you are only allowed one flash light for rest of your life.What is it ?
The question becomes WHY would you be limited to using only one flashlight for the rest of your life? Is it a STHF, or are you stranded on some island for many decades? In that scenario the big issue becomes replacement batteries. If you can't get another flashlight, then likely you won't be able to get any replacement batteries either. The problem with rechargeable batteries in a situation like this is they are only going to last so long. If I had no choice, and I had a way to recharge them, then I would choose a rechargeable flashlight with enloop batteries as they should last a few decades. But even they would eventually wear out before my lifetime. So in this scenario I would choose to go with a homemade flashlight I made at the start of the pandemic.
At the start of the pandemic when the lockdown started. Since I was unable to leave the house, I decided that I would build myself a long-term flashlight out of parts only found from around my house. The flashlight was to be sturdy enough to last my entire lifetime, be functional, and bright enough to be for everyday use. This would let me save my expensive flashlight for rare uses when I needed an extra bright light relying on limited battery supply. Using an old metal DC motor and gear case (in good condition and added grease), I soldered it to a modest supercapacitor/voltage protection board. I then tuned a LED driver for high efficiency, and connected it to a switch. I then put this assembly in a small wooden box with posts made from metal screws I had in my basement. I spaced the screws the same as an old 6 volt DC battery. For the top I mounted an old 1950s Ray-o-vac lantern/spotlight (though it functions as a lantern, it will swivel into a spotlight), and replaced the filament bulb with an efficient LED white light, and red LED blinker (a switch toggles between these two modes).
When I was finished I had a fantastic durable hand crack lantern! Using a quality Maxwell supercapacitor to hold the charge means it would not wear out in my lifetime (capacitors can do 50 million+ cycles easy). Easily cranking the lantern for 1 minute easily gives up to 8 hours of good light! A functional lifelong tool made from only parts scattered around my house. 🙂
So if we narrowed the criteria, and said you would be stranded on a desert island, with just one flashlight, and you're on your own to charge/ resupply. How does that change your calculus for what flashlight you bring? 🙂
