someguy4747
Newly Enlightened
So I would like to get my Uncle a nice flashlight. He is 73 and has Parkinson's. He lives in a nursing home. He says a man should always have a flashlight on him. He always has his flashlight with him. He sleeps with it. He calls it old blue. It is a plastic 2 cell D battery light. It uses 3 led's. It probably puts out 15 lumens or less. It has a side switch that slides up and down to turn on and off. I want to get him an upgrade. I got him a Fenix E21 for Christmas but I am not sure he understands the UI. The clicky switch is not appropriate as he always holds his lights under handed. He complains that the light gets warm after a while and that when he leaves it on all night the batteries die! I tried with the simple UI but overall the light was a failure and he has reverted to Old Blue. He wakes up frequently to go to the restroom during the night and needs his light to navigate. Oh yeah it needs to be water proof as he sometimes drops it in the toilet. Old Blue has surprisingly held up great! So I am thinking he needs light no matter what so since he tends to leave the light on I am thinking an unregulated light may be better as it would still run at a low setting despite the depleted batteries.
I am thinking something like an 2 cell D or C(for size and runtime) light with an output single output around 20-50 lumens with a side switch. Is there an upgrade I can get him that he will use or should I accept that he is happy with Old Blue.
Thanks for your help!
For all questions please select all that apply.
1) How would you prefer to purchase the light?
I will be mail-ordering or buying online, so this doesn't matter.
2) Budget: An easy question, but you may change your mind after answering the rest!
I'm flexible, tell me what you gotJ. My main concern is that the light may get lost or even taken if it is too nice.
3) Format:
I want a flashlight.
4) Flashlight-specific format/size:
Maybe D or C batteries as he prefers bigger lights. Possibly multiple AA setups.
5) Emitter/Light source:
LED (known for efficiency, longevity, and compactness)
6) Manufacturer:
I want to buy a light from a traditional mass producing manufacturer that is ready to go out of the box.
7) What battery type do you want to use?
multiple AA configurations may work but C and D are preferred.
I intend to use alkaline batteries (AAA, AA, C, D) (disclaimer, while it does not preclude all choices, these are not recommended for many of today's most powerful lights)
8) How much genuine out the front (OTF) light do you want/need? Sometimes you can have too much light (trying to read up close up with a 100 lumen light is impossible).
0-100 lumens. Runtime is more important. He is constantly leaving the light on when he falls asleep.
9) Throw vs. Flood: At what distance will you be most likely to use this light? Select all that apply.
Probably mostly flood. A hotspot is ok as long as it is not too intense but I feel like flood would be most useful for him.
10) Runtime: Not over-inflated manufacturer runtime claims, but usable brightness measured from first activation to 50% with new batteries (Measured on maximum output).
Long run time! Like I said he may forget the light is on and leave it on overnight and I want the light to still work when he needs it the next night.
11) Durability/Usage: Generally the old phrase "you get what you pay for" is very accurate for flashlights.
It will need to withstand daily drops from 3-4 feet. So it will need to be robust for sure.
12) Switch Type and location (choose all that apply):
I think he prefers a side switch as that is what he currently has but it is somewhat difficult for him to operate because the switch is hard to activate. He does ok with the tail clicky but it is less than ideal. A side switch is prefered.
13) User Interface (UI) and mode selection. Select all that apply.
Simple. Possibly a single mode light running at 20-50 lumens would do it. If there were two modes it would need to be simple. A single low mode is probably best as he tends to leave the light on.
14)Material/Finish/Coating
Any is fine. I feel like he might like something other than aluminum or metal. Maybe polymer?
15) Special Needs/extras: Is there anything else you want or need that hasn't been mentioned? Select any below.
A good lanyard attachment point.
I am thinking something like an 2 cell D or C(for size and runtime) light with an output single output around 20-50 lumens with a side switch. Is there an upgrade I can get him that he will use or should I accept that he is happy with Old Blue.
Thanks for your help!
For all questions please select all that apply.
1) How would you prefer to purchase the light?
I will be mail-ordering or buying online, so this doesn't matter.
2) Budget: An easy question, but you may change your mind after answering the rest!
I'm flexible, tell me what you gotJ. My main concern is that the light may get lost or even taken if it is too nice.
3) Format:
I want a flashlight.
4) Flashlight-specific format/size:
Maybe D or C batteries as he prefers bigger lights. Possibly multiple AA setups.
5) Emitter/Light source:
LED (known for efficiency, longevity, and compactness)
6) Manufacturer:
I want to buy a light from a traditional mass producing manufacturer that is ready to go out of the box.
7) What battery type do you want to use?
multiple AA configurations may work but C and D are preferred.
I intend to use alkaline batteries (AAA, AA, C, D) (disclaimer, while it does not preclude all choices, these are not recommended for many of today's most powerful lights)
8) How much genuine out the front (OTF) light do you want/need? Sometimes you can have too much light (trying to read up close up with a 100 lumen light is impossible).
0-100 lumens. Runtime is more important. He is constantly leaving the light on when he falls asleep.
9) Throw vs. Flood: At what distance will you be most likely to use this light? Select all that apply.
Probably mostly flood. A hotspot is ok as long as it is not too intense but I feel like flood would be most useful for him.
10) Runtime: Not over-inflated manufacturer runtime claims, but usable brightness measured from first activation to 50% with new batteries (Measured on maximum output).
Long run time! Like I said he may forget the light is on and leave it on overnight and I want the light to still work when he needs it the next night.
11) Durability/Usage: Generally the old phrase "you get what you pay for" is very accurate for flashlights.
It will need to withstand daily drops from 3-4 feet. So it will need to be robust for sure.
12) Switch Type and location (choose all that apply):
I think he prefers a side switch as that is what he currently has but it is somewhat difficult for him to operate because the switch is hard to activate. He does ok with the tail clicky but it is less than ideal. A side switch is prefered.
13) User Interface (UI) and mode selection. Select all that apply.
Simple. Possibly a single mode light running at 20-50 lumens would do it. If there were two modes it would need to be simple. A single low mode is probably best as he tends to leave the light on.
14)Material/Finish/Coating
Any is fine. I feel like he might like something other than aluminum or metal. Maybe polymer?
15) Special Needs/extras: Is there anything else you want or need that hasn't been mentioned? Select any below.
A good lanyard attachment point.