Don't want to repeat what Walter and everyone said, cause I agree with it, but I do want to reemphasize the Pelican brand.
In my opinion they are great lights, tough, light, waterproof, and with brighter bulbs and better beam patterns than any Maglite.
I own Sure-Fire for they're particular tactical specialty., I have a five D-cell Maglite for the "Carley Club" (thanks Walter!). I have various colored Photons on my key chain and hanging from cup hooks as emergency lights for power failures. But one of my favorite flashlights is the Pelican StealthLite. It has a beautiful solid beam, is small and light, and I can even use it with the "Rodgers" tactical pistol grip.
And one my favorite features is that it takes (4) AA batteries. That means I can use LITHIUM AA Energizer batteries, and it will have a 10 year shelf life, and work in the freezing cold!! Where possible I try to find AA flashlight solutions so I can use those wonderful (expensive) Lithium AA batteries.
And I highly recommend the newer AA Pelican Super Mity Light (I think that's they're goofy name) over the AA Maglite. I have to admit that I owned at least a dozen AA Maglites at one point, on my bikes, in my tackle box, etc. But they corrode fairly easily, and often I wouldn't be able get the end caps off to change batteries, or the o-rings would get all torn up by adjusting the beam or opening the flashlights. And any "not brand new" Maglite I tested for waterproof-ness failed.
Now I use these AA Pelicans, and they seem much better. Lighter, brighter, better beams, much more durable and corrosion resistant, and waterproof.
And one more idea/opinion!

Where I live it seems like we lose power every few days,
so I had to find "power failure" solutions for lack of light. Two ideas are working out great:
1) Buy AA Pelicans (okay, or AA Maglites!) and buy the "brackets" (like from Nite-Ez) for holding this size light. They come two to a package, and I use one to hold a AA flashlight vertically as an emergency power failure light. A typical place is on the top of the door frame (arranged aesthetically so the top of the flashlight lines up with the top of the door or frame). I have the lights pointing down, but some times after the power fails, and I walk around turning these on, I switch them to point up. But keeping them pointed down keeps the dust off the lens. This works great. The lights are easy to test, easy to use, and they can be remove and replaced in the brackets easily if you need to look into a corner, etc. And you would think that would "stand out like a sore thumb", but something about being above eye level (and being lined up aesthetically) keeps visitors from noticing them. Heck, I have to egoistically point them out from time to time. Of course if anyone is visiting during a power failure, I get rave reviews!!
2) Do similar things with the new Photon Micro-Light II. In places where the AA solution might be too ugly/functional looking, I find a way to place a Photon to provide light. I hang a white one above the bathroom sinks, using the key-ring, on the heating vent adjustment lever in the ceiling. I'm tall enough that I reach up and click on the switch, and now there is a nice soft light in the bathroom (for like 14 hours!!)
Just my thoughts...
Thomas
P.S. Can you buy a Sure-Fire "Tactical" (shock protected) lamp module and fit it to one of the "regular" lithium flashlights? I asked this several times and no one seems to know/respond?
[This message has been edited by ThomasH (edited 22 December 1998).]