# Flashlight recommendations



## kwikrp (Dec 18, 2012)

I am looking for some advise on purchasing a new flashlight. I am looking for something that can be handheld.
I would like no know advantages and disadvantages of the various power sources, bulb types or LEDs, is lumens the only way to rate? I want something that will give me excellent distance and brightness, like to keep price under $100

Thanks for all advise


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## woodgeek (Dec 18, 2012)

Brands have all changed since I looked at this....but my advice is get an LED, compare on lumens and shop around...a lot of overpriced units on sale.  Avoid flashlights that get lumens with a large number of dim LEDs...you will want a single, high power emitter for distance and high lumens/watt.  Rated burn times are sometimes exaggerated.....cheap units might run 100% output for a while and then slowly fade down to zero and spend many hours uselessly dim.  Better units will maintain brightness well over time until they quit, it will look like they have a shorter burn time, but they are really the better unit.


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## heat seeker (Dec 18, 2012)

In my experience, LED lights don't focus all that well, and don't get great range. However, my experience with LED flashlights is not vast, but of the 6 or so different ones that I have, that's the way they all are. None are very expensive, the top being around $30.00.

However, the battery life is phenomenal compared to standard lights.


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## DexterDay (Dec 18, 2012)

There are some very cheap LED's on the market. Less than $20 will get a very nice flashlight or headlight that will focus very well over 100 yards. 

If you search CREE LED on Amazon or fleabag, you should have good results. http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_trksid=p5197.m570.l1313&_nkw=Cree+led&_sacat=0&_from=R40

Even though some are under $10, I am very impressed with them. I like my cheapo CREE LED over my Streamlight Polytac LED (pricey ).


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## BrotherBart (Dec 18, 2012)

I like the little LED jobbies for a pocket flashlight. But I have three three D cell aluminum regular flashlights from Harbor Freight that I have had for 10 years and love'em. Nine bucks apiece. Used daily. Ya gotta have a cat to understand.

The comment about range for LEDs is dead on. Want range, go old style and get ya some rechargeable batteries unless it is for infrequent use. They don't hold a charge like regular ones do sitting around for a long time.


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## velvetfoot (Dec 18, 2012)

It's a headlamp, but I love and have several of the cost effective Rayovac 100 lumen model at Home Depot.
http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc...10053&langId=-1&keyword=rayovac&storeId=10051


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## pen (Dec 18, 2012)

In general, I have a few LED's that have been really tough, are really bright, and very convenient as they don't suck much juice. However, depending on what you are doing, LED's (at least the ones that I have used/own) don't provide much color definition. For example, I have a shop light that is cordless LED (stick style) that is bright as hell. Grabbed it the other night to clean up after the dog before bed. He took a dump inside of 20 feet from me. Walked over with that sucker and do you think I could see it? You'd think it should stand out on green grass that had frost on it, but it didn't. Walked back to the garage, grabbed the mini-mag out of the truck, came back and found it (and my footprints all around it) right where I knew it was, I just couldn't see it.

Also, I've ruined 2 LED flashlights as they do hold the batteries for so long, that I forgot to keep up with them by age and they leaked.

pen


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## scooby074 (Dec 18, 2012)

I got a bunch of Mag LED's. AA's and D's. They have a great warranty and are a "decent" led. Maybe not the highest tech LED light out there but readily available and have great battery life.

I also have and like Pelican incandescent products. I dont have one of their LED's yet however.


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## velvetfoot (Dec 18, 2012)

I can't say I like the new, fancier, mag lite aa's.  You twist the head to change modes; seems to have a mind of its own.  I liked the old school model, but do like the led bulbs.


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## fossil (Dec 18, 2012)

DexterDay said:


> There are some very cheap LED's on the market. Less than $20 will get a very nice flashlight or headlight that *will focus very well over 100 yards*...


 
  From one end zone to the other?  This has got to be some sort of typo or something.  I've never heard of a handheld flashlight of any description that was effective at 300'.  If this is true, I'm buying a couple or three of these...or maybe the company.    Rick


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## drizler (Dec 19, 2012)

BrotherBart said:


> I like the little LED jobbies for a pocket flashlight. But I have three three D cell aluminum regular flashlights from Harbor Freight that I have had for 10 years and love'em. Nine bucks apiece. Used daily. Ya gotta have a cat to understand.
> 
> The comment about range for LEDs is dead on. Want range, go old style and get ya some rechargeable batteries unless it is for infrequent use. They don't hold a charge like regular ones do sitting around for a long time.


Yea I like the cat comment... Can't remember how many times over the last 18 years shining the light out back trying to get the cat to come back in..............................Bigass 2,000,000 candle spotlight works best for that but a tad bulky.


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## MasterMech (Dec 19, 2012)

kwikrp said:


> I am looking for some advise on purchasing a new flashlight. I am looking for something that can be handheld.
> I would like no know advantages and disadvantages of the various power sources, bulb types or LEDs, is lumens the only way to rate? I want something that will give me excellent distance and brightness, like to keep price under $100
> 
> Thanks for all advise


 
I have 4 LED units that I love, all for different reasons.

1) My 3 AAA Headlight (will edit with brand and model when I get home). I've mowed golf greens (on a tri-plex) in complete darkness with that one. 

2) My 2 D Mag-Lite that I converted to LED using Mag-Lite's kit. That one rides in the truck at all times. Batteries last indefinetly with that one.

3) My Blackfire clamplight for a shop flashlight. It stands up on it's own or clamps to any available edge. That one is covered in grease/grime and gets dropped, a lot.   Battery life has been excellent.

http://www.blackfire-usa.com/







4) My Inova High-Output LED flashlight. Thing is absolutely incredible for it's size. The only drawbacks IMO is the CR123 batteries it uses are very pricey compared to AA's. Shop online and buy a box of them. Much better pricing than locally. The other problem is that they do not last as long as my other flashlights but that's due to the high draw of that miniature sun they have stuffed in there.





Mine is most similar to the current X2 in size but if I were buying again, I'd pick the X03, has a low power option that will really eliminate my gripe about battery life.

http://www.inovalight.com/x/features_x03.php


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## nate379 (Dec 19, 2012)

I have a couple SureFire lights that work good.  Under $100 and pocket sized but far far exceed the light output of any MagLite I've owned.


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## OhioBurner© (Dec 19, 2012)

You can get LEDs for just about anything. High color rendition, long throw spot beam, etc. Your just going to spend a little more.

I really love my small Zebralight headlamp that is a single AA flashlight that goes into a headband. I love you can use it both ways, and its so small in the pocket that its my every-day-carry. And when I need to work with my hands, throwing it on the headband frees up both hands for stuff. Of course you can't get a ton of output with a single AA but somehow they manage to get up to 200+ lumens! My version is the neutral white so its a little less, 172 lumens. But honestly I use the lower modes just as much if not more, medium down to sub 1 lumen. Great for seeing around in the dark without blowing out your night vision or waking anyone up next to you.

Sticking with AA's I wanted a bit more power and got a 4sevens Quark-X AA2 which with energizer ultimate lithiums is rated around 400 lumens, a little less with good nimh. I got the neutral white version of that one too (I hate the 'cool blue' tint) but unfortunately 4Sevens is known for random less than ideal tints and I got a yellowy/green one. Just fine for outside but inside against white walls it looks a bit ugly.

There are tons of quality LED lights out there if your willing to spend up to $100. What kind of batteries do you prefer? How many modes? Do you want a super simple like 2-mode user interface or are you willing to learn a more complex one? Do you really want more throw than more flood? And how much? Are you trying to spot wildlife in a field, or are you just talking 50-100'? Waterproof?

Lumens are the standard for rating, but realize not all lumens are created equal. For one thing, a tighter beam pattern will make a brighter hotspot for the same lumens (it will seem brighter to most). The wider flood beam will spread those lumens over more area making it look dimmer. But your lighting more area. So it depends what you want. CRI is how well it will reproduce colors, good LEDs are 85+. Most will have bluish tinted LEDs with crap CRI. I look for neutral white or many prefer warm white. But you do get a few more lumens out of the bluish ones but realize they dont produce as nice of colors and create more glare so the extra lumens are sort of lost. Also realize some of the ratings are WAY off. Look for an ANSI rating which tells you they followed certain rules to measure the actual out the front (OTF) output. Some claims are 50% higher or more just because they measure the LED output under best possible conditions, not the actual light output through the front lens under normal conditions.


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## DexterDay (Dec 19, 2012)

fossil said:


> From one end zone to the other?  This has got to be some sort of typo or something.  I've never heard of a handheld flashlight of any description that was effective at 300'.  If this is true, I'm buying a couple or three of these...or maybe the company.    Rick



No typo and the light cost less than $20.  The technology has come a long way from the lights that had 25 LED's. You want a single emitter.. One I have is less than $10 and will outperform most larger lights. 

My Poly Tac was $60 shipped and is a damn good light (waterproof, durable as hell, compact but has a rather large O.D. for the head) but wont preform like these el cheapo's from the link above.


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## DexterDay (Dec 19, 2012)

For a headlamp, this little gem is the same way. 3 AAA and it emits a Beam that is Unreal  These are what we use at work and where I found these amazing cheap little lights. 

http://item.mobileweb.ebay.com/viewitem?itemId=390511469805&index=2&nav=SEARCH&nid=55991092584:

If you want a Quality product, thats durable, waterproof, and gonna hold batteries for a year or better, look elsewhere. 

For a cheap model that will not hurt when you have to throw it away? Buy a box of 10   

We have tried every Headlamp on the market. Upwards to $50-$75 for some and now we get these by the case at under $10 a piece. 

For the cost, its hard to beat. (Notice where it ships from/gonna take some time)


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## ROVERT (Dec 19, 2012)

I'd recommend a Surefire. I have a G2 Nitrolon and it is the best light I've ever owned. It is an amazingly tough light. I use a flashlight a lot for work and routinely do things like drop them onto concrete floors from ladders. If you don't need one too compact, I'd look to something like the G3 which is even brighter. 

I'm currently trying a rechargeable LED light from Interstate batteries. Even though I can buy 123 bats cheaply locally ($1.60 ea.), I was just getting through too many of them using the Surefire for work. The Surefire is now used as my around-the-house and recreational light. I like the Interstate light and it is very bright but I don't think the same durability is there. I'm starting to notice some touchiness in the switch after just a few months on the job.

I'm sure there are other excellent lights out there but I can certainly vouch for the Surefire.


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## jebatty (Dec 19, 2012)

Lots of good info here. Q1: What do you want to use it for? spot, flood, focus or both? Q2: What beam distance do you need? Q3: How frequently to you need to use it? Q4: When used, what length of time will it be "on"? Q5: How physically big do you want it to be? Q6: What type of bulb/emitter? Q7: What type of batteries? Q8: Price? at $100 you have lots of options. Q9: Are you frustrated by so many questions? if so, punt.

Review http://www.candlepowerforums.com/ for more info than you might want, excellent resource.

I just bought a flashlight, and for me the answers were: Q1: general purpose, plus being able to use it for a bicycle light, thus both spot and focus. Q2: far enough to light the road for night bicycle riding. Q3: occasional. Q4: usually short "on" times, but up to about 1 hour for night bicycle riding. Q5: pocket size, able to mount of the handlebars. Q6: led, Cree XM-L. Q7: li-ion rechargeable, and this boosts the price up considerably. Q8: $10 was what I thought, before I had to buy the li-ion batteries and a charger; about $50 in the end. Q9: candlepower forums plus "battery university" gave me the info I needed.

For hi-power led (hi output, Cree-type) flashlights, flashlight internal electronics are really important. You will want voltage regulation to maintain maximum output for the longest time, until batteries need to be replaced/recharged. You will want electronics, either in the flashlight or integral with the batteries, that provide short-circuit and low voltage shut-down protection if you use li-ion batteries. You will want electronics that prevent the emitter from over-heating and self-destructing (dim the light automatically), or better yet both the electronics plus a physical design that dissipates the heat without requiring dimming of the light. You will want multiple light output options, probably hi-medium-low at least.

Or, simply buy an led bulb (about $8) that is a direct replacement for the bulb in your flashlight of choice, which may be a good way to "punt."


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## scooby074 (Dec 19, 2012)

pen said:


> Also, I've ruined 2 LED flashlights as they do hold the batteries for so long, that I forgot to keep up with them by age and they leaked.
> 
> pen


 
Happened to me too. lost 2 Mags that way. A "AA" and a "D". Mag tubes are notoriously tight and the slightest swelling and the batteries are stuck. Thankfully Mags warranty covers this if you use name brand Batteries.


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## Highbeam (Dec 19, 2012)

I love my LED flashlights and headlamp. All single emitter and bought based on lumens from walmart type stores. My big herkin 3 d mag lite sets lifeless but maybe that is a great option.

So what's the skinny on LED bulbs? Can you still focus the beam for flood/spot like with a OEM maglite? Good output? Is it worth it? I kinda like to be able to beat somebody or something with the flashlight if needed so the maglite is double duty as a baseball bat.


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## scooby074 (Dec 19, 2012)

Yes the Mag led's will focus.

Are they the most powerful LED, no, but still bright enough to blind and have great throw and flood. Plus it can double as a hammer!!

Only supposed issue with the Mag LED is it's control circuitry isnt as advanced or efficient as some of their competitors. Has it been an issue in practice? NO.


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## fossil (Dec 19, 2012)

Dang...I had no idea how long it has been since I paid any attention whatever to flashlights.  Now you guys have me all intrigued.  I feel some dollars slipping from my wallet.    Rick


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## seige101 (Dec 19, 2012)

I bought some 2d cell led mag lites on black friday weekend at depot or blowes 2 years ago and i love them! Battery life is great. They were 50% off so like 17 bucks. Also picked up the 2aa size lights for 50% off so like 12 bucks. When we had the week long power outage due to the halloween nor easter that dumped 2 feet of snow, we used the 2d cell lights for general lighting in the house. Simple turn the light on and aim it at the ceiling and it was almost like having a normal light on. The batteries i had put in them the christmas before handled being used for almost a  year including that week of heavy use. We were using them for 3-5 hours each night before bed..

For my every day in my tool bag i use Milwaukee m12 and m18 rechargeable LED flash lights. Since i had the batteries the lights weren't to spendy. The 12 volt one lasts 6-8 hours on a full charge in constant use. The 18v about 14-16 hours (2 full work days).

So if you have a decent set of cordless tools, look into a LED flashlight that works with your batteries.


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## gmule (Dec 19, 2012)

MasterMech said:


> I have 4 LED units that I love, all for different reasons.
> 
> 1) My 3 AAA Headlight (will edit with brand and model when I get home). I've mowed golf greens (on a tri-plex) in complete darkness with that one.
> 
> ...


 

I have the INOVA X2 and use AA 2500Mah rechargable nimh batteries in it. Hands down this is the best flash light I have ever owned. Over the summer we were dirt riding after dark and the headlamp on my mororcycle burned out. I was able to use a a couple of zip ties and attached it to the handle bars and was able to ride it back to camp. The light was brighter than what the bike has.

http://www.inovalight.com/x/techspecs_x2.php.

I would like to try the X03 to see how much more light 50 more lumes is. Maybe after Christmas I will buy one.


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## PapaDave (Dec 19, 2012)

drizler said:


> Yea I like the cat comment... Can't remember how many times over the last 18 years shining the light out back trying to get the cat to come back in..............................Bigass 2,000,000 candle spotlight works best for that but a tad bulky.


Got the big Newfie trained to come when I shined the million power light at her in the yard......finally. Then she died.
Damn dog.


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## semipro (Dec 19, 2012)

I love my LED headlamp and have many flashlights but the one that tends to get the most use is the one that came with my rechargeable power tool set, in my case, a DeWalt unit. 
Its nothing high tech but puts out a lot of light at 18volts and I always have at least one charged battery available.


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## greg13 (Dec 19, 2012)

For a basic LED flashlight you can't beat a Streamlight. Their warranty is about the same as Mag. I have carried a pocket Stream with me for over two years, use it every day and I am only on the second set of AAA batteries.

If you already have a rechargeable cordless tool battery, check and see if they have a flashlight head for it.


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## steamguy (Dec 20, 2012)

I have to agree with the SureFire being a good flashlight. I've had three or four LED flashlights, and the cheap Chinese ones (olight and such) are okay for a couple years and then they are nothing but trouble; you end up replacing it for the total cost of what you would have paid in the first place for a SureFire.

At this level of expenditure, you can get super-streamlined flashlights; but what works in my case is something tough enough that when I have an 'o-darnit' moment and it goes clattering to the ground, that it survives. I also made sure to have something I could hold in my teeth for those jobs requiring three hands. I would suggest a flashlight that uses CR125s instead of AA batteries; there's more energy available in the CR125.

If you get SureFire's CR125 batteries, they come a dozen in a box that costs about $20-$25, and they're MADE IN USA. I've been using them for years and have yet to have one leak or explode (which some of the cheap ones will do when discharging at a high rate). Not fun to have the flashlight suddenly get hot in your hand...

As to output and focusing, you can get 'tactical' units that have serious punch, the local firefighters use these really high-power units. More power, requires more battery. I have a moderate-cost 'tactical' unit that puts a really bright 5' spot on the neighbor's barn at 400' away. THAT's the one I use for getting the knucklehead dog's attention, and to keep from getting run over when we go walking on our dark country road. My pocket flash (used a couple hours every day) is a SureFire L1. Two power output levels, and I get about six months out of a battery. You can get flashlights that blink and so on, and while that's cool and all, what I'd suggest is something with two, maybe three, levels of output power. One for walking around, the other for 'what was that noise'.

Hope that helps.


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## maverick06 (Dec 20, 2012)

my recent 3 top use ones (I own them)
*ZT-652 Cree Q3 WC ($12.50)*






http://dx.com/p/zt-652-cree-q3-wc-2...ight-focus-adjustable-headlamp-3-x-aaa-107938
*UltraFire TH-T60 ($27.30)*





http://dx.com/p/ultrafire-th-t60-ha...ite-led-flashlight-with-strap-1-x-18650-57007

Surefire LX2 ($210)





http://www.surefire.com/illumination/flashlights/lx2-lumamax.html


The Short:
They are all good. The headlamp is really useful, amazed  how useful it is. The ultrafire is great also, a good floodlight. Very good, love the 18650 battery. The surefire is very nice and bright, great throwing flashlight, uses 2 cr123a batteries.

The surefire isnt worth the money. I have used the headlamp for probably 100 hours and the ultrafire for probably 200 hours, both working great.


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## DexterDay (Dec 20, 2012)

maverick06 said:


> my recent 3 top use ones (I own them)
> *ZT-652 Cree Q3 WC ($12.50)*
> 
> 
> ...



That headlamp is almost identical to mine.. Amazing at how tight a beam it throws. 

I like my pricey lights. But my cheap ones far outperform them. Period. And there so cheap, that when they do take a chit, the cost to recoup is minimal.


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## jharkin (Dec 21, 2012)

Interesting discussion! Its amazing how much flashlights have evolved... I remember as a kid in the boy scouts going on camping trips with a plain old D cell flashlight, I used to carry a the crookneck army issue job. The big upgrade was to put a "krypton" bulb in them... looking back now I still have that and its so dim it amazing you could see anything with it.

Then later we had mini mag lights for backpacking... more light in a much lighter package but crap battery life.

My first LED light was a Petzl LED 3xAAA LED headlamp. Still have that but its pretty dim by modern standards. Then I did an early LED conversion on one of my half dozen or so mini mags (keep them in the cars and all my tool bags). It was one of those 3 LED jobs and burned out quick.

Then I got a better single LED conversion.... nice... and a dedicated LED mini mag... even better.

A few years ago I got a dedicated LED 3D maglite and now the LED work lamp for my dewalt 20v LiIon set. Both are nice lights, about the same brightness, but you cant change the focus on the dewalt. I dont use either often enough to ever run out the batteries and actually measure the runtime 

I do miss a good bright headlamp - have to check out the one Maveric listed as all the brand name units you see at camping stores are $$$


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## maverick06 (Dec 21, 2012)

The one I put up was a headlamp that runs on an 18650 cell (or 3AAA). If you are going AA or AAA you have lots more options. i just wanted one that did 18650 for better runtimes.

That one is bright enough, even on dim, that its much better for outside stuff than inside. I still use it, but its pretty darn bright inside.

I really like the ultrafire. Simply cannot reccomend the surefire, way too much money. Great light, but way too much money (and i didnt even pay for it).


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## MasterMech (Dec 21, 2012)

fossil said:


> Dang...I had no idea how long it has been since I paid any attention whatever to flashlights. Now you guys have me all intrigued. I feel some dollars slipping from my wallet.  Rick


 
Who knew that all our firewood burning buddies were flashlight geeks just like me?


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## fossil (Dec 21, 2012)

I haven't paid attention for years.  The last greatest thing were the Maglights and the Minimags, of which I have a semi-bevy (AA's, C's, D's).  They were the best thing since electricity back when I was a shipboard Navy propulsion engineer.  Long time ago.  Maybe time to honorably retire those old soldiers from the tool box, the drawers, and the glove compartments.  This thread has been somewhat of an awakening...I now have a couple of LED lights (Cree), batteries & a charger on the way from Amazon.  I'll start with those and see where it leads me.  This old dog can still learn a new trick or two.  Thank all of you for showing me the light.    Rick


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## jharkin (Dec 21, 2012)

Heck I never woulda realized their was an entire web forum just about flashlights.... Thats just nutty. whats next, a web forum about firewood? 

Seriously I ordered that headlamp above and the 18650 battery.  For 12 bucks cant go wrong.


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## MasterMech (Dec 21, 2012)

Going to seriously look at a rechargeable tactical flashlight from Inova (T series) after the holidays.  Maybe we should have everybody post pics of their new flashlights.


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## FrankMA (Dec 22, 2012)

I picked up one of these (Fenix LD01) about 2 years ago and absolutely love it.

http://www.fenixgear.com/fenix-ld/fenix-ld01-r4.html

It's compact (fits on a key ring), powerful (72 lumens on high) and adjustable from 3 lumens on low, 26 on mid and 72 on high plus it uses only (1) AAA battery that seems to last forever. Another nice feature is that you can place it on a flat surface so the light shines up towards the ceiling which illuminates the area quite nicely and frees up your hands. I learned of this trick after losing power last year twice for a total of 10 days. This ranks up there as one of the best purchases I've ever made.


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## maverick06 (Dec 22, 2012)

Dont forget to get a charger for the 18650 battery!


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## jebatty (Dec 22, 2012)

Pretty good charger for li-ions, nicads and nimh: Charges 18650 16340 14500 AA AAA C and many more.
*SYSMAX Intellicharge i4 JETBeam Nitecore Li-ion / NiMH Battery Charger V.2*


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## Highbeam (Dec 22, 2012)

My house flashlight is a Dorcy which appears to be the same as a cree flashlight that I've had for a few years. The clicker on/off switch has nearly failed. I looked into the parts and it turns out that this is only a 98 lumen LED and it is really bright, much brighter than a mag lite. Current models as posted above put out almost 1000 lumens. That's freaking intense.

30$ for a 1000 lumen light from a name brand like Cree is totally worth it. Shop lumens guys.


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## MasterMech (Dec 22, 2012)

Highbeam said:


> My house flashlight is a Dorcy which appears to be the same as a cree flashlight that I've had for a few years. The clicker on/off switch has nearly failed. I looked into the parts and it turns out that this is only a 98 lumen LED and it is really bright, much brighter than a mag lite. Current models as posted above put out almost 1000 lumens. That's freaking intense.
> 
> 30$ for a 1000 lumen light from a name brand like Cree is totally worth it. Shop lumens guys.


 
So long as it's out-the-front lumens that is.  Sheer numbers ain't the end all be all either.  Optics make a big difference in how much of that light is usable.


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## toonces (Dec 22, 2012)

i wanted to upgrade my Mini Mag to LED a couple years ago as the light was so dim it was practically useless. well, i researched and now i have like a dozen flashlights of various sizes all using some form of LED (Cree XM-L being my favorite so far), a bunch of rechargeable batteries including Lithium Ions and NiMh, chargers, but still no upgrade to that Mini Mag. those lights from overseas are so cheap and bright -- especially with Li-Ions -- that it made no sense to upgrade the Mag. quality is OK on most, but you will run into bad seeds here and there. i have flashlights for work, the cars, night trail riding, going to the bathroom at night, night fishing, working on flashlights... it gets addicting like wood gathering.


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## OhioBurner© (Dec 22, 2012)

MasterMech said:


> Who knew that all our firewood burning buddies were flashlight geeks just like me?


The proper term would be flashaholics... 



MasterMech said:


> So long as it's out-the-front lumens that is. Sheer numbers ain't the end all be all either. Optics make a big difference in how much of that light is usable.


Yeah. Lumens are just part of it (and not just OTF but ANSI rated lumens), and I can just about guarantee anything off dealextreme is a fraction of what they are claiming (and will die in a fraction of the time of a quality light). I see the appeal to by cheap junk, thats why wallmart and harbor frieght does so well, and I wouldnt support thier company or their crap merchandise. Great for someone on a tight budget I'll give ya that.

I warn newbies getting into Li-ion 18650's and such, it isnt necessarily as simple as buying the cheapest one and charger and slapping em in and going. For one thing I wouldnt get an 18650 without the built in protection circuit. If it shorts - well basically it can explode. Not a good idea on your head or in your hand. And chargers can overcharge them. Safety can be an actual issue.

Lots of things I consider when buying a new light, advertised lumens are down on the list a ways. Beam profile would probably be higher up, I prefer floody beams since most of what I need a flashlight for is within 50 foot. If you're on SAR or perhaps if its legal to hunt animals at night you may want a spot beam. You don't want a spot beam if your just going out to the woodpile or working under the hood of your car. Many prefer pure floods (reflectorless) but I haven't any of those yet. Beam tint is another biggie, after some nasty blue and purple tinted lights I swore I'd only buy neutral white or warm white tints. But even good flashlights are susceptible to the 'tint lottery'. It costs a lot more to test for tints each batch of leds, and they do vary, and most manufacturers dont do it. Another big thing would be how many modes and how well they are spaced. I dont care about strobe and sos modes and such but many want those. I'm more concerned with low modes, preferring the lowest to be less than 1 lumen. And well spaced low and mediums between 10-50 lumens are what I use 90% of the time even though my lights can go several hundred lumens. I like having .1 lumens or less to just leave it on that when I'm carrying the light around in the dark, since if I drop it I'll be able to find it easier (for example one light I'm looking at does .09 lumen for over 2 months). And a good user interface (UI) can be the difference of being very frustrated. Thats how you have to press the buttons to cycle through the modes. For example by pressing the buttons certain ways I can access both the lowest setting from off, or the highest setting from off. Some lights make you start from low or high and then go from there. That kind be kind of annoying in the middle of the night if your light turns on to several hundred lumens and blinds you. Some prefer magnetic control rings instead of buttons, or infinity variable output rather than just a few modes. Some prefer interchangeable bezels so you could swap out lenses for more throw or more flood. Lights today are highly versatile and well featured. Some will fit certain situations better than others.



steamguy said:


> I would suggest a flashlight that uses CR125s instead of AA batteries; there's more energy available in the CR125.


CR123's are a fine battery and can make a really tiny pocket rocket! But my vote goes for AA's. Cheapest and easiest to find. Your typical gas station might not have CR123's but any place that sells batteries in like the world is going to have AA's. I like AA's to because besides the standard alkaline (which I would never use in a quality light, except in a pinch) you can get various NiMH like the excellent Sanyo Eneloops) or you can get lithiums like the Energizer Ultimates (L91) that give you that same energy density or more than CR123's and cost just a wee bit more. Or some AA flashlights will even accept 14500 Li-ions. For around the house I use only AA Eneloops, they have 1500+ rated charge cycles so frequent charging isnt an issue. If I am going hiking or something where the most energy for the lightest weight matters, then I buy the Energizer Ultimates.


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## jharkin (Dec 23, 2012)

Interesting comments Ohio. I picked up a couple of those DX lights just to see how it compares in quality to the more expensive MAG and Petzl lights I have. I can see your point, I'd never want to rely on one with no backup for a backpacking trip,etc.

I also agree on cheap chargers. I got the cheap 18650 charger on DX, I'm going to just use it as a battery holder and wire up a harness to charge them off my r/c computerized battery cyclers.... Those have much more advanced battery charging/test/maintenance algorythm's than any consumer off the shelf charger.


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## MasterMech (Dec 23, 2012)

OhioBurner© said:


> The proper term would be flashaholics...


 
Oh wait, that could go south, quickly.


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## OhioBurner© (Dec 24, 2012)

@ mastermech

One disadvantage of an expensive light is that your out a bit more when you loose it! I can't find my zebralight all weekend dangnabit.


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## maverick06 (Dec 24, 2012)

the good ones you cant go wrong with, but the cheaper ones have a bit of risk. Really depends on what you need it for and your personality. I own many cheap ones, and a surefire. they are all good. The next time i am spending my money, it will be for a cheap one that gets good reviews.  (note: cheap for me is the high end of the cheap ones, $20-30 on dx.com or the like gets you there, thats my personal flavor). The surefire is nice, but its a bucket of money.

And I very strongly agree about the flood light comment! A flashlight with good throw is very nice, but most of the time its better to have one that will light up the room.

Sure cant have too many. I have them in most rooms of the house and the cars.


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## Sprinter (Dec 26, 2012)

fossil said:


> Dang...I had no idea how long it has been since I paid any attention whatever to flashlights. Now you guys have me all intrigued. I feel some dollars slipping from my wallet.  Rick


Yeah, I just rediscovered flashlights recently, too. Take a look at this forum site. These guys are as passionate about flashlights as we are about stoves. http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/content.php

I got a set of three 200-lumen flashlights at Costco for $20 recently. I see they have a 500 lumen one for about $50 now. They're amazing if you never tried one. Forget the multi-led lights. The singe emitter ones are the most useful and brightest and efficient. They have a nice balance between throw and flood. LED efficiency and brightness are evolving quickly.

My 200 lumen lights are much better than the old "million candlepower" halogen lantern I have.  I really want to try one of the 500 lumen "tactical" ones.


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## kingquad (Dec 27, 2012)

When my life potentially depended on my flashlight, I used surefire.  We also got them for free, which helped.  I also have a Streamlight that I like.  Much cheaper than Surefire.  I've never used them, but I've heard good things about Fenix flashlights too (also much cheaper).  I've been out of that game for a while now, so I don't keep up with these things like I used to.


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## velvetfoot (Jan 11, 2013)

The headlamp pictured above just arrived.  The LI battery will probably be great, and the focusing projector beam is nice.  The angle function (important) stinks and there isn't a good backing for the lamp (for you head).  The box says it has 150 cp (my Everready, noted above, has 100 cp)-seems more, maybe because of the focusing projector beam.  Great potential, but unrealized.


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## maverick06 (Jan 12, 2013)

Sorry to hear it wasnt at your expectations. i use mine a lot and like it. Frankly I find it, even on low, a bit brighter than i would like inside. The angle function isnt perfect (straight, medium, down) and the backer isnt anything fancy, but functional.

The 18650 battery though will last forever! Thats the big bonus for me. When "zoomed" the throw is impressive


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## velvetfoot (Jan 12, 2013)

Yeah, it has potential.  It's my first time using a LI battery like that.  And the projector lens is something I haven't seen everywhere. The angle thing is what really gets me, and it doesn't seem like it would've cost a fortune to get it right.


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## MasterMech (Jan 12, 2013)

Sprinter said:


> My 200 lumen lights are much better than the old "million candlepower" halogen lantern I have. I really want to try one of the 500 lumen "tactical" ones.


 
Bought a Fenix TK75 for a very good friend of mine (also a flashlight nerd) this x-mas.  2600 Lumens - Insane.  Especially for something as compact as it is.


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## mywaynow (Jan 22, 2013)

I have tried the Surefires and would not go back to them.  Too expensive to keep batteries around.  Too short a battery life.  Now I use the Mag lite that HD sells for around 35.00.  It uses 3 AAA batteries and will last as long as the Surefires, but the cost is 1/5.  Get the light with the single bulb though.  I think they are brighter.


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## MasterMech (Jan 23, 2013)

mywaynow said:


> I have tried the Surefires and would not go back to them. Too expensive to keep batteries around. Too short a battery life. Now I use the Mag lite that HD sells for around 35.00. It uses 3 AAA batteries and will last as long as the Surefires, but the cost is 1/5. Get the light with the single bulb though. I think they are brighter.


 I haven't bought a new one lately (5-6 yrs) but I'm forever ruined, cause now I can't stand the awful beam pattern the stock mag lites put out.  If you're looking at high quality flashlights then get one with multiple modes.  You don't need 800 lumens to find the bathroom in the dark, so a light with one or more "low" modes (under 40 lumens) and a high capacity battery (rechargeable too!) like CR123's or the 18650 series, will run much longer than a 3X AAA flashlight. 

Also they make rechargeable CR123A's that will work fine in that SureFire.


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## jebatty (Jan 23, 2013)

From many posts on other forums, I believe and agree that "too short battery life" for li-ion batteries is related to either or both: 1) crappy batteries and 2) crappy chargers. Buy high quality batteries with pcb, they cost more and are worth it, and do the research and get a quality charger.


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## mywaynow (Jan 23, 2013)

I used the lithium CR123A batteries at a cost of 6 bucks or so per battery, and the light took 2 batteries.  That is equivilant to an entire bulk pack of AAA.  I also tried rechargables, but they were poor at best.  Granted, they were not high quality.  Take into accoiunt that recharging batteries is not so easy when you have no power, or limited time, and the choice is clear.  At least for me.


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## jebatty (Jan 23, 2013)

A lot may depend on how much a person uses the flashlight. If not often but a working light is very important, like for emergency use, then  Li primary batteries may be the best, should last for many years. If occasional to moderate, then more options. I have switched to Eneloop nimh rechargeables for this kind of use because they have a very low self-discharge rate. If frequently, for longer periods, and especially if high lumen output is desired, then the li-ion rechargeable with high output led is my choice. But essential in this is quality batteries and quality chargers, and neither of these is necessarily inexpensive. One 18650 li-ion is about equivalent in voltage to 3 AAA or AA, and the capacity can be much higher. Plus, a high output led flashlight which uses an 18650 (might also be true for the some with AAA or AA) has voltage regulation circuitry which maintains high output even as battery voltage falls, which is a real plus.


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## velvetfoot (Jan 23, 2013)

On that ZT-652, I used it while blowing snow the other day, and it's really powerful and focusable..  The angle thing was okay for me (still would be nice if it was more adjustable).


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## velvetfoot (Feb 3, 2013)

I went to use it yesterday and the battery was dead.  My other headlamp s don't do that.


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## jharkin (Feb 3, 2013)

I picked up those two lights also. I suspect the battery died on your headlight due to that flashing red led on the battery compartment you can't turn off. Not sure the point of that, maybe to find the light in the dark.

Overall those two DX lights are OK for the price. Build quality leaves a lot to be desired ( no surprise). The handheld light is bright, but not massively more bright than my d cell mag led. The 5 modes are just annoying. The headlight is just so so overall.

Now I see why people spend big $$ on lights.


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## jebatty (Feb 4, 2013)

Last week *ostco had 3 high output (250 lumen) flashlights, 3 x AAA batteries, for $15, that's $5 each including batteries. These are incredibly bright, throw a very nice beam, and make obsolete nearly every other small flashlight - unless long periods of use are the requirement, along with larger and heavier batteries. Light output approaches that of one of my 18560 battery flashlights with advertised much higher output.


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## wesessiah (Feb 10, 2013)

i'm issued streamlight stingers/polystingers and they work well for me. for a pretty good cheap light, i like the serengeti 2 pack from sam's club for $20ish. it's brighter and the batteries last longer than some of the more expensive cheap flashlights.


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