EDC: One light or several?

Do you prefer one light for EDC, or multiple?

  • Single do-it-all light

    Votes: 10 28.6%
  • Multiple specialized lights

    Votes: 25 71.4%

  • Total voters
    35

liteningbug

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Jun 26, 2014
Messages
28
For EDC, do you prefer one light that can handle everything or multiple lights that are more specialized? Why?
 

reppans

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Mar 25, 2007
Messages
4,873
For my primary EDC, I voted for a single do-it-all light. Reasons: lightweight, minimalist, and easy pocket-carry.

Agree with Arch on redundancy, and I also EDC a AAA keychain light for back-up, but that seems to be a different question/poll than what the OP was trying to get at.
 

liteningbug

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Jun 26, 2014
Messages
28
For my primary EDC, I voted for a single do-it-all light. Reasons: lightweight, minimalist, and easy pocket-carry.

Agree with Arch on redundancy, and I also EDC a AAA keychain light for back-up, but that seems to be a different question/poll than what the OP was trying to get at.

Well, it's mostly that I decided it was time for me to move beyond the pharmacy counter cheapo light, but I am wondering if it isn't better to have a single light that gets used in low/mid modes most of the time with an option for high lumens as needed--or if I ought to have a dedicated "walking/utility light" for low/mid and a "what was that" light that's high-only. Seemed like the latter option might be a way to make sure the high-lumen option is always available; rather than having a single light's mid/low suck most of the battery's juice away during regular use so that if I needed to crank up the lumens it wouldn't even be able to hit its max possible brightness.
 

Tmack

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Jan 31, 2014
Messages
4,872
Location
Baltimore Md
I carry one super bright long runtime light with 4 modes. Sunwayman C20Cvn, juiced up to 1300lm. 1x 18650 last forever in this little thing. It's the smallest light I've handled to take a 18650.

If I feel like I need something else (rare) I'll grab something according to my situation(larger/smaller) , but that c20cvn is enough for mist anything I'll encounter, and durable so I'm not stressing about a back up.
 

Rifter

Enlightened
Joined
May 21, 2002
Messages
294
Location
Vancouver Canada
I prefer one what ill call a close area light, flood beam, good for getting work done right infront of you. Then ill take extra's when needed for specific tasks like if i am going for a walk at night ill take a thrower.
 

reppans

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Mar 25, 2007
Messages
4,873
Well, it's mostly that I decided it was time for me to move beyond the pharmacy counter cheapo light, but I am wondering if it isn't better to have a single light that gets used in low/mid modes most of the time with an option for high lumens as needed--or if I ought to have a dedicated "walking/utility light" for low/mid and a "what was that" light that's high-only. Seemed like the latter option might be a way to make sure the high-lumen option is always available; rather than having a single light's mid/low suck most of the battery's juice away during regular use so that if I needed to crank up the lumens it wouldn't even be able to hit its max possible brightness.

Not sure if you know this already, but what you describe in bold is typical of cheap unregulated lights running on primary alkalines - the light will not be able attain its max output on ~20% depleted Alks. However, a decent regulated light running on the NiMh/Li-ion rechargeables you checked off on your other thread, WILL be able attain its max output on 75% depleted cells, but of course, with limited runtime now. If you always want BOTH the Max output AND the extended runtime available for that "bump in the dark" event, then you have other options like: a) carrying a spare cell(s), b) recharging/swapping every day, c) using a bigger light with a bigger battery, and/or multiple batteries. All three options are still going to be smaller, lighter weight, and easier to use for EDC - I mean seriously, were you thinking about walking around carrying a light in each hand? :D
 

BillSWPA

Enlightened
Joined
Dec 27, 2011
Messages
670
Location
Southwest PA
I prefer two lights for different purposes, but which hopefully have some overlap to provide redundant capability.

When incandescent lights were our only option, as well as for the first few years of LED's, my light was invariably the least reliable tool I carried, even though I paid for quality (at that time I bought Surefire exclusively). Today's lights seem better, but having a spare is always a good idea.

I carry a primary light that is set up for defensive use but which ends up serving far more mundane purposes on a daily basis. A smaller task light is on my keychain for when I want fewer lumens and/or to preserve the more numerous and more expensive cells in the primary light. However, if my primary light has lower modes, this is better. Similarly, if my keychain light can put out high lumens when called for, this is also good.

In colder weather, I keep a smaller defensive light in my coat pocket as another backup.
 

liteningbug

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Jun 26, 2014
Messages
28
I mean seriously, were you thinking about walking around carrying a light in each hand? :D
One for the belt, one in the pocket! :) Or maybe something small on the keychain/around the neck...

Many thanks for the info! (a) at least doesn't seem like it'd work for me since if there's a bump in the night I want that light Right Now, rather than after a fresh battery gets popped in, but you've given me quite a bit to think on. I'm reading past threads pretty voraciously because I was the standard plebeian when it came to flashlights only a week ago, but there's still a lot of holes in that education. I'm finding that it's a topic I never knew I'd be so interested in learning about--and there's so much to learn.

Is that info also true for NiMh non-rechargeables? As much as I like the Li-ion perks, I think the ease of finding a spare AA/AAA is going to be the deciding factor in where I align on the battery issue for my own purchases.
 

THE_dAY

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Nov 28, 2003
Messages
1,819
Location
sfv, california
There are occasions when I'm going out at night that I might bring 2 lights for the fun of it but for actual edc (every day carry) one light does it for me.

Does a smartphone flashlight count as well?
 

reppans

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Mar 25, 2007
Messages
4,873
Is that info also true for NiMh non-rechargeables? As much as I like the Li-ion perks, I think the ease of finding a spare AA/AAA is going to be the deciding factor in where I align on the battery issue for my own purchases.

Assume you mean NiMh "rechargeables" - they are by definition rechargeable, and yes I mentioned them in my post above. They're not quite as max-power sustaining as Li-ions, but waayyyy better than alkalines. You should look through Selfbuilt's output/runtime graphs on how different lights perform with different batts.

BTW, Li-ions are not necessarily mutually exclusive, the latter 3 (more expensive) of the 6 lights I suggested in your other thread will fully support 1x Alks, NiMhs and Li-ions - max output will double on a Li-ion, but all other lower modes are retained at spec.

The QPAs also have a cool little single-handed momentary max from ON feature (it's a work-around) that I'm finding increasingly hard to live without - for me, it's the ideal bump in the dark UI. Perhaps it's just me, but drawing a second light from holster or pocket for is just way too slow for me, and probably difficult under panic mode. Also, if I ever needed my max for more than a few seconds/minutes at time, I suspect I'd be in a whole lot more trouble than my flashlight could get me out of ;).

Good luck.
 
Last edited:

WalkIntoTheLight

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Jun 18, 2014
Messages
3,967
Location
Canada
For EDC, I need a light that can handle most situations, have multiple brightness levels (down to "moonlight"), and be small enough that I will actually carry it. Anything bigger than a 1xAA light is too big to comfortably carry around in a pocket. My favourite right now is a Zebralight SC52, but I also have ordered a SC52w-L2 which I expect will become my new favourite. It's quite bright (I think the brightest 1xAA light you can get), but doesn't have a lot of throw. Very seldom do I need a lot of throw, so it's a good choice.

Another 1xAA light I like is the L3 Illuminations L10. It's not much bigger than a battery, so very easy to carry. I'm not a big fan of twisties, so it doesn't see much use. They have a clicky version now, which I will probably try out. They're less than half the price of the Zebralight.

I used to carry a 4sevens Preon P0 (now called Atom A0). It's a very small 1xAAA light (I think the smallest AAA light there is). But it's pure flood, so really isn't useful outdoors. Good for a keychain, but a cell-phone light is probably just as good.

Also tried 2xAA lights like the 4sevens Quark. Great lights, but I find them a little too big for EDC. I should get a single AA battery tube, so I can run them as a 1xAA light.

I've tried lots of various other lights (mostly cheap) over the years, but end up hating them all. Once I discovered the world of Internet shopping, there's just so many better options than hardware-store lights.
 

braddy

Enlightened
Joined
Nov 24, 2011
Messages
516
A gentlemen only needs a small, top quality, long run time key chain light, but since I wear blue jeans and can wear something on my belt as well, I keep the Fenix LD01 on my keyring, and the Fenix PD35 on my belt.

If I wore slacks and a starched shirt, I would never wear anything on the belt, besides, the LD01 is more flashlight than most almost anyone had for almost a 100 years, it really is like carrying a 2D flashlight and extra D batteries with you, most of us have to look for an excuse to be carrying an additional 18650 flashlight, being a contractor, I can justify it, it also makes sense for concealed carry guys, that will be my excuse when I leave this nightmare of a state.
 

liteningbug

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Jun 26, 2014
Messages
28
it also makes sense for concealed carry guys

A major reason for me as well; though, with a high-powered light one does need to train around the problem of light reflecting back into your eyes off of your gun hand. (I believe the best solution is to angle the light down rather than directly at the bad guy.) Still good to have the lumens available, of course.

Hope you're able to leave for a freer state soon, I got stuck living in CA for a couple years and--with all due respect to its residents--I was incredibly happy to depart.
 

AMD64Blondie

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Nov 2, 2007
Messages
1,009
Location
Portland,OR
Usually only one for me off work.(My HDS Rotary 250.)

When I'm at work..I'll bring along a few other lights, including my Black Diamond Storm.(I use my Black Diamond Storm when I'm walking to work in the winter..it's dark then.)
 

Bozzlite

Enlightened
Joined
Feb 24, 2006
Messages
286
Location
Central Texas
A quark AA with a 14500 covers all my needs for EDC. Around the house, I have multiple lights power outages and other uses.
 

Esko

Enlightened
Joined
Nov 17, 2008
Messages
514
For my primary EDC, I voted for a single do-it-all light. Reasons: lightweight, minimalist, and easy pocket-carry.

Agree with Arch on redundancy, and I also EDC a AAA keychain light for back-up, but that seems to be a different question/poll than what the OP was trying to get at.

I voted for a single do-it-all light and my EDC is a single AAA keychain light.

...but I do agree with Arch and you on redundancy, and there are small&cheap coin cell lights attached to most of my bags etc, another 1*AAA light in car keys (if I drive a car - if I drive my bike there is a 18650 headlamp in helmet+rear light+backup) and of course, cell phone can be used as a spare flashlight, too. Even my camera LCD can produce enough light to navigate and find stuff if needed (when I have it with me). And - of course - if I know that I am going to need a flashlight somewhere I go, I take something more powerful with me. But that is another story. My Every Day Carry is a high quality multi-mode single AAA do-it-all light. :)
 
Top