stratshtr
Newly Enlightened
Some answers have two selected.
Longtime lurker, just registered.
Budget: An easy question, but you may change your mind after answering the rest!
__X__Up to $100.-150
3) Format:
___x_I want a flashlight (hand held/self contained).
4) Size:
__x__SMALL - Every day carry (4-7 inches).
__x__MEDIUM - Holster/belt ring carry. (>7 inches)
5) Emitter/Light source:
____LED (known for efficiency, longevity, and compactness)
6) Manufacturer:
____I want to buy a light from a large/traditional manufacturer that is ready to go out of the box.
7) What power source do you want to use?
____I want a light with an integrated rechargeable battery pack.
or with a removable battery but would like to be able to plug it in to charge it rather than have an other charger
_
7a) If you have selected a rechargeable option
____I want a light that has a recharging adapter (your typical "wall wart")
8) How much genuine out the front (OTF) light do you want/need? Sometimes you can have too much light (trying to read up close up with a 100 lumen light is not a happy experience).
____I want to confidently walk around an unlit/unpaved rural area (60-150 lumens).
____I want to illuminate my entire backyard or a campsite (150-300 lumens).
_X Somewhere in-between
_ok__SPECIAL NOTE: Burst/Turbo mode Category - There are several lights that will run at a super bright maximum for a very limited period (usually 5-10 minutes) and then will "step-down" to a lower level for thermal control. Check here if this is acceptable.
9) Flood vs Throw: Flood covers an area, Throw reaches out to a distance.
__X__Wide Flood: I want a defined flood area for semi-close tasks like after-dark campsite tasks or working on a car.
__X__Narrow Flood: I want a sharply defined flood area that will project some distance for tasks like trail walking.
Somewhere in-between
9a) Distance: How far away will you typically need to see with this light (check all that apply)
__X__Less than 5 yards/meters (looking for something inside a dark shed/garage/basement)
__X__5-20 yards/meters (check out a noise in the backyard)
10) Runtime: Not over-inflated manufacturer runtime claims, but usable brightness measured from first activation to 50% with new batteries (Measured on maximum continuous output).
___X_30-60 minutes (I have plenty of batteries just ready to be changed)
__X__90-120 minutes (Runtime is moderately important, but still not critical)
60-90 minutes
11) Durability/Usage: Generally the old phrase "you get what you pay for" is very accurate for flashlights.
__X__Very Important (Camping, Backpacking, Car Glove-box).
12) Switch Size, Type, and location (choose all that apply):
____Any size switch will do.
13) User Interface (UI) and mode selection. Select all that apply.
__X__I want 2 light levels. (Brighter/short runtime and Dimmer/long runtime.)
14)Material/Finish/Coating
X____Anodized Aluminum – either type II or III (Hard Anodized) (Aluminum, specifically HA, is the most common material/finish for today's higher end flashlights).
15) Water resistance
_X___IPX4 (Splash resistant)
16) Storage conditions
__X__In house (temperature/climate controlled environment)
17) Special Needs/extras: Is there anything else you want or need that hasn't been mentioned? Select any/all below
Longtime lurker, just registered.
Budget: An easy question, but you may change your mind after answering the rest!
__X__Up to $100.-150
3) Format:
___x_I want a flashlight (hand held/self contained).
4) Size:
__x__SMALL - Every day carry (4-7 inches).
__x__MEDIUM - Holster/belt ring carry. (>7 inches)
5) Emitter/Light source:
____LED (known for efficiency, longevity, and compactness)
6) Manufacturer:
____I want to buy a light from a large/traditional manufacturer that is ready to go out of the box.
7) What power source do you want to use?
____I want a light with an integrated rechargeable battery pack.
or with a removable battery but would like to be able to plug it in to charge it rather than have an other charger
_
7a) If you have selected a rechargeable option
____I want a light that has a recharging adapter (your typical "wall wart")
8) How much genuine out the front (OTF) light do you want/need? Sometimes you can have too much light (trying to read up close up with a 100 lumen light is not a happy experience).
____I want to confidently walk around an unlit/unpaved rural area (60-150 lumens).
____I want to illuminate my entire backyard or a campsite (150-300 lumens).
_X Somewhere in-between
_ok__SPECIAL NOTE: Burst/Turbo mode Category - There are several lights that will run at a super bright maximum for a very limited period (usually 5-10 minutes) and then will "step-down" to a lower level for thermal control. Check here if this is acceptable.
9) Flood vs Throw: Flood covers an area, Throw reaches out to a distance.
__X__Wide Flood: I want a defined flood area for semi-close tasks like after-dark campsite tasks or working on a car.
__X__Narrow Flood: I want a sharply defined flood area that will project some distance for tasks like trail walking.
Somewhere in-between
9a) Distance: How far away will you typically need to see with this light (check all that apply)
__X__Less than 5 yards/meters (looking for something inside a dark shed/garage/basement)
__X__5-20 yards/meters (check out a noise in the backyard)
10) Runtime: Not over-inflated manufacturer runtime claims, but usable brightness measured from first activation to 50% with new batteries (Measured on maximum continuous output).
___X_30-60 minutes (I have plenty of batteries just ready to be changed)
__X__90-120 minutes (Runtime is moderately important, but still not critical)
60-90 minutes
11) Durability/Usage: Generally the old phrase "you get what you pay for" is very accurate for flashlights.
__X__Very Important (Camping, Backpacking, Car Glove-box).
12) Switch Size, Type, and location (choose all that apply):
____Any size switch will do.
13) User Interface (UI) and mode selection. Select all that apply.
__X__I want 2 light levels. (Brighter/short runtime and Dimmer/long runtime.)
14)Material/Finish/Coating
X____Anodized Aluminum – either type II or III (Hard Anodized) (Aluminum, specifically HA, is the most common material/finish for today's higher end flashlights).
15) Water resistance
_X___IPX4 (Splash resistant)
16) Storage conditions
__X__In house (temperature/climate controlled environment)
17) Special Needs/extras: Is there anything else you want or need that hasn't been mentioned? Select any/all below