Why do a lot of you still carry a flashlight?

Smart phones don't have a strike bezel, ha, ha. And doesn't the light go out after just a few seconds? Who wants to stop what they are doing to turn the light back on?
 
Shoot, I don't even take one backpacking or camping. :confused: It's not that I purposefully leave it behind, it's just something that I often forget. And it's rarely missed.

You just have to remember that everything's in the same place at night as it was during the day. :p

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At work, where it's really dark, lights are provided. You're not even allowed to bring your own, or anything else with batteries. Even key fobs are considered "contraband."

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Went for a day in the woods on Labour Day...we were supposed to leave while it was light out still.
Things went to well after dark instead.
It was really handy being able to see when on the way out. :thumbup:

When one goes away from the land of paved roads and streetlamps, having a means of producing one's own light is a huge bonus. :)
 
I don't generally EDC a phone.
And when i do, my routine dictates that i carry what i always carry.
furthermore i agree with all the previous posts, cell lights suck, and can't be hands free. i often have to clip my light to my hat to get done what i need to get done.
 
My current phone doesn't have a flashlight. It also usually takes forever to turn them on.
 
Mikali said:
Ok, as I'm reading here on the forum I noted a lot of your guys EDC equipment includes a flashlight.
Now my very dumb question is; what are the arguments of still carrying a quality flashlight, as most smartphones have a flashlight build in? :)
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I don't carry a smart phone. My phone doesn't even have a camera.
 
Ok those make up for very good arguments I must admit :) :)
Now the second discussion is why so many of you prefer to have batteries? Guess this is because you can have spare ones with you in a backpak, but for EDC you could still use a re-chargable flash no?
 
I prefer having commonly available batteries, a charger doesn't help much when the power is out
 
A cell phone is better than nothing, but not as good as a flashlight. Even my little button light on my keychain is better I think. Also, once the keys go into my pocket for the day, I always have them because unless I'm driving there isn't any reason to take them out of my pocket. Sometimes I leave my phone laying around after talking on it and Mr. Murphy would raise his ugly head if I needed my cell phone for a flashlight when it was sitting on my desk.
 
I use all rechargebles in AA and AAA, so I have spares on hand so if I'm carrying something that uses one of those I usually carry enough extra batteries just in case. My one rechargeble flashlight also doubles as a batteries extender for my cellphone.
 
Have you ever tried changing a flat tyre at night on a dark road with a cellphone?

Cellphone lights are pathetic!
 
I carry a Titanium Innovations IlluminaTi single AAA light. It fits in a shirt pocket like a pen. I use rechargeable Sanyo Eneloop batteries, which retain their shelf life for 3 years. If I need a spare battery, I just carry a spare light. They're not much bigger than a loose battery. The extra light acts as a battery case.
The advantage over a cell phone light? You can sort socks with them. They are waterproof. They will tail stand. They have 3 output levels. They fit in your mouth. With the clip reversed, they attach to the bill of a ball cap. They have split ring for keychain attachment. No worries about ruining the finish, they are solid Titanium.
I can't pitch a tent or change a tire in the dark with a cell phone light.
 
I have enough to charge at night. I literally don't think i have enough outlets to be charging a light also, and don't wanna worry about it.
 
Not everyone has a phone with a flashlight option.

One of the best reasons to be carrying a dedicated flashlight is how easy it is to swap out batteries in the field. If I need new AAA batteries I tend to have them on hand. Let's see you swap our your phone battery in the dark by sense of touch alone.
 
When I had a smart phone, it seemed I spent more time charging it than actually using it.

My current phone, a basic flip top, can go 3 days without charging.

Still, it is no substitute for a real flashlight. My one cell AAA Fenix E01 cost about nine bucks, and I've used the same battery for about 2 months, maybe a bit more.

As I age, my once-superb night vision has rapidly declined, so a flashlight is helpful, even during the day, for those dark rooms and such.

Bonus rant re cell phones: for telling time, nothing beats a real watch! :)
 
Consider the Fenix E05 (2014 Edition). Its barely bigger than the rechargeable AAA it feeds on, and cranks 85 lumens for an hour (regulated output), or 8 lumens for 14 hours. It weights almost nothing, and disappears in your pocket. I use it more than I do any other EDC item, for looking under the bed, in a closet, under the hood of the car, outside at night, and on and on. So for me, the question is not why to carry a light, but why would anyone not carry a light when the current flavors are so small, bright, long-running and inexpensive.

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Because my smartphone can't light up a park at night? Not that I often need that much power, but it's cool during a blackout at work.
 
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