please help, I hate all my flashlights

[Darkness]

I'm in search of a daily use light for walking the dog, seeing into the yard/woods/fields behind the house, along with some camping and traveling. I want one that can fit in my pocket, and if I need to get a second larger/brighter one I'd consider that. I live in the suburbs, but the yard is about 100' deep with 30-40' feet of woods and we back to a 5 acre field.

The options remaining are "checked". Explanation of 8,9,12,13 at bottom because those are the reasons why I'm here.
1) How would you prefer to purchase the light?
Online or near NC

2) Budget: An easy question, but you may change your mind after answering the rest!
Ideally up to $25, but up to $50 is ok if it really does a good job

3) Format:
I want a flashlight (hand held/self contained).

4) Size:
TINY - Every day carry (2-4 inches).
SMALL - Every day carry (4-7 inches).

5) Emitter/Light source:
Probably LED, but don't really care

6) Manufacturer:
Ready to go out of the box, or with some software configurations, I don't want to solder anything.
Not interested in a custom build or anything like that.

7) What power source do you want to use?
I don't know/I need more information on power sources. I'm guessing normal batteries or rechargeable?

7a) If you have selected a rechargeable option
____I want a light that has a recharging adapter (your typical "wall wart")
____A typical usb-c adapter?

8) How much genuine out the front (OTF) light do you want/need?
____I want to navigate a dark room or read a map (1-10 lumens).
____I want an indoor "blackout" light (15-50 lumens)
____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).
____I want to illuminate an entire field, the neighbor's front yard several houses down, impress my friends and neighbors, etc. (300-700 lumens).

9) Flood vs Throw: Flood covers an area, Throw reaches out to a distance.
____Wide Flood: I want a defined flood area for semi-close tasks like after-dark campsite tasks or working on a car.
____Narrow Flood: I want a sharply defined flood area that will project some distance for tasks like trail walking.
____Wide Throw: I want a beam with a noticeable hot-center for distance throw and a significant amount of "side-spill". Good for rough trail hiking, search and rescue, and general distance work.
____Narrow Throw: I want a beam with a very tight "hot center" and minimal "side-spill". Good for distance viewing, fog, and looking through dense undergrowth.

9a) Distance: How far away will you typically need to see with this light (check all that apply)
____5-20 yards/meters (check out a noise in the backyard)
____30-50 yards/meters (I have a big backyard)
____50-150 yards/meters (I live in a very rural area/farm with wide open spaces)

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).
____90-120 minutes (Runtime is moderately important, but still not critical)

11) Durability/Usage: Generally the old phrase "you get what you pay for" is very accurate for flashlights.
____Slightly Important (Walks around the neighborhood).
____Very Important (Camping, Backpacking, Car Glove-box).

12) Switch Size, Type, and location (choose all that apply):
____Any size switch will do.
____I want a forward clicky (Helpful for momentary activation and signaling).
____I want a reverse clicky (For use with multi-mode/level lights).
____I want a momentary switch (Predominantly for use with signaling and short bursts of momentary light only).
____I want a twisty switch (Tighten the head/tailcap to activate, and the light will stay on until the head/tailcap is loosened).
____I want a body mounted switch (near the head, like on a Maglite).
____I want a tail mounted switch (found on the majority of today's high end lights).
____I don't know what some of these are!
____Other, please specify - see notes at end

13) User Interface (UI) and mode selection. Select all that apply.
____I want 2 light levels. (Brighter/short runtime and Dimmer/long runtime.)
____I want multiple light levels. (Some lights have 5-16 light levels.)
____I want a programmable light.
____I want a selector ring.
____I want a strobe mode. (Oscillating pattern to confuse/blind aka "Police Mode")
____I want SOS mode. (blinks in ...---... emergency pattern)
____I want a beacon mode. (Regular flashes at full power to show location.)
____I don't care.

14)Material/Finish/Coating
____I don't care.

15) Water resistance
Enough to safely use in the rain. I'm not taking it swimming.

16) Storage conditions
____In house (temperature/climate controlled environment), but with some periods in the car / camp when traveling

17) Special Needs/extras: Is there anything else you want or need that hasn't been mentioned? Select any/all below.
A red option would be bonus

Explanation of my real needs for 8,9,12,13 and why I'm here:
The one I use most often always turns on bright but I generally need low power and I hate it. The previous one that I donated had to cycle all the levels to turn off, and that was even worse. The little one I have is ok, but it won't even light up the other side of the yard so it's useless on a walk.

Here's what I need:

- Turn on to low power. I will often walk at night just by moonlight, so it really doesn't need much. It's just so I can see 2' in front of me and to not scare people who don't see me coming.
- Turn back off without ever getting brighter so I can preserve some of my night vision
- Reasonably easy access to something bright enough to see what's making noise up ahead. (75 yards maybe?)
- Option for some kind of strobe that I don't have to see every day but is there when needed. Either to warn oncoming cars that I'm in the road or to signal for help.

I especially hate having a light that always turns on bright, but it's also annoying to cycle through levels I don't want to get to ones I do. I'm more likely to turn the light on and off a lot than I am to keep it on, so if I'm out where I need a bright light I want it bright, but if I'm just looking at where I'm stepping then I want it dim.

I set out in search of a light with dual controls, one that turned the thing on and off, and another to set the mode. I thought that would be an easy task, but I failed to find anything better than what I had. That was 2 years ago, and I still hate my flashlights.

 

[thermal guy]

Malkoff M361 in a host might work for you. Always comes on on low but high will reach 100 feet easily.

 

[Athecal]

I suggest Streamlight Protac models in either 1L-AA(can use a CR123 or single AA), 2AA, AAA, or 2AAA. I have had both AA variants and I sometimes miss my 2 AA (tragically got lost or Strategically Transported Equipment to an Alternate Location). I replaced with the single cell version because smol pockets made the other annoying at times. I use mine every morning for pretrip inspections and constantly throughout the day for random things, using the eneloop pro AA, I sometimes swap batteries every other day just to keep it nice and bright and sometimes go 3 or 4 days because forgetful and it's still shining okay.

="Darkness, post: 5599343, member: 787579"]
I'm more likely to turn the light on and off a lot than I am to keep it on, so if I'm out where I need a bright light I want it bright, but if I'm just looking at where I'm stepping then I want it dim

Also, momentary on/off is the best. I fully turn on my light maybe 10% of the time I use it.

 

[cerbie]

Around $50, check out the Eagletac D25A2 Tactical, XP-L HI neutral (tighter beam with the HI), and Streamlight Protac 2AA.

However, if you need to see 75 yards, with suburban light pollution, I don't think anything that cheap will do, without sacrificing in other areas. FI, Convoy has cheap enough options, but with reverse clickies and mode memory (I never will understand desiring mode memory, without dedicated mode ramping buttons). Getting a forward clicky, or decent e-switch UI, still seem to be things that add a lot of cost, for little apparent reason. A Malkoff M361 allegedly works in the KDLitker E6 w/o modding anything, and the switch can be changed out. That could probably be squeezed in right around $100, all-in. But, the low would be a lot of light, for near use, and could absolutely ruin dark adapted vision. A lego with a Sportac or KDLitker dropin would be cheap, but also stick you with mode memory, from what I can read on their respective sites.

If you can give up the strobe and SOS, and 75 yards, sticking to more like 30-50 yards, depending on ambient light, for a flashlight that is just all-around good, in a lot more ways than specs, consider a Malkoff MDC, 4000K SST-20, in 2AA. It's a simple low/med/high, resetting back to low as the next mode after a second of being on (as far from mode memory as you can get!), and with a fairly long throw forward clicky, good for both preventing accidental self-blinding, and promoting muscle memory for using the higher modes. The max is 200lm, but that's 200 minimum out the front lumens, for 30-45 minutes with Eneloops. 3lm is good for short distances, at night, without messing up adapted vision. The 4000K high CRI SST-20 is amazing, outdoors, well worth the 30% output hit, and has a bit more of a punchy beam than the Crees and Nichias, in the same reflector. Yes, it's going to be over 3x your budget (take advantage of that 20% off with the newsletter thing, at the top), but it's also a quality, well-refined, tool.

Look on the back of low-self-discharge, "precharged," or long shelf life NIMH AAs for being Made in Japan, to get the good Eneloops. I can always find them locally, with a little looking.

I set out in search of a light with dual controls, one that turned the thing on and off, and another to set the mode. I thought that would be an easy task, but I failed to find anything better than what I had.

Aside from head tightening for high, that's one of those things that's either very expensive to do simply, or technically challenging to do efficiently. Even the Chinese can't do that on the cheap, it seems.

 

[Hooked on Fenix]

This is where the old model Fenix lights were great at. After the PD30 R4 and similar lights, they got sued by Surefire and had to redesign all their lights. Older Fenix lights, you kept the head loose to turn it on in low. You tightened the head to turn it on in turbo. Middle modes, strobe, and SOS were accessible by multiple half pushes of the tailcap when needed. Tailcap could be loosened to lock out the light, the feature Surefire sued over. These simple abilities are missing in more current lights where everything gets overcomplicated. Newer lights try to get into programming options like the Streamlight Protac models or the Promethius/Darksucks.com/ Quark QK16L MKIII. This is okay once set up, but takes a lot of instruction manual reading to find out how to operate the light.

Simpler lights often offer mode memory that will bring the light back to the brightness you had it on last. Something with this simple feature may widen your options without the light driving you nuts during frequent use cycling through modes.

 

[Athecal]

lights try to get into programming options like the Streamlight Protac models

It didn't dawn on me until you said this, but pretty sure the streamlights only have 3 program options, 1. High, Strobe, Low, 2. High only, 3. Low, High (without strobe). They aren't hard to program at all though, I particularly dislike strobe so never minded locking it out to get low/high order.

 

[glockboy]

Check out "wurkkos flashlight" on amazon.

 

[cerbie]

Newer lights try to get into programming options like the Streamlight Protac models or the Promethius/Darksucks.com/ Quark QK16L MKIII. This is okay once set up, but takes a lot of instruction manual reading to find out how to operate the light.

Newer? I don't know about that: https://www.hdssystems.com/Products/Legacy/Arc4/ I remember being an internet fly on the wall for that drama, too. Makes me feel old.

Simpler lights often offer mode memory that will bring the light back to the brightness you had it on last. Something with this simple feature may widen your options without the light driving you nuts during frequent use cycling through modes.

On the contrary, it adds to the cycling, and can be quite annoying. I can understand it in the case of not wanting to have several models, with the idea that the customer gets it into a given mode, and never (or rarely) cycles it. But for a commonly used flashlight, expecting to change modes here and there, it's very much an anti-feature, breaking the OP's first two desired features. With no mode memory, and a forward clicky, you basically don't cycle modes, and instead learn to just go to the mode you want.

 

[jacobd]

Convoy has cheap enough options, but with reverse clickies and mode memory (I never will understand desiring mode memory, without dedicated mode ramping buttons). Getting a forward clicky, or decent e-switch UI, still seem to be things that add a lot of cost,

FWIW, Convoy will happily pre-install a forward clicky switch prior to shipping, you just have to contact them and ask. I have a Convoy M1 with a forward clicky currently on the way. Great option for chasing a cheap, but decent light.

 

[3_gun]

You should look at a Hank light, a top pick would be a D1. It runs an Anduril 2 system which is very programmable = make the light fit your needs. Even "stock" it has a short cut to low, several "strobe" modes + a short cut to turbo. YOU pick the LED; W1 or 2 for throw, 519a dedomed for flood & a choice of smooth/orange peel reflectors for throw or flood. It runs on an 18650 so run time are pretty good at reasonable outputs. I have 6 of them, ordered with different setups for different needs. The SST-20 4K w/95cri + an orange peel reflector makes a pretty strong setup for an EDC/walk the dog light. Anduril DOES take a bit of time to get right but when you do it is the light YOU wanted. My EDC D1 is a SST-20 OP that has 2 levels for ramping about 50L & 400L, a short cut to a 5ishL low + dbl click to 1000L high. My programed on is 50, hold 1click bumps it to 400; a press/hold from off starts me at about 5 & a dbl click from off gets me 1000; 3 clicks from off get a strobe of your choice.

D1 link

 

[desert.snake]

You can also look at these, dual-fuel, powerful, inexpensive - EMISAR D3AA 14500 EDC
The only thing here is 2 features - does not work with protected batteries 14500 they are too long for this case and triple optics hits not far, the same mentioned Malkoff M361 hits with a beam further. The default controls are very convenient

 

[bykfixer]

X2 on the ProTac 1L AA. Easily ten tap program it to start on low. Ten Tap is is 9 half press with 10th press fully to click. Do that twice to go from factory, to high only to low/high.

 

[gurdygurds]

X2 on the ProTac 1L AA. Easily ten tap program it to start on low. Ten Tap is is 9 half press with 10th press fully to click. Do that twice to go from factory, to high only to low/high.

X3 on the Protac. I just got one yesterday and wondering why I waited so long.

 

[bykfixer]

X3 on the Protac. I just got one yesterday and wondering why I waited so long.
View attachment 66798

No plumber o'ring for added grip?
That was a great idea you had!!!

 

[Darkness]

Convoy has cheap enough options, but with reverse clickies and mode memory (I never will understand desiring mode memory, without dedicated mode ramping buttons). Getting a forward clicky, or decent e-switch UI, still seem to be things that add a lot of cost, for little apparent reason.

I really appreciate all the suggestions so far, and I'm working on understanding them all and trying to learn, but I'm new to this and need help with some terms:
- forward clicky, reverse clicky
- mode memory I think I get, but what are dedicated mode ramping buttons?
- what's the general dislike of mode memory? maybe I'm misunderstanding it

If you can give up the strobe and SOS, and 75 yards, sticking to more like 30-50 yards,

30-50 yards would probably be fine honestly, if that's a reasonable limit. I was just trying to deal with the situation we had the other night where a fox (I think) was in the path up ahead, close enough to drive my dog mad, but too far for my light to reach so I never got a good look at it, and I couldn't see where it went.

I could also do without the strobe if that's an issue. I don't use it much, but we did have a flooded road at night and the strobe is what kept a lot of cars from driving into it so I thought it would be nice. For the few times I use it I could get away with using my current overall annoying one.

Aside from head tightening for high, that's one of those things that's either very expensive to do simply, or technically challenging to do efficiently. Even the Chinese can't do that on the cheap, it seems.

well that's annoying.

With no mode memory, and a forward clicky, you basically don't cycle modes, and instead learn to just go to the mode you want.

I'd be ok with this. I really don't like cycling modes, I just prefer not to carry two around just to have dim and bright

the streamlights only have 3 program options, 1. High, Strobe, Low, 2. High only, 3. Low, High (without strobe). They aren't hard to program at all though, I particularly dislike strobe so never minded locking it out to get low/high order.

Yea, having strobe before low would be a deal killer, but the 2 mode L H would be ok.

It runs an Anduril 2 system which is very programmable

- what's an Anduril 2 system?

I'd be willing to bump the price up some, I just didn't realize that would be necessary
I'm also open to having a general purpose edc and a second for when I really need something brighter

 

[bykfixer]

Forward clicky means it comes on when you press down.
Reverse means it comes on when you release it.

A dedicated mode ramp button is a separate button for changing output levels.

Memory means it turns on at the level you used it last. Great if you typically use the same level. Example; I have a bedside light with memory set for 2am hardly bright at all nature call illuminator. Another of the same model in my den is set for bright to see what the hounds are excited about.

 

[Darkness]

Forward clicky means it comes on when you press down.
Reverse means it comes on when you release it.

A dedicated mode ramp button is a separate button for changing output levels.

Memory means it turns on at the level you used it last. Great if you typically use the same level. Example; I have a bedside light with memory set for 2am hardly bright at all nature call illuminator. Another of the same model in my den is set for bright to see what the hounds are excited about.

Thanks.
- a dedicated mode ramp seems nice, but apparently not common
- I don't think I care between forward and reverse, unless I'm missing something
- The mode memory is great for the use case you described, but that would be annoying with a single light.

So given that:
Always on to low
Some reasonably accessible way to access a high mode, but also hard enough that I don't get there accidentally or every time I turn it on.

Honestly, If I had a light with that behavior that is water resistant enough for a rainstorm and affordable enough that I'm not afraid to use it for fear of breaking it, I'd be happy. I could do without the rest.

 

[RWT1405]

I'm going to suggest something a little different from what others have

I would suggest a MagLite 2 C-cell and then add the 18650 adapter/battery

The ML25LT is under 7" in length, basically being a Maxi Mini-Mag 2AA flashlight

The ML50L is the next step above and just a little longer

My favorite is the ML50LX

The MagLite site is having a sale right now, I assume for Labor Day

 

[gurdygurds]

No plumber o'ring for added grip?
That was a great idea you had!!!

Haha. Not yet, and I definitely can't take credit for that. Believe I read about it somewhere. Didn't realize how much I miss a forward clicky until this streamlight showed up. I have it set to Low/ High. The 40 lumen low is about right for normal everyday illumination tasks.

 

[KITROBASKIN]

New Emisar D1 mini pocket thrower - LED Flashlights

<p><span style="font-size: medium;">Unprotected, flat top, high drain batteries only, protected cells won't work</span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size: medium;">The 719A, B35AM, FC-40, XHP70.3 HI, SFN-60, SFT-70, 519A dedomed versions are w

intl-outdoor.com

Lights and Guns member made a good suggestion. Not very expensive either.

One option is to get the warm white switch color. That gives you a low light source all the time the tailcap is screwed in with a functioning battery.

You might like the dedomed 5700K 519A choice for emitter. It will give you sufficient throw and enjoyable color rendering with good contrast.

Thank you for your specific preferences in your first post.

If you like a less warm light source, consider going with a 719A 5000K emitter.