Best light of the past year award

[Badbeams3]

I nominate the PAL light

1: easy find battery

2: two light levels

3: narrow or wide beam option (flip lens)

4: glows in the dark (always on mode)

5: great blink mode (for the pizza guy/girl)

6: affordable

A must have light...vote right...vote PAL light

And for runner up I nominate...the Pocket Bright.

1: 2025`s for long run time

2: neat I/C switch...the wave of the future

The Pocket Bright...if it`s not in your pocket...you just ain`t right

 

[Free]

I second the Pal lite. I love the always on feature and keep one by my bed as a nite lite. I prefer the simple two position of the Sure-Lite. I get annoyed with the flashing mode. It is mostly useless and many times I think I have turned the light off just to see it flashing away later.

My runner up would be the Tektite Expedition 1900. This thing is blinding and the first LED light that I can actually use to find my way outside on a dark night. It has a relatively long throw and is one hell of a light.

 

[geepondy]

I too like my Pal light. It's the light I use to find others when the power goes out. Still going a year and a half strong on my original 9V battery. If I were to buy another one, I just get the Pal sure. I just want it off or on.

My favorite LED light though is my turtle lite II. It is very bright for two LED's, more then adequate for household duties. It's also very convenient to use and I have no idea when I will have to replace the lithium batteries I put in it. I suspect it will be years.

If my Trek 7 light had a decent switch and the led display didn't fall out every time I replaced the batteries, I might give it consideration but I consider it crude and awkward to use.

I'm really looking forward to the next generation of LED lights. It appears we're heading to more refinement as well as more LEDs. I see more manufacturers are including a real switch as well as a reflective head. I hope a bigger version of my turtle lite becomes available.

 

[vcal]

1. Neon Star-best little flashlite ever seen for $25.
2. Pal Gold, but could easily live without that useless (for me) strobe.

 

[Brock]

I would have to cast my vote for the Photon. I know it isn't new, and the Arc it to new (maybe next year).

Brock

 

[X-CalBR8]

Well, anyone that has read my previous post knows how big of a Turtlelite II fan I am so my vote would have to go to it. This flashlight has so much going for it that the only thing that I can think of to make it any better would be a variable brightness control. I think that way it would be even cooler on camping trips because you could turn down the brightness to next to nothing, hang it on the ceiling of the tent by it's metal ring, and leave it running all night as a night light. Heck, seeing as how it will burn for 2 and a half days on a set of batteries, I guess you could load it up with NiMh's and just leave it on all night anyway, but a dimmer would still be pretty cool to play around with (assuming it could be included and the flashlight remain waterproof and floatable).

 

[steinie]

My vote goes to the Streamlight Stylus 3. I've had one in my pocket continuously since I first got one. Use it everyday. Have given upwards of 35 of them away as gifts for all my friends and family.

Second place, Photon II, one of which is also with me every single day.

 

[The_LED_Museum]

Well, being a famous flashlight reviewer with literally hundreds of flashlights, there really isn't one single light I carry with me every day, week after week, month after month. I usually carry something for a week or two, then switch to another, then another...

That said however, the Streamlight Stylus and the Batonlight would be in the running.
Both use odd, hard-to-find batteries though.

But when I do an impromptu inspection of my daily carry kit (like right now, on the spot) I find the following contents:

A wallet, coin purse, tire gauge, smokes, lighter, house keys, magnetic Mariners schedule fastened to the lid, and a Batonlight. It's been in there for perhaps two months now and typically gets used several times a week.

I used to pack a white Infinity, but it really isn't bright enough for everything I might need a light for while 'on the road'.

When I packed a larger daily carry container, the Turtlelite II used to come along for the ride quite frequently.
But the container I use now (a metal lunchpail) is a bit small to carry such a large flashlight along with other frequently carried stuff like my CD player & headphones.

The Batonlight provides plenty of light for closeup work in virtually all conditions, it's tough enough to survive, and the multiple switching options give it an edge over squeeze-only lights.

The batteries are a bit odd, but if there is a Radio Shack in your town, there are batteries for the Batonlight in your town.

So for the sake of this discussion, the Batonlight gets my vote.

$0.02

 

[papasan]

my green LED infinity, hands down...can't stand hard to find batteries (AAs are prolly the easiest in the world to find, yeah?) and puts out enough light to see what i'm doing definatly (took a stroll through some dense woods i'ld never even been a mile within the other day, this was the only light I (or anyone for that matter, unpreparedness

) had on me...it was the only light i needed) and the green, although not great to tell colors by, is great for preserving night vision...

had this light for a month or so...within a week after getting it it was by *far* the most used light i have (and i keep a 2AA mag strapped to my side alot)...

now, if they put out one with greater output i'ld be all over it...

 

[vcal]

Craig,-have you tried Radio Shack's new NimH "N" cells in that Batonlight?

 

[The_LED_Museum]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by videocal:
Craig,-have you tried Radio Shack's new NimH "N" cells in that Batonlight?<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

ummmm...nope, didn't even know they came in that size. I suppose I'll have to buy a new charger too, since my existing one only charges "AA" and "AAA" sized plus 9V.

Might be awhile though, if the letter I got from Social Security in today's mail is any indication.

 

[MY]

My vote is for the Eternalight Xray. I prefer lights that are versatile (which means the light has to have dimmer control), that are very bright, have great run time, use regular batteries, and have a reasonably small form factor. The Xray meets all these criteria. Before my Xray, I used a Eternalight Model 2 for 1 1/2 years on probably 60+ nights of camping. That light performed admirably. I think that the Xray will be even better for my uses. My only suggestion would be to make it more ergonomical for the hand. More brightness would also help but I am generally pleased with its light output.

 

[RonM]

Well, here's another vote for the PAL Light (actually I have the PAL Gold). The PAL offers the best compromise between brightness, runtime and size.

The Turtlelite II gets my vote for best light to have when you need one. Too big to carry around for the heck of it, but if you know you'll be doing stuff in the dark it's the one to choose. Bright broad beam. Runs forever on everyone's favorite batts...AA.

The Photon II get honorable mention. It's always in my pocket attached to my mini Swiss army knife. It's a marriage made in heaven.

 

[Badbeams3]

I love the Photon, of course, but I don`t see where it`s done anything to advance light tech... in the past year...they seem to be...in waiting for some new tech competition to move...loser way.

 

[vcal]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by telephony:
ummmm...nope, didn't even know they came in that size. I suppose I'll have to buy a new charger too, since my existing one only charges "AA" and "AAA" sized plus 9V.

Might be awhile though, if the letter I got from Social Security in today's mail is any indication.

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Just simply put the "N" cells in the AAA slots (with alum.foil spacers)-that's what I do and it works great.

Fyi-those cells are 2 for $6.99

 

[The_LED_Museum]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by videocal:
Just simply put the "N" cells in the AAA slots (with alum.foil spacers)-that's what I do and it works great.

Fyi-those cells are 2 for $6.99<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

The higher charge current won't do in the tiny N's?
If it works - it'll definitely save me from having to buy a seperate charger. I'll check the local Radio Shack for the size N rechargeables after I get back from the insulator show.

Thanks for the tips.

 

[vcal]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by telephony:
The higher charge current won't do in the tiny N's?
If it works - it'll definitely save me from having to buy a seperate charger. I'll check the local Radio Shack for the size N rechargeables after I get back from the insulator show.

Thanks for the tips.

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I guarantee no problem with too much juice...
(compare capacities between AAA NimH and "N" NimH) 550 vs. 360
-only thing is: the "N" cells will be charged faster.
-I've done this many times with the R.S."smart" charger (#23-410)

 

[Badbeams3]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by telephony:might be awhile though, if the letter I got from Social Security in today's mail is any indication.

[/QB]<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Hang in there...is this your first review?...I have gone through two...the doc I saw was a real #$% but don`t let your guard down for even one moment...they will look for any reason to disqualify ou... I have been getting SSD for 6 years now ...I have one good leg.... Email me for thoughts

 

[Badbeams3]

Christ Craig, coming from any body else I would think it`s bullshit...this sucks...can you demand proof of payment...something with your signature on it? ...may be at this point in your life it might be time to start your own "glow Bug" type site...god knows you could do it...and probably you have been thinking about it...if I had your knowlage and know how I think I would...

 

[Badbeams3]

Craig, I got an e-mail this morning from Eternalight...they are now offering a non-stocking dealer program. "If you love your Eternalight and would like to make some money reselling them, without any investment, here`s your chance!" Their web site is now configured to support on-line dealers. Why don`t you go to www.techass.com ...click on dealer programs and see what it`s all about? Maybe if you call them you might be able to work something out...I`m thinking include a buy now link in your reveiw...which takes the purchaser directly to thier credit card input area...some how techass knows the customer linked through your site and every month you get a check from them...maybe your link would qualify the customer for a small discount, sort of an incentive to purchase through your link....

Maybe you should call several dealers to see if you could set something like this up...well, the lights you have nice things to say about in your reveiws anyways...