The New World!! Help and Advice Needed

Hi guys, first post !!! I've just discovered the 'New World' of torches - or flashlights as you call em, and from now on I will too. Im Uk based and have been reading on the forum for over three weeks now - Absolutely amazing!! I cannot understand how what you guys know and do, is not appreciated or understood by a wider circle - it is sooooo interesting.

To cut to the chase I am asking for a little help..... It goes like this......
I walk my pooch down some real dark lanes at night. Had a bit of a 'fright ' recently with a guy who jumped out on me. So I decided I needed to up the anti with my flashlight, and replace my Maglight XXY (pants) with the proper item.

After I started looking I then realised that there was more to this than meet the eye!!! So the challenge is........ two replacement flashlights, one for the pocket one for walking the pooch - any ideas will be welcomed, to narrow 'It' down I've a few criteria as below;

For da Pooch;
1. Reckon should be incan.
2. $100-130?
3. High lumens to blast da bad guys n run!! - say 150+??
4. Light(ish)
5. Small (ish)
6. Batts/Runtime, mmmmmm....... Walk everyday, 1/2 hour+, illumination not required all times. Rechargeable??
7. Good Quality.
8. Reliable.
9. Easy to 'service' n repair.

Fun/pocket item;
1. LED I think
2. Powerful
3. Under $80
4. Flexible bodies?
5. Good quality
6. 'Tactile' factor

Anything else you reckon......

As a new type bloke any help/advice would be much appreciated. Im also gonna have to import from the US as it seem like theres a high premium to pay this end, so the advice on the right guy to buy from would be really helpful.

Here hoping.......!!

Thanks

Welcome to CPF . Hope you have a deep wallet, lol you will need it. Actually its just an exercise in will power . As far as a light for protection, a large maglight ( I would prefer a 4 or 5 C Cell) is about as good as that gets in my opinion. Better to use a club than to try and blind someone, just my opinion, others will differ so I will let them suggest a blinder.

I would probably carry something like a smaller mag, or inova to back up the larger light and use most often.

Welcome to CPF - as the usual greeting goes: WATCH YOUR WALLET!

You probably don't want incan for smacking someone on the head with - the impact is quite likely to knock the light out - LED much better for that. I'm not sure of the legality of impact/crenellated bezels on our side of the pond, but they're legal over in the US. Personally, I pushed the boat out on spending, there, and bought a Night-Ops Gladius - it's been my every-day carry ever since - wonderful light, one-handed operation, and able to switch from sensible dog-walking levels of light to INTENSE AND OFFPUTTING STROBE with a single press (if you've done a single, easy twiddle of the sleector beforehand).

As far as a fun/pocket item goes, you can't go wrong with an Orb Raw or Orb Raw NS. I've got my new Raw NS today:



Photo is a link to the flickr page, for viewing different sizes.

It's 2.25 inches long, and a little wider than a 2 AA battery. Just enough output on low to do sensible things, enough output on high to make people go "argh" when they look at it full on. And, rechargable! So cute too! And they come apart like Lego, for easy upgrade...

Cheers fella. I was thinkin more about seeing well infront so I dont need to club anyone!! Hence the high lumens.

Thanks N-E way.

I'd say get yourself a decent Led light with a Cree/SSC before you waste money on an incan. Check the Lumapower threads in the "Manufacturer's Corner" forum. The M1 sounds like something you could use.

Once you get used to having a lot of light available, you'll have a better idea what you want in an incan. ROP low sounds like a good bet for you, but I don't know anything about making one. Keep an eye on fivemega threads in the Group Buy forum. He comes out with lights regularly, and some of his would work for you. His 4x14670 1D is pretty cool, and you can run a 1274 bulb in it for longer runtime and still get nice light.

I'm new here as well, but one of the lights I just got meets most of your requirements for a fun/pocket light.

theorangetree said:

Fun/pocket item;
1. LED I think
2. Powerful
3. Under $80
4. Flexible bodies?
5. Good quality
6. 'Tactile' factor

Click to expand...

The Fenix P1D-CE. It's a single LED (Cree), 135 lumens max (very powerful for it's size), runs about $70, and has a good quality fit & finish. The only downside is that since it uses the CR123a battery, it might be slightly bigger than you'd want to carry in your pants pocket (it would be more than small enough for a jacket pocket).

I just got mine from fenix-store.com and couldn't be happier with it.

Any incandescent SureFire light will do more for you than you would expect. You can't go wrong with one. LEDs are terrible outdoor performers, not to mention you don't want an over-complicated multi-stage light while under stress on a dodgy street, so don't belive the hype and don't 70 bucks on the damn P1D-CE (unless strictly for fun, hiking etc.) Get a SureFire G2 for around 30 USD, best bang for the buck hands down. And you can always use the ultra high-output P61 or Lumens Factory bulbs for that extra brightness and blinding factor.

Outdoors Fanatic said:

Any incandescent SureFire light will do more for you than you would expect. You can't go wrong with one. LEDs are terrible outdoor performers, not to mention you don't want an over-complicated multi-stage light while under stress on a dodgy street, so don't belive the hype and don't 70 bucks on the damn P1D-CE (unless strictly for fun, hiking etc.) Get a SureFire G2 for around 30 USD, best bang for the buck hands down. And you can always use the ultra high-output P61 or Lumens Factory bulbs for that extra brightness and blinding factor.

Click to expand...

Hmmm, sound like someone is using their judgement less and their patriotism a bit too much.

This from a neutral view in the UK

I have both a P1D-CE and a G2 and prefer the P1. In fact, the G2 hasn't been out since I got the original P1 ( 3watt luxeon ) half a year ago.

My tuppence worth, get a L2D CE from Fenix-store.com using the discount code CPF5 for 5% off. Cost around £26 (Delivery included). It's nice and bright, switches to 'turbo' mode with a quick twist of the head and the strobe function REALLY disorientates in a dark alley. ( Trust me on that one from experience with my P1 Cree ). Also has good quality lens/finish and runs on normal AA's.

Take the money you save on that and go to orb.co.uk and get a Orb NS with Cree emitter. Tiny, beautifully made, solid as a rock, bright as hell (even brighter than my P1 Cree) and British. Ok, so a bit patriotic, but I wouldn't suggest it if it weren't a spanking light. The only torch I have that absolutely everyone admires.

If you live anywhere near Bracknell/Staines/Windsor and you want to try some out, send me a private message and we can meet up so's you can have a go.

P.s. Don't do it..... Always 'Torches' to us Brits. Flashlight is for the Yanks.

Hey y'all, so so good. I dont want no fightin though!! Some interesting info - just trying to absorb the info. Thanks to you all any more input??

Look through the BST section. alot of intersting stuff. My recommendations would be getting something with LEDs rather than Incans if and if you do not need >100 lumens:-

for the pocket something from Fenix, PID CE, L1D CE (these are current offerings), Surefires E1L, L1 (with two stage), Liteflux LF1 (complete set with interchageable bodies, heads and reflectors, reasonably priced), if money no object something the SF Titan or McGizmo's creations.

For walking the pooch something like the SFL7 rechageables or for an incan a SF G3 or the 8Ax or 9Ax rechargeables, pelican M6 Led or Magleds.......

Too many choices though.....just need to try em all...

Welcome to CPF.

The Fenix L1D-CE has all those features

Latest update - gonna go for a GR8 value second hand SF P9, n a orb raw ns with cree for fun.

Wots best to upgrade the p9??