Camping flaslight for my GF

Michael_Aos

Michael_Aos

Joined
Jan 25, 2001
Messages
1,639
I'm looking for a good camping flashlight for my GF. I picked up a Surefire A2 for myself, and I think it's about perfect, but she refuses to carry anything that expensive out into the woods. She wants something in the $20-$30 range, extremely long burn time, and not especially bright. Just for getting back and forth the tent at night, walking to the "potty chair", etc.

I thought I'd found the perfect light in the Princeton Tech "Attitude", but she doesn't like the screw-on / off type. She wants something with a "clickie" switch.

I'm eying the LightWave 2100 right now, unfortunately I just realized it's 7.5" long. Darn it. I need the flashlight less than 6" overall, and preferablly in the 4"-5" overall length range.

Any ideas?

lwv2100.jpg


Mike
 
I suggest taking a look at the Streamlight TwinTask 2L. I like the PT Attitude, and have carried it in the woods enough to know that it works as advertised. I recently bought a TT 2L. Pretty good bang for the buck IMO, especially if you are looking for features similar to the SureFire A2. The TT 2L won't replace my SureFire lights, but I like the option of incan/LED in a well-made light that won't break the bank.
Jim
 
I have a Twintask 1L I was going to give her and yeah, I think it's a GREAT alternative to the A2 for the price.

Unfortunately, she isn't the sort to really pay attention to whether she's using the Xenon on LED bulbs. The "click through" switch on the TT forces you to have go through Xenon bulb to get to the LED's every time.

I'm pretty sure she'd run it on Xenon at least 1/2 the time and use the batteries up in short order.

The Attitude / Impact would be absolutely PERFECT if it just had a little pushbutton switch on the flat part of the body, near the head. I also had her try an Innova X5, but again she doesn't like the twist on/off style.

Mike
 
I'll be the first to agree that headlamps are EXTREMELY functional when camping. I even bring one with.

But they look just a little too "dorky", even for the woods.

I really don't think I could convince her to use one of those.

Mike
 
I'd go for a 2AA Mini-mag with an Opalec NewBeam LED conversion package and a Kroll clickie tailswitch. Runs over 10 hours on cheap AA batteries. Red LED tells you when its battery time. - Lee
 
The mini-mag isn't a bad idea. Actually, that's about the perfect size. She doesn't like the tailcap switch as much as one on the body of the light, but it might be OK.

I was also thinking maybe I could try that TwinTask 2L and just remove the xenon bulb. It would mean she'd be "clicking" it all the time though.

Click - Xenon removed - nothing
Click - off - nothing
Click - LED's
Click - off - nothing
Click - Xenon removed - nothing
Click - off - nothing
Click - LED's

:(
 
Your GF seems to be a little too picky!...Just buy her a box of matches, and a couple of candles!.:D.;).:D.

...Or buy her a (2) C-cell Mag-Lite and tell her to either learn to deal with the twist-on feature of the Mag-Lite or use the candles!

...Or maybe even get her a Photon II...She'd just have to squeeze the damn thing to turn it on...(Which I HOPE that's what she does with you for all the trouble she's putting you through!.:D.).
 
Dude, I don't think there's anything that fits all of those things. $20-$30, push button clickie switch on body, 4-5 inches in length, long burn time, not a "click-through", etc.

I agree w/Glockman "too" picky, but I guess that describes most of us when it comes to knives. If she is only going to use it Just for getting back and forth the tent at night, walking to the "potty chair", etc. then I see no reason for a size limitation and burn time shouldn't be a problem. I was going to recommend a Streamlight 4AA 7LED but the clickie is on the tail and it doesn't fit your size requirement (can't measure right now as mine is on the mainland with my family). I would say just stick with the Twin-Task and not worry about whether she's got it on LEDs or xenon--it should last for quite a while either way if she's just using it to get to the "potty chair." You could just put an Arc AAA, Photon II, etc. on the TT lanyard for backup in case the batts die (she should have a backup anyway). Or how about a PAL Light? She'd still have to click through modes (i.e. low, high, strobe), but the burn time is long, it has the constant on so you can always find it, it's the right size, button is on the body and the price is right. Even comes in multiple colors. Just buy her an Arc LSH-P and don't tell her how much it costs :D :p .

ps...you'd get way more responses and probably way better suggestions on CPF--especially with the amount of flashlight questions you've had lately.
 
I'm registered over at CPF, but I haven't had much luck there with questions. I guess I'm just not as familiar with that group.

$20-$30 is kind of what I had in mind, but I'm not really "stuck" on that -- if I thought the Surefire L4 was what she wanted, I'd go that route.

I think the ARC LSH-P is just TOO small / too easy to lose.

I just wish I could get the push-button from a Mag C / D on something like an Impact / Attitude.

Or maybe a "clickie" tailcap for an Innova X5.

Ever heard of these "UZI" flashlights?

zf0004slfb.jpg
 
Wal-Mart has a line of flashlights right now that mimick the style of the Maglight, but adding a "grip" feature and click-button.

I know they have the 4-D size, for $3 less than the mag-lite. They Do have some smaller tho i don't pay too much attention to small lights. The assortment there is huge tho. Take a trip to Wally world and you'll undoubtedly suit her needs.

This is a simple task, camping/hiking, not firefighting or law enforcement :)

Good luck.

BTW, you can get brighter bulbs if needed at radioshack, convieniently. They do have Zenons there.

This solution oughta fit well into your price range.
 
I saw Brinkman has a 2D cell LED that's selectable -- 2 LED's or 4 LED's. That's AWESOME.

I might grab one of those "just because".

I dug up an old Brinkman LED -- 2AA, I think it's a Rebel. She REALLY likes the little belt-clip thing that came with it, but still not a big fan of the tailcap "clickie".

809-1055-0sm.jpg


Mike
 
Flashaholics over at CPF look at cheap lights as a modding base.

I guess the equivilent would be asking members here which $15 knife should I get my GF for camping.

Check Sears. They have a 2AA incandescent light with a click switch. You can get a Dorcy 4AA with LED. Very long runtime, cheap and has a click switch.
 
Originally posted by Michael_Aos
I'm registered over at CPF, but I haven't had much luck there with questions. I guess I'm just not as familiar with that group.
Click to expand...

That's too bad, I thought there'd be a lot of responses.

I think the ARC LSH-P is just TOO small / too easy to lose.
Click to expand...
You can pick up the 2AA battery pack for the ARC and it'll make it about the size of a minimag and it has the clickie at the end.
arc_aa_conversion1.jpg


I just wish I could get the push-button from a Mag C / D on something like an Impact / Attitude.

Or maybe a "clickie" tailcap for an Innova X5.
Click to expand...
I would love to see clickie type switches for the Attitude and/or the Inova, but I think that the clickies would increase the price a bit and one of the best things about the attitude is its price.

Ever heard of these "UZI" flashlights?
Click to expand...
Seen them, but never handled them and haven't heard to much about them.
 
Ok, a twist model requires two hands in most cases so, it's not that unreasonable to say no. After all, how many times have you needed a light when you had your hands full?

Saying no to a tail cap clickie is a little more borderline. I like my SureFire's just fine the way they are.

Moving to a body mounted clickie is an option if you want to lug around something heavy. I like my Carley lamped Mag-Lite 4 D cell Hi-cap Ni-cad fueled torch but, I don't like the weight. Then you have the Streamlight rechargables to consider. Now, if they were just a little lighter in weight..... You always have the speciality stuff though as a back up plan if she .really needs a light. I would tend to give her a SureFire E2E or G2 and let her decide if she really needs a light.

She is free to go down to Wally-World and pick her own though, isn't she ;)
 
The problem with the UK 4AA is that it's >6" long, and it's not an LED.

Otherwise yeah, that's right in there.

Mike
 
Originally posted by Sid Post
I would tend to give her a SureFire E2E or G2 and let her decide if she really needs a light.

She is free to go down to Wally-World and pick her own though, isn't she ;)
Click to expand...

:-)

Honestly, I'd spring for an L1 or L4, if I thought that would be right. I've got a spare G2 / E2 or even Brinkman Legend I could give her. But they don't have the runtime she's after, and they're really WAY more light than necessary. My A2 on low (3 lumens) is plenty for most camping needs.

Mike
 
I might have found something. The Dorcy "Cool Blue" LED 4AA Aluminum flashlight.

I don't know the length of it though -- but it looks to be about right otherwise. I assume the "Cool Blue" refers to the anodizing, and not the LED color...

41-2750.jpg


$24.95 is perfect.

Mike
 
This is another that might fit her specs.

New_PALlight1_sm.jpg


$19.95.

EDIT -- I wasn't thinking when I said this one -- the click-through modes wouldn't work for her at all. The Dorcy sounds about right. I just need to find out the overall length and diameter.

Mike
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top