Scouter, traveler, father- need some advice.

I am looking at getting a light. I'm really open and am drawn to something really bright/powerful so I can impress the boys and maybe spot them while playing capture the flag at night. Something fun and useful and durable. My last light broke and thats no fun.

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!
____Less than $100.
____I'm flexible, tell me what you gotJ. Maybe i could swing more for the right item.

3) Format:

____I want a flashlight.

4) Flashlight-specific format/size:

____Keychain size.
____Every day carry small (2-4 inches).
____Every day carry medium (4-7 inches).
____Holster carry.
____I don't know.
I guess smaller is better, as one poster essentially said, people expect a big light to be bright and are more wowed by a powerful smaller light. I like to pack light but i'm flexible here.

5) Emitter/Light source:

____LED (known for efficiency, longevity, and compactness)
____Incandescent (known for superior color rendition)
____HID (known for max output, but often at the expense of size)
____I don't know.


6) Manufacturer: I would like one that was ready to go but am open to buying from a trusted source that has pieced one together for me.

____I want to buy a light from a traditional mass producing manufacturer that is ready to go out of the box.
____I would consider getting a light that is pieced together (for example a "host" or flashlight body from one manufacturer, and a "drop-in" emitter from another source). Under the right circumstances, this path can provide more options to the consumer to meet specific needs, and can often be easily upgradeable as technology improves.


7) What battery type do you want to use? Budget friendly, but i understand what is inexpensive upfront might not be best in long run.

____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)
____I intend to use rechargeable nickel chemistry (NiCad, NiMH, NiZn)
____I intend to use lithium primary batteries (CR123, CR2, Energizer Advanced/Ultimate Lithium AA/AAA)
____I intend to use rechargeable lithium (li-ion) chemistry. Feel free to specify a size if you know which size you want (14500, RCR123/16340, 17500, 17670, 18650, etc.)


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).
The more the better.
____I want to illuminate an entire field, the neighbor's front yard several houses down, impress my friends and neighbors, etc. (300-700 lumens).
____I want ridiculous amounts of lumens (800+ lumens).


9) Throw vs. Flood: At what distance will you be most likely to use this light? Select all that apply.

_____150+ yards (I want maximum throw possible)


10) Runtime: Not over-inflated manufacturer runtime claims, but usable brightness measured from first activation to 50% with new batteries (Measured on maximum output).
I guess the longer the better for campouts but I'm not opposed to carrying backup batteries.
________90-120 minutes (Runtime is moderately important, but still not critical)

11) Durability/Usage: Generally the old phrase "you get what you pay for" is very accurate for flashlights.

____Very Important (Camping, Backpacking, Car Glove-box).
____Critical (Police, Fire, Search & Rescue, Caving, Survival).

12) Switch Type and location (choose all that apply): Talk to me.

____I want a forward clicky (Helpful for momentary activation and signaling).
____I want a reverse clicky (For use with multi-mode/level lights).
____I want a momentary switch (Predominantly for use with signaling and short bursts of momentary light only).
____I want a tail mounted switch (found on the majority of today's high end lights).
____I don't care.
____I don't know.

13) User Interface (UI) and mode selection. Select all that apply. I like cool stuff and am not afraid to learn a more complicated UI.

____I want 2 light levels. (Brighter/short runtime and Dimmer/long runtime.)
____I want multiple light levels. (Some lights have 5-16 light levels.)
____I want a programmable light.
____I want a selector ring.
____I want a strobe mode. (Blinks to show location.)
____I want SOS mode.
____I want a beacon mode.
____I don't know.


14)Material/Finish/Coating

____Anodized Aluminum – either type II or III (Hard Anodized) (Aluminum, specifically HA, is the most common material/finish for today's flashlights).
____Stainless steel (durable, but much heavier than aluminum)
____Titanium (durable and nearly as lightweight as aluminum, but can be moderately to significantly more expensive).
____I don't know.

Wow, not much to work with there, very general. There are probably hundreds of lights that would meet your criteria.

I'd probably narrow down what kind of power source you'd want to use on question 7 a bit better, that will help thin the herd a bit. Li-Ion rechargables and CR123's are probably going to get you the most light generally, however they come with their own set of risks you have to be aware of.

Lightweight. Durable. Proven. Simple. Will last a whole three day weekend campout on one cell. Bright enough for privvy trips. $12.50 which is the best part. Fenix EO1 in your pocket or on a lanyard. An absolute must. Then, get in touch with Gene at Malkoff devices and order an MD2 with high/low ring.Comes with a very bright two level, stone simple UI, and lasts forever on a pair of primary CR123 batteries, but allows use of rechargeables down the road if you are so inclined. Shoot me a PM, if you're conus, and I'll send you one of each to test drive on your next campout. I believe that strongly in both products, and would love to see them in the hands of some Scouts now that my sons are out. Welcome, btw!

Edit- The Malkoff is fantastic in it's own right as a host, and is upgradeable as time goes by. $119.00 ready to go and worth every penny. Their customer service is legendary here. As a plus, they use clicky switches and reflectors designed by one of the most talented builders and designers here, McGizmo.

Take a look at a Quark Turbo 2xAA. It fits all of your criteria. Also invest in some high quality NiMh AA rechargeables and charger. I recommend either Eneloop, or Duracell LSDs.

Right now some retailers are selling discounted Quarks due to a product marketing change. Try looking in CPFMP.

+1... The Malkoff MD2 is a great recommendation... Or any Surefire p60 host (6p or 9p) with a Malkoff dropin.

For a keychain sized light I like the iTP A3 (or the Olight i3 or Maratac AAA) for the price and performance. These little lights can also disappear in your pocket very easily and have become many people's main EDC as well.

If you're going camping, then you'll probably recognize the truth behind the phrase, "In the woods, runtime is king." In my opinion, that means you need a light with some pretry low settings, but also access to higher modes for when you need to spot the boys in CTF. I think the Quark line of lights would serve you very well, the 2xAA models in particular. You can run non-rechargeable lithiums or alkalines in them in a pinch, and save money in the long run with eneloops. They have extremely low modes for preserving night vision, but their very respectable high modes are also easy to access. And, important for camping, they are available in neutral emitters, which prevent everything from looking washed out and flat.

EDIT: I forgot, you can buy Quarks and other good lights from 4Sevens, just search it in Google. :thumbsup:

I read your post, and got the impression that you want something that will blow people away with brightness, and be able to see kids hiding a few hundred yards away, etc...with the caveat that they will be slightly less blown away if the light LOOKS like it SHOULD be powerful (That was me posting that btw).

I did NOT get the impression that instead, you wanted a small pocket sized camp light with a lot of run time to find the latrine per se.

If you want something small bright and powerful, its hard to beat the DRY 3 XML Turbo, its the size of a soda can, and pumps out a few thousand lumens with a big floody pattern (Think "Lights up an entire area to ~ 200-250 yards away").

They are ~ $68, and IIRC take 3 18650 cells. Get spare cells, the light is so much fun that you will USE IT.

Going another direction, the Crelant 7G5 V2 is also under $100 (~ $80's) - about 850 lumens, but they are highly focused into a fat laser beam of light that can spot things over 400 yards away, and IT is a lot of fun too, as there are not many lights out there than can DO that, especially for under $100. I was at a buddies farm and showed him the Crelant, and shined in on a barn ~ 200 yards away, in DAYLIGHT, and the beam punched the side of the barn hard...you could see the light on the barn 200 yards away in broad daylight :devil:

These lights have lower modes to save your battery life/not be as bright when you don't WANT it that bright too, but High and TURBO modes are where the fun lives.

If you want to go crazy and break the $100 budget, the Xtar S1 that just came out throws a huge amount of light and can even spot things hundreds of yards away with a large pool of light, for ~ $224-ish.

If gun safari's sale is still on, the nitecore tiny monster TM11 is ~ $150, but frankly, while a quality light, the DRY is more powerful (The ~$68 DRY is not as well made, but the DRY is brighter, and the form factors are about the same). The TM11 has a lot more useful modes as well, especially when dim light is needed, and its more sturdy, etc.

Those are some examples...the budget conscious examples of the DRY 3 XML Turbo, and the Crelant 7G5 V2 would be about what it SOUNDS like you'd covet. A little over budget would be the Zebralight SC600, at 750 lumens from about 4" of flashlight...it has a good wow factor too, BECAUSE its so small and unassuming looking. The added cost for the light would be off set by its using only ONE 18650, instead of multiples like the others. (Fewer 18650's to buy). Its only real downside in your context is throw, it has none really, its good for 50-60 yards, and its dark beyond that....hard to spot hiding kids a few hundred yards away.

:welcome:

Wow this is great advice everyone! Thank you very much. Exactly the kind of input I was looking for.