Best Hunting Flashlight? Maglite?

[Outdoors Fanatic]

SureFire LX2, A2 Aviator or JetBeam M1X if you want more output and throw.

 

[woodasptim]

A Surefire G2 or a Maxfire LX and both good inexpensive options for hunting. Not to mention, much easier to fit in your pack than a 4D mag.

 

[ironhorse]

I carry a zebralight for hands free and the nitecore if I need more throw than flood.

 

[bkumanski]

Don't light filtered (read as coloured lenses) OR alternative light source flashlights work best for hunting (especially blood trails)?, not being a blood sport enthusiast I really couldn't say though I do have a light similar to the Streamlight Buckmaster Xenon/LED however my version now has Ultra blue LEDs instead of the Buckmaster's green which makes red show as dark patches


FWIW the TT2L sized flashlights from Streamlight can be used with AW 17670 rechargeable lithium cells and still give relatively good output from the underdriven Xenon lamp, using rechargeables you can save in the long run from continual CR123a purchases, 18650 sized lights are also great for the very same reason... call it guilt free Lumens (light output) if you like!

Working predominantly in dark environments I can definitely confirm blue & red lighting helps preserve your night vision and as such I'd recommend any of the small 18650/2 x CR123a sized lights which can be fitted with aftermarket colour filters should you choose to opt for a single colour LED emitter flashlight :thumbsup:

+2 on the color choises. Red and green are great for nightvision preservation. You may also look into an LED with a warm tint like the Q4. This LED is very close to an incan light but is much brighter and in a much smaller package. Eagletac makes a couple of lights with the Q3s and 1 with the Q4, and I have a Dereelight CL1H and a DBS I use a Q4 pill in. Outdoors, the warmer tinted LEDs make all of the color jump out and may appear to be brighter to you. There are others, of course who use this LED.

 

[AusKipper]

A Fenix tk20 is only a lil over your budget, and an excellent woods/field companion.

+1 on the TK20

For a non-led option, a MAG85 build would suit you well I think.. (dont ask me how much they cost to put together though...)

 

[LukeA]

The new MagLED with the Rebel LED is great for the money, but is pretty big and heavy.

Whatever you get, get a backup as well.

 

[WeaponR]

Thanks guys. I picked up a Romisen RC-N3 and I am looking for a Surefire G2 or Brinkmann Maxfire as we speak. I think the two will make for some good starter el-cheapo flashlights. I can't say it'll stop there, because I am in love with the quality and look of some of these things that you all have on here! I think the next light will be a Fenix L2D after these two purchases.

Thank you for posting that link of the lights in the backyard. I was astonished to see how the maglite performed. It's CERTAINLY not what I want in a flashlight!

 

[oronocova]

Last year I carried a ZebraLight AA headlamp and either a 1xAA or Fenix T1 for more throw and "backup". This year I'm going lighter. I'll carry the headlamp as primary and probably just my Maratac 3mode 1xAAA. The Maratac can double as a headlamp if you reverse the clip and are wearing a ball cap and shares batteries with my FRS radio if I am carrying it. I would --highly-- recommend either the Maratac or ITP 1xAAA light. You'll forget you are carrying it and it will probably put out more/same light than/as a 4D mag. They are only 20 bucks on goinggear or shiningbeam or countycomm. The little light aside, IMO a headlamp is the only way to go. You don't have to hold the light, leaving a hand free to steady you even if you are carrying your gun. Not to mention the light source is close to your eyes so you can see reflected eyes of some game easier. Just my 2 cents

 

[spectrak]

the rc-n3 is great i carry one every day with the 123 cell but i will take it hunting with me in 2 aa format this year and if you want a mag the 2d with rebel is actually hard to beat i got mine from wally world with price match for 19.99 and i wish i had bought more.

 

[magnum70383]

TK40!!!

 

[fishx65]

Weapon, the G2 and Maxfire can't run 18650's if you ever decide to try them. I just got my first 18650's and wish I would have switched to them a long time ago. $35.00 would get you a nice inexpensive setup from DX:

WF501B (with R2 Cree dropin) $15.00
2 Trustfire 18650's $10.00
18650 charger $8.00

The 501B is not as nice as my Surefire 6P or Solarforce L2 but it's not bad at all. It's the most compact P60 host I have.

http://dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.16240

http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.6105

http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.20392

The 501b is also sold with an R2 5 mode dropin

 

[IceRat]

I have found that having two different lights work for me deer hunting. I use something small on a neck lanyard and not too bright to find my way (I also use a GPS). I like to sneak into my spot and not scare everything to the other side of the mountain. Last year I used a E01 and carried a L0D in my pack. This year I will use my Maratak and my LOD or Quarkaa2 in my Pack (unless I buy a new light :naughty.

 

[vali]

I am sure after trying the RC-N3 you will know what all the fuss for the new powerleds is about. Good light for starters and more throwy than the typical 2xAA light. The only "downside" is the runtime. With the 6D maglite you would get more, but using AA you can carry LOTS of spares for the same weight.

I recomend the E01 too. Rugged, cheap and great runtime using a single AAA. Bright enough for hands-reach jobs.

 

[SUREFIRED]

Whatever you get, get a backup as well.

+1000 Definitely! Never go into the woods with only one light, IMHO.

 

[qwertyydude]

I have a 501B from DX and I would not bring it with me for hunting or anything important. The construction is a bit on the shoddy side. The aluminum is soft and the threads on the crown are already stripping after only 3-4 months. I have never been let down with anything Romison on DX I currently carry two Romisen RC-M4's one with a direct drive MC-E that runs upwards of 4 amps, so I know that it's probably a 1000 lumen flashlight, but only for short bursts as the whole flashlight gets hot after a couple of minutes. And another that runs a R2 module that gets about 5 hours of run time. My next favorite is my C78 lenser copy 1 AA and useful as it's flood is nice and even and when you zoom it out it is a real powerful thrower and it's so compact to boot.

 

[BigBluefish]

For my deer hunting trip this fall, I'm going to take my Quark warm tint with the 2 AA tube, and an EO1.

 

[rotncore]

This year for my moose trip I plan to bring the ZebraLight H50 (maybe a SF Saint if they arrive in Canada by then) and my SF L1 as backup. I'm a huge advocate of the headlamp as a primary when in the bush - there are just too many times where 2 hands free are either very handy or necessary.
For in camp, I'm going to bring my Nitecore D10 for the great low level to avoid waking the rest of the group on nighttime bathroom trips.

As others have suggested, the Fenix TK20 is a good light for your first serious light. I gave them as groomsmen's gifts.

 

[deeuubee]

The're old news here, but I use these hunting and both are bright and have taken quite a beating over the last year.

Eveready Extreme Head light: One AA battery lasts a long time. It has a diffuser that can be switched from the white led over to the colored ones if you need a flood light.

Eveready LED flashlight: Two AA batteries. I like the tilt head and pocket clip. You can use the coloered and white lights to help in tracking.

You now have a choice of white, red ,blue, green lights with this combination.

 

[normanbaker]

I found this thread and this http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?313786-LED-flashlight-for-hunting/page2 about hunting flashlight. I want to buy a new one, read through some informative here: http://myhuntingear.com/best-hunting-flashlight-reviews/ and consider between Solaray zx1 and Fenix led compact. You guys have any suggestion? Thanks

 

[jwyj]

Well, you can get a Solaray zx1 and the likes for $15 or less a pop in Amazon. Not sure if it will last long.