LED Flashlight suggestion sought

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Quincy12

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I am in need of a new daily use light. Currently have a Fenix LD10, have had it for about 4 years or so and regarding its output, it does everything I need. But, it seems to be having problems lately, flickering and not working consistently. I've tried new batteries as well as cleaning the contact areas.

So, I would like to replace it, but am looking for quality more than anything. It needs to have at least two levels of output (could be more, but not necessary) somewhere around 50 lumens on low and 150+ on high. Would prefer 1 or 2 AA batteries, but will go with CR123's if necessary. I use the light at work in a maintenance capacity and use it daily. The low output for work and the high when power goes out or it is otherwise needed. A decent amount of throw would be nice on high, but I don't need 300 meters. I would also like it have either have a holster or be able to purchase one that fits separately as I carry it on my belt.

Any suggestion would be most appreciated. Thanks.

Quincy
 
Mini Mag pro at Wally World. 270 lumens, $18.88. Got one last week. No multi level output, comes with a holster.
 
Fenix....

I'm interested in obtaining the 2014 ed of the Fenix PD35. It's super bright and has a strobe feature. You can get it for around $65.00 USD.
This is the 2014 upgrade too not the older version. ;)
I owned a Fenix PD32 series white light. I lost it on a trip to PA in 2013. :mad:
It wasn't that great when I first bought it, but when I used Streamlight brand Li batteries it improved the power & light output. :)

Fenix is a good brand. Surefire, streamlight & 5.11 Tactical are popular too.
Depending on your budget & uses you can find a good small light.

Rusty
 
A friend gave me a Fenix PD35 and it immediately became my favorite flashlight. I do a lot of stuff in the woods...sometimes in the night and it will certainly light things up. I have no shortage of lights around here with Surefires, Fenix's, and lots of others, but this one seems to really "shine".
 
Fenix makes nice lights for a good price. Check out Four Sevens, and Sunwayman for good alternatives, also at fair prices.
 
I know the fenix warranty is out of date, but you might try giving them a shout out.

beyond that, olight, nitecore, zebralight, eagletac, and jetbeam are some other good brands to take a look at.

More than anything else though, I think you should really take a look at the lithium rechargeable cells. the AA replacement is a 14500 size and the double cr123 replacement is the 18650. you can pick them up pretty cheap ($12 charger and about $2-5 a battery depending on size) and they put out SO much more light than the stuff you can buy at walmart.

And finally, they're not quite to the same build quality as the name brand stuff, but the Chinese lights like ultrafire and trustfire are pretty good and affordable.
 
I have a couple of older Fenix lights, a single AA and a double AA that are about what I need in a flashlight. I have a Surefire that is very nice and a couple of no-names that are bright enough but with short AAA battery life, but the Fenixes are plenty good.

If buying new, I would look at the 4 Sevens Quark Tactical. They have several but this is the latest 2xAA.
http://www.4sevens-store.com/Quark+Tactical+QT2A-X+Gen+2?pid=2067

Be sure to get a TACTICAL model. It lets you preprogram two of the eight "modes" and select by twisting the head. If you get the same style not Tactical, you have to click through all the modes to get what you want.
 
I have a laughable amount of Surefire G2X Pro's laying around. They do everything I could ask for.

I really like them, they can be had for $60 or so, and are quite durable in my experience.
 
jlr1962 said:
Mini Mag pro at Wally World. 270 lumens, $18.88. Got one last week. No multi level output, comes with a holster.
Click to expand...
^^^ THIS

No need in dropping huge cash for a light that really isn't any better.

I also use Rayovac Indestrucibles. Less than $15 at WalMart and I've tried breaking one for fun, all that happened was make the inside batery holder wobble. Everything else works the same. Mine uses AAA, but I don't know how much of an issue it is. It seems brighter than it is rated against higher priced lights I've tested it against

http://www.rayovac.com/Lights/Outdoor-Lights/Virtually-Indestructible-LED-3AAA-Flashlight.aspx
 
JeeperCreeper said:
^^^ THIS

No need in dropping huge cash for a light that really isn't any better.

I also use Rayovac Indestrucibles. Less than $15 at WalMart and I've tried breaking one for fun, all that happened was make the inside batery holder wobble. Everything else works the same. Mine uses AAA, but I don't know how much of an issue it is. It seems brighter than it is rated against higher priced lights I've tested it against

http://www.rayovac.com/Lights/Outdoor-Lights/Virtually-Indestructible-LED-3AAA-Flashlight.aspx
Click to expand...
I hear ya. The OP mentioned that he was looking for a work light. I have never had a light on a gun. I doubt that the mag lights would survive much recoil. Most of my work flashlights have mysteriously found their way out of my possession before the first set of batteries were spent. The new minimag led pro is great. It is much brighter than the led conversion kit.
 
Thanks for all the suggestions. I'll have to check out the rechargable lithiums, didn't know they'd put out more light from the same flashlight.
 
If you get into 14500 batteries make sure the light is rated for 4.2 volts. One 14500 puts out 3.7v nominal, 4.2v fresh off the charger.
 
GUYS I HAVE BOUGHT SEVERAL OF THESE. $9 DELIVERED 1800 LUMEN 2 RECHARGEABLE BATTERIES AND CHARGER
YES THEY'RE CHINESE BUT WHO CARES? THEY'RE WORTH IT.
Click to expand...
I'm sorry, but there's no way in Hades to get 1800 lumens from any Cree XM-L, and certainly not a T6 bin. The optic can focus the beam and provide higher intensity (candela) but it will also significantly reduce out the front light output (OTF lumens).

At $9 delivered for the light, charger, and batteries and be extremely careful with that charger and those batteries. High capacity lithium batteries are a serious fire and explosion danger if not charged properly.

There's good Chinese stuff like FourSevens, Fenix, Sunwayman, and JetBeam/Nitecore. Then there's really cheap Chinese stuff like Ultrafire.
 
I have owned tons of pocket flashlights over the years. My current one is probably my favorite so far. Streamlight Protac 2L. Can probably find it for less than 70 and runs on two CR123 batteries.
 
last spring i bought two lights,a ot-200lums two AA,s and a ot-500lums six AA,s and they both are made of alum at walmart. the smaller one was 11.00 and the larger one was 20.00 on sale. i took the smaller one on my hunting trip to africa and abused it for a month with no problems at all and the larger one sits on my night stand. the lights still have the original batteries in them. eastbank.
 
Pilot said:
I like LED lights from 4Sevens, Sunwayman, and Fenix. I like the single AA lights, but like lights designed for the 18650 rechargeables the best. Just bought one of these for Christmas.

http://www.batteryjunction.com/sunwayman-c20c-u2.html
Click to expand...
Everyone "likes" AAs until they get invest in some high output rechargeables like the 18650s. You just can't talk about alkaline batteries in the same sentence as lithium rechargeables.

I use a Fenix PD32 UE and pair them with x1 18650 or x2 CR123s depending on whether I'm in country or deployed, rated for 740 lumens. The torch cost me 55, batteries and charger about 60.
 
Everyone "likes" AAs until they get invest in some high output rechargeables like the 18650s. You just can't talk about alkaline batteries in the same sentence as lithium rechargeables.
Click to expand...
That's quite a bold assertion. I actually started with lithium primaries, namely Surefire in the old incandescent days before high output LEDs. I then moved to high current, high capacity lithium rechargeables. I still grab an 18650 powered light when I want either extremely high output for a short time, or medium to low output for a very long time.

However, my key chain light, a FourSevens Quark QTL (single CR123) was converted to a single AA QTA with a body swap. The head has an input range of 0.9-4.2 volts. I can run a 14500 lithium rechargeable for max output, or I can use a 2500 MAH NiMH AA for longer run time at lower max output. With the AA body installed I can also grab an alkaline or lithium primary in even the most rural places in the US if needed. That's just one example of why AA lights can still be highly desirable.

For some folks (a commercial airline pilot acquaintance of mine for example) workplace regulations prohibit or severely restrict the use of lithium batteries, so alkaline or NiMH powered lights are a requirement.
 
i just bough a 24 pack of duracell coppertop batteries for 13.00 at wallyworld with a 10 year gaurantee, and that alot of use for your dollar. if i was around were i could alway have a source of a electical out let the charger thing would be ok. but in the limpopo area of botswana this year there were no electric out lets. and i am a little lazy,just unscrew the end and insert the two or six AA,s and instant light. eastbank.
 
ugaarguy said:
That's quite a bold assertion. I actually started with lithium primaries, namely Surefire in the old incandescent days before high output LEDs. I then moved to high current, high capacity lithium rechargeables. I still grab an 18650 powered light when I want either extremely high output for a short time, or medium to low output for a very long time.

However, my key chain light, a FourSevens Quark QTL (single CR123) was converted to a single AA QTA with a body swap. The head has an input range of 0.9-4.2 volts. I can run a 14500 lithium rechargeable for max output, or I can use a 2500 MAH NiMH AA for longer run time at lower max output. With the AA body installed I can also grab an alkaline or lithium primary in even the most rural places in the US if needed. That's just one example of why AA lights can still be highly desirable.

For some folks (a commercial airline pilot acquaintance of mine for example) workplace regulations prohibit or severely restrict the use of lithium batteries, so alkaline or NiMH powered lights are a requirement.
Click to expand...

Interesting you mentioned the issues with lithium batteries on an airplane. I then wonder how Boeing and Airbus were able to incorporate large lithium batteries safely into their newer airplane designs?

It would be nice if we could find a substitute for lithium in newer battery designs. The volatility of the element seems to diminish it's advantages in certain situations as mentioned above.
 
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