There are flashlights and then there are extreme flashlights designed for hardcore users. Which one are you keeping in your home or vehicle? I prefer the latter! This is based on my experience with numerous flashlights over the years. I've had my share of plastic, D-batter lights that don't offer much illumination. Fortunately the market has grown dramatically. Now there are outstanding military flashlights that release up to 500 lumens of light at once. This blows the old-school stuff out of the water. Say hello to the age of Surefire!
I can still recall the lame blue flashlight I had as a child. It was naturally plastic and ran off of 2 D-batteries. It worked as much as I thought flashlights were supposed to at that time. But, it hardly even glows in comparison to the Surefire flashlight I wield today. I've never seen any flashlight that could hold a candle to the Surefire 10X Dominator. This bad boy can light your entire home. When I click it on, it's almost like a police-grade spotlight. I love it. However, I can't tote this hefty flashlight around with me at all times. That's why I keep it in the house and carry a Surefire Executive Defender on my person. These are compact and tough as can be. At around 5 inches, you can easily slide it in your pocket. The stainless clip makes it simple. But it's not just about strong light beams! Military flashlights are also idea for self-defense. The Executive Defender is crafted from T6 aircraft grade aluminum. This is seriously tough stuff. These flashlights have been known to stop bullets. It's even become part of Surefire's pitch. At least one police officer has been saved by his Surefire flashlight. That's truly amazing. Anyway, military flashlights such as the Defender is designed with blunt prongs on the top and base of the flashlight. This makes it ideal for striking an attacker.
The phenomenally bright beam of military flashlights such as Surefire can blind an aggressor. This is especially true at night. Imagine getting hit in the face with 100 lumens of light after your eyes have adjusted to the night sky. it will blind you temporarily and cause you to see spots. Maybe you need to check out a few military flashlights and find a quality self-defense tool to carry.