Anyone tried these Eveready lights?

[PlayboyJoeShmoe]

Was in Sams today (the Bulk - not neccesarily cheaper! - Walmart) and saw a two pack consisting of a 4D Lantern, a 2D Flashlight and six Energizer Ds for $14.99.

Dad asked me "aren't you going to buy it?".

Anyhow they have real nice textured reflectors, and grippy rubber here and there, and I would love to read that someone has tried one or both!

Side note: My Garrity Tough Light 2D is going to the Pasadena Rodeo Cook-off this weekend... and it just might not return. I selected it though because for a mere $5.99 I can get another!

I'm cheap, but I ain't stupid!

 

[Azreal911]

this brings me to wonder why is all these companies with their cheaper flashlights making such nice textured reflectors for a smoother beam and better flashlight while maglite is not doing anything at all!? i've seen no progress from them while eveready, ray o vac, garrity and others are being very innovative for a better flashlight! tsk tsk. i've bought some cheaper flashlights recently and haven't even looked at the maglites at all. and all i gotta say is good things about the companies progressing in their development for a better light.

 

[PlayboyJoeShmoe]

I hear that Az!

In fact I read about some kind of film for palm pilots and stuff called writeright or something like that. I'm going to get some to try on a Mag and a Mag Look-a-like to see if those beams can be smoothed out.

I really love the fact that there are nice cheap lights! A 2D that I can make 3C would be sweet!

 

[Ratso]

Hey Joe, I saw some of those Garrity Mag Copies at Walmart marketed under Ozark Trail brand. I noticed the relfectors have micro-faceting on the lower half where the bulb is. Has anyone tried these for anything other than mods, and how good is the beam and throw?

 

[PlayboyJoeShmoe]

Hah hah Ratso! I have a 2D one of those.

But first. Office Depot was out of WriteRight ,and at $25 bucks a package yet!. So I tooled on down to Office Max. I found Belkan film and took it home for $9.99 to try out.

Test subject 1: Dorcy 2D Mag Knock-Off converted to 3C. It NEVER had a very bright beam, no matter WHAT I tried. So I put some film on the lense, and fudged and fudged with bulbs and bulb alignment and ended up with a decently bright and smooth beam. It won't hold a candle to my 3D Sams Value Lights but little will!

Test subject 2: A Cheap 3D 'Discovery' Light from Academy. It was bright enough, and with a decent hotspot ,but LOTSA artifacts!. Plastered some film on, fudged around a LONG time aligning the bulb. It came out ok too.

The Mags get it later.

Okay Ratso, the 2D converted to 3C Garrity was okay as I got it. MUCH fooling around with bulbs and such got it better. 3Cs got it even better! I probably won't film it, as it's good enough.

I may grab a 4D version and 5C it like my 4D Mag.

I still find <$10 Rayovacs, Garrities, and Evereadys to be the best, smoothest beam throwers. A 4aa Rayovac Prodigy from Target with a KPR103 bulb and fresh Rayovac Maximum Plus Alkys is a pretty darn bright and throwy light!

Lets keep this going as a cheap good light thread!

 

[ikendu]

Originally posted by PlayboyJoeShmoe:
Lets keep this going as a cheap good light thread!

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">How about the Ray-O-Vac 4AA Camper w/NiMH & KPR103 bulb?
$3 + $.80 bulb + batteries.

 

[Ratso]

I had one of those Energizer yellow 4AA convertible flood/flashlight. I had a KPR 103 and MAN it was bright. Brighter than a Legend LX. The 3" reflector gave a long throw but only average beam, but it was bright enough to make up for the sloppy beam. I was happy until I lost it camping once. Now I went to K-Mart to look for a new one but the new ones are all 2x2 parallel (they have nice rubbber bodies though). That means only 2.4 volts! I may have to get one of those Rayovac Campers or a PT 40 with KPR 103. I figure I don't need Ni-Mh. I mostly use intermittently and have not melted a reflector yet. The closest I got was in a 6c road saftey lantern with KPR113 (4.8 volt). The lens started developing little bubbles on it.

 

[e=mc²]

Speaking of Write Right, I stopped in my local Target's today, and found the Fellowes Brand (genuine?) Wright Right marked down for clearance for $10.49 US. I think that this is a bargain, for twenty sheets. The orange sticker on the packages had "Priced for Closeout" printed on the top.

e-

 

[ikendu]

Originally posted by Ratso:
I had one of those Energizer yellow 4AA convertible flood/flashlight.
I was happy until I lost it camping once.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Walmart carries the 4AA Dorcy minispot (spot/flood) for $3.29. Dorcy 4AA minispot

 

[Saaby]

Contact Paper! I didn't even think of that. My mom was obsessed with it awhile back so we have *plenty* just cut myself a life's supply of lens protectors for my Arc LS (about a 5x7 size piece of the stuff) and then cut out a smaller piece that fits over the optics and into the indent a little. Waha! turned the 97% flawless beam into one so smooth it almost brought tears to my eyes (Partially because I looked at it while on

) & as a side benefit, it spread the nice white hotspot of this slightly angry dog urine green Luxeon out a bit, so that you can hardly tell it's an angry dog urine green Lueon...I'm all smiles

 

[Azreal911]

hey joe as for that write right stuff it's very expensive, they are like $30CDN here for a little pack. i went to walmart and bought some contact clear for like $8 CDN for a small roll which is enought to wall paper one side of your room! hahah! someone on this forum told posted about contact clear which the same thing as write rite but not in precut sheets and gives you more. i wouldn't suggest using it in anything less than a 4cell light, it kills off alot of the light output i find. I'm running a 5D cell nicads cheapie flashlight with a 5.2v halogen, once i put the screen on you get a beam that feels like a surefire. very bright but my SF g2 is still brighter by a bit. so i'm not sure about using them in lights that are not that bright to begin with. also that 5d cell light was the size of my lower arm while my surefire was tiny. but hey it's rechargeable.

 

[PlayboyJoeShmoe]

I Belkan filmed my Craftsman 2aa tool light - metal body Bi-pin bulb - to see what it would do for that beam. Smoothed it up a bit, but still the basic beam it was... results inconclusive.

The Garrity Ozark Trail 2D Mag copy may be the best cheap light I've bought so far...

But honorable mention goes to Rayovac for the 4aa Prodigy and swivel head 2D Industrial Light!

And while not as cheap, the PT 40 is a WHOLE LOTTA LIGHT for around $18!!!!

My best cheap 2aa lights are 1- Dorcy Boss which came with a Wenger SAK on a card for like $12. 2- GreatNeck 'Great Lite' - longer than Craftsman or Minimag but bright and pretty smooth - $2.99 at Autozone! With batteries! 3- Rayoac Value Light - display near register at WallyWorld around 3 bucks with batteries. Feels cheap, cheap slide switch, but VERY nice beam!

I have SEVRAL more lights than my sig suggests!

 

[Quickbeam]

Does no one read through my site anymore?

I did reviews on WriteRight and Con-tac Clear some time ago.

WriteRight works better. Found a pack of 12 for $2 at Wal Mart on clearance. Get the kind for the palm 3 or palm 5, but not the kind for the Color palms - it's textured very differently and doesn't work.

http://thelightsite.cruxial.com/reviews/writeright.htm

Con-tac Clear paper works but the WriteRight improves the beam via it's microtexture and transmits more light. The Con-tac Clear just blurs the light.

http://thelightsite.cruxial.com/reviews/con-tact.htm

Here's a good comparison: Streamlight Trident using the Incandescent bulb, before and after WriteRight application:

Along the lines of "cheap good lights" I picked up a 4aa Rayovac "Compass light" at wal mart on clearance for $2 including batteries about 6 months ago. Beam was OK but ringed and uneven. Figured I'd just use it for mods. Then I slapped WriteRight on the lens and it's beam smoothness improved tremendously. Nice smooth spot. Output is about the same as a 3-d Mag in a much smaller package.

If you can find them (discontinued), pick up a Sams Choice 3-D rubber flashlight - fully faceted reflector. Very nice output. WalMart currently stocks 2-D Sam's Choice Rubber lights with the same reflector.

 

[**DONOTDELETE**]

Quickbeam , ref the WhiteRight film at WalMart. In what department of the store is that to be found. Electronic ? Seems to be worth getting.

Thanks
Entendu

 

[Quickbeam]

The WriteRight was wayyyyyy in the back of the electronic dept. There was a little "clearance" area decorated with their little red clearance tags on the pegs.

 

[Azreal911]

how much is the write right going for in walmart stores? oh yeah and there's some really funky energizer ergonomic 2c flashlight i saw in the aisle today at my local zellers in toronto. it had a real nice hold to it cause it felt like it fit around your hand and runs on 2c's with a pr bulb. i didn't get it cause i'm controlling my impulse buying urges and wonder if anyone's seen and tried this? it feels nice and the button to turn it on is right where your thumb feels natural. not bad! the head's a bit angled so it you hold it with a slant unlike other lights. i couldn't find this on the net yet.

 

[**DONOTDELETE**]

Thanks Q. I check it out tomorrow.

 

[Quickbeam]

Az - did it look like this?

http://www.energizer.com/products/flashlights/flashlight.asp?cat=5&id=2

 

[Azreal911]

yeah that's the one! dang i've been looking at the outdoors and premium flashlight sections. i guess this thing isn't good to use in the rain. it looked interesting with the flip open cover to change the batteries. not sure how bright is it but nothing the light bulb section at radio shack can't fix.

update: i went to zellers to check it out again thinking of buying it until i saw the type of flashlight it is. the reflector is half faceted on the bottom half and there's a frosted dot on the lens. this if probably to give you a nice even beam output, not bad. but then the battery compartment doesn't have a o ring seal. this sucker would just cough up and die if it was used in rainy weather or for camping. no wonder it was in the home section of the eveready homepage. oh well. next!

oh and one more thing, if anyone here has one of these eveready lights with those new lenses can they post up a beam shot of one to see how well if fares? i'm just comparing it to the faceted ray o vac and garrity's i have.

 

[Azreal911]

yesterday i bought that yellow dorcy led flashlight for fun and this thing is really awesome. the reflector seems perfect for that led bulb if you stare straight into the reflector (with the light off of course). you'll see the entire leds grounded up portion which will give it a really nice beam when on (seems brighter than other single led lights, strange), it's cheap($14 CDN @ a canadian tire store) and the great for camping cause you can swap in a pr xenon or krypton bulb in seconds if you need a throw. there's enough space inside the light to wrap the spare bulb in some tissue or foam to keep it there until ya need it. i'm surprised there was only one left on the rack after i took one. while the maglites where full. i guess people are taking a liking to these new fangled toys.