High output mini-lights

fishshooter said:
That's crazy! :eek::eek::eek: I guess you are a gadgetaholic!
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Hey, I'm not crazy - if I was the voices in my head would have told me!

Is it crazy to take a Maglite 3D worth around $25 and remove the switch and replace it with one that costs ~$100 and to insert $50 worth of batteries, then run a 35W bulb at 79W (regulated) for REALLY bright floody light?
Of course it's not! I'm sure everyone does stuff like that!
 
All the time! :D
And just think of the space you're saving combining your light and fire starter into one package! Do the voices in your head lie to you like mine do? :confused:
 
it's a good idea to hang one of those light weight mini lights on your rear view. if you're trying to change a flat at night , these are great. put on your head & both hands are free.
dennis
 
Check out four-sevens mini Ti series. I have one of the 123s in my bottom- line PSK. I also like Zebras. Flashlight technology has exploded, and for a person of my age, are mind blowing.
 
I have a bunch of lights and use them all the time.

The Photon Proton has one of the sweetest UIs (user interface) you'll find. Just push and hold the button for the brightness to increase. It's a steady ramp up and you just let go when the level is where you want it. I've got two on our bar for around the house lights. They are easy enough to use (pick the light level) that I have them out for my wife and 8 yr old son to use.

My favorite right now is a Zebralight SC50 warm tint. I usually have it in my pocket. I milled a couple of slots across the cooling fins and put in tritiums. That and a glow in the dark O ring around the pushbutton and I can always find it in the dark. Very sweet!

In the winter when I'm wearing a jacket, I always have an old HDS U60 with an upgraded emitter. HDS lights are perfection when it comes to absolute reliability.


BTW, this is a great topic for WSS. The run times on good LED lights mean you use them when you need them instead of trying to conserve batteries. They make the darkness a mere inconvenience, whether you've waited too long to set up camp or had the power go out. Also, the post about incandescant being better because its warm tint is better for showing contrast in the woods used to be true. You can specify a warm tint for the LED emitter on most of the better lights, so that's no longer the case.

lukus
 
Over the years I've moved in a different direction than power, power, power. Now, I'm all about run time. I like AA's, 1 or 2 and multi-stage. Most of the time I used the lowest settings, but can bump up as needed, 90-120lumens is usually sufficient. BTW, some multistage lights start high, usually tactical lights, and some start low, my preference for the woods. Tactical high to low for urban use. If a light can't run all night and I use tentatively use 8hrs as a guideline, then I don't want it. Lower levels also save your night vision. Once you use a portable sun, you become reliant on the portable sun just to see at all. Part of my bias is from my WFR training where you may have to tend to an injured victim, perform extraction, etc. through the night. I don't want to be changing batteries in the middle of that. Oh, and I like headlamps for hands free. l have many, many various lights, but for high power, long duration, if weight is not a problem, like searching, it's hard to beat a Maglight D cell LED. Very bright and will literally last for days.

Just my .02
 
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glee said:
Over the years I've moved in a different direction than power, power, power. Now, I'm all about run time.
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I always take several lights - I have high output lights that may only run for an hour or maybe two (depending on which one I bring), but I also have LED lights that can run for a long time on lower modes (like the Zebralight H501w I mentioned that can run for 2.3 hours on high, but 19 hours on medium - from just 1 AA cell). If I need to check out something in the trees I have plenty of light to do it with, but if I need to go for a pee at 3am I have a light that wont hurt my night adjusted eyes and is enough so I don't trip over anything while heading to a convenient tree.

There are so many options available today and some of them are small and light enough so that taking a couple of extras is not that hard to do.
 
Also loving the Zebralight SC50 warm tint. Excellent form factor (although I still have to lock out the switch with pocket carry). Terrific beam, excellent warmth, great color rendition, sturdy as all get out. It's my favorite AA light.
 
BigNate you need to be careful. Lights can become as adicting as knives and other "toys" many of us here enjoy.
 
I'm partial to Fenix. LD10 in my pocket at all times and a TA21 on the bedstand for security.
 
I'm getting stuff together for a one AA flashlight review for backpacker. Those 1 AA on deal extreme kick alot of butt.
 
Wow! Some of you guys take flashlights way serious!
I have not carried anything at all way more than I've carried a flashlight. I did used to tuck a Maglite Solitare in my pocket as a just in case thing but it isn't bright enough to really be useful for much. Because of this I've just not carried anything at times. But recently my thoughts have changed.
I was going to put together some little kits for my boys to put in their packs and started thinking about a small flashlight. I was thinking about an Inova or similar LED light that would be reliable yet small enough not to be an issue. Doing some digging has REALLY opened my eyes.
The technology has come so far and with my lack of interest it has blown by me. I think a small light would be good to carry now that they're bright enough to actually be useful.
I am blown away by the flashlight geeks completely! It's like it's own sub-culture.
 
It really hits you how far the technology has come when someone pulls out an old 2 D cell incandescent light and the single AA LED in your jean's pocket puts it to absolute shame. And will run 5 times longer.
 
So... I guess I have some 2 AA mag lites, & at least one 3 D Mag Lite that I may be willing to mod. What parts do I look for or is it even possible?

With today's technology a 2 AA or 3 D should be quite capable with a new head spun on I would think. Or are they only good for storage tubes?
 
fishshooter said:
It really hits you how far the technology has come when someone pulls out an old 2 D cell incandescent light and the single AA LED in your jean's pocket puts it to absolute shame. And will run 5 times longer.
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I don't think run-time is a problem with the 2D incan lights - about 10 hours is pretty good. Then again the light is huge and the output is mediocre, it is hard to fit a 2D in your jeans pocket - overall it is not a very impressive light compared to what is available today.

Of course with a few mods to that 2D . . . ~1150 Lumen for 1 hour.
 
BigNate said:
The technology has come so far and with my lack of interest it has blown by me. I think a small light would be good to carry now that they're bright enough to actually be useful.
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Lots of good 1 x AA lights are available now days - plenty of light output, decent run-time, small enough to fit into a jeans pocket, cheap to power. A spare battery is only 1 x AA - talk about small & light.

I love my Nitecore D10! For a simpler light that is still fantastic try a Nitecore EZ-AA. The Quark 1 x AA lights are also really good.
 
BigNate said:
What do you guys pack on your person?
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I've gotten out of the flashlight hobby for the most part. The Chinese-manufactured lights, except for those from Zebralight and the now-defunct Longbow, have all been eliminated due to some type of failure or another over time and use.
The lights that do what I want them to and just keep on ticking are an Arc AAA-P, CMG Ultra-G, modded Longbow Micra, 3 Zebralight headlamps(H60w, 2x special order H30w), and 4 modded Surefires(E2L, E2DL, C2, M3T).
Lost a Zebralight SC30w within a few days of the first batch coming out, but may try a SC60w should it become a reality. It could feasibly replace the modded E2DL for work, and share batteries with the H60w.
 
BigNate said:
Wow! Some of you guys take flashlights way serious!

I am blown away by the flashlight geeks completely! It's like it's own sub-culture.
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www.candlepowerforums.com

All you need to do to the 3D Maglight is to drop in the 3watt Maglite LED bulb. You will be surprised. Nite Ize makes multiple conversions for 2AA Maglites with switches and LED's up to 1watt.

My current EDC for the last year is a Fenix L1D. Perfect? Not exactly, but provides "walking" and goes up to 120 lumens on 1AA. It seems to serve well so far and I'm seeing how long it will last. I prefer press on activation instead of release activation for umm... social reasons, but it's how the multi-level switching works. The LD10 came out after I bought the L1D and I'd like to try one. I've carried Surefires, Streamlights, Blackhawk Gladius, Princeton headlamps, etc. They're in various BOBs, packs, bags.
 
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