【Discussion】What's your favorite flashlight and why?

Audiowiz

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Jul 15, 2007
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Hi, everyone. We are all flashlight enthusiasts, and we may have more than one flashlight. But I believe there must be one that you use the most. What is your favorite flashlight and why? You can show all your gears or your favorite one here.
 

808vudoo

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Jun 6, 2018
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315
What a tough question and so many great options that people have posted…thank you. The one I keep coming back to is a McGizmo mule with a modified Luxeon MZ pill. Great color rendering, super compact and about as far as my limited eye sight can use. Look forward to seeing what everyone shares.
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radellaf

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Apr 10, 2002
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1,087
Location
Raleigh, NC
The one I use the most is whatever I just got and am playing with. My "favorite" in terms of how I feel about it, is the nostaligic incan minimag. Acceptable that it is xenon, even if I mostly used one in the vacuum days with the bulbs that got all black/silver.
Of the new lights? They are all too different to have a favorite, as such. If I had 10, I'd have a favorite. With over 100? I might be able to pick out a favorite 10. The Fenix LD01 still lives on my keychain, so that gets a lot of use. The Sofirn C01 is the bedroom get-up-to-pee light. A Nitecore Tube (clear) is the backup. Dog walks are whatever I want to play with at the time, or if nothing is calling me, either the Sofirn C2+ (1050mA max) or the SF10 (cheapie 400lm 14500) near the door.
 

marchayes

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Oct 8, 2017
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I gotta vote for one of my two Olight Marauder 2's. Great size, great build, and great scalable flood with a lot of light, coupled with a very handy toggle between flood and a very focused long-range spot. The controls are intuitive and battery life is impressive. It's my outdoor go-to.
 

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GoVegan

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For the last couple of years, my HDS EDC LE (250 lumens, XP-G2). Instant access to a bright level, with a useful 10 lumens available with a double click. The light is small enough for me to carry in any pocket anywhere I go, I know I can rely it, plus it has never flickered (unlike my Streamlights and Surefires).

My main requirements for a flashlight (apart from general utility) are:
1. Small enough, so that it gets carried everywhere.
2. At least a lower mode with a long runtime, as an earthquake, power outage of other disaster could occur at anytime.
3. Personal protection (tail button and immediate access to a high intensity mode).
4. Non-protruding button, as a light is useless if it accidentally activates in my pocket.

The HDS meets all these requirements.

However I'm always on the lookout for something better, but that just doesn't seem to exist yet. lol

Edit: Originally I wrote my HDS Executive, truth is I have a really hard time choosing between both. Generally, if I'm at home or expect to be back before dark, then the Executive, if out after dark then the LE, as the instant access to high is more useful especially from a personal protection perspective.
 
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jjp888

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Jan 31, 2015
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Nitecore Mh20,using for last 6+ years with a nitecore 3400mah battery.Have many other edc lights, but this is my most favourite and used one.Good throw,adequate flood bightness,direct access to low and high,usb rechargeable,small length compared to other 18650 lights.
Frankly speaking the 2 stage switch in this is the most beloved feature .
Everytime I shine this light ,my mind fills with joy . Don't have this same feeling with other lights .Really a well designed one and reliable too.
 

Takedown2

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Oct 2, 2019
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My current EDC light is a Streamlight Protac HL. It's a little big for pocket carry, but I like that I can recharge it and it's pretty bright.
 

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Dingo07

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Aug 18, 2018
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I use the EAGTAC Clicky every day for work. I picked it up March 2016 and had to replace the switch 2 times - it seems clicking it hundreds of times a day on and off wears it out pretty quickly! I got the Nitecore for the wife for night walks. The Nitecore was purchased in November 2016. They're both great but I like the smaller EAGTAC more. They both have a CREE XM-L2 U2 LED. I think it's time to replace the EAGTAC with something with the same footprint, or rebuild it somehow...?
 

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UFO

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Jun 4, 2021
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Streamlight Stinger LED. It does everything I need it to, and most importantly, it works. Every time.
 

eff

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Sep 12, 2013
Messages
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That would be either my Zebralight SC51 or the SC5.
On the other hand, I do also use a cheap plastic Energizer led flashlight on tasks that do not require a lof lumens.
 

aznsx

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Apr 24, 2015
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Location
Phoenix, AZ USA
I use the EAGTAC Clicky every day for work. I picked it up March 2016 and had to replace the switch 2 times - it seems clicking it hundreds of times a day on and off wears it out pretty quickly! I got the Nitecore for the wife for night walks. The Nitecore was purchased in November 2016. They're both great but I like the smaller EAGTAC more. They both have a CREE XM-L2 U2 LED. I think it's time to replace the EAGTAC with something with the same footprint, or rebuild it somehow...?


Just a side question for future reference Dingo: Where have you sourced ET replacement switches from? I don't need any at the moment, but statistically, I likely will at some point, and don't yet know of a source. It's not like a Streamlight, where I can get an OE switch from a zillion places (EDIT: although I've never in fact needed one yet). Were you able to order / buy those from an ET distributor when you needed them? Thanx!
 
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Dingo07

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Aug 18, 2018
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Just a side question for future reference Dingo: Where have you sourced ET replacement switches from? I don't need any at the moment, but statistically, I likely will at some point, and don't yet know of a source. It's not like a Streamlight, where I can get an OE switch from a zillion places (EDIT: although I've never in fact needed one yet). Were you able to order / buy those from an ET distributor when you needed them? Thanx!
I reached out to eagtac.com directly the first time and they shipped me a new switch within the 1st year warranty period. The second and third switches I got from Tod at illuminationgear.com
 
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InspectHerGadget

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Apr 17, 2014
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247
My favourite light is the Zebralight SC600 Mk3. It has been on my belt since I bought it when they first came out. It is just such an easy light to use. The user settings are well thought out, it is compact and powerful. I use it everyday in my work too. I would not be without it.

I live in Perth Western Australia and I notice now that Zebralight will supply only to customers in the U.S.A.. Zebralight have never been great to deal with, their customer service sucks even if their products rock.

My two cents.
 

jon_slider

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Mar 31, 2015
Messages
5,110
My favorite is the jetbeam RRT-01, once I found it I sold my HDS

because the RRT-01 is smaller, lighter, less expensive, has a lower low, a higher high, smooth ramping, screwed on pocket clip, and accepts 18350.

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This is my grail light, a Titanium RRT-01, modded to 219b 4500k:
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Chris P Bacon

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Aug 22, 2021
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Zebralight headlamps for everything important. Camping, hunting, working.

For fun, Lumintop GTvn Mini - Baby Ultra Thrower. Such a great long range beam with huge bright spill, all in a pocketable package. SBT90.2 5700K DL @2s: 4000L 205Kcd, 905m (Smooth Reflector).

NarsilM is my favorite interface.
Hey Jim,
Was digging up information on this light trying to decide between the OP and SMO. I know Vinh likes the OP better, but I like the idea of the SMO better. I realize the SMO is said to have a dounut ring, but I imagine it's only seen on the low settings (which I won't be using much on this light). As brightness is ramped does it go away and become a non issue? Since it appears you have both (see info below), can you tell me between the two which you prefer and why? Hunted for beam shots of both side by side, but no luck so far.

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/lumintop-gtvn-mini-baby-ultra-thrower.449829/post-5398581

Got mine today. Spectacular light!

Lumintop GTvn Mini - Baby Ultra Thrower R × 1
SBT90 5700K De-Lens @2s: 3800L, 190Kcd, 872m (OP Reflector)
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aznsx

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Apr 24, 2015
Messages
1,634
Location
Phoenix, AZ USA
I use the EAGTAC Clicky every day for work. I picked it up March 2016 and had to replace the switch 2 times - it seems clicking it hundreds of times a day on and off wears it out pretty quickly! I got the Nitecore for the wife for night walks. The Nitecore was purchased in November 2016. They're both great but I like the smaller EAGTAC more. They both have a CREE XM-L2 U2 LED. I think it's time to replace the EAGTAC with something with the same footprint, or rebuild it somehow...?


Thanks for that, Dingo! That's what I expected / hoped you'd say. The support structure worked and provided what you needed, and that's what matters. I have several ET lights, all of which happen to have come from IG, and since they've always been excellent to deal with I figured they'd be equally helpful with post-sale needs as well. It sounds like that was a good assumption.

BTW, I recently picked up a D25LC2 of the current revision (MKII) similar to yours with an SST20 LED, and I'm finding a lot to like about it. It's a good combination of performance, features, good practical / useful options (not overdone), and ease of handling / use with a minimal 'footprint' for the category and what it offers. Finding something else that offers what it does while also fitting within those dimensions might not be easy! They did a good job of getting what they did into a package that size. Very easy to carry and use, as you know! Thanx again!

Edit: Yeah, I know - I 'replied' to the wrong post. I guess I was overwhelmed by the recent format changes - or at least that's the excuse I'll use:). I won't bother trying to figure out how to fix it.
 
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