Can you recommend a light for me? ...

[cmeisenzahl]

A follow-up to my other <= $75 thread.

What are some of the best/brightest latest technology LED lights in this price range?

What lights are reasonably close to these criteria ...
- LED
- relatively recent technology, not an old model
- uses AA or AAA (I just hate paying for C123s) ;-)
- street price no more than say $75 or so

What are the big brands I should be looking at, Fenix, Surefire, anything else?

Recommendations appreciated, thanks!

 

[carya]

How large a light do you want to carry? If you want the most power and runtime, you probably want AA, not AAA, but this will mean a bigger light. How many cells? 1, 2, 4? What type of switch are you looking for? Any preference?

 

[cmeisenzahl]

How large a light do you want to carry? If you want the most power and runtime, you probably want AA, not AAA, but this will mean a bigger light. How many cells? 1, 2, 4? What type of switch are you looking for? Any preference?

I guess I'm looking for something reasonably small but not tiny (keychain size). But I would like something that uses the latest or at least current LED technology, not an older generation.

If the runtime is long enough I could go w/ a C123a light. For size I would like to be able to easily toss it into my briefcase or keep it on a nightstand, smaller the better, but bigger than an Arc AAA for sure.

"Fenix Digital L1D CE Black Finish Textured"
https://www.fenix-store.com/product_info.php?cPath=22_69_50&products_id=406

"Fenix Digital P1D CE Black Textured"
https://www.fenix-store.com/product_info.php?cPath=22_69_51&products_id=158

Either a rubber switch on the tail or a twist-on type switch would be fine.

Thanks very much again everyone for putting up w/ my MANY questions. ;-)

Chris

 

[Jarl]

Fenix P1D, then get an L2D body as well IMO. Proper pocket rocket on 1xCR123, then you can lob a couple of decent NiMH's in for longer runtimes should you need it, or just carry some spare CR123. Bear in mind that if you don't buy a P3D head, then using RCR's means you loose the lower modes, and if you do buy a P3D head, you can't use an L2D body (voltage too low)

 

[HKJ]

- uses AA or AAA (I just hate paying for C123s) ;-)
What are the big brands I should be looking at, Fenix, Surefire, anything else?

Forget Surefire, it is only CR123A cells.

Fenix is a good brand, some of my favorites are L0D and L1D, I also use the L2D but I do not like the look of the light.

OLight is also supposed to be good, I have some in the mail and will known more about them at a later date.

The NDI is a fine AA light, but I believe it is to difficult to adjust the output level, if your need more that two levels.

 

[FlaGator]

For 1 x AA:
Fenix L1D
Olight T15
Proton Pro

All offer good runtimes, are compact and fit easily in a briefcase. The Olight is the largest (but only by a little) and the Proton switch works like MagLight. None are really large or small. The Olight and Fenix are comparably bright. I have all three and like the Olight best, while the Proton is easier for my kids to use.

For 1 x AAA, I can't recommed the Fenix L0D highly enough. Slightly bigger than the ARC AAA, but brighter and more versatile.

For your described use, I would avoid the 2 x AA lights. Good for the nightstand, but kind of long to drag around everywhere.

Surefire's are nice, but CR123 only.

 

[HKJ]

- uses AA or AAA (I just hate paying for C123s) ;-)

Another comment:

The CR123A cells are not that expensive when bought on the internet, just remember to buy good brands (or else )!

Most of my best light are CR123A and if your look around your will see that most premium lights are CR123A.
The brands I have used are Fenix, NovaTac (Very expensive), Tiablo (A9) and Surefire (G2+P60L) and I have some Olight in the mail. I belive all my current CR123A lights are very good, but they are targeted at different usages.

 

[I came to the light...]

It's pretty hard to find a light <=$75 and using common batteries, so don't worry there

Surefire lights will be larger, less efficient, and dimmer than Fenix and other top companies. They also only take CR123s, to that rules them out entirely.

I can help you with models if you give more details. Questions that come to mind: how much are you planning to abuse the light? Would you prefer a large or small spot? Is an ultra-turbo necessary, or would you prefer something with more efficient medium and low levels?

I can point you at a few good single battery light brands though. Fenix is pretty much a standard, and they still have the best efficiency in the market. Nitecore produces the singly best engineered EDC IMO, with efficiency approaching Fenix. JETBeam makes the brightest lights by nearly two times, but they are inefficient at lower levels (and they look amazing ). Olight is the toughest, with brightness second only to JETBeam.

Everything I've said has been in respect to lights taking 1xAA batteries. You really don't have to settle for paying a lot for batteries: as a primary battery you can get high outputs with a 14500 li-ion rechargeable, a lithium AA will give you insanely long runtimes, a NiMh gives you a longer runtime but dimmer rechargeable, and when in need pop in your standard alkaline. IMHO, anything that doesn't take a single AA isn't a real EDC

 

[cmeisenzahl]

Thanks guys, went w/ this. ;-)

"Fenix Digital L2D Black Premium Q5"
https://www.fenix-store.com/product_info.php?cPath=22_65&products_id=362
http://www.fenixlight.com/viewnproduct.asp?id=18

 

[Jarl]

a NiMh gives you a longer runtime but dimmer rechargeable

NiMH will only give dimmer output in comparison to a 14500 lithium cell, and in regulated lights the difference won't be very large.


p.s- excellent choice, you won't be disppointed

 

[Frankiarmz]

Thanks guys, went w/ this. ;-)

"Fenix Digital L2D Black Premium Q5"
https://www.fenix-store.com/product_info.php?cPath=22_65&products_id=362
http://www.fenixlight.com/viewnproduct.asp?id=18

Nice looking lights. You can see I'm a novice but I was wondering why you don't use rechargeable CR123A's , and go for something like the Olight T-10 cree? I've been using the rechargeables for months now in my T-20's and they perform very well. I like how the lithiums hold their charge a long time when not being used compared to the NIMH of let's say a AA. I will say that the new "Precharged or Hybrid" AA and AAA's resolved that issue.

 

[Gunner12]

Thanks guys, went w/ this. ;-)

"Fenix Digital L2D Black Premium Q5"
https://www.fenix-store.com/product_info.php?cPath=22_65&products_id=362
http://www.fenixlight.com/viewnproduct.asp?id=18

I hope you like it!

Did you use the "CPF8" coupon?

 

[cmeisenzahl]

I hope you like it!

Did you use the "CPF8" coupon?

Indeed, thanks, can't wait! ;-)