Tom reviews the ASP XT DF Flashlight.
Idaho – -(AmmoLand.com)- I suppose that I am no different than any other outdoorsman in that I count a flashlight as a vital part of my gear. And like you, I am always looking for a more powerful, compact, rechargeable flashlight. At the SHOT show this year I discovered the ASP XT DF flashlight (Armament Systems & Procedures XT Duel Fuel) which is going to become my go-to flashlight. Having a dysfunctional flashlight in a crisis can be life-threatening. Whether you have a bear, come into camp at night, packing out in the dark or broke down and working on your truck.
I remember once my buddy, Shawn Lee, had packed our elk camp into the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness Area on his pack string. I couldn’t make it until a day later, so I took off after work and got to the trailhead after dark, loaded the rest of my gear in my backpack and took off down the narrow trail.
Not far down the trail, my main flashlight broke, and I ended up hiking the last 3-miles with the aid of only a little rinky-dink light. Not fun in bear, wolf, cougar and moose country. Much less while trying to not tumble off the trail into the river below. The year before we’d had two horses and a mule roll off in this same stretch.
As I’ve gotten older, I only use good flashlights. I could give a million more examples of disasters like above due to dysfunctional flashlights, but you get my drift, which is why I was excited to meet the ASP crew at the SHOT Show this year and get to test the ASP XT DF flashlight.
ASP XT DF Flashlight
GOOD POINTS:
- There are a few things I look for in a flashlight. Anymore, I like rechargeable lights. The better flashlights all seem to use expensive batteries nowadays so you’ll go broke buying batteries if you use your flashlight much. Buy rechargeable ones. The ASP XT DF flashlight comes with (4) attachments that allow you to charge it in your truck or at home in a wall socket. One is especially unique in that it is a retractable cord which helps keep it compact and prevents it from being a tangled mess like most of my cords become. And on top of this, the ASP XT DF flashlight comes with a canvas carrying case.
- The ASP XT DF flashlight has a 5-mode setting, Max, High, Medium, Low and Strobe. It runs on one 18650 battery, or it can also run on two C1234A rechargeable batteries. It has two O-ring seals, so it is water resistant.
- It is the perfect sized light for my standards. Not too big to be uncomfortable to carry but also not too small to be able to meet all of my needs.
If you’re like me and spend a lot of time in the backcountry, then I’d recommend buying a double set of the rechargeable CR123A batteries for back-up. Or, another option is to get a Solar Charging panel and carry it along. And, with the solar panel, you can also charge your GPS, Camera and other electronic gear.
And one last feature that might interest a lot of you is that it also has a reversible pocket clip. In the ASP XT DF flashlight, you get a lot of quality and options packed into a small package for the MSRP of $160.00 (less $$ online). Or you can go the cheap route like Indiana Jones and carry a torch and pray that the wind doesn’t kick up and blow it out.
About Tom Claycomb
Tom Claycomb has been an avid hunter/fisherman throughout his life as well as an outdoors writer with outdoor columns in the magazine Hunt Alaska, Bass Pro Shops, Bowhunter.net and freelances for numerous magazines and newspapers. “To properly skin your animal you will need a sharp knife. I have an e-article on Amazon Kindle titled Knife Sharpening for $.99 if you’re having trouble.”