reliable leave in the car light?

[onetrickpony]

I think the point most people are trying to get across here is that it's not the flashlight so much as the batteries. The reason your batteries are always dead is that they are susceptible to the cold. Lithium primaries, be they CR123 or L91 AA's or whatever are usually quite happy regardless of how low the mercury drops. I'd say skip anything rechargeable and keep a couple extras in the glove box or wherever just in case. The flashlight itself is up to your personal taste.

 

[crizyal]

I do own a Surefire G2. While it is a reliable inexpensive fairly bright light, It doesn't quite have all of the features I want in a car light. I have Inova 24/7s in both of my vehicles. These are great utility lights with long runtimes and several different signaling modes. It uses one CR123 lithium primary battery which eliminates one possible failure point vs. two batteries. It seems to me that it would be a very durable light, though I have not abused mine. The one feature that I feel is important is the yellow to red fade. This will alert oncoming cars of distress. I am not sure the legality of using a yellow to red fade on the street, but I am willing to pay a fine as opposed to getting hit by traffic. Now keep in mind this is not my only light as I always have a pretty nice light that I EDC.

 

[DHart]

One thing I forgot to mention about the Quark that makes it especially good for a vehicle/beside the road/pedestrian light is the instant toggling between MAX output and STROBE.

You can be using the light on MAX for illumination and, when you want to alert oncoming drivers and get their attention quickly, with a simple tap on the switch be instantly in STROBE mode. Then as soon as you want to return the light to illumination duties, another simple tap toggles you back to MAX. Instant switching back and forth with no complex UI to have to deal with. I think that's a priceless feature for a "beside the road" light.

 

[angelofwar]

I do own a Surefire G2. While it is a reliable inexpensive fairly bright light, It doesn't quite have all of the features I want in a car light. I have Inova 24/7s in both of my vehicles. These are great utility lights with long runtimes and several different signaling modes. It uses one CR123 lithium primary battery which eliminates one possible failure point vs. two batteries. It seems to me that it would be a very durable light, though I have not abused mine. The one feature that I feel is important is the yellow to red fade. This will alert oncoming cars of distress. I am not sure the legality of using a yellow to red fade on the street, but I am willing to pay a fine as opposed to getting hit by traffic. Now keep in mind this is not my only light as I always have a pretty nice light that I EDC.

+1 on the Inova 24/7's. Had 3, but am now down to two, but with the magnetic mount and head band mount, these make for extremely versatile light. My first gen 24/7 is now 8-9 years old and still going strong. I also love the white beacon mode for marking yourself or a location in a cave, or while camping, or jsut as an attention getter.

 

[jtblue]

I have a 6P w/M61WLL running on primaries in my car, along with a set of spare batteries

 

[Dude Dudeson]

Personally I don't leave a light in my car unless I am prepared to give it up.
Break ins, theft, etc.

+ 10,000!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Just today I left a 6P/M60 in a co-workers car I'd been carpooling with. This vehicle was about the LAST vehicle you'd expect to get stolen (a freaking 1995 Dodge Caravan). And also in about the LAST place you'd expect a vehicle theft too.

Well that vehicle was stolen today, while we were on a job. I figure 50/50 odds he'll get his vehicle back at some point. I'm not so optimistic about my Surefire though.

I've learned my lesson: Never leave anything of value in a parked vehicle - ANYWHERE, ANYTIME.

 

[Dude Dudeson]

Since I posted at all I may as well follow up with a recommendation based on my newfound experience...

"Reliable leave in the car light"?

I'd say this comes down to battery shelf life, and availability while on the road. I'd also say "we don't want to spend too much money here" - the light will be sitting mostly unused anyway.

I nominate the 4Sevens Quark Mini AA for that. Small, gobs of runtime available if needed, pretty good performance for the size, INSANELY good performance with good cells or even rechargeable Energizers, and can still be used with AA alkalines in a pinch. 15 year shelf life if you get lithium primaries. I don't know of any CR123 cell with that kind of shelf life.

I'm more of a CR123 guy with my performance flashlights, but when "on the road" I finally realized AA battery form factor is where it's at...

 

[afdk]

Another vote for a G2 in the cars, both with Malkoff M60LL dropins. Is that 19 votes, or 20, with G2's in both cars?

I can also testify that, while not desireable, it IS possible to change a tire in the dark with the Nitrolon body held firmly in the teeth. I'd use headlamps, but like the form factor of the G2 series light much better overall.

Each have a lanyard and carry 2 spare batteries taht are attached to the light papoose-style, in a home-made carrier fabbed from a short section of bicycle inner tube.

I've held my UK Firelight in my mouth while looking at possible damaged tire, those polymer lights are great (leave in car) flashlights for just that reason!

 

[RWT1405]

In both of my Jeeps I have a SF G3 w/ M60WLF, a SF G2 (Yellow, of course!) w/ M60LL, and 2 Inova 24/7's.

My .02 FWIW YMMV

 

[lpd226]

My vote goes to the rrt-0. It takes cr123's which last a long time and can handle the elements and the control ring lets you select the level of brighness with ease (no cycling through modes). O yeah and it's compact and super bright.

 

[matt732]

Black and Decker Flex 360 Clamp Light

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Black-and-Decker-Flex-360-Clamplight-3-AA/14034152

Only 15 to 20 bucks

I bought several of these and really feel comfortable with them in my wifes Jeep Wrangler. It's only 130 lumens, but that's plenty for roadside repair and other general tasks. It clamps about anywhere and the head swivels 360 degrees to put the light where you need it. It also has a strong magnet on the side so that you can mount it on a metal surface if you can't clamp it on an edge. Very flexible light and fits many needs.

 

[RedLED]

I have had a Surefire of some kind (2-3) and CR123's in my vehicles for 22 Summers where the daytime Temp. reaches over 120F in the shade, and even hotter in a locked vehicle. Never a problem.

My house is on a 30 foot tall dune with a view, and our floor level is at 70 feet below sea level. All the car manufacturers in the world test here in the summer.

And we have summer from May thru October.

You will have no problems with quality lights and batteries, trust me!

 

[dsmegst]

My reason for the Quark AA (or Quark Mini AA) suggestion is "afford to lose/stolen" price point with almost all the features found in a high-end light. If I'm in a situation where I need a light, I have one AAA light on my keychain, and my EDC light. That's 3 lights 99% of the time and 2 lights even if I forget my EDC. After my wife lost one of my Surefire lights during a camping trip, I'm a bit weary about price.

 

[elumen8]

I keep SF G2X Pros in each of my Jeeps. I used to keep my G2/Malkoffs there but now I prefer the dual output of the G2x Pro. I also have MagLed multi-mode 2Ds under each driver seat.

JB

 

[WadeF]

For our vehicle's flashlight I use a Fenix TK-20 with lithium AA's in it. No problems so far. In a pinch I could load it with regular AA's.

 

[Lee1959]

I forgot one important light which is always in the car, and one in my EDC bag, a headlamp. I load them with lithium primaries and they are always ready, headlamps are just too handy for working on anything, including vehicles.

No matter what else, I would include a headlamp.

 

[DHart]

I agree that the AA size makes the most sense. A good AA light like the Quark AA offers many levels of output and emergency modes (important on the road). They will run on everything from 14500 Li-ion (awesome output!), NiMh rechargeable, AA Eneloop, AA lithium, and the ubiquitous AA alkaline. This is a light you can get power for pretty much anywhere, world-wide.

When left in the car, choose the EverReady Lithium AA-size battery which is just like the CR123 lithium in shelf life and ability to deal with temperature extremes. The lithium AA may give longer performance time than the CR123 as well. EverReady lithium AA is available in most big grocery stores like Safeway as well as anywhere batteries are sold. Quark AA will toggle between max and strobe with a touch of the switch - very useful in a roadside situation.

 

[recDNA]

I just thought of a great one. I just recently put an Eagletac P20C2 MarkII R5 in my wife's car with a couple of extra CR123 in the package. Perfect light for anything but long distance throw.

 

[fresh eddie fresh]

I have an Icon Rogue 2 with lithium AAs in my car... I got it on sale, so I would not be too upset if it ever got lost, it has high and low settings, you can lock it out by unscrewing the bezel, and the batteries are readily available. It is always there if I need it. I do wish the body would not get so cold, but I have a Surefire Laser Products 9P pouch that fits it perfect, I store it in, so if it is cold, I could always turn the light on and then slip it back in the pouch so my hand doesn't freeze to it. Not as good as Nitrolon, but good enough for a backup.

 

[Dude Dudeson]

When left in the car, choose the EverReady Lithium AA-size battery which is just like the CR123 lithium in shelf life and ability to deal with temperature extremes..

No, AA lithiums are BETTER than CR123's for shelf life - by five years!

Unless there's a CR123 out there with a 15 year shelf life that I'm unaware of...