Something needed for a Stage Technician

[Sendon]

Hello everyone,

I am a stage technician on a cruise ship and in need for a new torch for work. Any recommendations would be fantastic.

-It would need to comfortable to wear on a belt and come with a holder for this.
-It needs to be able to take a few bumps..chances are it will be dropped more than once.
-Brighter the better, often I need to use it to light up the ceiling when looking for what was making "that" noise
-It also needs to be easy to operate, I often find myself in tight and very dark spaces as well as up ladders ect.., so I need to operate it with 1 hand.
-Sometimes it needs to be held with the teeth, when in situations like the above, both hands are needed (don't worry about this too much..it's what head torches are for)
-I don't wanting to be changing batteries daily. However I don't mind putting it on a charger nightly
-There isn't many times where I will use it for longer than 30mins at a time
-I'd prefer AA or AAA batteries unless it was a rechargeable, as I have access to those more easily - being on a ship we can't just nip down the shops.
-Most of the time its used indoors, however I do go outside and it will comes with me...as it's on my belt.
-Not bothered about any other functions, strobes ect.. are cool to have. However I have no need for them so won't be disappointed. A red light is sometimes useful though or a dimmer setting when something goes wrong backstage during a show - stops the audience from seeing it too easily...again not bothered much by it.
-Doesn't have to be LED..but it could be if it fits the bill.
-Sadly I'm not rich...so don't want to be spending over a $100
-Needs to be available on Amazon.com or elsewhere online that let you ship the item to somewhere different from the billing address....joys of ship life.

I had a Mini Mag and a Mini Mag LED..both were a good size ect.. however I didn't find them bright enough...the S.O.S function may have came in handy incase we sink though....but lets not worry about that.

So does anything spring to mind that may be a suitable candidate for what I'm after?....or am I out of luck?

Any other info needed, just ask.

Thank you for your help (as I am on a ship I may not be able to reply straight away)

[Gunner12]

Which Minimag LED so you have? The newer ones are decent, but there seems to be some reliability issues.

At lower prices, look at Shiningbeam's lights. Most, if not all of his lights are under $50 and from what I hear, good quality too. The Shiningbeam Caveman and Spark might work for you. Around the same size as the Minimag or a bit bigger and also gives you a few modes.

You can also look at Fenix's lights, such as the LD22 and E21, or 4sevens Quark series. Jetbeam also makes nice lights along with Sunwayman, Eagletac, and many others.

For something small, also look at the Zebralights. Small but bright.

[FlashKat]

I would consider the Jetbeam RRT-0 with a R5 LED with the AA adapter. I know it costs more, but it is versatile for your job. Also a Zebralight SC80 may work for you. Sunwayman also has a good light.

[HotWire]

I have a Jetbeam RRT0 with an AA adapter. Good light. I would also suggest the Caveman as suggested above. Mine didn't come with a holster, but that should be easy to find. The suggestions above are all good.

[rambo180]

caveman or the new minimag LED which you can buy attachments to bite with your teeth, and also it has zoom.

[AnAppleSnail]

The 4sevens Quark Tactical (2xAA) should suit you nicely. I like that I can program 2 modes to be gotten to easily - but I don't like that I only get to program 2 modes. Mine has served durably since 2009 through all sorts of adventures. A 4-pack of Eneloops and a charger will set you nicely. The 2nd-highest mode runs for several hours on a charge, the lowest mode runs for weeks.

Edit: I modify the tailcap as as follows.

1. Cut off one of the loops of the included hand-grip. Slide this over the tailcap so you have something rubber to bite. Or;
2. Get one of those 1xAA LED lights for about $3, with the 'Glow in the Dark' band around its middle. Take the band off, cut it in half (to get two cylinders) and slide one cylinder over the tailcap. This gives you a GITD nub on the Quark that makes it easier to find in the dark.

You may want the 'Deep Carry Clip' accessory. The Quarks carry 'high,' meaning that an inch of the tailcap sticks out above the clip. I found the stock clip to be sturdy, and the included holster to work well.

[jorn]

The quark preon 2 is nice. No need for a holster for this one. Clip it in any pocket, and you wont know it's there. And you dont look like a pornstar when you try to hold it with the teeth

[TheCleanerSD]

The 4sevens Quark Tactical (2xAA) should suit you nicely. I like that I can program 2 modes to be gotten to easily - but I don't like that I only get to program 2 modes. Mine has served durably since 2009 through all sorts of adventures. A 4-pack of Eneloops and a charger will set you nicely. The 2nd-highest mode runs for several hours on a charge, the lowest mode runs for weeks.

Edit: I modify the tailcap as as follows.

1. Cut off one of the loops of the included hand-grip. Slide this over the tailcap so you have something rubber to bite. Or;
2. Get one of those 1xAA LED lights for about $3, with the 'Glow in the Dark' band around its middle. Take the band off, cut it in half (to get two cylinders) and slide one cylinder over the tailcap. This gives you a GITD nub on the Quark that makes it easier to find in the dark.

You may want the 'Deep Carry Clip' accessory. The Quarks carry 'high,' meaning that an inch of the tailcap sticks out above the clip. I found the stock clip to be sturdy, and the included holster to work well.

+1

[Smokescreen]

I would check out the TerraLUX Lightstar 80. It is 80 lumens of high CRI which will help in color rendition. That would seem useful for a stage tech. It also has a rubber bite area for use in your teeth. They are also powered by 2 x AAA. It can be had for under 20 dollars (even on Amazon) any day so its affordable too. This light appears to be perfect for your needs.