School me on flashlights!!

Monofletch

Monofletch

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Jan 14, 2010
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I have never thought about my flashlight situation. I have a couple with 3 AAA and a pFlexpro I got in a trade. With 6 18650 batteries that I don’t have a charger for. But - It’s only 270 lumens.
Recommend a good, solid “budget” light for general use. I don’t need a ton of options. On and off and maybe a 50% if it’s blinding bright!
Thanks in advance.
 
My favorites are Fenix. They seem to be made well, they have good light output, and they aren't overly expensive. I think they are midrange between the expensive esoteric brands and the bargain models. Olight seems to be a somewhat similar brand. Maglight even has some good models depending on what you need. I have a large light in my garage made by Home Depot. It is not a high quality but meets a need and was inexpensive. I'm sure I could find no-brand lights on amazon or ebay that would be similar to the Fenix that I carry, but I have faith in the quality and dependability of the Fenix.

Depending on your need, 270 lumens isn't bad. My EDC is 500 lumens but I almost never run it on its highest level. There are a lot of lights available now with crazy high output and while possibly useful for some outdoor use, for most of what I do they would be way overkill.
 
What he said^^^
I try to stick to AA versions, but I’m a sucker for cr123s at a good price. AAs are easy to find in a pinch.
Or, get Eneloop rechargeable batteries and be done with it.
 
View attachment 1319186 I like the Titanium AAA Lumintop. It's a 3 stage clicky that tops out at about 140 lumens. I load it with an Eneloop rechargeable battery. As the battery starts to go, the light loses its brightest output. Then it loses its medium output. This gives you plenty of warning to change the battery.
I put an extra clip on it for baseball cap mounting. The light will tail stand if you need a night light. It burns for 30 hrs. at the lowest output. The highest setting is good for everything except hunting raccoons in the Redwood grove.
The light is so small that I carry a spare light in place of a spare battery. The spare light doesn't need clips; just move the battery over. There is also a hole in the butt cap for a split ring if you need to keychain it.
There is no finish to wear off.
 
you can't go vary bad with surefire, and if you have a little extra cash on hand the malkoff devices are exalent choice and both are made in the USA.
 
The reissued Jetbeam RRT01. Nothing like a rotary. Comes with a rechargeable battery that doesn't require a charger.
 
I prefer the ability to swap batteries, instead of recharging the actual light. But I do use eneloop rechargeable batteries for all of my aa and aaa devices. One of the lights I’ve been looking at is a Streamlight 1L-1AA. It can use both AA or CR123 batteries and only takes one so it’s extremely versatile. The tail switch is programmable for a few options. If I remember correctly it has 350 lumens with the CR123 and 150-180 with a AA battery. More than enough for what I need it for. And pricing won’t break the bank either, mid $40 range.
 
Fenix and 4Sevens are solid choices. I use single AA cell models a lot and generally have one in a blue jean watch pocket.

A AAA UV (ultraviolet) is handy for checking currency and cleanliness among other uses. In Tucson I used one to spot Scorpions!

Arisaka, SureFire, Malakoff, among others can be good options if Sticker SHOCK isn't a concern.

Regarding your 18650's, a charger is pnly ~$20 FWIW.
 
315 said:
I prefer the ability to swap batteries, instead of recharging the actual light. But I do use eneloop rechargeable batteries for all of my aa and aaa devices. One of the lights I’ve been looking at is a Streamlight 1L-1AA. It can use both AA or CR123 batteries and only takes one so it’s extremely versatile. The tail switch is programmable for a few options. If I remember correctly it has 350 lumens with the CR123 and 150-180 with a AA battery. More than enough for what I need it for. And pricing won’t break the bank either, mid $40 range.
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Streamlight are a good option for many. In general, I find 4Sevens and Fenix to offer better beam quality and features for similar money.

Maglite C-cell LED models are another good 'everyday use' option.
 
GB940Rookie said:
I try to stick to AA versions, but I’m a sucker for cr123s at a good price
Click to expand...

CR123 batteries were the standard for high performance lights but now the AA options are better and a lot of lights you might consider for EDC can be had in rechargeable versions. If you use a light enough, you solve the battery problem by buying the CR123 on the internet in bulk. The last time I bought some I think I bought 20 and that was probably 8+ years ago. Just don't go to your local drug store and try to buy one, it will be hideously expensive. I agree with the convenience of AA and would like to have a single-AA for EDC. There are advantages to the CR123 including long storage life and they don't tend to leak and destroy your gadgets.
 
Sid Post said:
Streamlight are a good option for many. In general, I find 4Sevens and Fenix to offer better beam quality and features for similar money.

Maglite C-cell LED models are another good 'everyday use' option.
Click to expand...
Is 4Sevens still a thing? I read somewhere that they were defunct. I have a few of their lights. The mini 123 is a favorite.
 
bdmicarta said:
CR123 batteries were the standard for high performance lights but now the AA options are better and a lot of lights you might consider for EDC can be had in rechargeable versions. If you use a light enough, you solve the battery problem by buying the CR123 on the internet in bulk. The last time I bought some I think I bought 20 and that was probably 8+ years ago. Just don't go to your local drug store and try to buy one, it will be hideously expensive. I agree with the convenience of AA and would like to have a single-AA for EDC. There are advantages to the CR123 including long storage life and they don't tend to leak and destroy your gadgets.
Click to expand...
I concur. Definitely buy 123s in bulk.
EAGTAC makes a great little AA called the D25A. I prefer the Ti version, but it’s twice the price of the aluminum one. The current models are pretty nice looking.
 
Thank you guys for all the info. I will look for a charger and maybe a new light. I put a fully charged battery in my Pflexpro and 270 is way brighter than I thought. Plus the paperwork says 8 hour run time!!
 
The one thing I have found with the super bright lights is the splash back you get when using them indoors if you’re close to something like a wall. It’s almost blinding as the light reflects back. I don’t care for strobe modes, but I do like a high/low option. I do agree on the longevity of the lithium 123’s and not leaking. So far I’ve had great luck with none of the NiMH eneloop leaking and I’ve heard they should not. I guess time will tell.
 
315 said:
The one thing I have found with the super bright lights is the splash back you get when using them indoors if you’re close to something like a wall. It’s almost blinding as the light reflects back. I don’t care for strobe modes, but I do like a high/low option. I do agree on the longevity of the lithium 123’s and not leaking. So far I’ve had great luck with none of the NiMH eneloop leaking and I’ve heard they should not. I guess time will tell.
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Totally right about the splash back. Takes fewer lumens than one thinks. Good advice brother.
 
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GB940Rookie said:
Totally right about the splash back. Takes fewer lumens than one thinks. Good advice brother.
Click to expand...

Fortunately most good lights have enough settings that you can turn it down when close up indoors. Looking under the bed or looking in a closet you don't need much light.
 
On a budget, you want a solid light that can put out decent light? Get a Streamlight Microstream USB for about $32. It recharges with your cell cord, has 250/50 lumen output. Compact. Good lil light.
 
Well, after reading up on this subject I bought a Klarus fx10 set. It seemed to have all the features I wanted.
 
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I recommend this Streamlight also. Two battery options , fits flat in the bottom of pocket.
 
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I have a Fenix that has survived night shift for a year.

I am big in AA batteries because they are easy swap and most companies provide batteries. Also big on $30-50 price range as people take flashlights subconsciously. I don’t use rechargeable flashlights because rechargeable batteries are a joke in the cold. I also only carry flashlights at work. My flashlight is for my safety, I use the strobe feature to let equipment know if I am in the area. I work around large scale mining equipment and a flashlight is the best safety item I have.
 
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