Flashlights. A bright idea.

[WestKentucky]

Yeah, terrible joke. It’s Monday. I tried.

Flashlight.

Not exactly a weapon but can temporarily blind somebody giving a significant advantage. The EDC thread about daily carry load out has gotten a bit of discussion about lights so rather than steal the show there I figured we could talk about lights here.

Maglite has really lost its throne as king. 20 years ago a 2 or 3 D mag light was the standard. I still have a couple but they aren’t at all comparable to modern LEDs.

Personally I don’t pay for a name. Stream light is no exception. I like their product but can’t see spending 4 times or more what I would for another similar light. I really like the Lincoln Outfitters lights from Rural King as a durable and dependable tool. I bought 2 today. Their pen light is great for me with early morning work purposes. If I need to read a part number or search for a part to deliver in the dark they have never failed me. I keep extra batteries in the truck too, but the light that I lost was over 2 months old and still on original batteries and wasn’t dim yet. Plenty to impair an attacker should that need arise.

Lets talk about what you carry and why you like it, or what you want to be better about it. Maybe other folks have found a solution to your problem.

 

[Obturation]

Streamlight has let me down, I've had 4 rechargeable led stingers, all fail in a year or 2 (switch), a 2 AA streamlight penlight I carried a couple years - switch failed, small pen light (size that would hold a single AA but it's rechargeable - switch failed. I know they sell service parts but I'm not interested in fixing them, gave 2 away, threw 1 away and have 1 that works when it wants to .i do use the streamlight rechargeable headlamp that I put on in the morning and wear all day at work. It's been excellent but looks goofy, I don't care.

I haven't found a pocket light robust enough for a guy like me, I get a year or 2 and they're all done. So streamlight is mostly a miss for me.

I recently got a thrunight weapon light and it was cheap but seems like good quality and is extremely bright- I'll report back once I've had time to ruin it.

My brother recomended olight and I will likely get one and see if it holds up.

I'll be watching this thread as I am in need of a good edc (off work) light.

 

[md7]

I use a streamlight 2lx as a nightstand, travel, and hunting light. Occasional carry. Bright, simple, tough, and rechargeable. Haven’t bought batteries in years. I like it, and wouldn’t change anything.

Would buy another if I needed one.

 

[rabid wombat]

Everything from Harbor Freight to Nebu to LuxPro to Surefire…typically a couple of flashlights with or near me - either at the desk, bed, or being carried. The random “I need some light…” anything works. For real…Surefire. Whether a weapon light, carried, and etc…it has to work. I do not expect the need for a weapons light (please, do not make me use it…)…I can see a real need to have a light “evacuating” a hotel during a fire alarm….I have more money in flashlights than prudent…oh well….

A couple more uses for CR123’s would help

 

[jmr40]

Spend as much as you want, but this works for me.

Coast HX5 360 Lumen Alkaline-Dual Power LED Flashlight with Pure Beam Slide Focus and Two-Way Hat Clip-21444 - The Home Depot

I like that I can use spare batteries instead of recharging. I sometimes camp and am away from electricity for days at a time. Being able to swap out batteries is easier for me. I have a butt load of devices including GPS that use AA batteries. I buy them in bulk anyway.

 

[WestKentucky]

This is the cheapo that I use. https://www.ruralking.com/lincoln-outfitters-200-lumens-tactical-led-pen-light-66330

their bigger lights are just as nice and are very economical, I just don’t like bigger lights. I keep a few around because they may be needed but generally I gravitate towards pocket lights and short lights with a barrel the size of a quarter or smaller. The short fats are generally brighter, but the penlights last forever and are more handy since they fit in a pocket so well.

 

[Ohen Cepel]

I have way too many lights. Surefire is the one I use a lot and prefer it for a weapon light or daily carry. Yes, they are $$ but they rarely fail.

Olight and Fenix are 2 others I like. Have had a lot of other cheaper ones around and have thrown away several of them in the last few years as they have failed or ate batteries due to a flaw in their electronics.

Also, a fan of the old school Maglite. Going to buy one of their larger rechargeable ones soon. I like the heft of it and like the Surefires, US made which I appreciate.

 

[LNK]

Yeah, terrible joke. It’s Monday. I tried.

Flashlight.

Not exactly a weapon but can temporarily blind somebody giving a significant advantage. The EDC thread about daily carry load out has gotten a bit of discussion about lights so rather than steal the show there I figured we could talk about lights here.

Maglite has really lost its throne as king. 20 years ago a 2 or 3 D mag light was the standard. I still have a couple but they aren’t at all comparable to modern LEDs.

Personally I don’t pay for a name. Stream light is no exception. I like their product but can’t see spending 4 times or more what I would for another similar light. I really like the Lincoln Outfitters lights from Rural King as a durable and dependable tool. I bought 2 today. Their pen light is great for me with early morning work purposes. If I need to read a part number or search for a part to deliver in the dark they have never failed me. I keep extra batteries in the truck too, but the light that I lost was over 2 months old and still on original batteries and wasn’t dim yet. Plenty to impair an attacker should that need arise.

Lets talk about what you carry and why you like it, or what you want to be better about it. Maybe other folks have found a solution to your problem.

Check out the blf A6, they are a 16550 light that will run you about $20-30. Make sure you get the one with the right light frequency. Mine is a daylight, not sure if that is 4500k or so. Been carrying one for about 5 years. Maybe less.

 

[JShirley]

I'm a good light junkie from way back. MagLite, Pelican, UK, SureFire, Fenix, OLight.

In approximately that order of discovery. Now I mostly have OLights. I have accidentally washed and dried small Olights twice without incident.

If money was not an issue, and I needed the toughest, most reliable personal light available, I would get an ElZetta. I have frozen them, dropped the block of ice 3 stories onto concrete- still shining- and poured 90% isopropyl alcohol on top of the lens and lit it. (The beam shape was a little disrupted, until the lens was sanded with fine sandpaper, but remained usable the whole time.) Beautiful beam, long battery life, tough as working equipment can possibly be.

Here's a LEP from last year, for when you need to light up a pig 100 yards away
View attachment 1011799



John

 

[Craig_AR]

If you don't mind cheap Chinese products, look at the ones I picked up from Amazon recently:

Rechargeable Flashlights (Battery Included) , Super Bright LED Tactical Flashlights High Lumens 1200lm, IPX6 Waterproof, Zoomable, 4Modes, Pocket-Size Small LED Flash Light for Camping, Emergency
2 for $19, very bright, focusing lens is not much lard\ger than the body for easy pocket size. Rechargeable, comes with cords (but not adapter. Battery can be replaced easily (not soldered into the shell).
A few down sides: on/off button is click only, not spring for quick flash; cycles through bright, less bright, and strobe on one click each, so you have to walk through the series to turn off; button is on the side not the end.
Great size and features for the prices; I use it almost daily.

 

[rabid wombat]

MagLite, Pelican, UK, SureFire, Fenix, OLight.

Pelican everything…good stuff

 

[WrongHanded]

I have two Surefire G2X Pro lights, which at the time probably cost $80-90 each. One has gone to work with me every day for 8 years or so, and been used fairly hard, often illuminating weldments in tight dark places. Or during inspections inside tanks and vessels.

The other has not gone to work, and is in much better condition, as it's been carried for recreation and night time EDC duty. But as it's not the smallest light for general carry, it's tended to get left behind unless I know I'll be out after the sun goes down. Occasionally I've wished I had it when I left it at home.

So I decided to make sure that didn't happen again, and bought a Streamlight 1l-1aa:


Unobtrusive enough even for home carry. I don't think $40 is too much to pay, if it holds up.

I also have a large Fenix rechargeable on the nightstand that on highest, seems brighter than the sun! Fortunately it has a range of settings. I can't recall how much it cost, but it doesn't often get used so perhaps wasn't worth the investment.

 

[Bazoo]

I carry a stream light stylus pro. The 2 AAA model. They are only about $25. I have had 3. None of them ever failed me. First I lost. Second the batteries leaked. Third is in my pocket. In the 8 years I've carried that model, only a very few times has it flickered. It's always been just a bit loose when that happened.

I also have a surefire 6p that is flawless. I rarely use it though.

A maglite 3d is handy to have round the farm. As is a mini maglite. But I rarely use either. Can't find the mini currently.

 

[hso]

Not exactly a weapon but can temporarily blind somebody giving a significant advantage.

The high output lights capable of blinding with a click of a button are very handy defensive tools, but those that are also sized to act as a kubaton/yarawa are even more useful since they give you the striking option. John and I are BIG fans of those lights.

I carry an Oolight Baton Pro.

 

[jmorris]

Batteries and even more so LED’s have come a long way over the last 30 years. I have single cell pocket lights that project a beam wider and further than my now antique 5 cell Xenon bulb flashlights from years ago.

I have used the Gracetop GT-17’s for the last 4 or 5 years but have been using the lumatop AA 2.0 a lot lately with an extra Gracetop clip I had. I rotate 14500 batteries and it’s pretty amazing light to me but run time on “turbo” is shorter than I am used to. Both I prefer to the more expensive Olight, Eagle TAC and Streamlight single cell versions I have.





That said, they are much better at always being on your person than beating something with them…

This is the GT-17 with 14500 battery and charger, probably the best value in pocket light there is.

https://www.amazon.com/GRACETOP-Fla...o&psc=1&ref_=pd_bap_d_csi_bia_sims_prsubs_0_t

It’s half what the lumatop is without a battery or charger but it’s still cheap compared to the other well respected names, that don’t have the same output.

https://www.amazon.com/LUMINTOP-AA-...pd_rd_i=B07BLTP9ZD&psc=1&ref_=pd_bap_d_rp_1_t

 

[Boattale]

I'm old school. LED maglights. 2D near the back door. 2 or 3 battery AA versions in the door truck pockets, boat, hunting bag etc. When I was hunting raccoons in barns with terriers, carried a 4D maglight. It will put out the lights as well as it lights things up. We had a sheriff (Buff Lamb) here back in the 1970's that was famous for giving a maglight rash to anybody who back talked him.

 

[AJC1]

I have a ton of flashlights and if I had to pick a brand that worked well and was reasonably priced it would be dorcy. I will not deal with expensive 123 batteries. All of my lights use 3 aaa. I also want a light only not a bunch of other flash functions or other functions.

 

[Dunross]

Spend as much as you want, but this works for me.

Coast HX5 360 Lumen Alkaline-Dual Power LED Flashlight with Pure Beam Slide Focus and Two-Way Hat Clip-21444 - The Home Depot

I like that I can use spare batteries instead of recharging. I sometimes camp and am away from electricity for days at a time. Being able to swap out batteries is easier for me. I have a butt load of devices including GPS that use AA batteries. I buy them in bulk anyway.

I'm a big fan of the Coast HX5 as well (https://coastportland.com/collections/led-flashlights/products/hx5) It's my EDC and it does get used every day. I use them on my shotgun as well. I like that is uses a common battery and is LED. I've dropped mine any number of times and it still works.

I'm old school. LED maglights. 2D near the back door. 2 or 3 battery AA versions in the door truck pockets, boat, hunting bag etc. When I was hunting raccoons in barns with terriers, carried a 4D maglight. It will put out the lights as well as it lights things up. We had a sheriff (Buff Lamb) here back in the 1970's that was famous for giving a maglight rash to anybody who back talked him.

I still favor Maglights C & D cell lights and have them in every vehicle and several places in my home. I fell out with their Mini-Mags when they went to LED and their quality took a serious nosedive. Very disappointed considering I carried them for more than 20 years, but once I found the Coast HX5 I haven't looked back.

 

[Boattale]

I'm a big fan of the Coast HX5 as well (https://coastportland.com/collections/led-flashlights/products/hx5) It's my EDC and it does get used every day. I use them on my shotgun as well. I like that is uses a common battery and is LED. I've dropped mine any number of times and it still works.



I still favor Maglights C & D cell lights and have them in every vehicle and several places in my home. I fell out with their Mini-Mags when they went to LED and their quality took a serious nosedive. Very disappointed considering I carried them for more than 20 years, but once I found the Coast HX5 I haven't looked back.

It's about ten years since I've bought a maglite. The ones I have work just fine. Keep the batteries changed in them so they don't leak and I've been good to go for quite a while.

 

[RetiredUSNChief]

Maglite still has it on a quality, heavy duty flashlight that just keeps working, in my opinion.

I've had several other LED lights, and it seems that eventually the switch quits working right or if you bump the light it starts flashing, turns off, or some such. I'm a bit tired of buying a flashlight to keep in the car only to find out after a while that I have to deal with stupid stuff like that.

My Maglites turn on when I want them on, and stay on until I'm ready to turn them off. I don't know why other flashlights can't seem to live up to that simple standard.

And the sturdy construction of my Maglites means if I need to use it as a club, it'll serve in that capacity quite well, too. And then STILL work as a flashlight.

That said, I do like the small, powerful LED lights they have out there that don't take up much more room than a Sharpie marker in my glove box or door panel. I've got one now I bought at Best Buy a few months ago (can't think of the brand name), but it's been working very well since I bought it. If it keeps up the good work with no switch problems, I'll probably buy a few more for the other vehicles.

 

[Kingcreek]

I have flashlights, maybe too many.
I really like my rechargeable fenix and olight models. I have a protac rechargable I like with 4 power settings plus strobe. I also have older surefire lights that are still quite serviceable including a G2 with a gene Malkoff led module still going strong. I still like the shelf life of the cr123s as backup for the rechargeables. Spent all night tracking a deer and when the rechargable fenix headlamp dimmed I just popped in a new cr123 and kept going.

 

[C.R.]

I like the old Mag Lights I have one that is in my truck a 6 Dcell that has the L.E.D. lamp conversion. I bought it in the late 1980s and it's been in every vehicle since then . I have a couple of the 2 & 3 cell around here too

 

[Spats McGee]

I don't have enough flashlights to be a junkie. Every so often, Home Depot or someone will run a sale on cheap LED flashlights like these, and I'll pick up a pack or two. I've seen them for as little as $1 apiece, so they're great for throwing in the glove compartment, or keeping in your desk if your office has no windows. (Ask me how I know that one. . . .) For home use, like when I walk the dog at 4 a.m., I want something a little brighter and sturdier. So a few years ago, I bought a Nitecore that was on closeout. It was a lot like this one. Aluminum body and plenty bright enough to blind someone if need be.

 

[Speedo66]

Maglite has really lost its throne as king. 20 years ago a 2 or 3 D mag light was the standard. I still have a couple but they aren’t at all comparable to modern LEDs.

For under $10 on Ebay you can buy a LED conversion bulb that pops right in to replace the existing bulb and brings your old Maglite into the modern world.

Works great, super bright, and extends battery life. I've got one in my old 3D Maglite I carried on the job, now sees duty as a late night dog walker.

Bright enough to stun, still sturdy enough to get someone's attention in a manner no penlight can.

 

[John_R]

I like the Coast brand lights. However, if anyone makes one with an on/off switch on the barrel, like they used to be once upon a time, I will buy one.

Flashlights when I was a kid had a momentary pushbutton switch, and if you pressed it and slid it forward it stayed on. Stupidly simple and an ergonomic dream. And the switch fell right under your thumb so you didn't have to use two hands or awkwardly manipulate it to push a button in the tail end of it, like today's flashlights.