If Only 2 Lights, Which 2 and Why?

[HesNot]

Since my holidays typically do not include camping, super runtime is less important to me than convenience for what I use a light for during normal times at home.

Arc 4+ - small and lots of options.
Arc LSH-P with 2xAA pack. Well balanced beam in a MM size package using easily acquired batteries.

 

[KDC]

Well, the Arc4+ of course. For a second light, it depends on the reason for the trip.
If it's going to be very dark, or for doing astronomy, a small red led such as a red Arc AAA or Infinity red.
Otherwise, the Surefire L4 for the occasional bright flash, and a source of spare batteries for the Arc4+!

 

[BigHonu]

Camping:
gas lantern
Arc4+

Backpacking
PT Aurora
Surefire E2e

 

[Alan_L]

I'm sort of in this situation right now. I'm away from home on business for a couple of days and I only brought 2 lights with me: my Arc AAA and a Mini-Mag with a dat2zip LuxIII sandwich.

Why? Well, my Arc AAA is always with me on my keychain anyways. And since the Mini-Mag is so common, I figured it wouldn't get confiscated by overzealous airport security if I get inspected. AAA and AA batteries should be easy to find anywhere. And with this combination I have a long running light in the Arc and pretty decent throw and brightness with the LuxIII sandwich. But if I was away for longer than a few days or going somewhere away from civilization, I might rethink my choices.

 

[HesNot]

Clearly the choice depends on where you're traveling and the conditions (i.e. safari versus golf trip to Pinehurst!).

 

[phyhsuts]

That depends. Two weeks in the wild or 2 weeks in a hotel. The needs will be very different.

In hotel(s):
By this I am thinking electric power available. Artificial lighting generally provided too. Then one only needs flashlights for relatively short time spans. Then my choices will be an Arc 4+ and a Ascent Fair AF5D08 with WA 01165 bulb and a 7.2V 4.6 Ah NiMH battery stick made up of 12 2.3 Ah AA size NiMh cells in series/parallel. This later will be with its charger working off any 12V supply normally provided by a wall wart 12V dc power supply. I would bring along a goodly supply of 123A cells too. The Arc 4+ would fill 99% of needs. The AF 5D08 serves to give light with a good reach.

In the wild:
By this I mean difficult access to electric power lines. I assume a vehicle of some sort is available (12V dc available when on the move). Here I will op for a Pelican #2020 with a good supply of e2 Energizer cells. This is for its tough construction and immunity to corrosion and shocks. Run time is very respectable too. My other choice is not a flashlight, it is a lantern. The Streamlight Litebox with a WA 01165 bulb. The VRLA holds charge better than NiCd or NiMH. It can be charged while in the vehicle. It provides reach which is needed in outdoor situations. The WA bulb consumes about 11W, less than the standard 20W. Run time should be about 5 hours.

BUT I do NOT travel with only /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/eek.gif 2 lights! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Kanai]

ARC 4+ because of the different setting options
and Surefire E2e for its throw. But the ARC 4+ normally is bright enough for me. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/buttrock.gif

 

[ZL1]

arclight ls3 for just about anything up to about 6-8ft.
surefire m6 for mindboggling brightness...hmm where's that kl8 or 9 at? two or three 5w bulbs in a m6.. ahhh!

 

[tinker]

I could get by with my mini-mag MMQ3 with Gadjet Lovers hi-lo mod, and Electrolumens FT-3C. The modded mag being imho extremely versatile, and the FT-3C bright enough for anything that needs more serious illumination.

 

[paulr]

Arc AAA and UKE 2L, that's been approximately what I've travelled with for many years, and it's always been fine. (Before I got the Arc, the combo was Photon II and UKE 2L, works out about the same way).

 

[roguesw]

the e2e with pr-t for throw, and kl4 on vitalgear body 3x123 for flood, good thing is the vitalgear body can also take aa's in a pinch, and serves as a battery case for the e2e

 

[BentHeadTX]

Depends on what I will be doing for two weeks!

If I was going to be traveling around to hotels, etc. I would bring the Lambda Microilluminator AAA for medium lighting needs and a minimag BB500 R2H for longer throw.

Now, If I was going camping, my lights would be completely different. Arc AA for waterproofness and long run time. Elektrolumens Anglelux for brightness and over 24 hours of run time on 2D cells. It also works well to clip to vests for handsfree use.

 

[StuU]

ArcAAA as the only true EDC light.
ArcLSL for a bright work & security light. Actually, an E2e with KL1 head would beat the LS as you would have an intense incandescent and a bright, long-running LS light in one.

However...in reality(like last summer at Cape Cod), it would be ArcAAA, ArcLSL, Infinity white, Infinity Ultra, E2e, Streamlight SL7, MiniMag with Opalec, Minimag with Inretech, Infinity blue/green(never know when you might need to be invisible to night vision equipment), Infinity red, Maglite 4D.

 

[Eugene]

I on;y use two anyway. Arc AAA in the left pocket and Mag 2AAA in the right. 1st reason is ablity to use the same battery in either as opposed to having and Arc AAA and a AA or 123 powered light or a coin cell light. 2nd the Mag is cheap enough to loan and easy to replace if needed so the Arc stays safely mine.

 

[Hoghead]

ARC4+ and ARC AAA because out of the many lights that I have these are the ones that I use the most.

I was tempted to say the ARC4+ and the Surefire A2 or
the ARC4+ and the Surefire M6 because these would seem to serve more purposes. I use my lights a lot and sometimes I need throw, but most of the time the ARC4+ is more than capable and the AAA is always on my key-ring.

 

[SKYWLKR]

X5T (possibly the A2 or a TT-2L)and a 6P with a P61 HOLA and P60 LA and lots of batts cause I wouldnt have to buy any other lights.

 

[CalgaryGuy]

Thanks for all the replies; I will be staying at a hotel.

I like to travel light; In the past, I used to only have an AA mini-mag because that my travel shaver uses AA and I can take the battery out of one of them and put it in the other one in case that the battery runs out.

Now that I'm into flashlight and still want to travel light on airlines, I'm restricting myself to two lights. However, driving is a different story; I'll be hugging all my lights with me. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinser2.gif

Definitely I will pick the Arc 4 as my main light becaused of the wide usage range. The second one will probably be the mini-mag. Why the mini-mag? I like the idea of having a cheap light so I can lend it out. Then in case the power runs out, I can have room lighting in candle mode. It's also easy to get by airport security as everyone knows the mini-mag. And on top of that, the battery is compatible with my travel shaver. Of course, I would have two 123s in a water tight match container. Run-time is also important so with 3 fresh 123s, I can reach up to 600 hours on the Arc 4 at dimmest setting. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[stockwiz]

Modded Arc LS using 3 watt running 667 ma with TSPAA pack would be my first choice... my second choice... well... probably my modded 3D Mag.. I love the cool white beam of the overdriven TWAK screaming that laser beam out the front of the light.. then again.... I have another light on the way that I'm excited about and I don't know if I could go without it.... I'd just have to make sure to bring extra N size batteries along. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif .. then again I don't think lights on keychains should count because one should presumably take their keys with them everywhere anyways. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Justintoxicated]

I'd grab my 3C Lux III mag, and also my AA mini mag DD a HD red....Why? Because thats all I have lol! Mag3C seems to last forever with teh J voltage bin Lux III...

 

[IsaacHayes]

Depends where I was going, like camping or to the beach.. If only 2, then it'd be my ArcAAA and a 2AA nx05 type light. If you didn't count the ArcAAA then it'd be the 2aa light and something powerfull that ran on common batts like a tri-star light. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif