The most reliable torches

[mcnair55]

From a professional point of view one of my customers bought half a dozen cheap lights from his local Tesco at £6 each about 4 years ago,still using number 1,it has changed colour from black to silver through wear,fallen off ramps been left in the engine bay but refuses to give in.

 

[marinemaster]

Fenix E01 & Arc AAA. Drop proof IMO.

These are 5mm led
These don't count
Jk

 

[Nightflash]

For drop and waterproof + reliability the Olight Warrior M-20X. I think it´s indestructible and just rely on it.
Anyway I do have equally good experiences with several other solidly operating lights like Fenix TK30 (coating maybe a bit less resistant on this but that's just for the looks) and Klarus XT11, Sunwayman M20-C. For the time being very impressed with the Nitecore SRT5, it looks/feels well protected but have yet to see how it performs in the long run.

 

[dougie]

There are loads of things to potentially go wrong with a flashlight but most, are thankfully, either minor or easily rectifiable. The brands I trust most are American made and are Surefire with a Malkoff dropin, Maglite with a Malkoff dropin and First Light. I have a Pelican 8060 which seems to be equal to the other lights in the reliability stakes but somehow the plastic doesn't instill me with confidence if it was to be dropped onto concrete on a cold day. I don't use European lights but I know from recommendations that Wiseled are pretty darn bullet proof. I have one Chinese made light, a Nitecore EA4 which is pretty battered but still works fine. For when I'm out I always believe in the old saying 'one is none and two are one', so I guess as long as I've got any of the brands above I feel confident I'd get home OK.

 

[Ishango]

These are 5mm led
These don't count
Jk

Why rule them out? Didn't the OP state "They don't necessarily have to be the brightest or the newest, just the most reliable."? I'm pretty sure the Fenix E01 will outlive a lot of my other quality lights. The E01 is tested in several different torture settings and still goes on. One of my E01's is on my keychain for five years non-stop already and has seen a lot of travel including wading through water and caves during holidays. It still works like it came out of the box yesterday. To me that proves it has earned its' place among the other durable lights here.

 

[mcnair55]

These are 5mm led
These don't count
Jk

Last time i looked at mine it was an Led light and i read nothing about any rules perhaps you did though.

 

[cland72]

These are 5mm led
These don't count
Jk

Why rule them out? Didn't the OP state "They don't necessarily have to be the brightest or the newest, just the most reliable."? I'm pretty sure the Fenix E01 will outlive a lot of my other quality lights. The E01 is tested in several different torture settings and still goes on. One of my E01's is on my keychain for five years non-stop already and has seen a lot of travel including wading through water and caves during holidays. It still works like it came out of the box yesterday. To me that proves it has earned its' place among the other durable lights here.

Last time i looked at mine it was an Led light and i read nothing about any rules perhaps you did though.

JK = just kidding.

 

[tylerq219]

Streamlight stinger in led. Can't beat em. I drops mine daily on concrete from 6ft up. Keep on working.

 

[Treeguy]

Rayovac Indestructible. :thumbsup:

Youtube has dozens of videos showing people beating these things to death... except they just don't seem to die. Smashing them with bricks, shooting them with shotguns, repeatedly throwing them into the air and landing on concrete. There's even a video of a guy sticking one in a homemade rock tumbler with some decent sized rocks and just letting the thing run.

It's a tough act to follow.

 

[Monocrom]

Most reliable?.... My nearly two dozen SureFires.

 

[stevieo]

ditto.

Most reliable?.... My nearly two dozen SureFires.

 

[Lit Up]

Rayovac Indestructible. :thumbsup:

Youtube has dozens of videos showing people beating these things to death... except they just don't seem to die. Smashing them with bricks, shooting them with shotguns, repeatedly throwing them into the air and landing on concrete. There's even a video of a guy sticking one in a homemade rock tumbler with some decent sized rocks and just letting the thing run.

It's a tough act to follow.

I've bought a 2D and recently a 2xAA version and like them very much. I'd own Rayovac Indestructibles over Maglites any day now.

I had 3 D cell Mags and a C cell ML100 all malfunction or flicker constantly. Gave the ML100 away for free as I was so disgusted with it. Not to mention the Mag's output is subpar to the Indestructibles. I also have a Fenix TK50 that's still ticking along.

 

[ishmael]

Malkoff lights have been very good, when using his complete host ie MD2-3-4 with hounddog and wildcat.
His P60 and MDxx dropins work well but the fitment issues relegate them for playtime only. I wouldn't want to be in a situation where i must depends on their reliability.

Just curious, what were the issues?

 

[thedoc007]

Elzetta, for sure. Look up the torture tests...it was compared to a Surefire, and it was no contest. The thing is built like a tank.

 

[jamesmtl514]

Just curious, what were the issues?

Mostly contact issues. When held at a certain angle the light won't come on, or if you're using it and happen to move a certain way the light turns off completely.
I experienced this with M61 in C2 and M2, the MDxx in my M3. The MD60 has been OK in my M6 however I've had that light for several years and I'm still on the original batteries

His complete lights like the MD2 219 is fantastic, my MD3 HDv4 and MD4 WCv4 are great... Minus their blueish beams

 

[Poppy]

Rayovac Indestructible. :thumbsup:

Youtube has dozens of videos showing people beating these things to death... except they just don't seem to die. Smashing them with bricks, shooting them with shotguns, repeatedly throwing them into the air and landing on concrete. There's even a video of a guy sticking one in a homemade rock tumbler with some decent sized rocks and just letting the thing run.

It's a tough act to follow.

Yeah, but could it hold up to a stihl folding pocket saw?

I've used my 2AA indestructible as a wedge jammed under my clothes dryer while unscrewing the front of it. I wouldn't want to do that with most of my other lights.

Honestly, I don't use most of my lights often enough, nor have I had them long enough to be able to state that any of them are particularly more reliable than any but the worst lights.

 

[AMD64Blondie]

HDS,no question.

Took a 4-foot backwards fall off of the loading dock at work 2 1/2 months ago.(stepped back,and my foot caught nothing but air.)I suffered only a lot of bruises.

My HDS rotary 250,which was in my pants pocket at the time..came through without a scratch.

 

[jamesmtl514]

It had someone soft to break it's fall

 

[Mike 208]

Surefire/Streamlight/Maglite/Photon Light/Ray-O-Vac Indestructible.

 

[Mikeg23]

Mostly contact issues. When held at a certain angle the light won't come on, or if you're using it and happen to move a certain way the light turns off completely.
I experienced this with M61 in C2 and M2...

Having several M61 drop-ins in a 6P I can't imagine how you got that to happen it is solid brass on aluminum all the way around the contact point...