camping/general use and shotgun tac llight, klarus xt2c, jetbeam pc25, fenix tk11 ?

Well here we go- from lurking to posting! more details on what I"m looking for at the bottm

1) I will be mail-ordering or buying online

2) Budget: Less than $100. I'd like to keep it to this including a rechargeable battery if possible

3) Format: I want a flashlight.

4) Flashlight-specific format/size:
____Every day carry small (2-4 inches).
____Every day carry medium (4-7 inches).

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?
Pretty open to any battery type, reg alkaline, NimH are o.k. Lithium types are o.k too. I'll factor these in with the cost of the light and would like to keep the total package under $100

____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).

Need opinions on 150 vs 300+ inside a home for tactical use and a low setting
I'll need a low setting ~10 lumen, and need some advice about med vs high lumens. 150ish to 400ish? how much is too much inside a home? I'm planning on using this as a "tactical" light at times on a shotgun. It'll also get general use so a 300+ for camping etc would be nice.


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

____Less than 1 yard/meter (reading, other close work)
____Less than 5 yards/meters (looking for something inside a dark shed/garage/basement)
____5-20 yards/meters (check out a noise in the backyard)
____30-50 yards/meters (I have a big backyard)


10) Runtime: Not over-inflated manufacturer runtime claims, but usable brightness measured from first activation to 50% with new batteries (Measured on maximum output).

____30-60 minutes (I have plenty of batteries just ready to be changed)
____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.

____Durability is Very Important (Camping, Backpacking, Car Glove-box).


12) Switch Type and location (choose all that apply):

____I want a tail mounted switch (found on the majority of today's high end lights).
I need a light that I can use a remote pressure switch on, when it's mounted to my shotgun


13) User Interface (UI) and mode selection. Select all that apply.

Need opinions on UI, ease of use etc
I'd like at least 2 levels, maybe 3 and a strobe. Ease of use at the interface is important, and the light must either come on in the highest setting or be programmable to come on in a chosen setting. Programmable may actually be preferred, but I'd like opinions on this in particular, as I can think of a few drawbacks. but I'm sure the CPF will help me think of things I've yet to consider


14)Material/Finish/Coating

____I don't care...long as it's durable- preferably really really durable


15) Special Needs/extras: Is there anything else you want or need that hasn't been mentioned? Select any below.

filters would be nice but not an absolute, pressure switch option is a must.


So far I've been looking and think that the Klarus xt2c and the jetbeam pc 25, and the fenix tk11 or even 21? would all work
I'd love opinions on these lights. I've read some of the reviews here- aint search a great thing! but would also like to know if you've used any of these in a similar manner or if there are other options I'm just overlooking

Cheers! And thanks in advance

For general propose use and camping, my $0.02 is that you should consider a pocketable single cell light with a better selection of lower lumen modes. Also, if you want to weapon-mount the light, make sure the light is designed for it - ie, is sprung on both ends so the battery doesn't jack-hammer the head.

I really like my pd32 and it can be weapon mounted. My Fenix has had no problems yet and it's small enough to edc but bright enough to be taken seriously. The jet beam also looks like a good option.

Thanks for the input, I'll keep looking and think about smaller stuff too as I suppose that less mass may lead to less recoil related dmg if and when I ever fire something with it on.

Cheers

For your requirments I think you really need two seperate lights. For your shotgun the Klarus XT-11 or XT-2C with pressure switch will be decent choices. The pressure switch duplicates the function of the tail switch so you can have different output levels. The XT series has been tested on a 12 gauge shotgun and it does preform well. Indoors at a residence much more than 150+ lumens you can run the risk of having too much light with white walls reflecting back. The smaller XT 1C would be a very good choice as a small hand held EDC type light. I am preparing to mount a Klarus XT2C on my patrol pump gun shortly.

Thanks for the suggestion. I've been thinking about it, souring the web, and have come to the conclusion that inside a home that more than 150-200 lumens is excess- even possibility a liability for a light. As I intend to have it mounted on a shotgun for defense it does make sense to pick something that fits this purpose. Also seems like lower price/ lighter weight & smaller might be nice since I'll likely just leave it on the gun and only occasionally use it. As such I think I'll revise my search and think about 2 different lights.

Cheers

If you want a do-it-all light, you can't really go wrong with the xt2c or the xt11. I have both and use the xt2c for edc while the xt11 for camping, beach trips or any task which would require a heavy-duty light as it is supposed to be tougher than te xt2c.


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