailstanding 2 x AA torch - LED torch - well priced, high output, focussable torch

Sniper - 100 lumens - 13cm - single level incandescent torch - can be upgraded later - very tough entry level torch with ability to upgrade later

Sniper 170 -170 lumens - 13cm - high, medium and low beam plus strobe - LED torch - can be upgraded - a very tough general usage torch with multiple levels

Sniper 260 -260 lumens - 13cm - high, medium and low beam plus strobe - LED torch - can be upgraded - a very tough general usage torch with multiple levels and high output

Defender 170 - 170 lumens - 14cm - high, medium and low beam plus strobe - LED torch - can be upgraded - identical to Sniper 170 flashlight but with a crenulated bezel for breaking windows in emergencies

Defender 260 - 260 lumens - 14cm - high, medium and low beam plus strobe - LED torch - can be upgraded - identical to Sniper 260 flashlight but with a crenulated bezel for breaking windows in emergencies

Guider - 260 lumens -13cm - high, medium & low beam plus strobe - LED torch - can tailstand (use like a candle) - a forward switch for those who prefer a forward switch on their torch and lanyard tailcap

Champion - 280 lumens - 13cm - includes charger and battery - high, medium & low beam plus strobe - LED torch - roughly 90% as powerful as Sniper 260 due to smaller reflector - shirt pocket size similar to a marker in size

UV Explorer - 260 lumens - 15cm - provides a multi level LED and UV LEDs - LED torch - if you need to check for bodily fluids or secuity marks this is the torch for you

Raider 380 - 380 lumens - 16cm - single level incandescent flashlight with 380 lumens - suits those who like big power for a short period in a small package for their torch

AK6 - 650 lumens - 19cm - multi level, high output, 6 x AA torch - LED torch - a big output for those fans of AA batteries.

Rattlesnake 700 - 700 lumens - 22cm - high output single level incandescent torch - great output in a simple package with modest size

Sea Lion Hunter - 700 lumens - 23cm - huge throw (250m) from a multi level LED - LED torch - if you have a lot of territory this torch is for you

Thunder 780 - 780 lumens - 22cm - multi level LED torch - 3 LED head in conventional format

Storm 780 - 780 lumen - 15cm - multi level LED torch - 3 LED torch with good output in compact format

Pilot Whale - 1,000 lumens - 18cm - multi level LED torch providing a huge amount of floody light

Pilot Whale Dive - 1,000 lumens - 18cm - as Pilot Whale but with a different tail and battery magazine to provide 100 metre waterproofness from this LED torch

Boxer - 1,800 lumens - 19cm - hugely bright and long throwing HID torch, still belt carryable

Crocodile - 3400 lumens - 44cm - The big one, very long throwing HID handheld torch

Diving Torches

Sea Lion - 700 lumens - 23cm - Waterproof to 100 metres with 100 minutes at full courtesy of the rechargeable batteries in this torch

Pilot Whale Dive - 1,000 lumens - 18cm - Waterproof to 100 metres providing 1,000 lumens for 100 minutes at full courtesy of the rechargeable batteries in this torch

click for - Table of Torch and Flashlight models

Types of torches and flashlights

LED - The latest technology, it stands for Light Emitting Diode. There are some great advantages when used in a torch such as low power consumption, resistance to rough handling, instant on and lower heat output than incandescent. Negatives are higher powered LEDs produce heat but at the base (90% of an incandescents globe energy goes out the front as heat) so to have a long life require good heatsinking) and LEDs produce narrow spectrum light (ie only in the colour spectrum the LED is, white from a white LED but with no say red like an incandescent globe. Somewhat similar to a flourescent globe).

Incandescent - Globes, the ones in your torch or flashlight work the same as the ones at home. Advantages are instant on, established technology easily scaled to greater outputs and globes produce full spectrum light. Full spectrum light means you can place a filter over the light and just release the red, green or IR, etc light. Disadvantages are higher heat, higher power consumption (as you are producing many wavelengths of light) and less durable than LED or HID.

HID - High Intensity Discharge produces huge light outputs and is very durable as it works by exciting metallic salts within a chamber. Advantages of HID for torch and flashlight use are huge outputs and good durability. Disadvantages are there is usually a start up time when used in a torch (due to limitations in the size of ballast) and cost.

Regulation - Regulation means your torch does not fade as the battery flattens. A regulated torch provides exactly the right amount of power to the LED. This is important for two reasons. As the battery fades the regulation unit boost voltage or amps to ensure a consistent regulated amount of power is provided to the LED, meaning you will get the same amount of light after an hour of use as when you turned the flashlight on. The second advantage of regulation is you cannot overheat the LED. Most LED torches sold today are unregulated,with literally a wire between the LED and batteries, just like older globe torches. This means if you put powerful new batteries in or the new breed of powerful rechargeable batteries in the full voltage and amps flows through to the LED, sometimes enough to over rev or overheat the LED. Once an LED is overheated it loses some of its ability to produce light for ever. Being regulated means we can offer more than 2 levels (2 level torches just use a single resistor in the second circuit to produce low) and features such as strobe. Regulation ensure a bright light in use and a long life for your torch and LED. All Wolf Eyes torches are regulated.

Lithium Ion rechargeable batteries - These batteries have revolutionised torch and flashlight technology. They produce large amounts of power, work in a wide temperature range (click here for the pictures of a Wolf Eyes torch frozen in to an ice cube - turned on!) and can discharge more of their energy, more quickly than other batteries. Being rechargeable running costs are much lower and the very low self discharge means you can recharge well before you use the full capacity. Disadvantages are they require care to charge and to be truly safe and effective need a computer protection chip to control charging and discharging. All Wolf Eyes lithium ion batteries have a computer protection chip built in.

Flashlight - trivia fact, flashlights is the term given in the US and many parts of the world to torches. It originated due to the batteries in use in the original flashlights, they were very poor and so the flashlight or torch was used to produce 'a flash of light' then back to using your night vision. That is not a problem in the newer breeds of torches, we now use lithium ion batteries as used in mobile phones and notebooks. Now a rechargeable battery the size of your finger can produce enough light to shine 100 metres for 2 hours 20 minutes.