Which l.e.d. Flashlight is the most Rugged?

[Locoboy5150]

My vote is for the Surefire lights in general. I've seen photos of one (I believe it was a 6P but I'm not positive) that survived an IED blast while riding in an MRAP in Iraq.

My most well built light is a Fenix TK20.

 

[kramer5150]

Actually, I second the E01... I have bought about 8 of them for family and friends, and no reports of dead lights. Tough, simple and wont get dead from a drop of a couple of meters

there was a thread a while ago where a CPFer was torture testing the E01 throwing it off a 5-6 story building.
An older member who doesn't post here any more, had some shocking thrash-test pictures of his TK20 caked in mud on a caving expedition.

... hence my recommendations.

A third recommendation of mine would be a SF-G2 with the polycarbonate lens paired with a malkoff M60L/LL.

 

[ebow86]

I would say a surefire G2 nitrolon, with the old lexan bezel, and a high quality LED drop in would be about as rugged as you're going to get. No glass to break, no aluminium to scratch or dent. Can't say for sure, but surefire nitrolon might be as durable of a material as a flashlight has ever seen.

 

[Burgess]

Great Thread ! ! !

:twothumbs



Allow me to add Streamlight ProPoly 4AA Luxeon to this list.


An oldie-but-still-a-goodie !

 

[ginaz]

MD2 with an M61/60
anything from inova T series
HDS/Ra


in no particular order

 

[sappyg]

An older member who doesn't post here any more, had some shocking thrash-test pictures of his TK20 caked in mud on a caving expedition.

... hence my recommendations.

marduke... yes? i bought the TK20 based on that thread. no regrets whatever. i've used mine quite a bit but have never managed to slime it like marduke's grey TK20.

 

[radiolove]

SUREFIRE All the Way. Let me tell you I was working with a Surefire 6pL on a balcony of an apartment complex about 40 feet from the ground floor and it fell out of my hand and crashed to the ground. I felt so stupid and was certain I just lost the small fortune I forked over to buy this light. When I got downstairs and looked at the banged up light the lens was cracked, pushed the switch and it turned on. I was amazed and wondered what it will cost me to simply replace the front lens. Called up Surefire and told them what happened. These guys are absolutely the best, they sent me a brand new head for my light! Ever since then I haven't bought anything else but Surefire and added more models to my collection. These lights can really take a beating and the company will stand behind their products 1000%. The parts including their tail cap switches are Top Quality. They go above and beyond. I do not mind paying a premium for this kind of quality and no hassel warranty.

As I have had some poor experiences with Fenix's higher power lights I can not honestly say, in my opinion, that they merit the same recognition for ruggedness or reliability. However their LOD and LD10 Models are outstanding and very reliable. Especially the LOD which now has an even more powerful updated version is an extremely reliable light in my opinion. It's fallen with my keys on the floor onto concrete numerous times I have lost count, and still keeps on working perfectly. The finish is obviously really banged up but very impressive for a small but powerful AAA light. It is my EDC backup for everyday and I love it and it gets a lot of use. My regular EDC is a Surefire E1B.

 

[Vesper]

Surefire
HDS Twisty
Malkoff MD2

That's a good list. A Malkoff dropin in a MD2 I would trust anywhere.

 

[PeaceOfMind]

I'd also have to point to Surefire, out of the brands I have owned, as being most durable.

One reason for this I believe, besides quality construction and thick metal/etc, is the way that Surefire designs/encloses their flashlight heads. I can't speak for all Surefires, but if you look at the back of the head of, say, an LX2 or E2DL or E2L or whatever, you'll notice it's very sealed, and the circuit board is totally internal to the head somewhere and blocked by structural metal.

Compare this to some other (generally less expensive) lights. Not to trash any companies in particular, but take a look at many other lights and you will see that the circuit board is exposed at the back of the head and is used as one of the battery contacts. This works fine most of the time, but you can imagine that it may be vulnerable to being hit by the batteries or damaged by some other force by being exposed like this.

I'm sure some of the other most durable brands totally enclose their circuit boards as well, but Surefires are the only lights I've personally owned where I have seen this.

 

[Dances with Flashlight]

I'm sure some of the other most durable brands totally enclose their circuit boards as well, but Surefires are the only lights I've personally owned where I have seen this.

All Peak boards are potted. The circuit board is in heat transferring epoxy behind the gold plated brass battery contact surrounded by steel in this Night Patrol head.

​

 

[NightKids]

Fenix E01, TK20 and TK40 have all gone through torture tests and still remain good. Has anyone actually done a Surefire torture test?

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=233856

 

[kramer5150]

Fenix E01, TK20 and TK40 have all gone through torture tests and still remain good. Has anyone actually done a Surefire torture test?

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=233856

Most lights mentioned in this thread have not undergone such testing.

I broke my Pyrex 6P lens from a waist high fall onto concrete. So I really can't recommend it when discussing the "most rugged". As reliable as the 6P is in every other way, the lens holds it back in this one regard (based on my experience). A switch to polycarbonate is an easy fix and a step up in durability.

 

[radiolove]

Most lights mentioned in this thread have not undergone such testing.

I broke my Pyrex 6P lens from a waist high fall onto concrete. So I really can't recommend it when discussing the "most reliable". As reliable as the 6P is in every other way, the lens holds it back in this one regard (based on my experience). A switch to polycarbonate is an easy fix and a step up in durability.

Nothing is better then a real life torture test. Well I consider dropping a SUREFIRE 6PL(accidentally) off a balcony over 40 feet high and crashing to the street a pretty damn good torture test if you ask me. It survived that with only a cracked lens which Surefire replaced for me. The light still works perfect today and in regular use. Can you top that in ruggedness and great warranty service? I can't think of any other manufacturer that comes close to surefire in this regard.

 

[Zatoichi]

Surefire definately come to mind as one of the toughest brands around. However, as I don't live in the US I'm not sure how amazingly their warranty would work for me. I hear it can be a slow process sometimes if you're outside the US, despite the fact you've paid for it (UK Surefire prices are a little steeper than in the US too). With a brand like Fenix I'm not sure all their lights are equally well built, but the E01 is one example I'd trust as much as any other flashlight, and I believe they stand behind their products too.

RA I have no experience with (yet), but I wouldn't argue with that kind of reputation. The same goes for Malkoff.

I think there are plenty of flashlights out there that are hard as nails, and few people will ever practically benefit from having 'the most rugged' because we're talking incredible over engineering for most people's needs.

My '2 cents' must go to Surefire for making the most rugged flashlights in general. They have a long and proven track record, and seem incredibly well built to me. The OP is asking for the most rugged flashlight though, not the most rugged brand. Despite owning and loving a couple of Surefires, the Fenix E01 is the most trusted of all my lights.

Please don't conclude from that I'm saying Fenix are better then Surefire. I am only speaking from my own personal and limited experience.

 

[Flying Turtle]

My toughest are probably the Arc LS, CMG Infinity, and E01. I haven't really put any of them to the test, but they could take some abuse. Assuming no twenty foot drops or crushes with a truck I think most of the lights we like can stand normal use.

Geoff

 

[dss_777]

I ahve no iidea what is THE toughest, but can attest to the durability of the old Arc AAA: the first one lasted 4-5 years of daily pocket cary attached to my keys. The second is going strong.

The other is an older incandescent SF G2. It survived a summer re-wiring our house, crawling with me around/under/through/all over. Not the most extreme use, but I'm impressed. It now has an LED dropin, and I expect it to last longer than I will.

 

[NightKids]

There seems to be one light that pops up time and time again and that's the Fenix e01

 

[kramer5150]

Nothing is better then a real life torture test. Well I consider dropping a SUREFIRE 6PL(accidentally) off a balcony over 40 feet high and crashing to the street a pretty damn good torture test if you ask me. It survived that with only a cracked lens which Surefire replaced for me. The light still works perfect today and in regular use. Can you top that in ruggedness and great warranty service? I can't think of any other manufacturer that comes close to surefire in this regard.

Don't even go there... a Surefire -VS- anything, or warranty service debate is not the topic of discussion for this thread. If you want to start another thread specifically for those topics I will gladly contribute.

 

[kramer5150]

About a year ago there was a video of some guy trashing an energizer Hard Case tactical light. Him and another guy were throwing it (really hard) against a concrete wall, off a ~20 foot tall building and rolling over it with a car.

It was scratched to all he11 and back but it worked fine.

 

[Skyeye]

The Brinkmann ArmorMax line is made to be abused. I have two of them and they are holding up very well with normal use. The only bad point I can find about them is the lens is not GLASS! But perhaps that is why you can roll over them with a car and they don't crush out and still work.