convention flashlight

[Knife11]

Okay I'm going to just lay it out for ya...

I'm going to helping out with a convetion this spring (security) and I want to get a new flash light for it. Last year I used a Mag 4 cell which worked well but was ridiculous to carry around.

My needs:
++about a 200 yard throw for patroling the parking lot and putting a spot on people sneaking around in the hotel from a far.
++something that will last the three day weekend or that's rechargeable in a couple hours.
++must and mean must fit in my back pocket (under 7 inches)

I'm not realy interested in steamlights since they seem alot like the mags I already have. (maybe someone can convince me, but I doubt it.) <font color="red"> guess I was wrong! </font>
I like the surefires but they like they don't last long on batteries and need turbo heads and new lamps to be effective. I could be wrongs about this but that my impression from what I've read.

Please somebody point me in direction of my dream light.
It would be nice to have a light that could also be dialed down so I could use it in the dark auditorium with out disturbing anyone but I realize that would be hard to find all in one light. I've been thinking of a small pocket led light or one of these: http://www.1sks.com/store/windmill-zflash-lighters.html

thanks for all your help

 

[Deleted member 684]

Tiger light for throw and big area coverage, as for if it'll reach 200 yards, I'm not too sure, it's about 8" long. Unfort, it charge in 24 hours. Another option is the stream light ultra stinger. It's another long ranger with a quick charger for less than 5 hours charging I believe.

For med-close (at least 2 meters away) range, a Princeton Tech Surge would be good, nice coverage, uses 8 AA batteries, can run off 4, with just a reduction in run time. Can use Alkalines or rechargables. Can focus for a bit of distance (less than 50 meters in a city, street light makes things rather bright and torches look dim). For really close range, you can use a LED light like the Luxeon Star 1 watt. Can get a BB500 sandwich from Wayne and a mcflood. fit it into a minimag AA and have 2 hours of continous bright light.

Tigerlight = $100 +
Streamlight Ultra Stinger = $120 +
Princeton Tec Surge = $23 +
BB500 + Minimag = $40 + Minimag from wall mart + $9 for Mcflood reflector + $9 for kroll clickie rear end switch

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif

 

[jtivat]

The TL takes only 10 hours to charge and that is if its dead, it will take less otherwise. If you can get be with the extra 1" and 10 hours to charge it would be perfect. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[AZMAN]

I'm new here and just beginning to learn myself, but I'll make a suggestion.

For reaching far out the Underwater Kinetics SL4 might meet your needs.

 

[Knife11]

I'm realizing that 200 yards is pretty far and keep in mind I was happy with the 4D cell mag so maybe I was a bit off on that /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif

 

[PieThatCorner]

I believe that Streamlight's Ultra Stinger (75,000 CP) is a great flashlight to use (I have two of 'em myself) - but I think your needs may be better served with SureFire's 9AN Commander ($217 at lightfighter.com and comes with two sets of B90 rechargeable batteries and a charger). It has a two lamp assembly - 140 Lumens for high-output and 20 Lumens for extended run-time and low-level light output. Rotating the head switches between the two output levels. Running 140 Lumens will last about 40 minutes (I usually get about half an hour's worth), running 20 Lumens will give you a little over 2 hours worth of low-level light. It's 7.9 inches long weighing in at just under 13 ounces.

It's on the pricier side, but I've found it to be well worth its price and more - it's an extremely durable and versatile flashlight. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif

 

[Josh]

Tigerlight! So much light for the $$$

 

[arioch]

Try one of these. Seems to fit all of your requirements (3 hour charge time, about 7" long, adjustable brightness between high power incandescent and long life led's, beam pattern not as good as but similar to Surefire, relatively low cost at about $60.00). I bought one in December from Sportsman's Guide, and thought it was a well made light for the price. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif As I recall, the two venues that sold the light (SG, and Lifestyles Fascination)stopped doing so, and I just recently noticed the thread in this forum pointing out its availability at Cabela's. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

The lights are made by Nuwai, and are discussed on a number of threads.
Good luck! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[SilverFox]

Throw comparison TL and Mag re-chargeable

Hello Knife11,

200 yards is a long way. Here is a link where Brightnorm checks the throw of the TigerLight to his new Mag Charger. I believe some of the results were at over 600 feet.

TL vs Mag Charger

I like the TigerLight a lot. It's beam shape seems to be just right. It lights up a large area and has a hot spot at the same time. Although there is some light available at 200 yards, I think the practical range is more like 100 yards.

The TigerLight is lighter than the Mag 4D, and I am getting a little over 1 hour of constant on run time.

Tom

 

[freewheelin']

The light Arioch mentioned is the Newai AN 606 I just got one last Tues. and really like it. At 100 yards you can light something pretty good, at 150 you could see them ok at 200 you might as well have a minimag, it just won't do it. I do think uou could go all night on 1 charge if you use the LED's to get around and the xenon intermitently, I would keep the mag in reserve in the car or office just in case though.
I got mine for $53.00 shipped from [email protected]. Ordered Fri and got it the next Tues.

 

[DieselDave]

Sounds like a two torch job to me. Tigerlight and a small pocket light like the Newai AN 606 or similiar. Or buy 2 Tigerlights and then you will have one for home and one for the car after the security job.

 

[SilverFox]

2 TigerLights

Hello Dave,

I resemble that remark...

Tom

 

[dougmccoy]

Why dont you try a simple and very cheap mod of a 2C size Maglite?
I was very dubious of this mode after I initially read about it on CPF but it offers incredible value and range in a small but rugged form. It allows the 2C to use a 6 Cell Maglite bulb and doesn't alter the donor light in any way which is not easily reversed. All you do is insert a plastic tube inside the Mag body so that the new bulb is fed by 3 123 size lithium batteries. This mod throws a beam as far as the 6 cell Mag and will last approximately 1 hour on a set of batteries.

I made the insert sleeve in a few minutes and it works so well you would think the light was made this way!

Total cost is very cheap and the result is really great. BTW
The 2C fits in a back pocket easily!

Doug

 

[spud]

Have you looked at Kowalski yet ??

 

[Knife11]

these are all great ideas I might try a combination of them to find the answer...

Thanks all! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

[brightnorm]

[ QUOTE ]
Okay I'm going to just lay it out for ya... I'm going to helping out with a convetion this spring (security) and I want to get a new flash light for it.....

[/ QUOTE ]

Knife,

The Tigerlight would be my choice for your job if it had a fast charger or Quick-change battery. Since it has neither I would suggest a different light, even though I think the Tigerlight is a superb piece of creative engineering which I often carry.

I'll assume a worst case scenerio where you are on call or on duty for long predictable hours plus the possiblity of random callouts.

Notwithstanding your feelings about Steamlights, their great advantage is quick-change batteries and fast chargers. If you take an Ultrastinger with a fast charger and a couple of extra charged sticks you'll have about 4-5 steady hours up front plus the ability to quick-charge. Streamlights are nearly unbeatable for quick battery changes in the field. I've repeatedly done it with my PolyStinger, Stinger HP and UltraStinger in less than 30 seconds.

The Surge is a great light, but begins to dim fairly soon with alkalines; holds steadier with rechargeables but I'm not sure about the bright runtime.

The 9AN is excellent if your B90 is functioning properly (a problem mentioned in many posts and recently recognized by Surefire).

My Nuwai 2x123 is an excellent light and I assume that the 606 is also excellent, though I have no hands-on experience with it.

The MAG 2C mod is reputedly very good as is a slightly different (Lemlux) mod that uses 4x123 and a Carley lamp. I'm not sure about bright runtime in either case.

I agree with Diesel Dave that you should carry at least two lights (You are, after all a Flashaholic). /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

In terms of rugged, long-lasting broad-beamed brilliance my first choice is still the Tigerlight but unless you have at least two of them (as DD noted) you might best leave it in the car as backup.

Brightnorm

 

[Knife11]

I'm comming around to the idea of a stinger HP, but while it will be great outside and around the hotel if I fire that baby up in back of the dark auditorium I fear it will no longer be dark in the auditorium /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
Maybe the compermise would be to get the normal stinger and a flip down red filter to dull the light...My question is well if it were you decision what would you do? Is the HP really three times as bright as the normal? Is that anmount of light really necessary?
Thanks for you opinions! it hard to know without having all the lights to try out!

 

[BuddTX]

[ QUOTE ]
I'm not realy interested in steamlights since they seem alot like the mags I already have. (maybe someone can convince me, but I doubt it.)

[/ QUOTE ]

Streamlights are NOT AT ALL like your typical Mag-light hanging on the shelf at Wal-mart. The UltraStinger and Stinger HP are really well made, durable, very white (for an incandecent) lights that untold thousands of LEO's use on a daily basis.

But, as they are rechargable, they may or may not fit your needs.

Will you be patroling in a vehicle or on foot? If you are totally on foot or on bicycle, you will want something with batteries.

BUT, if you are in a vehicle, you can use the re-charger.

AND, for 50-60 bucks, you can get a 2 mil CP Spotlight that will light up the night! I really like my Optronics 2 mil CP light. While some manufactures say 2 mil CP, sometimes it is a very narrow beam. The Optronics will just amaze you with the light output. But, alas, only a 30-40 min run time, but if you are in a vehicle, no problem, it will recharge very quickly. (DC chargers are very fast like 1-2 hours if fully drained, whereas AC chargers will take 24 hours to charge fully). Those spotlights do get heavy, but if you were in a vehicle, it wouldn't be a problem. Also, if you made a "body harness or sash" the Spotlight would cary very easially.

I would tend to go for the Stinger HP (40,000 CP) over the UltraStinger (75,000 CP) because it is smaller, but that is your choice.

Now the MagCharger is a different animal from the standard Maglight. There have been some very good reviews here on the MagCharger.

The only other suggestion I have is the Princeton Tec Surge. While it doesn't have the "authority" of a long metal flashlight, it is a very bright, inexpensive light that takes 8 AA batteries, and can be "fed" rather cheaply.

The InReTECH Trilight will amaze you with it's light output in a 4D Maglight also. It is not going to pierce 200 yards, but, compared to your Mag 4D, WOW!

I think you are going to need a low power indoor LED light, and a high powered Incandecent light.

Browse around www.brightguy.com and see what they have.

 

[BuddTX]

[ QUOTE ]
I've been thinking of a small pocket led light or one of these: http://www.1sks.com/store/windmill-zflash-lighters.html

thanks for all your help



[/ QUOTE ]

For a small, easy to pocket flashlight, with a long run time, and easy to turn off/on in one hand, I really recommend the Streamlight Clipmate. REMOVE the clip (it pops in and out of the socket very easily), and you have a very small, bright for it's size, 3 LED light.

 

[lemlux]

For the back of that dark auditorium where you want to be inobtrusive why not get a CMG Ultra with a RED LED? This is a small single AA, single LED light that can reasonably illuminate you nearby surroundings without upsetting your night vision. Keep it on your key chain.