In August 2008, Novatac sent pistol-training.com one of its 120P flashlights, which is part of the company’s EDC (Every Day Carry) line. True enough, the light has become my everyday carry light for the past six months. For the amount of power and flexibility you get, this light is incredibly small and easy to carry.
The 120P, like all of the Novatac EDC series, is an extremely compact LED flashlight running off a single CR123 battery. The “120” indicates the maximum output of one hundred and twenty lumens, while the “P” means this is the top of the line programmable model.
The 120P is most appealing because unlike other lights on the market, it can be programmed so that the default action when you simply press the button is a strobe effect. While many flashlights are available with strobe features, most of them (including Novatac’s own 120T model) require you to go through some series of button taps and clicks to start strobing. From a defensive use standpoint, I want the light to strobe right away. If I need solid light to search for something I can take a second or two to get the light in that mode. But under stress, I don’t want to think about which combination of button manipulations will get that disorienting strobe in the face of an opponent.
For an idea of what the strobe looks like, you can try this YouTube video by shakyjake64. (the video is actually about the 120T model, not the 120P, but the strobe effect is the same; only the switching is different)
After testing close to 100 people’s reaction to the strobe, I’d estimate that about 75-80% are significantly more disoriented by it than a solid beam of white light. I have had a few students who commented that the constant light was harder to stare at, but the strobe still seems to have better odds at allowing you to move without an opponent knowing exactly where you are.
Getting the 120P programmed was a little tricky. The light offers 22 brightness settings, the disorienting strobe mentioned above, a slower emergency strobe, and an automatic repeating SOS strobe. You can assign any of these features to any of four “settings” called Primary, Secondary, Minimum, and Maximum. Six pages of the included manual (available online) deal with how to program the light.
All told, I spent half an hour learning how to get the light set up exactly the way I wanted it. The good news is that once it’s programmed, even if you replace the battery or the battery dies, the program stays locked in. Once you get the light set up to your needs, you can stick the manual in a drawer and forget about it.
The light produced at the maximum setting is bright and slightly diffuse, which provides more useful light indoors and at shorter distances but limits the throw for longer distances outdoors. The picture left shows the light from a one-cell LED Surefire L1 (L) and the 120P (R).
For such a tiny light, the 120-series is incredibly rugged. It is made from military Type III anodized aircraft grade aluminum and uses a shatterproof polycarbonate lens. The lights are rated as waterproof to a depth of 66′. As you can see from the various photos in this article, my T&E sample has held up very well not only to daily travels in my pocket but being dropped on concrete as well as being generally manhandled by students at various classes.
And when I say tiny I mean it. Just three inches long and one inch in diameter, the 3-ounce 120P is much smaller than any comparable light on the market. The photo at right shows, from L to R, a Surefire 6Z (2 cell), Surefire L4 (2 cell), Surefire L1 (1 cell), and the 120P.
The 120P’s size and weight make it easy to fit in a pocket. And because the clipis stationed so close to the end of the light, very little pokes out of your pocket. Again, the picture comparing the four lights (right) does a good job of showing the relative positions of the pocket clips between the L4, L1, and 120P.
Speaking of the pocket clip, it is probably my only real complaint with the 120P. Its size and shape cause it to snag on clothing pretty regularly. Depending on where it sits in the pocket, a fast sweep or pull of your cover garment can rip the flashlight right out of your pants and send it crashing to the ground.
That little zing aside, though, the 120P still manages to fill a serious gap in the compact everyday “fighting” flashlight. So making use of all that programming, how is mine set up? Remember, the Novatac EDC lights have a single control switch (the end cap button). There is no bezel to twist, etc.
- Press the button and hold it: strobe
- Click the button and release immediately: strobe
- Click the button and then immediately press & hold: constant full power
You might give these folks a try. $120. http://www.manventureoutpost.com/outdoor/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=13645
having played with that very flashlight I can attest to it’s usefulness (especially after being strobed by it). I have to say I’m surprised that Surefire hasn’t come out with a similar feature on one of their lights. I’d love the ED2LED to have the option of starting on high strobe, then high output, then low output, in that order. but since they don’t I’ll be picking one of these guys up instead.
i was looking at this light along with the tomahawk lights and the e2d-led. i ended up getting the e2d-led primarily because there are times during the day i’m not able to carry my gun or a knife but i can carry a light and the surefire can be used as a “better than nothing” weapon since it has the sharp teeth on the bezel. i am very happy with the e2d-led so far.
btw, the email address is a real one. i had to change it due to all the spam i was getting. i tried picking something as long and ridiculous as possible so spam-bots won’t find me as easy… that should explain it.
Looking to get first tactical flashlight – Now a year later from this report, Todd or other still carrying this Novatac 120P? Why/Why not? What instead?