View Full Version : Recommendations Wanted For Flashlights.
I want to upgrade my daily preparedness level. This would be for both me and the wife. This is what I think I want:
1. A very small but very bright light for our keychains just to help find/see things in or around our vehicles.
2. Small flashlights. Something I can drop in a pocket and her in a purse. Again, just general purpose use, I'm not thinking tactical.
3. Big, bad ass flashlight for in the house in the event of power failure or to use outside. Something insanely bright.
Let me hear it. I've been snooping around various sights and price is not a concern, even though the big ones get expensive. Looking to make a buy once, cry once purchase for some quality lighting. I don't know enough to have any opinion on bulb or battery type, etc.
Foursevens mini fills the role for me.
http://www.fenix-store.com/fenix-ld22-g2-led-flashlight-2015-edt/
http://www.zebralight.com/SC52w-L2-AA-Flashlight-Neutral-White_p_138.html
Recently bought the fenix for my girlfriend and she's very happy with it. I have the zebralight and use it frequently. I chose both for the smaller size, use of common batteries, the multitude of variable light output to choose from, and the above average battery run times.
May not be what you're looking for but each of these has served my purpose well.
1
http://m.streamlight.com/en-us/product/product.html?pid=141
2
http://m.streamlight.com/en-us/product/product.html?pid=144
3
http://www.streamlight.com/en-us/product/product.html?pid=248
Or
http://www.streamlight.com/en-us/product/product.html?pid=320
Sent via telegraph with the same fingers I use to sip whiskey.
Buy a few pelican 1910 lights. Brighter than the equivalent Streamlight AAA. I got mine off Amazon for about $20. One of the better purchases I have made. Very useful light.
Get a Surefie Fury as your retina melter. These eat batteries but are insanely bright
silviacrazed
12-19-15, 16:12
I keep a surefire 6P bored to use a 18650 rechargeable battery. Have a 850 lumen drop in in it. It'll melt some eyes and isn't very big.
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Thank you to those who responded. Still a little overwhelmed with the options and still searching.
Which products have the M4 seal of approval?
Looking for U.S.A. made if possible.
What type of batteries are best?
Is Surefire that good? Going by their prices, they seem to think so. I stand by my statement that I will pull the trigger on Surefire if the cost equals the product. Going by product descriptions from competitors, I'm not seeing it.
Right now I favor Pelican. What's the M4 opinion on Pelican?
Thank you to those who responded. Still a little overwhelmed with the options and still searching.
Which products have the M4 seal of approval?
Looking for U.S.A. made if possible.
What type of batteries are best?
Is Surefire that good? Going by their prices, they seem to think so. I stand by my statement that I will pull the trigger on Surefire if the cost equals the product. Going by product descriptions from competitors, I'm not seeing it.
Right now I favor Pelican. What's the M4 opinion on Pelican?
Surefire makes excellent products. Getting them used on the EE is the best way to go for us peasants. Surefire also has excellent CS. Buy once cry once.
You can also look at elzetta and malkov. Excellent lights.
ETA: I'm looking at getting a new handheld for edc and believe me, SF prices look very reasonable compared to some out there.....
http://lens-light.com/products/k-o/
I've gotten a couple of the "explosion proof" Pelican lights from offshore rigs and they are quite tough. For size, weight and output I think you could do better but it's a good product.
As far as batteries I try to stick with AA or AAA with LEDs for general use. CR123-N-Rechargeable NiCad for something really bright.
Sent via telegraph with the same fingers I use to sip whiskey.
theorangecat
12-20-15, 17:44
There are a lot of good lights out there, but not that many that I'd bet my - or someone else's - life on. That's why I pony up for a Surefire now and then even though they aren't always on the cutting edge of technology. Another really dependable and efficient line of lights are the ones from Malkoff Devices, and in addition to complete lights, they offer drop-in modules that can bring bring old but unspectacular Surefire and Maglite flashlights up to modern levels of power/battery life. Right now, I'm pretty sold on Surefire and Malkoff as the two brands least likely to crap out on me at the worst possible moment.
(I converted an old, heavy, 6-cell incandescent Maglite that was laughably dim into a very useable "light-cum-club" for use around the house with one of Malkoff's drop-ins. Still big and bulky for it's output, it's nonetheless the only flashlight I own that causes people do a double-take when they see it.)
I like Zebralight lights for small general purpose lights, as they are usually easy enough to figure out despite having many modes, and they generally kick out a lot of light for their size/battery capacity at the highest setting (though battery life is short when on "turbo" settings). They aren't something I expect to stand up to real hard knocks or extreme conditions, but neither are a lot of other Pacific-rim lights. None of the Zebralights I've owned were long-range "throwers," but they light up a room or backyard quite well and have been good general-purpose lights in a small package.
I used to use a lot of Streamlight lights when I was doing ES/ES training, and still keep a Sidewinder Compact and Compact II in the house because even though they are not very powerful, they are handy, versatile and can clip onto/hang from/sit on something no matter what I'm wearing or working on. I consider them the best little lights the average person isn't using (or hasn't heard of). My late grandfather was a very handy jack-of-all-trades and would have had a Sidewinder Compact with him all the time had they been available back when he was around. I like the Streamlight weapon lights (like the TLR series) much better than I do their flashlights (the Sidewinders excepted).
Pelican lights are another good general-purpose option if maximum output isn't important, and I know a number of people who use nothing else in their industrial and farming jobs. Some of these people really abuse their flashlights, but the Pelicans take it pretty well. One person I know has a habit of holding a flashlight between his teeth, and he uses only Pelicans (or Streamlight Poly Tacs). I think they make good, everyday, affordable "beaters."
They have lost a lot of market share among real flashlight geeks over the years, but some of the newer Maglites are worth definitely worth taking a look at, and I've never had an actual reliability problem with any Maglite I have owned that wasn't related to my own stupidity or bad batteries. The latest Maglite 3xD-cell lights put out some respectable light.
As far as batteries go, except for cheap D-cells in some older, larger lights, I use only lithium primaries these days, and prefer AA cell lights just because the batteries are easily found locally. CR123 cells are probably my favorite all-around type of battery, but I don't expect to find them out in the boondocks (or even in Podunk). I leave AAA cells for the small, light duty flashlights like the Olight i3 my wife carries in her purse and the Maratac that I keep in my "EDC" Maxpedition pouch.
toc
Not going to make reference to every light requested but will make notes to what I have experienced. As far as the Steamlight Nanos I had one, lastly well less than a month before it failed. Wouldn't buy another. I think Streamlight will replaced them, but if I can't hold to a month in my pocket then I really have little faith in it. Have burnt out 4 of their stylus pro lights too, one I bent, no fault of Streamlight there, it was in my pocket and I fell on it, the others just failed after normal use, if they weren't cheap I would be royally pissed. When it comes to Streamlight anything other than their TLR series of lights I look at with a degree of apprehension. I am looking at one of the Surefire Titans for the keychain light myself. as far as a backpack/purse light the G2X series is hard to beat, I have one which has survived being dropped on concrete, kicked, beat on, used to punch people in the face, thrown, kicked down stairs and more, and the bezel looks it, and still works. I trust them. Might be a bit big for pocket carry though, am looking at the Vtac L2/L4s for that myself, just haven't allocated the funds as of yet.
As far as a big ass light for home in case of power outages, I have friends the big Streamlights which have yet to give issue, they have not beat on them like I have my other lights. but then lanterns have been well thought of though so they might be good.
For a small keychain light, I really like the nitecore "tube". It is rechargeable via USB, same usb as Android phones. It is the size of a car key, and 45 lumens on high. Bright enough for most close up tasks.
Adrenaline_6
12-21-15, 16:14
For a pocket light, I have an Olight S10 L2. Takes one CR123 or a rechargeable RCR123A (16340). It's tiny, fits easily in the pocket, will do 400 lumens and even has a magnet in its tailcap.
I used a Klarus XT11 for a long time. Great light. It's UI is the best. Simple and effective. That thing took more abuse than I thought it would. I finally killed it, dropping onto concrete from a 30' boom lift. It still took a whole month to die after that impact.
If you want a super bright light for the house, spare no expense, look here:
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?371949-V54-Light-List
He guarantees them for life and will upgrade them as technology changes for the price of shipping and the parts themselves. You will be hard pressed to find better or brighter lights period. That list will have something you like. If you have questions about any of them, email him or ask here and I will try and help out.
Good luck on whatever you end up choosing.
I guess I'm now a Surefire fan boy. Ordered a P3X Fury dual LED for my "retina melter" using their 15% off coupon. Waiting for the release of the Sidekick. I will get one for me and one for the wife. Skipping the in pock light for now as I think the Sidekick will fill the role.
A neighbor gave me a Streamlight ProTac 2L with holster. All it needs is batteries I just ordered from Amazon. I can put this in my pocket or use the holster on a belt. Lucky me.
Elzetta. Just got a Bravo and am very impressed. Also own Streamlight and Surefire. Got to have an Alpha now.
fenix pd22 is good for keychain or pocket carry. i've done both. although the accidental triggering in a pocket can lead to some uncomfortable heat. haven't figured a way to mitigate that yet.
for an emergency utility (not tactical) light in home (or anywhere), you might be surprised that with a headlamp laying around, you reach for that more often than any super bright super cool anything else.
I'm another SureFire fan though my experience is mostly with weapon lights and a couple G2Xs and a 6PX tactical. Never had an issue. Same goes for the various Pelican lights I've had.
I have 2 Streamlight Stinger DS HLs. One failed horribly, the button controls or computer failed and the light just stays on. I have to remove the tailcoat to shut it off. Randomly turned on on me once in the middle of the night. The 2nd has been awesome and been used to break windows, as a short baton and otherwise abused during patrol. I'm batting .500 with them.
I have owned currently 8 Streamlight lights, 3 styluses, a Nano, 2 TLR1s, and 1 TLR2, and another handheld that I forget but it rechargeable. The Styluses are DRT and the Nano is deader than hell. The TLR1 series were fine but I did sell them off after I went to X300s. The other Streamlight is still going but it is only really a knock around light.
Forgot about Pelican, I do have an old M1, it is like 40 lumens or something. Good light, keep it in my car bag, works good, never given me an issue. If they still made it or a similar model with a rear switch I'd be all over that thing.
Did just get a Surefire Titan, christmas gift from a good friend. So far, am impressed actually. Going to give it three or four months or so of daily carry and if it is still holding up I might just grab another one or two for a small drop in my pack lights. Actually find that with a keyring it is a handy light since I can hook my pinky in the ring and work it with my hand and if I let go I have a means of retention. Too early to tell long term durability, though so far I have been impressed by the little bastard.
And before someone calls me a Surefire snob I actually am considering grabbing an Olight, that another member mentioned. Also, forgot the Fenix TK10 that I grab to the old man that is still running that was a good light, if a bit heavy. Liked the advertised 10 hour run time at 60 lumens and 2 hours at 225 lumens with the twist of the head. Kind of wish they still made the bastards in some ways.
I picked up an Elzetta Charlie a few months ago.
Great flashlight.
I've had a Klarus XT11 for a year or so and really like it. A breeze to use and really lights a place up well. I like the fact that its got 3 levels of brightness along with the strobe.
1
http://m.streamlight.com/en-us/product/product.html?pid=141
2
http://m.streamlight.com/en-us/product/product.html?pid=144
3
http://www.streamlight.com/en-us/product/product.html?pid=248
Or
http://www.streamlight.com/en-us/product/product.html?pid=320
Sent via telegraph with the same fingers I use to sip whiskey.
I haven't used all of these but the #2 on your list microstream I cannot live without. It is perfect for my needs, in fact I EDC'd one for about 4 months and then stupidly lost it and immediately ordered 2 more. Don't want to be without one again.
I've had the stream light pro-tac 1AAA for a few months now, and love it. The multiple brightness options is nice. Single click to see behind something... Double click if its a bit farther away.
The included Duracell only lasted a couple months, but they claim that the lithium I replaced it with should about double its lifespan.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk
I haven't used all of these but the #2 on your list microstream I cannot live without. It is perfect for my needs, in fact I EDC'd one for about 4 months and then stupidly lost it and immediately ordered 2 more. Don't want to be without one again.
To follow up on my stupidly lost microstream, got home from work the other night and my wife confronted me. "Guess what I found" while giving me a look. Then she presents the lost microstream. Me: Where??? "Out in the driveway (gravel).
Long story short, apparently I had inadvertently pulled it out of my pocket exiting my truck when I pulled my car keys out of my pocket. We had about 1/4" sleet followed by 3" of snow that night. Things finally thawed and Wall-a, she eagle eyes it. Hard telling how many times it was run over. 30 is probably conservative. I click the tailcap and am rewarded with a smooth stream of light. Couldn't believe the battery was still good. Actually brighter than the one I'm carrying.
Just wanted to update. Now I have 3!!! Excellent.
"pulled my house keys out of my pocket" I mean't to say. ^^^
As an electrician by trade I use a streamlight microstream everyday. Its small but bright for its size and can be carried in multiple ways. As for a bigger light I find that the Fenix PD35 is all I need. That badboy can produce 960 lumens with various levels between seems to be the best in value IMO.
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