Recommend urban exploration flashlight

Specifications:
1. Must be discreet
2. Preferebly 2 or 4 AA powered
3. Powerful and bright
4. Water resistant and can withstand being dropped a reasonable height
5. good battery life

I have a Brinkmann Long Life LED Light that runs on 2 x AA and my buddy has a 4 x D Maglite. His light is not too discreet and he got stopped by university rental cop for carrying around a flashlight and looking suspicious, so something that big is not something I want.

The Brinkmann isn't quite bright enough for navigating inside a dark place, but the battery life is excellent.

I am looking for something not a whole lot larger than the Brinkmann but gives way more brightness. Any idea?

#1 Suggestion StreamLight Propoly 4AA Luxeon, you can use 2500mAh NiMH cells or Lithuim primary AA's and get regulated run times btween 4 to 6 1/2 hours. It bright and small enought to fit in a jacket or pants pocket for stealth mode.

Later
Kelly

Hands down, what you just asked for is the Streamlight 4AA Luxeon.

Great throw (more than your buddies hard to carry mag)
FLAT, perfectly FLAT regulated runtime.
Not too large,
water tight.

~John

The Streamlight PP 4aa lux is calling your name:
http://www.flashlightreviews.com/reviews/streamlight_propolyluxeon.htm

I got mine at http://www.fox-intl.com for $23, best price I have found anywhere. If you want discreet, get the black one.

I used to do a little UE when I was in college...wish I had some of the lights I have now though!

I do quite a bit of urban exploration. So far I found the 16 level light by Waion(also on the top right hand corner of CPF) to be extremely useful. Low when u don't wanna be seen but still enuf light to prevent tripping and if required, lotsa light. And affordable too.

I recommend the koehler brightstar 4AA, model 200402 (yellow). They also have them in black and orange. I know LEDs are all the rage but this unit has great output, the pushbutton switch and adjustable focus from wide to spot. I have an older model that I have used on my fire helmet for over 10 years. I melted one off in a close call we had where a ceiling fell in on us. Koehler replaced the entire light free and it was 5 years old. I don't know about their replacement policy now that they were bought by Brightstar but their performance and build quality are good. I doubt you would ever beat on this as much as I have over the last 11 years. I doesn't have the smoothness of beam the Streamlight LED has but I bet the throw of the light is more than that of the LED. I would love to hear from someone who has both. 35000 candlepower is alot out of a 4AA light. It is division 1 and 2 rated, and MSHA approved. Most of you will not need that in ordinary life but for the other firefighters out there its a must. Submersible to 100 ft. Pretty impressive stats but I would love to hear from someone who has this light. Hope it helps.

www.flashlight.com/bright_star/responder.htm

What is urban exploration?

My vote would be for either the Streamlight Propolymer Luxeon 4AA, or the Underwater Kinetics 4AA eLED or mini-Q40 eLED.

I have a few of the UK eLED's - they've seen a bunch of steam tunnel (and other assorted UE) use, and have never let me down. Runtime is excellent.


edit:

Metro said:

What is urban exploration?

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Urban exploration is... well... exploring manmade stuff. Abandoned buildings, utility tunnels, storm drains, stuff like that. All places where a good flashlight would come in handy

I recommend the Gerber LX3.0 for just about everything on account of its versatility - effective throw (but not great), very bright spill, etc. (read my posts). Great in dark places, it's an excellent walking light. So for unlit corners of your city, the LX3 can really do the trick. If you're exploring areas with fair amounts of ambient light, even the bright spill of the LX3 will be washed out, so a flashlight more designed for throw, one with a strong spot, is suggested. Since you specified AA batts, at a reviewed 3000 lux, SL PP 4AA Lux, will get A LOT of recommendations.

73
dim

vtunderground said:

Urban exploration is... well... exploring manmade stuff. Abandoned buildings, utility tunnels, storm drains, stuff like that. All places where a good flashlight would come in handy

Click to expand...

There used to be a television show about urban exploration. But I don't ever recall them having an episode on exploring a university campus.

Metro said:

What is urban exploration?

Click to expand...

kind of like this:

https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/101287

p.s. I used a Streamlight Pro-Polymer Luxeon 4AA for quite a few months of exploring and was quite happy with it until I got into 5 Watt lights. I highly recommend the streamlight.

http://www.wiki.tjtech.org/index.php/Flashlight_Recommendation_Checklist


Might I suggest that you go to the ever popular
** Flashlight Recommendation Checklist **
https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/96884
copy it to here and fill out the questions and we'll probably be able to help you find the right light for you.

Same what the others already mentioned (Streamlight 4A ProPolymer Luxeon) and also stated in your other post. . .But seems like you've alluded that it's too much?

My first time out, I went with a buddy that was already a seasoned urban spelunkerer. I brought my Surefire M4, he was like "what do you need that flamethrower for?"

So anyway, in some of those larger, dark buildings you'd be amazed at how much light you need to really see things. He had the usual 3D Maglite, which was okay, and had a great runtime, but we actually found several doorways (up on a previously non-visible upper loft walkway thingy) with the M4.

I go through $20 in CR123 batts everytime we go out... but that's cheap fun compared to, oh, a tank of gasoline.

Also consider an Inova T2. CR123A powered (no rechargables, either) but 5h runtime, smaller than the SL PP Lux, and with a narrow beam. A T2 will fit in a pocket without drawing attention and the narrow beam width reduces the chance of someone seeing your light in a location.

If you're into caves, drains, or any structures that recieve no natural light, carry at least two lights at all times. Having your only illumination die on you a mile into a drain would really ruin your day.

streamlight propoly 4aa luxeon in black all the way.

chuck

Handlobraesing said:

Specifications:
1. Must be discreet
2. Preferebly 2 or 4 AA powered
3. Powerful and bright
4. Water resistant and can withstand being dropped a reasonable height
5. good battery life

Any idea?

Click to expand...

Where I'm from, most urban areas are adequately lighted during the hours of dusk to dawn. That said; of course there are certain, uh, "occupations" where a discreet light might be of value. I notice you specified a certain degree of sturdiness and that it be discreet. If I catch your drift ...you'll possibly also want to consider a light with a knurled finish so it doesn't give up fingerprints easily. I'm sure your secret is safe here.

I too have a SL polypro 4AA and think very highly of it. But, its not quite in the discreet category - not real big, but certainly not truly pocket-size either. So, if its size is acceptable its a great light. In fact for a AA light it may be the best all around given its throw and run time. That said, I wouldn't rule out cr123 driven lights as they get the size to output advantage. So if discreet says its more towards the pocket size don't rule out 123 lights. Another question is run time. How long are you out exploring with light on. And does changing batteries pose a problem. If not, and cost isnt an issue, the SF U2 or gladius is hard to beat - both can go to full for throw and low for walking around. Have you thought of 2 lights? One for throw and 1 for general or closer or flood work? As most will say, never go out with jsut 1 light anyway. Saying that, a good, long runtime AA light is the fenix L2P (or the T2 with 123's). Add to that a throw light - say like a SL TL3 for real throw.

You guys should take a few and read up on urban exploration if you haven't. It's kinda cool. First 3 Google results:

http://www.uer.ca/

http://www.infiltration.org/

http://www.urbanexplorers.net/

Scott

Fenix L2P?