There have been many threads posted through the years about "Zombie lights" or "SHTF" lights. I thought about just jumping into one of those threads, but Scout24 and I wanted this thread to be a little bit different – and simple. And many of the previous threads asked what "One Light" would you want if the SHTF? Why only one!!? I want as many as I can have!
Topics such as this can evoke strong opinions and thus strong responses, so we respectfully ask that you please keep your comments on topic – there's so much wisdom and experience on this forum that we can all benefit from. We'd hate to see a few rogue comments or troll posts have the thread shut down.
But no problems are expected! There – now that the disclaimers are out of the way, here we go.
With a very satisfying collection of McGizmos at hand, most of my recent light purchases have been focused on acquiring tools that are:
Thus, the following collection has come about – with a couple more lights to go yet. Please do what I have done below so we can all benefit from your ideas – show your photos of your SHTF lights with descriptions and the reasons you acquired them!
Elzetta 3 cell host with Malkoff M60 and hi/lo strobe, running on 3 primaries
Why? Great, rugged weapon light, incredible run time (2 cell ran for 130 minutes on high then another 28 hours on low – imagine how long the 3 cell will run).
Malkoff light engines: M60F, M60NF, M61, M61NLL, M31LL , M60
Why? (Really?) AWESOME quality, bombproof, amazing run times, and incredible flexibility within the hosts you'll see following. If the crap is hitting the fan, I want a Malkoff or a McGizmo with me!
2 Elzetta hosts – both 2 cell with high/low clicky tail caps. Why? BOMBPROOF! And I can use any of the aforementioned Malkoffs in them. But if an EMP event took out my LEDs (I keep back ups in a grounded safe and in a Faraday cage, and yes, I do have my tin foil hat at the ready), I could always drop one of my dozen or so Surefire P60 or P90 incans in.
FM SS 18650 body with Malkoff VME head (with extra McClicky and boot)
This one gives me a simple, flexible set up. 1 18650, 1 17670, 2 18350s, 2 IMR 16340s, 2 RCR 123s, or 2 primaries, driving one of the Malkoffs. Awesome.
Malkoff / VME Lil Twisty
This one houses primarily the Malkoff M31LL. Talk about simple. Twist on, twist off. Single primary. Perfect 60 or so lumen beam. Incredible run time. This one lives in my safe (which is grounded and I think, "hardened.")
Fenix E01
I have a dozen or so of these (I think.) I don't need to extoll the virtues of this little light, but am happy to confirm them. I have 8 unopened ones in my faraday cage. All the virtues that we all know and love, plus in my mind, potentially a great barter item. I pray that we never need to find out whether or not that is true. Simple, available AAA batteries run forever!
ThruNite ti Firefly
Although I don't know if they are as robust as the E01, they are definitely strong little lights with the added benefit of the "Firefly" mode. In this mode, they run forever! I have around a dozen of these, too. 1 AAA and you have light for a long time – as high as 60 lumen or as low as .04 lumen.
Surefire G2 Nitrolon. Sits in my nightstand with primaries in it. Figure it'll work no matter what regardless of how long it sits unused. (At least 10 years.) It'll help me find my stuff in the cage and safe should the power go out and any exposed LEDs don't work any more.
Custom 'Candle'…runs on 1 AA FOREVER!
Zebralight SC80
Flexibility in that it will run on 1 AA form or 1 123 form battery, with a simple internal adapter.
McGizmo Haiku with 2 AA body. Absolutely awesome performance from my favorite light engine, and the 2 AA body will work with the VME heads and various Malkoff drop ins using multiple battery configurations – Alkaline, Eneloop, 14500.
McGizmo Haiku with 1x123 body. Gotta have it. Rock solid McGizmo reliability, perfect beam, 3 nice levels in a pocket-sized light.
McGizmo 6V Makai on 2x123 body. This gives me a thrower with an extra 2x123 body that can also drive the various Malkoff/VME modules.
VME head and either 1x123, 2x123, or 3x123 VG body. 1, 2 or 3 123s…or 2 AAs in Alkaline, eneloop or IMR. Or 2 17500s.
WHAT?? ONLY 1 SUREFIRE AND NO HDS?! Hey, I love those lights and would like to possibly add an HDS to the collection, but for regulated output the McGizmos serve my purpose! As for Surefire, they are great, but I'm good with the Elzettas – plus you didn't see all the P60 and P90 engines I have stored away that will work just fine in these Elzetta hosts!
So let's see what you have! And tell us the story behind them! Up next will be Scout's collection!
Topics such as this can evoke strong opinions and thus strong responses, so we respectfully ask that you please keep your comments on topic – there's so much wisdom and experience on this forum that we can all benefit from. We'd hate to see a few rogue comments or troll posts have the thread shut down.
But no problems are expected! There – now that the disclaimers are out of the way, here we go.
With a very satisfying collection of McGizmos at hand, most of my recent light purchases have been focused on acquiring tools that are:
- Bomb proof
- Long run times
- Interchangeable parts
- Simple
- Flexible battery configurations
Thus, the following collection has come about – with a couple more lights to go yet. Please do what I have done below so we can all benefit from your ideas – show your photos of your SHTF lights with descriptions and the reasons you acquired them!
Elzetta 3 cell host with Malkoff M60 and hi/lo strobe, running on 3 primaries
Why? Great, rugged weapon light, incredible run time (2 cell ran for 130 minutes on high then another 28 hours on low – imagine how long the 3 cell will run).
Malkoff light engines: M60F, M60NF, M61, M61NLL, M31LL , M60
Why? (Really?) AWESOME quality, bombproof, amazing run times, and incredible flexibility within the hosts you'll see following. If the crap is hitting the fan, I want a Malkoff or a McGizmo with me!
2 Elzetta hosts – both 2 cell with high/low clicky tail caps. Why? BOMBPROOF! And I can use any of the aforementioned Malkoffs in them. But if an EMP event took out my LEDs (I keep back ups in a grounded safe and in a Faraday cage, and yes, I do have my tin foil hat at the ready), I could always drop one of my dozen or so Surefire P60 or P90 incans in.
FM SS 18650 body with Malkoff VME head (with extra McClicky and boot)
This one gives me a simple, flexible set up. 1 18650, 1 17670, 2 18350s, 2 IMR 16340s, 2 RCR 123s, or 2 primaries, driving one of the Malkoffs. Awesome.
Malkoff / VME Lil Twisty
This one houses primarily the Malkoff M31LL. Talk about simple. Twist on, twist off. Single primary. Perfect 60 or so lumen beam. Incredible run time. This one lives in my safe (which is grounded and I think, "hardened.")
Fenix E01
I have a dozen or so of these (I think.) I don't need to extoll the virtues of this little light, but am happy to confirm them. I have 8 unopened ones in my faraday cage. All the virtues that we all know and love, plus in my mind, potentially a great barter item. I pray that we never need to find out whether or not that is true. Simple, available AAA batteries run forever!
ThruNite ti Firefly
Although I don't know if they are as robust as the E01, they are definitely strong little lights with the added benefit of the "Firefly" mode. In this mode, they run forever! I have around a dozen of these, too. 1 AAA and you have light for a long time – as high as 60 lumen or as low as .04 lumen.
Surefire G2 Nitrolon. Sits in my nightstand with primaries in it. Figure it'll work no matter what regardless of how long it sits unused. (At least 10 years.) It'll help me find my stuff in the cage and safe should the power go out and any exposed LEDs don't work any more.
Custom 'Candle'…runs on 1 AA FOREVER!
Zebralight SC80
Flexibility in that it will run on 1 AA form or 1 123 form battery, with a simple internal adapter.
McGizmo Haiku with 2 AA body. Absolutely awesome performance from my favorite light engine, and the 2 AA body will work with the VME heads and various Malkoff drop ins using multiple battery configurations – Alkaline, Eneloop, 14500.
McGizmo Haiku with 1x123 body. Gotta have it. Rock solid McGizmo reliability, perfect beam, 3 nice levels in a pocket-sized light.
McGizmo 6V Makai on 2x123 body. This gives me a thrower with an extra 2x123 body that can also drive the various Malkoff/VME modules.
VME head and either 1x123, 2x123, or 3x123 VG body. 1, 2 or 3 123s…or 2 AAs in Alkaline, eneloop or IMR. Or 2 17500s.
WHAT?? ONLY 1 SUREFIRE AND NO HDS?! Hey, I love those lights and would like to possibly add an HDS to the collection, but for regulated output the McGizmos serve my purpose! As for Surefire, they are great, but I'm good with the Elzettas – plus you didn't see all the P60 and P90 engines I have stored away that will work just fine in these Elzetta hosts!
So let's see what you have! And tell us the story behind them! Up next will be Scout's collection!