After a recent trip and some power outages at home, I have realized that I need some new flashlights. I have two I want to replace, and one new one. I'd prefer LED, & something very reliable, with readily available batteries. I have several AA/AAA chargers with NiMH batteries in them that are constantly in use, so that will probably be my preferred battery. For all three, they'd basically be used only occasionally, either for general around-the-house use (especially during power outages, which we get frequently), as well as camping / hiking trips. Any feedback on my current choices would be greatly appreciated. I'd prefer to spend no more than $30 or so for each, but that's somewhat negotiable. Being a complete noob, my default choice for all three would be Maglite, and I understand that there have been better brands around for a while. However, in looking at specs it seems like the newer LED Maglites are actually a lot better than the older ones. I'd prefer metal, very reliable, well built, and preferably American made. I just went on a trip to one of the national parks, and all the park rangers I saw had Maglites or Inova / Nite Ize, and both of those companies seem to still fit the bill, so I'm leaning in those directions, but I'd gladly consider something else.
Here are the three lights I want (or want to replace):
1) Keychain flashlight. Not really for EDC, I keep it on my nightstand for when the power goes out & I just need to find my way around the house, and also for light travel use. I currently have an old incandescent Brinkmann whose bulb has gone out. My first choices are the Maglite Solitaire LED, the Inova XS, and the Inova X1.
2) EDC / camping light: probably something that runs on 2xAA. I bought a cheap incandescent Mini Maglite before our recent trip, my wife's cheapy LED penlight that she got for free from a seminar completely blew it out of the water (which led to my research here today). I know they make drop-in kits to change the mini Maglite to LED, but those kits look to be almost as expensive as a new LED mini Maglite & not as bright, which seems to defeat the purpose. I'm leaning towards the mini Maglite PRO or PRO+. They're under $30, and 225-250 lumens. However, I also really like the Inova X2, and I'm intrigued by the Maglite XL50 - I like the "tactical" setup and button for easy on/off, but I'm a little concerned about any flashlights that might accidentally get turned on in my luggage. Twist-on Maglites don't have that problem, but are harder to use one-handed around a campsite.
3) Zombie Apocalypse light: something large,bright, and nigh-indestructible, useful for scaring off prowling teenage neighbors or fighting off bears. I'm leaning towards a Maglite 2D Pro, with D-cell adapters that will let me run it on AA eneloop rechargeables, which seems to be a popular setup for D-cell lights.
Any help would be greatly appreciated!
1) How would you prefer to purchase the light?
____I would like to purchase the light from a brick and mortar store. I am located in ______________.
_X___I will be mail-ordering or buying online, so this doesn't matter.
2) Budget: An easy question, but you may change your mind after answering the rest! :-)
____Less than $25.
___X_Less than $50.
____Less than $100.
____Less than $150.
____Less than $300.
____I have no limit.
____I’m flexible, tell me what you gotJ.
____Other, please specify ________
3) Format:
X I want a flashlight.
____I want a headlamp.
____I want a lantern.
____I want a dive light.
____I want a portable spotlight.
4) Flashlight-specific format/size:
(One of each of the following)
_X___Keychain size.
____Every day carry small (2-4 inches).
_X___Every day carry medium (4-7 inches).
____Holster carry.
__X__Big enough to need its own travel caseJ.
____I don’t care.
____I don’t know.
____N/A
5) Emitter/Light source:
__X__LED (known for efficiency, longevity, and compactness)
____Incandescent (known for superior color rendition)
____HID (known for max output, but often at the expense of size)
____I don't know.
6) Manufacturer:
_X___I want to buy a light from a traditional mass producing manufacturer that is ready to go out of the box.
____I would consider getting a light that is pieced together (for example a “host” or flashlight body from one manufacturer, and a “drop-in” emitter from another source). Under the right circumstances, this path can provide more options to the consumer to meet specific needs, and can often be easily upgradeable as technology improves.
7) What battery type do you want to use?
____I intend to use alkaline batteries (AAA, AA, C, D) (disclaimer, while it does not preclude all choices, these are not recommended for many of today’s most powerful lights)
__X__I intend to use rechargeable nickel chemistry (NiCad, NiMH, NiZn)
____I intend to use lithium primary batteries (CR123, CR2, Energizer Advanced/Ultimate Lithium AA/AAA)
____I intend to use rechargeable lithium (li-ion) chemistry. Feel free to specify a size if you know which size you want (14500, RCR123/16340, 17500, 17670, 18650, etc.)
____I want a light with an integrated rechargeable battery. (Note: these choices may be very limited unless you are looking at spotlights)
8) How much genuine out the front (OTF) light do you want/need? Sometimes you can have too much light (trying to read up close up with a 100 lumen light is impossible).
____I want to navigate a dark room or read a map (0-10 lumens).
____I want to walk around an unlit rural area (50-150 lumens).
__X__I want to illuminate my entire backyard or a campsite (150-300 lumens).
____I want to illuminate an entire field, the neighbor's front yard several houses down, impress my friends and neighbors, etc. (300-700 lumens).
____I want ridiculous amounts of lumens (800+ lumens).
9) Throw vs. Flood: At what distance will you be most likely to use this light? Select all that apply.
____Less than 1 yard/meter (reading, other close work)
____Less than 5 yards/meters (looking for something inside a dark shed/garage/basement)
____5-20 yards/meters (check out a noise in the backyard)
____30-50 yards/meters (I have a big backyard)
____50-150 yards/meters (I live in a very rural area/farm with wide open spaces)
____150+ yards (I want maximum throw possible)
10) Runtime: Not over-inflated manufacturer runtime claims, but usable brightness measured from first activation to 50% with new batteries (Measured on maximum output).
____Up to 30 minutes (I want the brightest [and potentially smallest] light for brief periods)
____30-60 minutes (I have plenty of batteries just ready to be changed)
_X___90-120 minutes (Runtime is moderately important, but still not critical)
____3 hours + (I critically need this light to run on max for extended periods in between battery changes/charges).
11) Durability/Usage: Generally the old phrase “you get what you pay for” is very accurate for flashlights.
____Not Important (A “night-stand” light).
____Slightly Important (Walks around the neighborhood).
_X___Very Important (Camping, Backpacking, Car Glove-box).
____Critical (Police, Fire, Search & Rescue, Caving, Survival).
____I don't care.
____I don’t know.
12) Switch Type and location (choose all that apply):
____I want a forward clicky (Helpful for momentary activation and signaling).
____I want a reverse clicky (For use with multi-mode/level lights).
____I want a momentary switch (Predominantly for use with signaling and short bursts of momentary light only).
____I want a twisty switch (Tighten the head/tailcap to activate, and the light will stay on until the head/tailcap is loosened).
____I want a body mounted switch (near the head, like on a Maglite).
____I want a tail mounted switch (found on the majority of today’s high end lights).
__X__I don't care.
____I don’t know.
____Other, please specify____________________.
13) User Interface (UI) and mode selection. Select all that apply.
____A simple on-off with only one output level is fine for me.
_X___I want 2 light levels. (Brighter/short runtime and Dimmer/long runtime.)
____I want multiple light levels. (Some lights have 5-16 light levels.)
____I want a programmable light.
____I want a selector ring.
____I want a strobe mode. (Blinks to show location.)
____I want SOS mode.
____I want a beacon mode.
____I don’t care.
____I don’t know.
14)Material/Finish/Coating
____Plastic/composite body (this may limit your choices significantly).
_X___Anodized Aluminum – either type II or III (Hard Anodized) (Aluminum, specifically HA, is the most common material/finish for today’s flashlights).
____Stainless steel (durable, but much heavier than aluminum)
____Titanium (durable and nearly as lightweight as aluminum, but can be moderately to significantly more expensive).
____I don’t care.
____I don’t know.
____Other, please specify____________.
15) Special Needs/extras: Is there anything else you want or need that hasn't been mentioned? Select any below.
____Red filter (for preserving night vision).
____Other filter colors (Amber, Green, Blue, _________).
____Dedicated R/G/B secondary LEDs.
____“Hybrid” light (bright incandescent combined with long running LEDs)
____Pocket/belt clip
____Holster
____Wrist/Neck Lanyard
____Crenulated bezel
____Non-sparking Intrinsically Safe (IS) for use in explosive environments
Here are the three lights I want (or want to replace):
1) Keychain flashlight. Not really for EDC, I keep it on my nightstand for when the power goes out & I just need to find my way around the house, and also for light travel use. I currently have an old incandescent Brinkmann whose bulb has gone out. My first choices are the Maglite Solitaire LED, the Inova XS, and the Inova X1.
2) EDC / camping light: probably something that runs on 2xAA. I bought a cheap incandescent Mini Maglite before our recent trip, my wife's cheapy LED penlight that she got for free from a seminar completely blew it out of the water (which led to my research here today). I know they make drop-in kits to change the mini Maglite to LED, but those kits look to be almost as expensive as a new LED mini Maglite & not as bright, which seems to defeat the purpose. I'm leaning towards the mini Maglite PRO or PRO+. They're under $30, and 225-250 lumens. However, I also really like the Inova X2, and I'm intrigued by the Maglite XL50 - I like the "tactical" setup and button for easy on/off, but I'm a little concerned about any flashlights that might accidentally get turned on in my luggage. Twist-on Maglites don't have that problem, but are harder to use one-handed around a campsite.
3) Zombie Apocalypse light: something large,bright, and nigh-indestructible, useful for scaring off prowling teenage neighbors or fighting off bears. I'm leaning towards a Maglite 2D Pro, with D-cell adapters that will let me run it on AA eneloop rechargeables, which seems to be a popular setup for D-cell lights.
Any help would be greatly appreciated!
1) How would you prefer to purchase the light?
____I would like to purchase the light from a brick and mortar store. I am located in ______________.
_X___I will be mail-ordering or buying online, so this doesn't matter.
2) Budget: An easy question, but you may change your mind after answering the rest! :-)
____Less than $25.
___X_Less than $50.
____Less than $100.
____Less than $150.
____Less than $300.
____I have no limit.
____I’m flexible, tell me what you gotJ.
____Other, please specify ________
3) Format:
X I want a flashlight.
____I want a headlamp.
____I want a lantern.
____I want a dive light.
____I want a portable spotlight.
4) Flashlight-specific format/size:
(One of each of the following)
_X___Keychain size.
____Every day carry small (2-4 inches).
_X___Every day carry medium (4-7 inches).
____Holster carry.
__X__Big enough to need its own travel caseJ.
____I don’t care.
____I don’t know.
____N/A
5) Emitter/Light source:
__X__LED (known for efficiency, longevity, and compactness)
____Incandescent (known for superior color rendition)
____HID (known for max output, but often at the expense of size)
____I don't know.
6) Manufacturer:
_X___I want to buy a light from a traditional mass producing manufacturer that is ready to go out of the box.
____I would consider getting a light that is pieced together (for example a “host” or flashlight body from one manufacturer, and a “drop-in” emitter from another source). Under the right circumstances, this path can provide more options to the consumer to meet specific needs, and can often be easily upgradeable as technology improves.
7) What battery type do you want to use?
____I intend to use alkaline batteries (AAA, AA, C, D) (disclaimer, while it does not preclude all choices, these are not recommended for many of today’s most powerful lights)
__X__I intend to use rechargeable nickel chemistry (NiCad, NiMH, NiZn)
____I intend to use lithium primary batteries (CR123, CR2, Energizer Advanced/Ultimate Lithium AA/AAA)
____I intend to use rechargeable lithium (li-ion) chemistry. Feel free to specify a size if you know which size you want (14500, RCR123/16340, 17500, 17670, 18650, etc.)
____I want a light with an integrated rechargeable battery. (Note: these choices may be very limited unless you are looking at spotlights)
8) How much genuine out the front (OTF) light do you want/need? Sometimes you can have too much light (trying to read up close up with a 100 lumen light is impossible).
____I want to navigate a dark room or read a map (0-10 lumens).
____I want to walk around an unlit rural area (50-150 lumens).
__X__I want to illuminate my entire backyard or a campsite (150-300 lumens).
____I want to illuminate an entire field, the neighbor's front yard several houses down, impress my friends and neighbors, etc. (300-700 lumens).
____I want ridiculous amounts of lumens (800+ lumens).
9) Throw vs. Flood: At what distance will you be most likely to use this light? Select all that apply.
____Less than 1 yard/meter (reading, other close work)
____Less than 5 yards/meters (looking for something inside a dark shed/garage/basement)
____5-20 yards/meters (check out a noise in the backyard)
____30-50 yards/meters (I have a big backyard)
____50-150 yards/meters (I live in a very rural area/farm with wide open spaces)
____150+ yards (I want maximum throw possible)
10) Runtime: Not over-inflated manufacturer runtime claims, but usable brightness measured from first activation to 50% with new batteries (Measured on maximum output).
____Up to 30 minutes (I want the brightest [and potentially smallest] light for brief periods)
____30-60 minutes (I have plenty of batteries just ready to be changed)
_X___90-120 minutes (Runtime is moderately important, but still not critical)
____3 hours + (I critically need this light to run on max for extended periods in between battery changes/charges).
11) Durability/Usage: Generally the old phrase “you get what you pay for” is very accurate for flashlights.
____Not Important (A “night-stand” light).
____Slightly Important (Walks around the neighborhood).
_X___Very Important (Camping, Backpacking, Car Glove-box).
____Critical (Police, Fire, Search & Rescue, Caving, Survival).
____I don't care.
____I don’t know.
12) Switch Type and location (choose all that apply):
____I want a forward clicky (Helpful for momentary activation and signaling).
____I want a reverse clicky (For use with multi-mode/level lights).
____I want a momentary switch (Predominantly for use with signaling and short bursts of momentary light only).
____I want a twisty switch (Tighten the head/tailcap to activate, and the light will stay on until the head/tailcap is loosened).
____I want a body mounted switch (near the head, like on a Maglite).
____I want a tail mounted switch (found on the majority of today’s high end lights).
__X__I don't care.
____I don’t know.
____Other, please specify____________________.
13) User Interface (UI) and mode selection. Select all that apply.
____A simple on-off with only one output level is fine for me.
_X___I want 2 light levels. (Brighter/short runtime and Dimmer/long runtime.)
____I want multiple light levels. (Some lights have 5-16 light levels.)
____I want a programmable light.
____I want a selector ring.
____I want a strobe mode. (Blinks to show location.)
____I want SOS mode.
____I want a beacon mode.
____I don’t care.
____I don’t know.
14)Material/Finish/Coating
____Plastic/composite body (this may limit your choices significantly).
_X___Anodized Aluminum – either type II or III (Hard Anodized) (Aluminum, specifically HA, is the most common material/finish for today’s flashlights).
____Stainless steel (durable, but much heavier than aluminum)
____Titanium (durable and nearly as lightweight as aluminum, but can be moderately to significantly more expensive).
____I don’t care.
____I don’t know.
____Other, please specify____________.
15) Special Needs/extras: Is there anything else you want or need that hasn't been mentioned? Select any below.
____Red filter (for preserving night vision).
____Other filter colors (Amber, Green, Blue, _________).
____Dedicated R/G/B secondary LEDs.
____“Hybrid” light (bright incandescent combined with long running LEDs)
____Pocket/belt clip
____Holster
____Wrist/Neck Lanyard
____Crenulated bezel
____Non-sparking Intrinsically Safe (IS) for use in explosive environments
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