Flashlight options?

Leviathan Arms

Leviathan Arms

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Feb 29, 2012
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Hey ya'll , need some advice. Looking for a quality flashlight with the following: high output, compact, uses AA or AAA batteries, preferably with an LED bulb. Suggestions? Thanks! :D
 
Sunwayman D40A - 4AA Batteries. 980 Lumen 24,800cd

Eagletac GX25A3 - 3AA Batteries. 915 Lumen 20,100 lux.

Or for something slimmer & 2aa, highly recommend the Eagletac D25 clicky models or check out the Fenix AA options...
Lots of options...enjoy finding the right one :)
 
First off, good luck finding one that isn't LED at this point!
There are probably hundreds of lights in your category there. So to narrow it down, How big of a light are you looking for? Any other features that are important?
Take a look at the fenix E series lights. Good quality at a very reasonable price point. They don't have all the features, of the higher end lights, and are possibly not as tough. But since most lights are so insanely over-built, I don't think thats really a concern. I have the E11 (1xAA) and E21(2xAA) and really like them both. Well thought out, simple, and so far very reliable.
If there is any chance you need explosive environment safe lights, pelican make some good ones, and their recoil LED system really helps in fog and haze, something that kills lots of other LED lights.
 
Rayovac indestructable flashlight! Sold at Home Depot for about $15.00. Takes 2 AA batteries and is bright and amazingly durable. There are lots of Youtube videos showing folks trying to destroy these lights, with mixed success. I carried mine for 2 years crawling under houses and through basements, still works great.
 
I second the Fenix and Foursevens lineup. As for your requirements, you might have to be more specific.

High output: 300 lumens? Higher?

Compact: shirt pocket carry or belt carry?

You mention AA or AAA. Would you be okay with cr123?

Cost? $30/$50/$80 higher?

Preon P2 is really good penlight that is really bright (200ish lumens) and has several modes.

The Fenix PD35 is a great belt clip cr123 powered big performer (830 lumens).
 
We have bought a bunch of the Olight i3 (including the earlier ITP and the Maratac versions) both for our own use and to give away, and they have all given good service; they are our recommended "best bang for the buck" small flashlight. They may be a bit low-powered for your needs, and when we want more light in a small package, we have a couple of assorted Zebralights in the house that are considerably more powerful... but oddly enough they don't get used as much as the little Olights.

It isn't everyone's cup of tea, but I also use my Streamlight Sidewinder Compact a lot, particularly when I might require fastening it to the bill of my cap or a chest pocket so that I can use both hands on a task. It was originally bought as a small reserve flashlight to go with my SAR gear, but since I "retired" from that sort of thing (got to the age and physical condition where I was the one likely to need the rescuing), I've really grown to like it as a small all-around utility flashlight.

toc
 
I recently purchased a couple cree aa lights. About 4 bucks a piece, shipped. 300 lumens. Machined aluminum. Battery I got more than a month out of the first battery. I probably averaged 5 minutes of use a day.
 
I'm a fan of Rayovac and Coast, across much of their respective product lines. I prefer low- and high-brightness modes, and long battery life using common battery sizes, which both brands offer. I know some people feel as strongly about lights as they do knives, and I can respect that, but I'm not one of them. I don't think I've ever spent more than $40 on a single flashlight, and have yet to be disappointed by anything from a reputable manufacturer.
 
Oh!
Please say what you want to use the flashlight for?

Flashlight, headlight, or keychain?
Backpacking, camping, SAR, or emergency road work
 
Tons of good stuff out there. Hard to go wrong with the Fenix and FourSevens suggestions. The Streamlight MicroStream has a pretty strong following on here. I'm particularly fond of Thrunite's Ti. Though my favorite AAA to date has been the Dark Sucks/Prometheus Lights Beta QR.
 
Sunwayman M11R torch is my recocmmendation; uses the CR123A lithium battery, or with the optional extender, can use a AA battery....

 
Surefire e2l aa. Look at the older 80 lumens model which can be picked up for a good price with the introduction of the 120 lumens model. Runtime on the 80 is a bit less as well.
 
Thanks for all the ideas ya'll! Probably getting either the Foursevens QTA-AA or the Surefire E2L AA .
 
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