Opinions on STREAMLIGHT BATONLITE?

I saw this at click here. If anyone has this, would you tell me what you think of it? Being that I like having my flashlights close at hand, is this allowed on your person when traveling by air?

Aside from the fancy machining on the sides it looks a lot like a mag-lite solitare with an LED replacement module. I suspect that the less aggressive looking solitaire would be just as effective as a Kubaton (tried this and it worked just fine) while looking, well ...... , less aggressive.

AFAIK, the solitaire is allowed on the plane. I haven't heard of any problems with it nor have I had any.

The Solitaire is very small, though. I think I'd grab my AA Mini Maglite. But I think the BATONLITE is cool looking.

Craig, you are correct, the BATONLITE is much larger than the SOLITAIRE, more on the order of a typical kubaton after which it is likely modeled. I own a BATONLITE and use it as edc with my keys and sometimes the tiny Leatherman Micra attached. While I have my doubts about the screeners at one's point of departure giving it a pass (I have always just checked it through within other luggage) it seems to pass casual security with PHRASECENSOREDPOSTERSHOULDKNOWBETTER. who notice it and only rarely wonder aloud what is that "thing" on your keys(?). My straight-faced answer always is that it is my flashlight I use to chivalrously illuminate the way for my wife whenever needed. The unit is very well constructed. I have carelessly dropped it numerous times without serious penalty. Slight damage has ocurred on the edge of the lens portion, but IIRC, it is constructed of very tough Lexan and any damage could be viewed as merely patina.

Streamlight makes good products. I use their 3xAAAA (yes, that's quad-A) LED Stylus almost daily.

At 5.5", the BatonLite's considerably bigger than a Mag Solitaire, and only about 1/4" shorter than an AA MiniMagLite. N-cells will be more expensive to replace, and harder to find than the ubiquitous AA or AAA cells, though with an LED, you should get better battery life. (The AAAAs mentioned above require a trip to Radio Shack, or are mail-ordered, rather than being able to buy in bulk at Sam’s or Costco. Ns are usually found at photo counters, like DL123s.)

I have no doubts that it can be used as a yawara or Kubotan--that's implicit in the name "BatonLite". My only question would be an impact on the lens end--it appears that the lexan extends to the edges of the body, but that may just be my perception of the photos.

The AA MiniMagLite was explicitly designed to be used as a Kubotan when necessary, both as impact and pressure/pain compliance tool. I have the manual written for its use squirrelled away somewhere.

Just emphasize that it’s a flashlight; that it can have auxiliary uses is just a bonus.

Nobody’s banned flashlights yet, anyway.

David

Screeners would probably not pass an actual kubaton, because it would be classified as a "weapon." The Batonlight, however, is a flashlight. It just so happens it is a very tough flashlight that could be used for defense, just as your average D-cell Maglite could. This is a reasonable thought process, correct?

Few things that are done by regulation, rule, "the book" are allowed to be reasonable. To be reasonable one must be both intelligent and flexible. Due to the need to higher thousands of security screeners quickly, intelligence is not a given. Due to the need for consistancy in enforcement in order to reduce litigation costs flexibility is not allowed. By the book, Flashlights are allowed. By the book, weapons are not allowed. Properly describe your items sir? There was a discussion on EDC knives earlier that OldBaldGuy weighed in on on this exact topic. If you have a jacknife in your pocket to spread your peanut butter you don't have a concealed weapon - even if it is a custom one hand opener. If it has serrations it must be for cutting your seat-belt after you car went into the surf. If you admit that you carry it for self defense you are a new class of dangerous criminal carrying a concealed weapon. That is just for dealing with getting a ticket on the freeway!

If I have mis-rememberd the old thread or attributed things incorrectly to OBG I apologize.

While you and I agree that what you have presented as "a reasonable thought process", yes, IMHO, it may draw into question that the screener population would generally see things as such when examining the batonlite.

But the Solitaire is much shorter, is it not?

Seems that this is much more akin to the AA maglite than the solitaire. I missed the length specs.

I already have a AA Maglite, so I might as well attach it to my keys rather than buying the Batonlight. Or is the Batonlight special enough to warrant purchasing anyway?

Latest list (7/24/2003) from the TSA on what is and isn't permitted in carry-on luggage is here . It lists kubatons as prohibited, but doesn't mention flashlights at all. Probably would depend on the screener looking at it.

Steve.

Having flown against my will recently for a last minute family emergency, I can categorically state that the words "reasonable" and "TSA" constitute our newest oxymoron - joining such perennial favorites as "military intelligence."

Pleading ignorance, what is "TSA?"

Who flies of their own choosing these days? I'd take a bullet train any day instead of a plane. Oops! I forgot, Japan was the country smart enough to invest in bullet trains, not America. The land of the free and home of the brave made a mistake there, I think.

TSA = Transportation Safety Administration

They are in charge of airport security in the US. You can find them at this site

Rather than chance the vagaries of legal interpretation by ex-McDonald's workers (I'm exaggerating but you get the point), I've seen an excellent idea to ensure you get where you're going with everything or at least don't have to surrender your 'disputed' item(s). The recommendation is to carry a couple of mailing boxes (or FedEx or UPS, whichever) folded in your luggage. If you get questioned, politely ask for the supervisor. If the supervisor says the same, excuse yourself, box the item and either overnight it your destination or 'slow boat' ship it back to your house. One additional good idea is to allow lots of time (obviously) and figure out for which type of mailing container it's going to be easiest to find a dropoff. Just don't look like you're 'casing' the airport or they might put you on the 'watch list'! <img src="images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

I believe that they don't have to return your "weapons" to you once they have confiscated them even if you then declare that you no-longer wish to take the flight. This proceedure may result in having your goodies confiscated anyway.

I take your meaning.

My sister was recently telling me to leave everything (!) at home because airport security will take it anyway.

She said one male guard had never seen an eyelash curler and tried to confiscate hers, declaring it a weapon. Yeah, right. Are these people COMPLETE idiots? The question is rhetorical. The answer, obvious.

My sister was finally rescued by a female guard who apparently had to fill the guy in on some "facts of life."

Sigh.

But Craig, you could put an eye out with that thing!!

And Minime may be quite correct, I don't know if they might just confiscate it right off the bat. I wouldn't put it past some 'stickler' bureaucratic type when they're having a bad day.

Perhaps a call to your local airport prior to the trip might get results. You might at least get a better feeling if you should even *take* the item or just ship it ahead of time to your hotel, relatives, etc.

It would be much more efficient to remove the eye in question with an ice cream scoop. Grin.

They can do anything they want to. It's called airport security.

RE Bullet Trains: Japan Vs America
There are 2 huge reasons you see bullet trains in Japan and not in the USA (Ditto Europe BTW)

1)Distance (yes - the pun was intended) - The longest Bullet train route is 593 KM, or 368 miles - most are in the 250KM range, or about 175 Miles. Now lets look at just ONE common flying pair in the US - NYC to Chicago - that's 800 air miles, and around 900 track miles due to the fact you can't really go straight - Twice the distance of the LONGEST bullet train route

2)Passenger density. Now, on Honshu, where the Bullet train runs, there is enough passenger load to justify the fixed infrastructure of trains - picture NYC to Chicago - there is an a LOT of open land between where you are only going to pick up a couple of passengers if you stop

About the ONLY place in the US where high speed rail makes sence is in the Northeast Corridor, and guess what? It has the Acella, and before that, the Metroliner. Yep, the Metroliner pokes along at a mere 120 MPH (Acella is slightly faster). North of NYC, in the Boston segment, there ARE problems, but we have just invested in electrifing the rest of the route (Used to switch at New Haven). The big problem there is that the route is VERY twisty due to the fact that you are cutting across river valleys the whole way

Basically, it comes down to economics. It costs a fixed amount per mile to maintain RR tracks. If you double the miles, you double the cost to maintain that track. You now have to carry double the passengers to make up the difference. if most of the land you are crossing doesn't have enough passengers to pay - it just doesn't make sense

I didn't know any of that. Interesting. I see your point.

I still say if Mother Nature had intended us to fly, she would have given us wings. Grin.

Well, as one guy I know put it

"The difference between England and the US is that in England, 100 miles is a long way, and in the US, 100 years is a long time"

If you think about England/France (the TGV), and Japan, the distances are small. In the US, the distances are HUGE. Remember, the US is a continent. You really don't see transcontinental high speed rail anywhere.

BTW another story RE scale:
I once worked with a guy who had some relatives coming in from Europe (where a country like, say France, fits comfortably in an average state). They asked this question = "Should we see the Statue of Liberty in the Morning, and the Grand Canyon in the afternoon, or the Grand Canyon in the Morning, and the Statue of Liberty in the Afternoon?"

They REALLY thought they were close enough together that you could see both in ONE day. But then again, let's face it, you can drive across the average western European country in a day if you push it

Another point not to be ignored in train politics and funding is the fact that Japan and Europe both fully admit and accept that their trains are government provided services for their populations and don't require them to be profitable since they are tax funded. Although Amtrak is federally regulated and owned it is expected to be self-funding and hopefully profitable - never has been and there have been frequent threats of bankruptcy and closure as a result. The japanese wouldn't consider allowing their rail system to go bankrupt nor would the Europeans.

Yes, you're perfectly right !
After my first stay in the USA, I stopped thinking of it as one country, but rather as one half continent : great distances + so many geographical differences + different ways of life + different prononciations + people of different origins (not yet melted in that huge "melting pot" .....).

In France, a "Breton" (leaving in Britanny, west coast) is somewhat different from an "Alsacien" (living in the east, near the german border), or a "Marseillais" (living in Marseille, on the Mediterranean coast). Maxi distances : less than 1000km.

What can be said about WASP's (?) in N.Y. and Navajo people in Arizona, or Utah or New Mexico ?? How many miles between them ?? How many other differences ? And yet, you also are one nation.


Alain