The bulk of thinking and preparing for survival is centered on protection of your person, your family, your property and, in the case of a SHTF situation, your supplies and the means of staying healthy and alive. Having a variety of self-defense weapons at your disposal will help mitigate any number of threats, from small-time thieves looking to make off with your gear to all-out post- apocalyptic marauders looking to enslave your family. Deciding what level of force is necessary for a given situation is a big question, and it’s one that sometimes must be answered quickly.
Brite-Strike’s expandable baton with integrated flashlight is perfect for those situations: At one moment, you can be surveying the situation with the flashlight, and, with a flick of the wrist, the baton is deployed and ready for a nonlethal confrontation. The flashlight end houses a very-bright, 270-lumen light that, with Brite-Strike’s Tactical Blue Dot Switch, can go from “high” to “low” (170 lumens) to “strobe” with just a light press of the button. The idea is to first disorient your attacker with the light, giving you a little time to decide on your next move. A direct beam of 270 lumens in the eyes is uncomfortable, to say the least, and it will cause anyone to pause in confusion.
“The baton’s shaft is also flexible, which allows for some bending during striking. This means that the end result is a non-lethal blow.”
If a greater distraction is necessary, with a slight press of your finger, the light switches to strobe mode, which further confuses the subject and causes extreme eye fatigue and loss of coordination, even after the light has been turned off. Using the light as described above can provide a brief moment to decide on your next move. If the threat continues, the significant benefit of this device is that you don’t have to set the flashlight aside or use your other hand to deploy a defensive weapon.
“Deciding what level of force is necessary for a given situation is a big question, and it’s one that sometimes must be answered quickly.”
Instead, you have the option of flicking out the extendable baton and using it to your advantage. The baton end extends an additional 8 inches beyond the overall 16.5 inches of the collapsed baton, including the removable flashlight’s 3.5-inch length. One of the built-in deterrents of the baton is the sound it makes when the baton is extended; the snap! and click! of the retention peg is similar to the audible warning of the racking of a shotgun.
Made from semi-rigid plastic polymer, the striking end of this baton is hollow, meaning that, upon striking, it will not do permanent damage to the body but will sting the nerve endings and muscles in the area of the strike enough to strongly suggest compliance with your directives.
The baton’s shaft is also flexible, which allows for some bending during striking. This means that the end result is a nonlethal blow. The baton tips the scales at 18 ounces and has a length of 24 inches when fully extended. The flashlight unit can be unscrewed and removed from the baton, and the battery allows for about two hours of continuous use on “high” or nearly five hours on “low.” The balance in the hand feels perfect, because the heaviest parts of the baton, the flashlight and battery, offset the weight of the end of the baton. The grip is molded into the plastic of the baton and, although this helps minimize the tendency for the unit to slip during a swing, a lanyard would help prevent it from being taken away by the attacker.
“… the striking end of this baton is hollow, meaning that, upon striking, it will not do permanent damage to the body but will sting the nerve endings and muscles in the area of the strike enough to strongly suggest compliance with your directives.”
Above the grip is a small hand guard with two flat ends to keep the baton from rolling when it is set down. The button that collapses the baton is slightly recessed in the shaft to keep it out of the way so it won’t be triggered accidentally.
“The balance in the hand feels perfect, because the heaviest parts of the baton, the flashlight and battery, offset the weight of the end of the baton.”
[Editor’s note: Check with local law enforcement to find out if there are restrictions on baton
ownership in your area.]
Brite-Strike Technologies Flexaton
Extended length: 24 inches
Weight: 18 ounces
Flashlight output: 270 lumens (high), 170 lumens (low), strobe
Runtime: 2 hours (high), 4.5 hours (low)
Battery: Lithium 123A (included)
MSRP: $200
CONTACT INFORMATION
Brite-Strike Technologies Inc.
(508) 746-8701
Editor’s note: A version of this article first appeared in the March 2019 print issue of American Survival Guide.
