0) What Region/Country/State will the light be purchased in?
____I will be mail-ordering or buying online, so this doesn't matter.
____I am in North America. More precisely I am in Connecticut
1) Price Range: An easy question, but you may change your mind after answering the rest!
____I could spend $40-60.
____I am willing to spend $80-$120.
2) Format:
____I want a flashlight.
3) Length:
____2-4 inches. (Pocket carry)
____4-9 inches. (Holster carry)
4) Width:
____I prefer a short wide light.
5) What batteries do you want to use? Alkaline batteries are easier to find and less expensive but don't pack as much stored energy and are don't work well in cold temperatures. Lithium batteries have long shelf life (10+ years, great for stored emergency lights) and are not as affected by cold but must be kept dry and are more expensive. Rechargeable start expensive, but if used frequently pay off quickly.
____I want lithium batteries. (coin cells, CR123, AAA, AA...)
____I want a rechargeable system. (an investment, but best for everyday use)
6) How much light do you want? Sometimes you can have too much light (trying to read up close up with a 100 lumen light is impossible).
____I want to do Caving or Search & Rescue operations. (60+ lumens)
____I want to light an entire campground or dazzle an intruder. (100+ lumens)
7) Throw vs Flood: Which do you prefer, lights that flood an area with a wide beam, or lights that "throw" with a tightly focused beam? Place an "X" on the line below.
Throw (distance)----------------------|-------------x------Flood/close-up
8) Runtime: Not over-inflated manufacturer runtime claims (like some LED lights). but usable brightness measured from first activation to 50% with new batteries.
____60-240 min. (1-2 hours)
____240-360 min. (4-6 hours)
9) Durability: Generally the old phrase "you get what you pay for" is very accurate for flashlights.
____Very Important (Camping, Backpacking, Car Glove-box.)
____Critical (Police, Fire, Search & Rescue, Self-defense, Survival.)
8) Switch Type:
____I want a "clickie" switch. (Stays on until pressed again.)
9) Switch Location:
____I don't care.
10) Operational Modes: Check all that apply.
____I want multiple light levels. (some lights have 5-16 light levels.)
____I want a strobe mode. (blinks to show location.)
____I want a tactical strobe. (Flashes rapidly to disorient an opponent.)
11) Is it important whether the body is metal or plastic/composite?
____I don't care.
12) Special Needs: Is there anything else you want or need that hasn't been mentioned? Circle any below or write in your own comment(s).
____Belt/Jacket clip
____Holster
I currently have been looking at the following
Fenix LD01; Fenix TK11; Eagletac T100C2
Open to opinions and other recommendations
____I will be mail-ordering or buying online, so this doesn't matter.
____I am in North America. More precisely I am in Connecticut
1) Price Range: An easy question, but you may change your mind after answering the rest!
____I could spend $40-60.
____I am willing to spend $80-$120.
2) Format:
____I want a flashlight.
3) Length:
____2-4 inches. (Pocket carry)
____4-9 inches. (Holster carry)
4) Width:
____I prefer a short wide light.
5) What batteries do you want to use? Alkaline batteries are easier to find and less expensive but don't pack as much stored energy and are don't work well in cold temperatures. Lithium batteries have long shelf life (10+ years, great for stored emergency lights) and are not as affected by cold but must be kept dry and are more expensive. Rechargeable start expensive, but if used frequently pay off quickly.
____I want lithium batteries. (coin cells, CR123, AAA, AA...)
____I want a rechargeable system. (an investment, but best for everyday use)
6) How much light do you want? Sometimes you can have too much light (trying to read up close up with a 100 lumen light is impossible).
____I want to do Caving or Search & Rescue operations. (60+ lumens)
____I want to light an entire campground or dazzle an intruder. (100+ lumens)
7) Throw vs Flood: Which do you prefer, lights that flood an area with a wide beam, or lights that "throw" with a tightly focused beam? Place an "X" on the line below.
Throw (distance)----------------------|-------------x------Flood/close-up
8) Runtime: Not over-inflated manufacturer runtime claims (like some LED lights). but usable brightness measured from first activation to 50% with new batteries.
____60-240 min. (1-2 hours)
____240-360 min. (4-6 hours)
9) Durability: Generally the old phrase "you get what you pay for" is very accurate for flashlights.
____Very Important (Camping, Backpacking, Car Glove-box.)
____Critical (Police, Fire, Search & Rescue, Self-defense, Survival.)
8) Switch Type:
____I want a "clickie" switch. (Stays on until pressed again.)
9) Switch Location:
____I don't care.
10) Operational Modes: Check all that apply.
____I want multiple light levels. (some lights have 5-16 light levels.)
____I want a strobe mode. (blinks to show location.)
____I want a tactical strobe. (Flashes rapidly to disorient an opponent.)
11) Is it important whether the body is metal or plastic/composite?
____I don't care.
12) Special Needs: Is there anything else you want or need that hasn't been mentioned? Circle any below or write in your own comment(s).
____Belt/Jacket clip
____Holster
I currently have been looking at the following
Fenix LD01; Fenix TK11; Eagletac T100C2
Open to opinions and other recommendations
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