lights to give as gifts????

trying to get some of my friends into lights and was wondering what you guys would suggest for xmas/bday gifts for under $50 bucks. Keep in mind that these people only know Mag family of products and anything else that is sold at your typical wal-mart/target/k-mart/costco etc.

I would like any suggestions for both LED and Incan, size should be kept to probably no bigger than a Pelican M6. Brighter the better. Runtime should be 1 hour min.

Not sure about battery choices. I may ask that we stay with standard everyday batteries or even better simply specify what the battery type is in the light you are recommending.

Thanks and let the fun begin.

Curtis

Too funny.
JUST made the comment to my wife that we should get her dad a Streamlight Twin-Task 2L for him as a gift.
(I'm thinking might give this as all my gifts. I'm an efficiency expert /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif )

I think it fits your criteria and is a great general purpose light. (ie: glove box light)
-lithium battery: long-term storage not affected by temp.
-LED for extended run time or general lighting that is not too blinding. (map reading in the car)
-xenon lamp for extended throw. (not the best, but a good start)
-approx $32.00 price tag

Used ours last night when the power went out last night for about an hour. The LED's provided plenty of light and was nice to set on the tail pointing at the white ceiling to light rooms when needed in addition to the candles/liquid fuel table lights.

Elektrolumens Blaster Jr. at pre-sale price of $50.

LS III, Uses 3xAA batteries, lots of runtime (8 hours??)Still small size, Very good build quality. That's my vote.

Lights that make cool gifts at various prices:
-Dorcy AAA 1 LED, $6 at Walmart
-Photon Freedom, $20, coin cell keychain light
-Countycomm.com 20 for $20 coin cell keychain lights
-UK 4AA eLed or Princeton Tec equivalent, Luxeon, about $35
-Arc AAA, $25
-CMG/Gerber Sonic, AAA, available on sale $11-$15
-Infinity Ultra, AA, $21
-Xnova AA, 5 LEDs, $10-$15?, available through the forums.
-Petzl Tikka Plus headlamp 3 x AAA $35 (not everyone would use or need a headlamp)

These all would be very useful, appeal to non-flashaholics and use common AA or AAA batteries, except the 2 coin cell lights (but 2016s and 2032s are readily available also). For $50 you could afford some lower end surefires or equivalent, but you have the problem of the CR123 batteries and it's more of a flashaholic light.

Good suggestions so far...Arc AAAs for everyone's keyring is, I think, what would probably be the most-used/most practical.
However, the Twintask 1L or 2L are both REALLY practical lights. Since they're also under your price limit, you might consider giving the Twintasks with spare bulbs and a supply of CR123 batteries, which most folks won't bother to get on their own. You might also give them the CR123s in a container so they're not bouncing around loose in someone's junk drawer - Advantix film canisters and plastic match safes are two of the commonly used holders.
Also, I've got a UK 4AA eLED and had the Streamlight 4AA Propolymer 7LED...and between the two, I preferred the Streamlight. UK lasts longer and putting the batteries in is slightly more straightforward, but I liked the Streamlight's output better and thought the switch was smoother and easier to use, plus it was a bit more comfortable in the hand. I gave the Streamlight to my folks and kept the UK for the kitchen "utility drawer."

All of these are 2 lithium 123 cell Xenon lites, all under fifty smackers, also available in easy to find places:
Surefire G2 nitrolon, Pelican M6, Streamlight Scorpion, Brinkman Maxfire (not bad for $20 bucks! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif), Browning Ice Xenon, Underwater Kinetics UK2L

Streamlight Propolymer makes 2 LED models for your price range: 3N and the 4AA. As far as that goes, the same models in the Xenon make great gifts, too.

Spend a few minutes checking out BriteGuy's website and there are lots of choices...

I would recommend:
Dorcy AAA
Arc AAA
TT 2L
Streamlight Scorpion
or Surefire G2 or even 6P

I think you would be better off giving key chain lights because they are actually used on a daily basis. or you could get a G2 and give a first surefire.....

Non-flashaholics like the Streamlight TT-3C. Looks impressive, has good heft, bateries you can get at the drug store, great runtime, three light outputs....a non-flashaholics idea of a modern flashlight. Don't tell them how cheap is was.

another recomendation for the Dorcy AAA LED, there nice and small to put on a keychain so people won't balk at carrying them.

My 2 thumbs up for the Arc AAA. A must for every set of keys!

Inova XO /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif

It's a great light to use outdoors. Not the most practical light around the house but great fun to own. Packaging is great also so it's very suitable as a gift.

~Stephen

I agree with the Thesurefire, keychain lights are the most practical. That being said, these are my favorites...

http://www.countycomm.com/CPF%20super%20Tough%20LED.htm

-jim

123 lights for the non-flashaholic are pushing it. In general, the non-flshlight-educated masses see 123s as very expensive and don't want to take the time and effort to order batteries - they just want to pick up batteries with their groceries. If it doesn't use common cells, it'll end up in a drawer somewhere. (Ooof, I can't stand the thought of a Arc LS sitting unused).

During the last power outage here, stores were completely sold out of C and D batteries, but the shelves were full of AA and AAA. I've found when I've given lights using these batteries, I end up seeing them used years later.

I've got to agree with d'mo for the most part. If you're giving lights to would-be flashaholics, then go ahead and throw in a 123 light. If you don't think they'll get hooked, then they probably will just end up in a drawer somewhere.

Also, keep in mind that non-flashaholics are usually impressed by only one thing - brightness. If you've got a non-flashaholic, but you think you might be able to convert them, then I think that a 2C Mag modded to run 3x123's is a great way to do that. It's the smallest version of a familiar shape that puts out a bunch more light than they'd expect it to. Pelican M6's are also nice, but don't quite put out enough light to guarantee winning over the non-flashaholic.

I'm not sure how anyone could balk at or not appreciate and Streamlight Twin Task.

That said, while the 1L and 2L versions are nice, the 3AA and 3C versions stand a better chance of acceptance by the widest number of folks!

I'd also consider the Dorcy 1AAA 1LED as a good intro light, and the Dorcy 2AA 4LED is quite nice as well!

But 3AA and 3C Sreamlights are what I would recommend.

I agree that a keychain LED is probably the most practical and novel gift for the average consumer. However I think that the Dorcy 4-LED would be a good gift as an average "toolbox" gift, and it's readily available at Target for $16.99. I just bought another one yesterday for one of my toolkits. Lots of nice white light for a good price, and reasonably durable.

I know its out of most of our price ranges, but wouln't you love to give a "longBow" as a gift. Even the box is COOL!

I've always given an SF G2 as a gift!! Perfect me thinks for non problem users for round the house/in car etc etc!!

I give lights as gifts as least 70-80% of the times that I give gifts. I try to gear which ones towards the individual user. My main two criteria are they are LED and use common cells. When I talk about the benefits of LEDs, I don't want them to ever have to worry about changing a bulb or a bulb burning out.

Last Xmas I gave my daughter's boyfriend (a SEAL reservist) an ARC AAA and she gave him an ARC LS. I recently asked him if he was interested in me upgrading the LS. He pulled out his keychain with the AAA on it and said this is what he uses all the time. The LS only sees occasional use.

I own 5-6 dozen lights and the ARC AAA is my most used. The ARC AAA is a must have.

[ QUOTE ]
kitelights said:
My main two criteria are they are LED and use common cells. When I talk about the benefits of LEDs, I don't want them to ever have to worry about changing a bulb or a bulb burning out.

[/ QUOTE ]

I was at a colleague's house the other week, working on his computer. He pulled out his maglight, turned it on, and... nothing. While he was grousing about blowing the bulb from dropping it, I said "be right back..."

Went out to the car and grabbed my Dorcy 4-LED unit, brought it in, showed him the nice bright, evenly distributed white light (he was impressed) and then I threw it on the floor as hard as I could. Of course it was still working. Point made. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif