Flashlight

[Ivan the Butcher]

I was cleaning out the barn 1n 2014, getting ready to move. I found one of my Band-Aid box emergency kits. The meds in it expired in 1994! So the Mag-Lite Solitaire (single AAA) with an Energizer Alkaline in it was from 1990 or so. The flash light still worked, for about 15 seconds.

I replaced the battery and meds and stashed the kit for a future emergency!

Ivan

The light kit is about $7 including one battery.

 

[WTN1271]

I have a Fenix E05 on my work keys that handles most needs. Uses 1AAA battery, twist head switch, 8, 25, & 85 lumens. If you want a click style switch check out the Eagletac D25a. Lots of good info on edcforums.com if you have time to read for awhile.

 

[sophie]

You might like the Streamlight ProTac 1L-1AA. I have several and it's the best of both worlds, you can use either a Lithium 3 volt or an Alkaline AA. Its brighter with the 3 volt but I like the ingenious idea of using either battery. Handy light.

 

[mauser9]

Bought the LL Bean with 300 Lumens for around $25 last year. Handle glows in dark with the white handle model. Bright on high but only thing I cannot adjust the beam.

 

[ChattanoogaPhil]

I've got a bang-zoom 1,000 lumen Surefire P3X. It's cool to show off to the guys during a beer party lighting up the entire street for 100+yds, but really not useful for general purpose. The flashlight that gets used most often around the house is an old Surefire G3 outfitted with a Malkoff 100 lumen LED head. My EDC Surefire Titan Plus... 15/75 lumen is all I ever need. If I could only keep one flashlight it'd be 0.3/9/115 lumen Malkoff pictured above.

 

[Cal44]

I looked at some "tactical" lights, but settled on this one for under $10. It runs on a standard AA battery, or you can use the Lithium Ion 3.4v rechargeable of the same size (14500).

I now have 5 of them because I thought they might fail. But none have failed in a year.

I even have one with UV light which is useful to see if the cat missed the litter box.

Great little lights. Available on epay or amazon.

I also have a couple that use 10440 Li Ion cells (same size as AAA), but battery life is less and you twist the lens to turn them on and that tends to happen in my pocket. Plus the smaller ones are easy to lose.

The AA versions have a push button on the base.

 

[Fastbolt]

Personally, while I carried a AA pocket light for a while (and still have it as a 4th or 5th "backup" option for luggage), I switched over to the single battery CR123A or 16340 lights. Shorter and much greater power.

Having had to use the older technology flashlights before I retired, I greatly appreciate the better tech and increased output of the the new pocket dynamos.

I originally picked up a couple of the previous 4Sevens Mini's, being the Q-Mini 123 and then the MINI ML-X, both of which have been replaced with the newest MINI MK II.
Foursevens.com

My favorite, though, has been the Fenix E15.
Fenixlight Limited

I was initially using it with the CR123A batteries (which I bought in 12-packs through Amazon), but finally bit the bullet and bought a couple of the 16340 batteries and a charger. It upped the light output on high to 450 lumens, which is plenty for my normal needs. The advertised service life of the batteries for recharging is far beyond anything we used to see with older rechargeable batteries, and I can always have a charged spare at hand, with CR123A backups for traveling.

I had an INOVA AA light for a few years. It was too large for EDC in my pants pockets, and its 55 lumen output was on the low end. Suitable for looking for something dropped in movie theater, or finding your way to the bathroom in a motel or relative's house when traveling, but not exactly a bright light. That, and eventually a high quality alkaline failed and corroded. That's a pet peeve of mine.

Nowadays they make some more powerful AA & AAA lights, but at the end of the day, once you start to carefully consider the reviews of users, and the close cost difference between the AA/AAA lights and the CR123A & rechargeable lights, I've found myself better served by the CR123A MINI's and the Fenix E15 w/the rechargeable batteries.

Overall, while the 16340 battery gives you more lumens (450lumens & 55min), the CR123A battery gives you a longer run time (270lumens & 1hr35min); but at the High/110 lumen position the battery life difference is more pronounced, being 3hr/15min for the 16340 & 5hr/5min for the CR123A.

When I want bright light, I want the option of having a strong light, or a stronger LIGHT, as I'm probably using it to check for environmental threats or dangers, or active threats, and I want to SEE.

Then, as often happens with my small pocket lights, I need to have a 2nd or 3rd backup light available, as I'm always "losing" them in a suitcase, jacket or different pants/shorts pockets (because of their small size).

Damned if you do ...

 

[ChattanoogaPhil]

Rechargeable batteries is a consideration. Not all flashlights are designed to use them.

I use enveloop pro AA and AAA rechargeable as well as Keepower 18650 (substitute for two CR123). I get the most use out of the AAA simply because it's my EDC. The AAA NiMH enelooop pros allow the the Titan+ to operate at 300 lumen if desired, whereas an alkaline would only drive it around 150. But the real advantage with rechargeable is that I can swap out with another fully recharged battery after I've been using the light even for just a little bit that day. I'll always know what my EDC is capable of instead of guessing what life might be left in a standard battery after days of limited sporadic use.

Standard batteries in high output flashlights can be problematic. Reason is that you'll only get that high output for a couple minutes then any decent flashlight will run in regulation at maybe 50% of rated high output. So what do you do after only a couple minutes of use, toss out and replace batteries that still got a ton of life, or carry a light the next day that doesn't operate for that which you purchased it?

Here's a single cell CR123 500 lumen light. Drops to about 50% in two minutes. Then ya got around 250 lumen light until battery is replaced.



Here's my three cell CR123 Surefire 1000 lumen.



The runtimes you see on flashlight packaging is typically down to 10% of rated output.

 

[ContinentalOp]

I've only used the lithium 123-powered flashlights. I've been happy with Surefire, 4Sevens, and Fenix lights. I EDC two lights, a 4Sevens Quark Tactical 123^2 clipped to my pocket and a Fenix PD20 on my keychain. I keep a Surefire E2E on my nightstand. I have a Surefire 6P that's probably 20-25 years old that's still going strong (I keep meaning to get a Malkoff LED conversion for it, but just never get around to it). The only downside to my Fenix light is that I prefer a push-click tailcap button, but it's not that big of a deal.

The 123 batteries are pretty easy to find, and are cheaper if you buy them in bulk. I usually get 12-packs at places like Batteries Plus or other online retailers. The last pack I bought was a few years ago as I only need to change batteries in my lights every year or so, at most.

Both 4Sevens and Fenix make lights that run on AA or AAA batteries if you still want to go that route.

 

[Smoke]

I guess I need to ask, when you mention EDC are you guys ACTUALLY carrying your lights on your person daily? For me these would never work for my lifestyle. If my phone is in my pocket, it has a flashlight app. The only thing I actually carry is a Photon small thumb light I call them. It is the size of 2 quarters stacked and weights less than half an ounce. And I only carry that when I go to town. The rest of the time I am working on the property and don't need anything as my spread is not so large that I cant see the garage from any corner of my property.

I work as a security guard so it's kind of a requirement. The light that I actually carry everyday is a Fenix E12. It has a 130 lumen maximum output. It cost 26(ish) bucks. It runs on rechargeable AAs and it's roughly the size of a Bic lighter.

I used to have a job checking electrical substations on third shift. This is the light I used to navigate with and it worked just fine.

If I ran into a tresspasser I got out the Fenix UC35 (A thousand(ish) lumens and UBC rechargeable.) but 90% of the time I just used the E12.

ETA I wanted to add that while the UC 35 is out of the stated price range (90 bucks) I know I've saved more than that on batteries in the 2 years I've had it.

 

[BAM-BAM]

I think Smoke and I are on the same page................... a little 35 lumen Sreamlight met 95% of my daily needs for 2-3 years.... currently carrying a Fenix LD02 8/25/100 lumens for the past year..............

backed up by a bigger light(200-500 lumes) in the house/car or truck if needed...... which is rare.

These little lights are like a handgun..... always in my pocket...... and I can use it to get to my bigger light if needed!


PS those little battery carriers/holster Chat Phil has in his pictures are great ........... every vehicle has one with AAA and AA batteries

 

[forrestinmathews]

I have an 1100 lumen streamlight and it was cool for like ten minutes...before it got permanently mounted to the AR on a Low/High setting. Too big for pocket carry, but it's a good deal where it is. It illuminates to the effective range of the rifle at the edge of my property at 150 yards. I carry a Protac 1, 2L and an HL. 120 and 600 lumens. The 2L is old and not programmable. It has served me well and until it dies, I remain loyal. It's pretty smooth and worn silver all over. I love it.

 

[ChattanoogaPhil]

I have a Surefire 6P that's probably 20-25 years old that's still going strong (I keep meaning to get a Malkoff LED conversion for it, but just never get around to it).

Malkoff drop-ins are an excellent option for older incandescent Surefire and Maglite. One of my favorite lights and most used today is a Surefire G3 I bought for $29 then later got a Malkoff M61LL for it. Solid brass heat sink construction, fully potted to handle about any type of rough handling or firearm recoil. According to Gene, with three CR123 it will operate in regulation for 12+ hours at 100 lumens then many hours of taper down. The ultimate kitchen drawer light.

 

[forrestinmathews]

Taper down...Phil that's a hilarious concept in the real world. Things appear further away and you have to get closer to things to read them clearly or see them even. When your 600 is as bright as your 200...LOL

 

[DWalt]

I bought a 2-AAA Ray-O-Vac LED penlight at Big Lots for, I think, about $5. It's plenty good enough for any penlight needs I will ever have. I do have a larger (non-LED) Surefire (CR123) I keep in my truck. It's been there for over 10 years, but I haven't needed it yet. I check to see if it still works when I think about it. It's on its third battery.