looking for a high-end flashlight

recercare · Sep 12, 2001

I need a heavy duty flashlight. I live close to a mountain. The trails are very difficult to spot even in daylight! I need a flashlight with at least 6 hours burntime, and 6-20W bulb. It's important that the beam is wide.
Someone has already recommended Petzl Megabelt, even though it's a headlight.

oscar · Sep 12, 2001

I am not sure about the bulb, but I really like the Ray-O-Vac Workhorse. They are inexpensive and quite bright. I took one into the Grand Canyon 5 years ago and it did a great job for 7 nights.

Gandalf · Sep 12, 2001

Although it's not the type of high tech, cutting edge lights that we love to talk about (even if we can't own them!) what about a 3 D cell Maglight? (Or other size...) Not very light to carry, but almost tough enough to pound in nails. Sounds like you need a tough light, where you are. Also, the Maglights carry a spare bulb in the base; which can be a lifesaver.

And seaking of lifesavers, if you are in really rough country where having a working light can save you from a broken leg; or worse, you should carry a backup light. Like the spare tire on your car, that you can go 5 or 10 years without needing; but when you get that flat tire, you are sure glad you keep plenty of air in the spare, and check it every few months! A small, light AA light, and a set of spare batteries, would be in my pack if I was in your hiking boots.

Perhaps other members could recommend similar lights to the D series Maglites that don't weigh as much as a Maglite, but is reasonably tough.

Brock · Sep 12, 2001

The only light that I know of that will last 6 hours would be a 3-D or larger Mag. I would look in to maybe a 6-D Mag, but they are really heavy. I can't think of Any Surefire's that have that long of a runtime. How long does the UKE HID run? That would be the brightest by far, way brighter then a Mag. They run on 8 C cells. Anyone else got any ideas?

JB · Sep 12, 2001

The UK Light Cannon 100 is rated for 3-4 hours on 8 C-alkalines.

Yeah, I second the suggestion for a 3D or bigger Maglite, due to the longer runtime and reasonable brightness. But the requirement is also for a wide beam and at flood setting the Maglite's beam is pretty s****y.

SCOTT THE BADGER · Sep 12, 2001

May I suggest a Nite Lite brand Wizard Topper Coon hunting light. It is a rather bright lantern, with a 5.5-6 hr run time, and is rechargeable. I keep one in the squad as a backup for my litebox. It is only $45.00 at huntsmart.com. A Streamlight Litebox, or Vulcan would also be hard to beat, which are available at Brightboy.com

PeLu · Sep 13, 2001

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>Originally posted by recercare:
I need a heavy duty flashlight. I live close to a mountain. The trails are very difficult to spot even in daylight! I need a flashlight with at least 6 hours burntime, and 6-20W bulb. It's important that the beam is wide.
Someone has already recommended Petzl Megabelt, even though it's a headlight.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

All people I know here will use a headlight for that purpose. If you can work with that, consider a HeadLite III. It has constant brightness over the complete discharge circle and, depending on the bulb, very bright light. Also the bulb's lifetime is very high.

lightuser · Sep 13, 2001

recercare,
don't forget to look at the Tektite/Trek 6000 xenon: 6 C's, you will need to carry a reload for six hours runtime, but bright as heck (9watts), good price (40.00), good runtime for a cheap light (4 hours). I think you'll have a hard time powering any 10+ watt light for over a few hours. my .02 on it...

recercare · Sep 13, 2001

Underwater Kinetics -Industrial lights - Sunlight D8. It has two 14W and 7-10 hours burntime. 8 D-cells sounds quite heavy though. This must be one of the most powerfull flashlights in the world.

PeLu · Sep 14, 2001

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>Originally posted by recercare:
Underwater Kinetics -Industrial lights - Sunlight D8. It has two 14W and 7-10 hours burntime. This must be one of the most powerfull flashlights in the world.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

The light cannon is brighter and not so heavy. With good NiMH cells it should give 3-4 hours of light (more than both of this 14W bulbs together), as long as the D8 rechargeable. But you have to check if you can live with its beam shape (with or without 'flood' cap).

recercare · Sep 14, 2001

Here are some quotes from their WEB-sites.
1.UK: "New High Intensity Discharge (HID) illumination technology allows this dive light to emit three times more light per watt of battery power than standard xenon or halogen lamps."
2.Cateye: "Metal Halide bulb technology gives you the equivalent of 80+ watts of halogen light" (with 21W HID)
3.Niterider: "10 watt Metal Halide Arc H.I.D. lamp, with light output equivalent to a 40 watt halogen bulb"

I've read a test in a magazine measuring HID vs Halogen/Xenon. Their result was:
HID W = Xenon/Halogen x3.
If this is correct then UK tells the truth. However, i guess it matters what kind of Halogen bulbs you compare with.

Even though HID are bright there are som major disadvantages as well. Here are quotes from a mountainbike-site.
"I noticed an almost complete lack of shadowing on the trail: this meant that bumps, dips, and ruts became nearly invisible and I often found myself riding into them unawares! The other two guys' lights (Halogen) revealed all these obstacles with ease, so long as they rode outside my pattern".

**DONOTDELETE** · Sep 14, 2001

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>Originally posted by recercare:

"I noticed an almost complete lack of shadowing on the trail: this meant that bumps, dips, and ruts became nearly invisible and I often found myself riding into them unawares! The other two guys' lights (Halogen) revealed all these obstacles with ease, so long as they rode outside my pattern".<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Weird; this is exactly the opposite of what I see on the trails. I suspect either 1) he has the HID pointed too low, creating a blinding hotspot right in front of him, or 2) his HID light is helmet-mounted, so shadows are shorter.

The NR manual specifically warns against pointing the HID too low (and too high as well). I've compared both HID & halogen (15 watt), both bar-mounted, and the HID is way better.

**DONOTDELETE** · Sep 14, 2001

Back to the original question... I've never seen one, but how about Streamlight's Lite Box? I think it comes with either 8/20 watt spot/flood?

Size15's · Sep 17, 2001

I heard the 20W option was impressive.
Not seen it myself though...

I would get the version that turns on in the charger when the mains power cuts out. (If I'm thinking about the same light)

Al

PeLu · Sep 17, 2001

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>Originally posted by recercare:
I've read a test in a magazine measuring HID vs Halogen/Xenon. Their result was:
HID W = Xenon/Halogen x3.
If this is correct then UK tells the truth.
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

No, as you are quoting from their website (and I already mentioned it at HID lights they claim that the HID is about a factor of almost 5. And this is not correct (not even underwater). Actually Niterider compares it with a 35W bulb and that is close to the 1:3 ratio.

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>
Even though HID are bright there are som major disadvantages as well. Here are quotes from a mountainbike-site.
"I noticed an almost complete lack of shadowing on the trail:<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I know several people using HID for mounatain biking and ALL report the opposite. There must be something wrong either with the unit or the tester .-)

I like LED and HID lighting due to their daylight similar light colour.

**DONOTDELETE** · Sep 17, 2001

We do not produce torches but head lamps. But at the best!
Have a look to: http://www.lupine.de

JB · Sep 17, 2001

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>I've never seen one, but how about Streamlight's Lite Box? <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Nice specs. Watch out for that 7.4lb weight though!

recercare · Sep 17, 2001

The Lupin Edison HID-light looks great. I didn't find its burntime though.

The Litebox IS awsome, but perhaps too heavy.
Seems like the new UltraStinger will knock out MagCharger. I just read about it on Streamlight's WEB-site.

**DONOTDELETE** · Sep 17, 2001

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>Originally posted by recercare:
The Lupin Edison HID-light looks great. I didn't find its burntime though.

The Litebox IS awsome, but perhaps too heavy.
Seems like the new UltraStinger will knock out MagCharger. I just read about it on Streamlight's WEB-site.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

The UltraStinger does have a slightly brighter hotspot then that of the MagCharger, but the MagCharger's hotspot is bigger. Overall I'd rather have the MagCharger, better and heavier built. UltraStinger is a SuperStinger (extended standared Stinger) with a bigger and brighter bezel on it, that's it. I think the MagCharger will survive, it survived the SL35X which is brighter but a lot heavier and bigger as well.

PeLu · Sep 18, 2001

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>Originally posted by recercare:
The Lupin Edison HID-light looks great. I didn't find its burntime though.
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

It comes without powerpack, so it depends on which one you choose. With the 5Ah LiIon pack (the smaller one) it should work some 3.5 or 2 hours (depending on the setting). And it offers a not so narrow beam.

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