Nightstick Dual Handheld Tactical Flashlight Review: A Must-Have

Over the years, I’ve used a lot of Nightstick long-gun and handgun-mounted lights and have always been impressed. They are budget-friendly and of good quality. But if you need a handheld flashlight, the Dual Handheld Tactical Flashlight is a must-have. Just about everyone finds themselves in need of a flashlight at some point. Our phones have lights on them, which is convenient, but they are not the best for seeing things at a distance.

Offering an impressive 1,100-lumen output, the Dual Handheld light, or USB-588XL, is perfect for home, vehicle, and duty use. Most of the time, I carry multiple sources of light on my person, but for different reasons. A weapon-mounted light is smart to have in case you ever need to use your firearm for self-defense. But you can’t really use a weapon-mounted light for some tasks as it would require pointing your gun at things you don’t want to point it at, right?

I carry small compact lights in my pocket, so I always have a reliable light source if I get in a pinch. But those are small and not ideal for regular use. Nightstick’s 588XL, however, is the perfect size for daily use. It’s compact enough to carry on you or keep ready in your home or vehicle but powerful enough to deliver reliable light when you need it most. Plus, it is dual fuel-capable, which we will discuss shortly.

Nightstick USB-588 Dual Handheld Flashlight

The first thing that sets the USB-588XL apart is the dual light source. As you would expect, the tail switch activates the standard light on the end of the light. You can cycle through multiple brightness settings by pressing and holding the tail switch. But there is another light located on the side just below the top of the light. To activate this light, press the power button on the side of the light.

This downward-facing light is 350 lumens and is perfect for seeing things up close. I found it helpful when trying to use a light in the vehicle. If you need momentary light to see something better up close, a bright light is not ideal. It will cause momentary blindness, which defeats the purpose of the light to begin with.

The light’s housing is made of 6061 T-6 aluminum and is about six inches long. Thanks to its aluminum construction, it weighs 5.9 ounces but also feels very solid. I have a one-inch leather light holster on my duty belt, and the USB-588 fits in it just fine.

Specs & Features

• High Lumens: 1100
• Medium Lumens: 450
• Low Lumens: 125
• High DL Lumens: 850
• High Beam Distance (m): 235
• High Candela: 13843
• Drop Rating: 2 m
• Water Rating: IP-X7 Waterproof
• High Runtime (h): 2
• Medium Runtime (h): 4.5
• Low Runtime (h): 22
• High Dual-Light Runtime (h): 3
• Charge Time (h): 4
• Switch Function: Tail Switch – Momentary or Constant-on Flashlight, High, Medium and Low-Brightness Flashlight. Bezel Switch – Flood. Dual-light.
• Case Material: 6061-T6 Aluminum
• Power Source: Li-ion Rechargeable
• Backup Power Source: 2 CR123 Lithium Primary Batteries (not included)
• Warranty: Limited Lifetime Warranty

Battery and Dual Power Source

I like rechargeable batteries, but I don’t like it when you can’t replace them. If you need the light when the battery goes dead, it is useless for several hours. But Nightstick provided the best of both worlds by including a CR123 battery adaptor. You can charge the main battery by plugging a USB cable into the side of the light.

You can also keep the battery adaptor with two CR123 batteries in it as a backup. When you need the light and don’t have time for it to charge, simply swap them out and run it on CR123 batteries instead. To charge the light using the USB cable, unscrew the sleeve on the side of the light and pull it down (see photo above). A USB charging cable comes with the flashlight, which can fully charge a dead battery in about 4 hours.

Using the USB-588XL

The main light has three brightness settings. As mentioned above, simply press and hold the tail switch to cycle through the pre-programmed high, medium, and low settings. The light will always turn on in high mode, but you can change the setting from there if needed.

Another cool feature of the dual light mode is that you can turn both the main and downward-facing light on simultaneously. A light with a good beam distance is great for seeing further away but not so much for seeing directly in front of you. With both lights turned on, the downward-facing light shines at your feet while the standard light shines out in front of you. This is a cool feature that most lights do not have. This setting is particularly handy when looking for something on the ground.

When the light is on low, it runs for 22 hours, which is pretty impressive. On high, it runs for two hours, which is standard for most lights. I like having the option of running the light in a lower power mode if I know it will be used for an extended time.

Final Thoughts

The USB-588XL retails for about $150, which is a lot to some for a flashlight. But if you want quality light that will hold up to the elements, this is a great deal. Like I said in the beginning, I’ve used many of Nightstick’s weapon-mounted lights in the past and never had an issue with any of them. I’ve submerged them in water, frozen them, baked them in the oven, and even placed one in the dryer. They always keep working.

During my last training event, I used my AR-15 for 16 hours over a two-day period and fired more than 1,000 rounds. It rained on us most of the first day, and my rifle was soaked. After doing transition drills, having it in the rain, and firing a lot of ammo through it, the light continues to work like new.

When I first saw the secondary downward-facing light, I didn’t think there would be much use for it. But I’ve found myself using it more than I expected. I keep this one in my office as an emergency light and throw it in my suitcase when traveling. If you’re shopping for a new light or you know someone who needs a nice gift, check out the Nightstick USB-588XL.

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