Low price EDC flashlight?

K

Killtation

Joined
Apr 3, 2013
Messages
197
I started to EDC a flashlight a few months ago and it is VERY handy. The one i carried was telescopic, 5 setting, XML-T6 bulb. Crazy bright and good quality but also pretty heavy and very large. I put my light in my back pocket beside my wallet and at some point due to the size it fell out and got lost. No huge deal, i got a great price on it, don't remember how much, just that it was a steal. I definitely got my money out of it.

I've been looking around but can't seem to find a good replacement for it. My price range is about $1-10 (Yeah, i'm cheap, i save my money for blades. ;) Maybe $15 if it's worth it. It doesn't need a million settings (1 bright setting will do) and doesn't need to be made of platinum. I'm very easy to please when it comes to a light. It just needs to be relatively small, bright, takes AA or AAA batteries, within the price range.

I'm starting to get the same feeling i have when i don't have a knife on me.. i feel... naked... it's weird. Never saw myself as a flashlight guy. Anyway, any help or suggestions are much appreciated.

-Church
 
Man I would splurge and buy a basic Surefire!! They are hands down the best lights out there IMO! You can get a basic one for like $60! Worth it!!
 
i always carry my stream light microstream with me. not the best but useful and handy when i need it, doesn't take too much pocket space. ~$20.
 
Maratac aaa or maratac aa either one. You can still get the newest rev 3 in pure copper if you hurry . If coppers not your thing ano aluminum is cheaper too. Less than $50 for the copper, <40 for the aluminum.
I just got my copper aaa and it's well worth every penny. I'll never want/need another light...
Until they make a rev4:)

At least check them out on the countycomm website it's worth a peek.
 
a fenix on your keys will be a really good start. the new E05 I've been carrying has really grown on me, but the old one was really good too. I've given away E01s as well, they are a great light. Pretty cheap, really tough, can't ask for much more than that. For EDC I almost never need more than one of those. When I'm heading off to work, or out in the bush, I'll grab a bigger light as well, for more throw, but if I had to go all night with just the 05, it would get the job done. I think if you carry a smaller light for a while you will find how useful a little light is compared to the super-beams. Not to say that there is anything wrong with those, you'll end up with a few before long.
the streamlight is a good choice as well, nothing wrong with that one.
 
I agree. The E05 is great. Put on your key chain, and it's small enough you'll forget it is there until you need it :)
 
Maratac aaa or maratac aa either one. You can still get the newest rev 3 in pure copper if you hurry . If coppers not your thing ano aluminum is cheaper too. Less than $50 for the copper, <40 for the aluminum.
I just got my copper aaa and it's well worth every penny. I'll never want/need another light...
Until they make a rev4:)

At least check them out on the countycomm website it's worth a peek.
 
I agree with many here, the Fenix E05 2014 Edition with 3 modes, 85 lumens max is the best AAA keychain light one can buy for $19.95. Here's the E05 in black and stainless...the stainless will cost $29.95, but either way, it's free shipping...

 
Lastly, for a 4 mode, 120 lumen max, AA "clicky", one can't beat the Solarforce Z2 for $17.00....

 
Killtation said:
I started to EDC a flashlight a few months ago and it is VERY handy. The one i carried was telescopic, 5 setting, XML-T6 bulb. Crazy bright and good quality but also pretty heavy and very large. I put my light in my back pocket beside my wallet and at some point due to the size it fell out and got lost. No huge deal, i got a great price on it, don't remember how much, just that it was a steal. I definitely got my money out of it.

I've been looking around but can't seem to find a good replacement for it. My price range is about $1-10 (Yeah, i'm cheap, i save my money for blades. ;) Maybe $15 if it's worth it. It doesn't need a million settings (1 bright setting will do) and doesn't need to be made of platinum. I'm very easy to please when it comes to a light. It just needs to be relatively small, bright, takes AA or AAA batteries, within the price range.

I'm starting to get the same feeling i have when i don't have a knife on me.. i feel... naked... it's weird. Never saw myself as a flashlight guy. Anyway, any help or suggestions are much appreciated.

-Church
Click to expand...


Church, look at me. One word;FENIX!

I've been carrying a little Fenix E01 for a few years now. I was never much of a flashlight guy either and just carried onto f those tiny Photon things. Finally got tired to the hard to find coin cells, and went with a Fenix E01 for all of 12 bucks. I liked the common easy to find AAA batteries, and metal construction. Over the past few years, this little Fenix has been very reliable in spite of being knocked around on my keyring, Dunked in the Rogue River in Oregon, dropped in the street off a motor scooter in Key West, and provided light in many places in my travels. When we visited Carlsbad caverns last year during the government cut back, and found that some of the lights were burned put in a few parts of the caverns, the little E01 provided more than enough light to see the paved asphalt path 700 feet underground. The better half and I both carry one, and during a train malfunction of the Washington D.C. metro, the E01's gave enough light to help the train driver guide the passengers to the emergency catwalk att he side of the Metro tunnel to walk out to the next station.

I can't coin the number of times this little light has been invaluable to me. From Metro train emergencies to just waling the dog on her last walk of the night in the woods, the E01 has lit up the path enough to see by. Battery life is astounding. I have a E05, but it's in my daypack, I don't like the shorter run time in exchange for brighter light. I don't need umpteen lumens, just light to see by, with good run time. A single AAA battery in the E01 lasts about 3 to 4 months of being used a bit every day or night. The E05 lasted me about 3 weeks to a month. Lots less run time to the point of being very noticeable.

I love the Fenix E01 enough that my kids, grandkids, two nephews, and niece are all equipped with one.

15291393618_5c8eef339f_c.jpg
 
Consider also that whatever you end up with, you can rock an Eneloop rechargeable AA or AAA battery for as much "free" light as you want. I second the Fenix and Streamlight lineups. My EDC is a Streamlight Stylus Pro 2xAAA, along with a Fenix E05 (2014 edition). These are in the $20 range. To stay around $10-$15, consider the E01 or the Photon. The latter, however, takes coin cell batteries which you can get almost free on eBay, and the Photon is not regulated so its output diminishes over time. All things considered, I would say the Fenix E01 is a good one for you considering your price range and needs. Rock on.
 
Olight s15 baton 1xAA that comes with an extension to make it 2xAA if you so choose, 0.5 lumens up to 280 lumens. The tail cap has a strong magnet for attaching to most anything for hands free light. I use nimh rechargable duracells and it goes forever... when the light starts to dim swap out fresh off the charger replacements and pop the drained batteries in the charger. Multiple modes including moonlight which is very handy..
 
powernoodle said:
Consider also that whatever you end up with, you can rock an Eneloop rechargeable AA or AAA battery for as much "free" light as you want.
Click to expand...

+1

You can save even more money by getting the white label Amazon Basics rechargeable batteries. They appear to be rebranded 2nd generation Eneloops.
 
twitchblade said:
i always carry my stream light microstream with me. not the best but useful and handy when i need it, doesn't take too much pocket space. ~$20.
Click to expand...

I also carry my microstream everyday, I'd recommend it. Light weight, one aaa, bright enough to do whatever you need to within reason
 
I just bought one of the cheap ($5) "mini cree led" flashlights off of Amazon. Mine's branded Hausbell, but there's a ton of different ones listed. They're all the same light. Claims 300 lumens which seems pretty close to accurate in usage. Built pretty solid. Fits nice into a pocket. Clicky tail switch. Adjustable focus (flood or throw). Will take anything from generic AA to a 14500. Good pocket clip.

I love it. Promptly ordered 2 more for back up. Only thing about it I'm not fond of, though it is funny, is it has a "tactical" head on it. You know that jagged edge for defense or whatever. They're meant to be pushed into the body and then twisted to cause pain... but the head of the light pivots freely so it's not going to do anything but annoy your assailant. I didn't need it for that purpose anyway, just thought it silly.
 
Wow. Far more responses than i expected. You guys are more on the ball than the General Knife Discussion forum.

I've got a lot of research to do, thanks for all the suggestions.

My issue with a few of the suggested is that they're as low as 10 Lumens. The light i carry now lights up the backyard on high and wide and gives me every detail of the tops of the 50 foot trees on high and focused. Not sure about the lumens but it's crazy bright. I would prefer something similar.
 
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