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Designed for operation in extreme conditions, the Sidewinder Tactical Flashlight provides 20 different functions in a casing that is waterproof (1 meter for 30 minutes) and designed for temperature ranges from -40˚F to 150˚F.
Being a sucker for new kit, I really couldn't resist and while the price point was a little steep ($79 +HST at DS Tactical), I'm glad I bit.
The Sidwinder kicks out a retina burning 20 lumens of white light and a little less in red (to maintain night vision), blue (used to check for blood) and IR with 4 levels of output intensity: Low (5%), Medium (20%), Medium-High (50%), High (100%) plus a Strobe function (100%). Burn time for two Lithium AA batteries is 100+ hours at Low and 7+ hours at High power settings. For safety in the field, the Sidewinder will always switch on at 5% power.
The IR is itself quite powerful; using it this evening with my Gen 1 night optics I was surprised just how much illumination it provided and as an IFF beacon (strobe) the Sidewinder was visible from a considerable distance.
Very rugged build (meets MIL-STD-810F, Method 512.4), and drop test verified to 30 feet, the Sidewinder comes with tethered battery cap (so you don't loose it when changing batteries), a lanyard attachment hole that is rated to 25 lbs, O-ring seals and steel spring attachment point for MOLLE, ACH or belt.
With its 185° rotating head and optional helmet mount (about $20 US online) this is one versatile piece of kit.
Bring on the Night Ops!
For more information on the Sidewinder, visit the Streamlight website.
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