Flashlight recommendation?

Kirk_Ferentz said:
But what do you all think of the more ~ $40-ish fenix and 4stevens? Obviously they don't have all of the features and specs of the more expensive options, but in terms of basic stuff like durability, reliability, basic use-ability, etc., is there a big difference?
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You've not told us your intentions for the light, so only you know the features that may be of interest. To answer your question, though, Fenix and 4sevens lights are good solid highly respected lights whether you're spending $20 or $100.

I don't think anyone has mentioned it yet, but these are LED lights. They do not use bulbs. LEDs (for the most part) cannot be replaced, because they never need replacing. They are virtually unbreakable, and they don't burn out.
 
I got no idea how bright you want or need your light. What i found works great for me on hikes camping trips and backpacking is a 2AA maglight that i installed LED kit in there. It has more then enough light for hikes or cook while backpacking. or just read a book for a few hours before falling asleep. Batteries seemed to last forever, Im on the same set still and i had the same batteries for over 4 years in the light. People i let use the light on some of the night hikes loved it. Everyone says how bright the light is.
You can pick those lights at a yard sale for close to nothing and for $8 you got the LED conversion. They are also real tough and easy to make water proof.

Sasha
 
I've converted most of my battery operated gear to AAA, and my flashlights (five of them as of today) to 4Sevens Preon 2s. Long lasting and powerful, and the low light setting is really low...perfect for reading in the dark without glare.
 
Kirk_Ferentz said:
You all have got me starting to get interested in these lights ... now I'm looking at surefires for way more than I wanted to spend!

I think that I really want a 2 AA light. I may some day get into CR123s and rechargeables at some point, but I think that it is best to start with a 2 AA light.
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that in no way is an issue, I didn't just buy that SF, it was a very thought out buy, only reason I did is because my wife lost my fenix.:D

I will get another for the next flashlight purchase, they are cheaper, brighter and just as well thought out. I've driven over my fenix just to see if I could, and I could... :D
 
Hey Kirk, just FYI, the Lighthound AA I was referring to is actually the Balder SE-1 that just happens to be branded with the online site's name. If you buy directly from Balder or from a certain big-time online auction site, it won't have any writing at all on the body. The Balder SE-1/Lighthound AA is a new flashlight that just came out fall 2011. If you are looking for more information on the Balder, google "site:candlepowerforums.com balder se-1" and you will find a couple reviews on it.

I've never owned a Fenix or a 4sevens, but I just found out that 4sevens recently bought out the Fenix company. I just thought that was a fun fact. I think all the flashlights that have been mentioned already are made in China, except Surefire in the USA. I hope you find what works for you!
 
Can't go wrong with the LD20. Got one for my father-in-law, and he's very happy with it. However, with fresh Lithiums, you lose low and medium until the batteries run down a bit.

For a little simpler UI, 2 modes, compatibility with Lithiums as well as Eneloops, and a bit less money - the JETBeam BA20 and LuminTop P2A are pretty fantastic. I'm partial to the P2A for its available neutral white tint, but did just give a BA20 to a friend for Christmas. Either one should last a lifetime, and will blow those modded Mag's away (not that there's anything wrong with them, I have a couple myself.)
 
Kirk_Ferentz said:
I think that I really want a 2 AA light.

The fenix and the 4stevens options look great, although maybe a little bit more than I was hoping to spend. Hey, if it is really worth it, I will shell out the extra cash. But what do you all think of the more ~ $40-ish fenix and 4stevens?
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I used to be a die hard Surefire fan and they still make great lights.

But Fenix and 4Sevens models that I own have been as durable/reliable for a fraction of the price. Both are off shore/China manufactured and you should know that prior to deciding.

I own several from both companies. At last count, I own 6 4sevens models and four Fenix models. I am a cop and use both a Fenix and a 4Sevens on duty. And like most cops, I tend to not baby my equipment. I have put both (PD30 and Quark 123x2 respectively) through the stuff on duty. Drops to concrete, rain, cold, heat, humidity......well used.

They both have given me 100 percent reliability. I had three Surefires in the past. I can't say the same for them.

So you have settled on two AA format. You need to decide what kind of switch you want now (clicky or twisty) and then if tint color is an issue for you. I would sway towards a neutral tint if you want to shy away from a colder blue or green color. I bought my wife a neutral tint flashlight for her RN work and she loves it.

Warm tints are very pleasant to the eye and render colors well. 4sevens has a high CRI line that simulate a warm/incandescent beam.

Do you care at all about switches and tints? You can get on youtube and look at flashlight reviews and decide what you want.

Here is a link to three pages of nothing but AA lights. Goinggear also has a discount code to save you a little scratch.

http://goinggear.com/flashlights?compatible_batteries=270

If you are stuck on 40 bucks, lots of folks rave about this brand too.

http://www.lighthound.com/EagleTac-P100A2-2xAA-flashlight-236-Lumens-max-output-2-levels_p_3525.html

I have no experence with EagleTac. Maybe someone else does and will chime in.

Amazon review for the Fenix

http://www.amazon.com/Fenix-LD20-18...dp_top_cm_cr_acr_txt?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1
 
lwt210 said:
If you are stuck on 40 bucks, lots of folks rave about this brand too.

http://www.lighthound.com/EagleTac-P100A2-2xAA-flashlight-236-Lumens-max-output-2-levels_p_3525.html

I have no experence with EagleTac. Maybe someone else does and will chime in.
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I have an Eagetac P20C2 MKII. It's 2xCR123, not AA. I haven't done anything abusive with it, but carried it in my pocket every day for about 6 months. It came with a diffuser, which is nice for close-in work, but I rarely use. The tail-stand switch I ordered with it did not work, and was returned.
This light has never failed to activate in the correct mode; it's never come on accidentally, it functions solidly, smoothly, and reliably. It actually feels and acts high-quality than my Fenix, JETBeam, and budget-version LuminTop lights. I highly recommend it, but have no experience with their AA products.
 
I recently purchased a Maratac AAA and it will be my recommendation, small, bright, well made, and budget minded. When I need better or brighter I'll grab my surefire but for general lighting or a small camp light its great.
 
lwt210 said:
I used to be a die hard Surefire fan and they still make great lights.

They both have given me 100 percent reliability. I had three Surefires in the past. I can't say the same for them.

So you have settled on two AA format. You need to decide what kind of switch you want now (clicky or twisty) and then if tint color is an issue for you. I would sway towards a neutral tint if you want to shy away from a colder blue or green color. I bought my wife a neutral tint flashlight for her RN work and she loves it.

Warm tints are very pleasant to the eye and render colors well. 4sevens has a high CRI line that simulate a warm/incandescent beam.

Do you care at all about switches and tints? You can get on youtube and look at flashlight reviews and decide what you want.

http://www.amazon.com/Fenix-LD20-18...dp_top_cm_cr_acr_txt?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1
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So the surefires weren't reliable for you? What was the problem?

I would give some weight to made in USA. I'm not sure how much it matters to me, but I would prefer clicky and I would prefer a tone that renders colors well. I don't like harsh blue tints. Not sure about the green.

To answer one of the questions above, I'm not stuck on $40. I just wonder if I need to pay $60 or more to get what I need. If the extra $20 makes a big difference, I will pay it.
 
The Surefire models that I owned were the original Laser products 8x rechargeable (uber reliable/built like a tank/never a problem) flashlight bought back in 1996, a smaller 6P model (cr123), and an 8AX Commander model (the "upgraded" 8x).

The 8AX Commander suffered from some battery issue (rechargeable sticks) that wouldn't hold a charge to save their lives. I also had a charger go down and had to send that back in to Surefire along with a battery stick replacement. To be fair to Surefire, they did replace both the charger and batteries but the newer sticks were just as lousy at holding a charge.

IIRC, that 8AX, charger, two sticks, etc ran me nearly 200.00 dollars. I sold it at a huge loss. I can remember my Streamlight Stinger holding a much better charge but the bulbs in it were quite a bit more fragile than the Surefires. All of these models were incandescent.....most purchased before LED technology got so hot.

My first LED was a Fenix PD20...single cell cr123 with multiple modes. I saw it in a knife shop here in town. The owner of the shop pulled it out and fired it up and lit up a wall with it. I was floored he could get that much light from a dinky little flashlight.

I have owned Maglites, Streamlights, Pelicans and Surefires. My Streamlight SL20 was the only one that held up like my Fenix and Quark LED models do.

If you want a warm tint, I'd go with a neutral tint at the very least and might try to search near and high for a warm tint model. To be quite honest, I think the Fenix LD20 would be just right for you even if it is a cool tinted model. All of my Fenix models have a more "white" light than the 4Sevens models.

But that moonlight mode of the 4Sevens is huge for me. It is like 3 lumens and will run on for a month at constant on. And three lumens is a little bright in a dark house when your eyes are adjusted.
 
I am carrying a Fenix LD15 for EDC and like it a lot. It's AA and 115 or 120 lumens on high. Low last a long time. I bought my boys ITP, A1's that use CR123 batteries, multi mode and put out 190 lumens for $20 from a online supplier. Just for reference those 190's are brighter than my 3D MagLight
 
In a 1XAAA flashlight, I have owned (and also gifted) a bunch of ITP EOS A3 (and the equivalent Maratac variant) lights, and every one has worked just fine, the small battery being the major limiting factor. I believe Olight is now marketing these ITP lights under their own name and has improved them somewhat by making them "tail stand-able." They make very nice lights for use in small edc kits (Altoids tins, Maxpedition organizers/notebook covers, etc).

My favorite small LED flashlight up until recently has been the 1xAA Zebralight SC51, being a combination of relatively small size, good output and a user interface that even people used to only an on/off switch seen to pick up right away. I have had a Zebralight SC80 for about a week now - not enough time to wring it out - but it is a cleverly-done 1XAA or 1xCR123 light that is a bit chunkier than the SC51 (and more comfortable in the hand than I thought it would be).
 
lwt210 said:
Yeah, that is their new X line.

Look at those numbers! 280 lumens! From a 2xAA? And a neutral white to boot.
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Yeah, I have it set up with the 1xCR123 body in my BOB. Bright and floody!
 
Once you get a really nice, high lumens light, you'll never want to go back to the cheapies. I am a big fan of SureFire -- made in US, unbreakable build, great customer service, nice features, high price and less lumens for the money versus some of the others. Streamlight is a step down, but I like 'em, too. Fenix is a Chinese brand that makes powerful lights for relatively low cost. The anodizing on mine wore off in places, though, and the overall build quality doesn't touch the SureFires. JetBeam USA is another Chinese company, despite its name and similar to Fenix. I sold mine and bought a SureFire.
 
EDC for me is a 4sevens quark 123 tactical. Over a year old and except for replacing batteries and some carry patina it has been great. I want a fenix pd-20 next, but both are CR-123 lights. Great second choice is a terralux. This one is 1 AA, has three modes and is under $20 from batteryjunction.com. Just a tad larger than I like for EDC but so far has held up well. Was my bulk Christmas gift for friends this year. I'd post a pic, but haven't figured out how yet.
 
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