jon_slider
Flashlight Enthusiast
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Bought a Lumintop AAA Brass Tool, because it is an older model w 219b, that I enjoy.
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What was the last LED light you purchased and why?
- Thread starter CaNo
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I bought a few 37 lumen maglite solitaires while my source still had some. It's much more throwey than the 47 lumen version and the tint is less blinding white.
Now that the lumen wars is at a near stand still due to contraints like fuel sources and heat disipation the flashlight fan market seems to be drifting back to a time when quality of light was (pardon the pun) over shadowed by all those boasts of never seen before output. As a flashlight history fan I'm glad to see that folks are taking advantage of leftover stock of some really nice products as shown in the last couple of posts.
Now that the lumen wars is at a near stand still due to contraints like fuel sources and heat disipation the flashlight fan market seems to be drifting back to a time when quality of light was (pardon the pun) over shadowed by all those boasts of never seen before output. As a flashlight history fan I'm glad to see that folks are taking advantage of leftover stock of some really nice products as shown in the last couple of posts.
It has been quite a while since my last purchase.
That purchase was an Olight SR Mini II Intimidator which probably confirms that I've been out of the loop for the last few years. I purchased this when the wife and I were doing a lot of hiking, camping, and hunting wild pigs on a friends farm. Wanted something nice and floody so nothing could sneak up on us.
That purchase was an Olight SR Mini II Intimidator which probably confirms that I've been out of the loop for the last few years. I purchased this when the wife and I were doing a lot of hiking, camping, and hunting wild pigs on a friends farm. Wanted something nice and floody so nothing could sneak up on us.
Tribull
Enlightened
Got a Surefire G3 and a G2 of the Bay today. Now off to Malkoff for the guts.
jon_slider
Flashlight Enthusiast
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Bought an AAA Tool w Cool White LED, because it is a favorite host for modding to 219b...
color and tint comparisons:
color and tint comparisons:
Katherine Alicia
Enlightened
Sad excuse I know, but I bought a LEP because I want to see if all the pictures I`v seen are true or not.
Okluma DC0 in aluminum. Because I love my ti DC0 and wanted a lighter weight version. I have one of those Betas coming, too, but the Okluma was more recent and I actually received it already.
andrewnewman
Enlightened
I realized my key chain flashlight collection was wanting. I ordered a new Prometheus Beta Magnetic on pre-order (still waiting for it). While waiting I also snagged a Nitecore MINI-2. The MINI-2 arrived. The manual and advertising sheets cover most of the high points on this light but I'll add the following that wasn't covered:
* You can tail stand the light if you don't mind that it is canted to one side by about 20 degrees due to the key-chain attachment. You can't remove the attachment easily as the screws are cemented together.
* The direct to moonlight mode isn't remembered. If you press the button after extinguishing the light it will go back to the last saved setting. Also the OLED display comes on in moonlight mode which is unfortunate as it isn't really needed and can ruin your night vision.
* The OSRAM LEDs they chose are not CW. They are closer to 5000K. The color rendition is pretty bad, however (subjectively). Don't use this light to check your kid for strep throat or see if your steak is medium rare.
* You can tail stand the light if you don't mind that it is canted to one side by about 20 degrees due to the key-chain attachment. You can't remove the attachment easily as the screws are cemented together.
* The direct to moonlight mode isn't remembered. If you press the button after extinguishing the light it will go back to the last saved setting. Also the OLED display comes on in moonlight mode which is unfortunate as it isn't really needed and can ruin your night vision.
* The OSRAM LEDs they chose are not CW. They are closer to 5000K. The color rendition is pretty bad, however (subjectively). Don't use this light to check your kid for strep throat or see if your steak is medium rare.
adamlau
Flashlight Enthusiast
HDS Rotary + SDR50. Because I like the tint on the ZL SC64c LE with the same emitter (more or less).
IowaCobweb
Newly Enlightened
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- Nov 26, 2020
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Streamlight(s) Protac 1L-1AA and Sidewinder Compact II.
Our family is in a "dual fuel" phase now that we have enough specialized flashlights to last us a while, and these fill the bill. In fact, I bought two of the 1L-1AA lights because we found it pretty easy to live with in most respects, particularly at the price we paid for them.
I have used a Sidewinder Compact for some years - it was the backup flashlight in my ES gear - but decided that perhaps the "II" was a better choice for the emergency kit that I made up by repurposing my old ES gear. I am not as careful about keeping fresh 123s around now that I am no longer a responder, and the AA option is more attractive to me than it used to be.
Honorable mention: recent purchases have been an LED conversion and two AA adaptors for an old angle-head USGI "Fulton" flashlight, which upped the output and lightened the overall weight. I and my son both used this particular flashlight at different points in our lives, so it has some sentimental value. They are big old clucks, but kind of neat to keep around.
Our family is in a "dual fuel" phase now that we have enough specialized flashlights to last us a while, and these fill the bill. In fact, I bought two of the 1L-1AA lights because we found it pretty easy to live with in most respects, particularly at the price we paid for them.
I have used a Sidewinder Compact for some years - it was the backup flashlight in my ES gear - but decided that perhaps the "II" was a better choice for the emergency kit that I made up by repurposing my old ES gear. I am not as careful about keeping fresh 123s around now that I am no longer a responder, and the AA option is more attractive to me than it used to be.
Honorable mention: recent purchases have been an LED conversion and two AA adaptors for an old angle-head USGI "Fulton" flashlight, which upped the output and lightened the overall weight. I and my son both used this particular flashlight at different points in our lives, so it has some sentimental value. They are big old clucks, but kind of neat to keep around.
Great first post cobweb. Welcome to the site.
Good picks too. Double A-able lights have come a long long way.
And glad to hear you are keeping the (updated) Fulton around. That light was/is an awesome piece of history that who knows how many times it helped save lives.
Good picks too. Double A-able lights have come a long long way.
And glad to hear you are keeping the (updated) Fulton around. That light was/is an awesome piece of history that who knows how many times it helped save lives.
IowaCobweb
Newly Enlightened
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- Nov 26, 2020
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Thank you. I have lurked here for some years after having been tipped off to CPF at a training event where many of the attendees' lights (including mine) were found to be sadly lacking. I am sort of hopeless when it comes to electronics, but have managed to convert a couple of Surefire incans to LEDs, update some 30 year-old Mag Lites and the GI angle-head, and generally get the extended family out of the tradition of cheap dime store flashlights that don't work because the two D cells have leaked.
jon_slider
Flashlight Enthusiast
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- Mar 31, 2015
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Sofirn C01 because, warm, floody, High CRI
Bravo!!
I noticed an American made theme in your past choices. Many here have been using aa sized eneloop rechargeables in C and D sized lights since an LED upgrade often increases run time enough to run a while on those. They'll work in that Sidewinder and ProTac as well.
BTT:
I bought some modern Maglites this weekend using the 30% black Friday code. ML models and some more spectrum warm aaa minimags and solitaires.
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IowaCobweb
Newly Enlightened
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- Nov 26, 2020
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Just yesterday I put three 3xAA adapters into my 30 year-old "beater" Mag-Lite that I "Malkoff'd" a couple years ago but had not used much since then. Nine new lithium AA batteries from the hardware store is not really an inexpensive option, and I should probably look into rechargeable cells of some sort.
I just hope this new power source in the old "baton" doesn't explode or burn down the house.
aginthelaw
Flashlight Enthusiast
Which Malkoff are you running in there?
I opted for the lower power Malkoff in a 3D simply because 40-ish lumens to 350-ish was a good jump and costed half as much as the brighter one. Great for spotting racoons in trees and critter eyes at a distance with a lot more light spread than the stock bulb.
I'm brave and run Rayovac D cells in mine though.
If you have the high power Malkoff and want to opt for eneloops consider eneloop pros. Much better at handling high drain stuff with more fuel stuffed inside too. Some here don't like them because they "only" recharge like 300 times versus 1000 for the regular kind. Me? After recharged the 5th time they've paid for themselves is the way I see it. So each time after is a bonus. If I get 100 charges that's a lot of $ saved.
I would have bought an ML25 at Wally World on black friday but there were none left. I did grab a 3c ML50 though. $25 for 611 American lumens with the option to tailstand it in eco mode night after night during a power outage.
I'm brave and run Rayovac D cells in mine though.
If you have the high power Malkoff and want to opt for eneloops consider eneloop pros. Much better at handling high drain stuff with more fuel stuffed inside too. Some here don't like them because they "only" recharge like 300 times versus 1000 for the regular kind. Me? After recharged the 5th time they've paid for themselves is the way I see it. So each time after is a bonus. If I get 100 charges that's a lot of $ saved.
I would have bought an ML25 at Wally World on black friday but there were none left. I did grab a 3c ML50 though. $25 for 611 American lumens with the option to tailstand it in eco mode night after night during a power outage.
IowaCobweb
Newly Enlightened
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It has been a while, but I think it was the 3-6D Cell Maglite Drop-In LED. After installation I went outside at dusk to test it, and a neighbor who was in the backyard with his dogs was amazed by the increase in output over the stock ancient Mag-Lites we old duffers tend to have around.
I grew up in a household where from the late 1950s any incidents requiring a flashlight meant a trip to the "junk drawer" of the house, and at least half the time the batteries were dead. Having any spare D cells on hand was considered almost lavish. Often the batteries had also leaked; this almost always necessitated the purchase of a new cheap flashlight (and equally cheap batteries), as my dad never bought any other kind. Regardless of the situation, the family flashlights were dim, dismal affairs... a favorite uncle provided contrast with a ribbed, chrome plated "Sears Best" flashlight that always seemed to have fresh D cells - and more expensive ones at that - in it.
Thus my expectations were such that buying the 1980's Mag-Lite in question made me think I had a powerful torch. The Malkoff drop-in kicked it up to where it became no slouch as a flashlight and it remained a decent potential bludgeon for a slowly deteriorating area.
