Favorite "responsibly priced" lights :)

[tomcat017]

Hey everyone,

It's easy to sit there and salivate at a $200 lamp :naughty: , but I was curious to know what everyone's favorite budget light was. Let's make the cutoff $30. Can be LED or Incan. Quick reason why, if you would. I'm really curious to read everyone's responses (forgive me if this is a newbie thing to do ).

 

[KeyGrip]

Fenix E0 Dart. I don't have one, but two of my friends do. They're just a fantastic light, and the price is amazing.

 

[65535]

Can I say the L2S from Fenix, its jsu tover yoru limit I think, great light (don't own one but like the look)

 

[FlashKat]

My VINET, LILL, and GLIMT from www.dealextreme.com. They are all bright, 2 stage, reliable, and easily pocket carry.

 

[ringzero]

I was curious to know what everyone's favorite budget light was. Let's make the cutoff $30.

Isn't it obvious? The good old Streamlight PP 4AA Luxeon can be had for as little as 25 bucks. At that price level, it's really hard to beat.

Also, MiniMagLED 2AA and 3AA fall below your $30 cutoff. Although not as outstanding as the SL 4AA PP Lux, they are decent value lights even if you pay full price. These lights are often available on sale at the big box stores.

 

[TORCH_BOY]

Fenix E0 Dart and the MiniM@Gled 2AA/3AA well worth the money

 

[GreySave]

Inova X5 is in that price ballpark depending upon where you purchase it from. Bright flood type output with a long runtime, solidly built, and water resistant. Direct drive, so no need to worry about electronics failing at the worst possible moment. Even though I have more expensive and powerful lights, it remains one of my two EDC lights and is most likely to be the EDC I use first.

 

[dulridge]

Golston 7W - http://www.qualitychinagoods.com/golstonreg-2xlir123a-waterproof-rechargeable-recommended-p-409.html

http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.21

Not perfect, but incredible for the price. Easily modded if that's your thing. Everybody ought to have one. Gets used every time whatever is in my pockets isn't bright enough. Very bright, but...

The hot glue they use to hold in the resistor smells truly horrible when it burns. If the resistance measures less than 2.5 - 3 ohms do not use rechargeables till you replace the resistor. It is not hard to do so.

 

[Ringer]

Easy one for me. Surefire G2. Not the greatest runtime but a lot of light and dependable with the lithium batteries. I keep them in vehicles with an extra set of batteries. I'm confident a year of two down the road I can pull one out of the glove box if needed and have plenty of light. When my girls were a little younger and still playing "flashlight games" they had quite the advantage :laughing:.

 

[Casual Flashlight User]

Civictor V1 $27 (cracking little AA pocket light)

JETBeam C-LE AA - $26 (Cree, for under $30, gotta be a winner)

Huntlight FT-01 $33 (ok, creeps over the $30 limit, but what a great light for the money)


CFU

 

[light_emitting_dude]

Maglite LED series.

 

[paulr]

1. Cheap coin cell lights such as the Fauxton, all under $1
2. Generic 3AA 4-led light (like Trek 40), about $5 at discount store
3. classic 2D PR-based incandescent (maybe Eveready halogen waterproof), $5, use rechargeables if frequently used
4. Civictor V1, $27, or Fenix L1S ($30.87 after CPF5 discount) if you can stretch that $30 limit a tiny bit

Really I think $30 is a bit awkward these days, I'd either keep it under $10 or go up to $55. In the $50 range there are some nice Cree lights that are a real jump above what you can get for less.

 

[tomcat017]

Wow...thanks for the replies everyone (keep 'em coming). I'm looking at all of them.

JETBeam C-LE AA - $26 (Cree, for under $30, gotta be a winner)

Huntlight FT-01 $33 (ok, creeps over the $30 limit, but what a great light for the money)

CFU: Where did you find the Huntlight for $33? I couldn't find it for anywhere near that. Are the multiple versions? Also, is the C-LE still available? Had trouble finding that one as well. But thanks for the recommendations--the FT-01 looks like a smokin little light!

 

[moontroll]

Streamlight Pro Poly 4AA Luxeon.:twothumbs

 

[Casual Flashlight User]

Hi Tomcat,

The JETBeam C-LE was bought in a group buy, you can get it for about $29 at emillions...it's currently out of stock...but you should be able to pick one up sooner or later.

http://emilionworkshop.com/oscommerce/catalog/index.php?cPath=1_57&osCsid=4841678ca70f1f5ca416652ae90074a1

My FT-01 is the most basic model with a single level, HAII and T-bin LED - It is still a fantastic light for $33 though, very nice build, beam, finishing, UCL lens etc - Runs on primaries and 18650's.

http://www.lighthound.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=2420

It will also accept the Solatek CREE drop in module that Litemania is selling...so, a painless simple uprade if you want a few more lumens down the line.

https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/149766&page=1&pp=30


CFU

 

[Brighteyez]

At the under $30 price point, not a lot.

The ones that I can think of would be:
Brinkmann Maxfire LX
Dorcy Super 1W
SLPP 4AA Lux (depending upon where you get it)
Mag Lights (though you'd have to go over $30 to mod it to something satisfactory)
LEDBeam 3C
MiniMagLEDs
Pelican PM6 (3320)

 

[search_and_rescue]

1. Princeton Tec - Tec 40

2. Surefire G2 Nitrolon

3. Princeton Tec - Surge

4. Inova 24/7

5. Maglite LED's

6. Pelican 2330 (if you get it from ebay).

7. Streamlight Propolymer 3C Luxeon.

8. Inova X5

If I had to pick only one... probably the Black G2 Nitrolon.

 

[search_and_rescue]

Easy one for me. Surefire G2. Not the greatest runtime but a lot of light and dependable with the lithium batteries. I keep them in vehicles with an extra set of batteries. I'm confident a year of two down the road I can pull one out of the glove box if needed and have plenty of light. When my girls were a little younger and still playing "flashlight games" they had quite the advantage :laughing:.

With a Surefire? They'd win every time!

 

[parnass]

Streamlight Pro Poly 4AA Luxeon -- great throw
Inova X5 (latest version with brighter LEDs) - great flood, built to last a lifetime.

Both work reliably and are made in USA.

 

[lightcacher]

The Brinkmann Maxfire. Hands down, the most bang for the buck.