EDC handheld flashlights

danez71 said:

Both the Fenix LD12 and RC05 SE (Special Edition) will run on 1 AA or a rechargeable 14500 Li-ion battery.

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I want my next light to be easier charging. Sure, taking out the 18650 battery and putting it in a charger isn't hard. Using a USB micro, type C, or magnetic would be just a tad better. Glancing at Fenix website, they are really cranking out a bunch of new models with features. Maybe they already have my next light on there somewhere.

alfsauve said:

I'd love to see more drop-in chargers. Not magnetic ones. Ones you drop in a holder and it chargers. Not just the battery. That's a pain to take it out to charge it, but where the whole device drops in the charger. No cables to mess with either. USB is ubiquitous but drop-in chargers are so much cleaner and neater.

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The only light I know for sure that does that is what a lot of the LEOs carried where I worked last. Streamlight Stinger. Comes with a cradle that the whole light works into. Mechanically, it doesn't work much different than a magnetic charger, just instead of a cable it uses a cradle. I know a lot of officers who kept a cradle mounted in their patrol car to keep their duty lights charged up.Downside: it is a big light. You won't be pocket carrying this one.

https://www.streamlight.com/products/detail/index/stinger-ds-led-hl

herrwalther said:

I want my next light to be easier charging. Sure, taking out the 18650 battery and putting it in a charger isn't hard. Using a USB micro, type C, or magnetic would be just a tad better. Glancing at Fenix website, they are really cranking out a bunch of new models with features. Maybe they already have my next light on there somewhere.

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The E30R and the RC05 SE (Special Edition) or the regular RC05 s a nice pair up.

All of those use the same magnetic charger. (There may be others)

The E30R uses an 18650.

Either of the RC05's will run on the 14500 or a AA (at reduced performance, of course)

I’ve evolved to this philosophy…I carry an inexpensive, small, single AA battery flashlight in my pocket and have larger quality flashlights around my house and in all my vehicles.

Pocket lights are really getting sweet…I get months off a good AA battery, and if I lose them, no worries. I haven’t lost one lately but I’ve gave one away last month. I have a few I rotate…This is one I currently carry:

https://www.amazon.com/LUMINTOP-AA-...ht&qid=1638714067&sprefix=lumi,aps,101&sr=8-3

But by my bed and near all key places like vehicles, house doors, or garage, it’s a quality, high lumen Streamlight or Surefire. I generally check the batteries every 6 weeks using a reminder in my phone

I went through several lights looking for one that would hold up to EDC on the farm. This thrunite TN12 has held up better for me than anything else.

The function button on the side is stainless steel. I went through several lights with rubber side switches and kept ripping the button off.

I don't know what the lense is but even with some welding spatter it is still serviceable.

The clip is more secure than several other lights I tried. I have a very nice high dollar nightcore light that the pocket clip pops off of so easily I quit carrying it. This clip won't come off without disassembling the light. It is probably too heavy to clip it on your hat like a headlamp and I keep mine with the clip oriented lense down.

The range of brightness levels is super versatile. The middle setting is usually just right for working on tractors and stuff, but you can kick it up to turbo if you need to look across a beanfield. The lowest settings are good for reading things up close when necessary.

I have literally dropped this in a tub of hydraulic oil before. It seems to shrug off anything like that with a little scrubbing.

This is a 2016 model. I know they have some newer lights out with different interfaces and stuff. I really like the tailswitch being on and off, and the side switch selecting brightness. It stays on whatever setting you left it on so mine stays on the medium setting 90% of the time.

It takes an 18650 battery and I have half a dozen of them and a charger. Don't think I've ever gotten less than a week on a battery. The squarish end on the light will eventually rub a hole in the chest pocket of your carharts if you carry it that way, might be my only complaint

I bought a few of the mini Mag LED's and they are horrible to their older quality lights. I've been on a hunt for some 1xAAA for the keychain since then.

herrwalther said:

I want my next light to be easier charging. Sure, taking out the 18650 battery and putting it in a charger isn't hard. Using a USB micro, type C, or magnetic would be just a tad better. Glancing at Fenix website, they are really cranking out a bunch of new models with features. Maybe they already have my next light on there somewhere.



The only light I know for sure that does that is what a lot of the LEOs carried where I worked last. Streamlight Stinger. Comes with a cradle that the whole light works into. Mechanically, it doesn't work much different than a magnetic charger, just instead of a cable it uses a cradle. I know a lot of officers who kept a cradle mounted in their patrol car to keep their duty lights charged up.Downside: it is a big light. You won't be pocket carrying this one.

https://www.streamlight.com/products/detail/index/stinger-ds-led-hl

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The innova T4 is a proven light too. Cruiser mounted cradle 12 or 120v. I have 2 and never had a failure.

Lately I've been buying olight lights. I have an odin on a rifle which is brighter and better than the many million candlepower spotlights we used to have...and fits in your palm. I also have their javelot turbo long throw light which has a nearly 1400 meter throw. Both use the same magnetic charger so I can take the Odin off or leave it on the rifle. Same for the javelot but I don't have it mounted. Likely never would. Amazing what they can do. And runtimes measured in days rather than minutes. Especially compared to the GOLD standard....Maglight of the 90s/00s. Lol.

I’ve got a couple of the same one as you do Mr. Farmer. I’ve also bought several as gifts with nary a complaint. Mine aren’t nearly as worn which tells me I’m lazy and I doubt I could keep up with you for a day’s work!

My EDC is a Streamlight Microstream. It's just a little bigger than a Chapstick. I clip it to the outer corner of my support side pants pocket. I don't notice it's there. It does everything I need it to do. Over the years I've lost a few but they're cheap to replace. I also prefer a simple on/off pushbutton tailcap switch as opposed to a multi-function switch.

In the past, I've had/carried several different 2-cell CR123 powered Surefire lights (6P, G2, E2, G2ZX), so I have experience with higher powered flashlights. The Microstream works just fine for me.

I have the micro rechargeable light, I love it. no need for battery's.

Does everything I need it to do/.

danez71 said:

I just want to make sure I understand correctly as may get a LD30 and I want to make sure of what I'm getting into.

The integrally charged 18650 and the regular 18650 are interchangeable, in the LD30 (same size etc). Correct?

So you could use for/in the LD30 either the integrally charged 18650 and use the charging port on the battery or use a regular 18650 and use stand alone charging base to charge the battery. Correct?

And if they are the same size, I suppose you could charge an the integrally charged 18650 in a stand alone charging base instead of using the built in charging port...?

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That was the impression I got from reading the FAQs on Fenix's website. I think that I was understanding it correctly, but I invite you to check for yourself and be prepared to dig around.

I got an LD30 for Christmas and it finally retired my AA and AAA lights. I also keep an E03R in one of my pocket because it is just so tiny and versatile.

WYO said:

That was the impression I got from reading the FAQs on Fenix's website. I think that I was understanding it correctly, but I invite you to check for yourself and be prepared to dig around.

I got an LD30 for Christmas and it finally retired my AA and AAA lights. I also keep an E03R in one of my pocket because it is just so tiny and versatile.

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I thought I did an update on this thread... but apparently I didn't.

I did a live chat and they confirmed the the LD30 can use either type of 18650 battery.

How do you like the E03R and does it remember the last brightness level you used or do you have to cycle to your desired brightness every time?


I've been considering one of those.

danez71 said:

How do you like the E03R and does it remember the last brightness level you used or do you have to cycle to your desired brightness every time?

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I like it a lot. It does not remember the last brightness level. You have to cycle through, but it does not matter to me because I use it as a utility light. I use the lockout feature to keep it from activating in my pocket. I gave out a bunch of those to non-flashlight people for Christmas presents the last two years.

mcb said:

If it's really critical to have light carry a spare rechargeable battery, most of the modern recharge flashlights are using 18650 batteries that are easy to get spares for. A single 18650 battery has 2 to 3 times the energy a single AA does and its less than twice the weight. Many of the new rechargeable flashlights package even come with a spare cell.

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I will add that the 18650 lights I have been using can also be powered in a jam with 123 batteries. I keep some of those in all of my hunting and emergency packs in addition to AA and AAA batteries for my lower power mini-lights.

VERY happy with my rechargeable streamlight 66608-- the size of a pen, 250 lumens, and recharges with a mini USB.

I probably used my Eagle Tac D25A the longest but it’s just another I keep in my overnight bag these days, no buttons, white light and great light for AA battery. Red locktite the screws as soon as you take it out of the box.

It sits beside the little stream light micro stream, it’s smaller AAA and beats the old keychain Mag lights, has a good clip design for pocket or hands free hat duty without moving anything but doesn’t put out the light like the others.

The Olight was pretty impressive light wise, when I received it but I didn’t like the side button or lens up pocket carry.

The lumatop AA 2.0 is quite impressive for light (using 14500), clip can be swapped for pocket carry or hat bill hands free use and would be my #1 pick but battery life is a bit short and the clip is positioned so a little more of the light protrudes from the pocket than I like, the tail also “glows” blue, some tiny led in it. Nice if you drop it in the dark or wake up and want to grab it in the dark, bugs me otherwise. I really like the light from this one the best, white and bright.

The one I keep going back to for my EDC it the Gracetop GT-17, they cost me $9 and come with a wall charger, light and 14500 3.7 volt battery. I picked up a couple more once I decided I like them and just swap the battery from it with one charged on the wall, when I get home. They also run of regular AA’s but obviously with less light. It is also the only one of these that allow adjustment from flood to spot light. The light is more blue than I like, guess you can’t have everything.






I also have a Coast that’s single cell AA that deserves honorable mention but it’s at the farm. Lots of others with a little more battery but the above is what’s comfortable for me and my pocket.