Handlights: Vulcan vs Lighthawk

[Mark21]

Can anyone please give me some feedback on either the Streamlight Vulcan or the Lighthawk. Lighthawks are a bit more $$$ but much lighter, yet the Vulcan's are smaller. Any feedback would be great.

[DugdogFiredog]

I've always been around the Vulcan, so I may be biased. But I feel the Vulcan is a great flashlight. It really brightens up a charred and soot filled room well for overhauling. It can be set up in many different ways, so you can pretty much sit it anywhere in the room. It may be a bit heavier, but when carrying it as a hand light using the strap over the shoulder it really isn't noticeable. And it's very tough and durable.

[fireman4949]

Can anyone please give me some feedback on either the Streamlight Vulcan or the Lighthawk. Lighthawks are a bit more $$$ but much lighter, yet the Vulcan's are smaller. Any feedback would be great.

I have been using the Lighthawk for over 6 months. It is one of my personal lights.
I could not be happier with it! The light weight, long battery life and bright, focused beam are all huge pluses.

[DugdogFiredog]

Ah, some competition...hehe. A little off topic, but I was wondering how your new shield is coming along fireman4949? Fir Na Tine bro!

[Mark21]

I have been using the Lighthawk for over 6 months. It is one of my personal lights.
I could not be happier with it! The light weight, long battery life and bright, focused beam are all huge pluses.

Which do you have the LED or the regular?

[fireman4949]

Which do you have the LED or the regular?

I have this one:
http://www.thefirestore.com/store/pr...m_ion_powered/

If the LED had been available at the time, I would have opted for that.

[fireman4949]

Ah, some competition...hehe. A little off topic, but I was wondering how your new shield is coming along fireman4949? Fir Na Tine bro!

Competition is a good thing.

The shield has been retired. It was becoming pretty heavily smoked up, and I wanted to take it off before it became completely obscured. It's now in display in my den with the rest of my lids and shields.

Fir Na Tine!

[LADDER2EKU]

I have a Vulcan light and I love it. It puts out a pretty good amount of light in my opinion. Also, the blue LED's are great. I like the blue LED's too. It is a good way of being able to quickly locate crew members. After a fire my officer came up to me and said "we have to get some of those lights for the rigs, I knew where you were at the entire time! All I had to do was look for the blue glow." It took awhile but we now have Vulcans on one of our Engine Co.'s and on our Ladder Co.

[Specialized698]

The Lighthawk is a great light, I've been using it for about 2 years now and haven't had any problems with it. The weight of the light is great, doesn't even feel like your wearing one. The only downside for me is the articulating head, many times i'll come out of the building and the head will be pointing straight towards the ground instead of forward.

[RayLight]

Early models of the Lighthawk didn't have the improved "pivot sleeve" holding the head firmly against the body and sometimes the head slipped downward. The upgrade is available now and very easy to install. The head won't slip down on you with this fix.

[jfTL41]

I use the vulcan, I have tried the litehawk and found the vulcan to be better suited for me (the one with the bulb retaining clip!). If you can wait a bit there is a prototype of and LED vulcan that we got at work last week and it is awesome, the heaviest part of the light is the strap. We tested two versions of the bright star light and it just wasn't for me, the location of the switch is a problem, and the light seems to travel larger than the vulcan I use. I think the vulcan tucks in better to my body due to its shape.

[DugdogFiredog]

Vulcan! Vulcan! Vulcan! Vulcan!

[ex7500]

I have used a light called the FD-1. In my opinion, it is the toughest light in the industry. This light has taken the worst beating, but keeps on going. It is used by the FDNY. They are on a Truck Company and Battalion Rig.
http://www.emergencyresponderproduct...andlights.html
You can pick your color too.

[Mark21]

Thanks everyone, I wound up going with the Lighthawk LED
Cheers

[brozt316]

The litehawk by far is the best in my opinion.
I have had it for a year, and has been heavily abused.
No problems with the bulb falling out like the vulcans.

It has twice the candlepower of the vulcan: 60k vs 120k
It weighs next to nothing
Charge to burn ratio is 1:1
3 hr charge provides 3hr burn while the vulcan requires 8hrs for 3hr burn.

If you come back from a box and it only charges for 15min and you go back out, you know you have at least 15 burn.

Maintains peak brightness thru full battery discharge.

Smallest profile lantern.

Plus has a indicator when you have 30 min charge left.

And best of all you can shut the annoying rear led's off.

The ALC lights( Titan, FD-1) are durable, but just a basic 6v lamp and battery like a lightbox, and very heavy.

FDNY is now changing from the ALC to the Litehawk

[Bigwar19]

I think the Lighthawk is alot better it is brighter and lighter almost have as light and twice as bright.