Two flashlight recommendations needed...

[cardude2000]

Newbie here that's lurked for a while.

Looking for some recommendations.

1) all around indoor/outdoor nightstand light. Something I could momentarily blind someone with (and potentially smack over the head ) but mostly for general indoor outdoor use. Gotta be cool of course, I like cool gadgets! Really want to be able to focus the light when needed. I love the FEEL of my 3 D cell mag light but it's pretty basic and doesn't throw much light but I love that it's rock solid and I don't worry about dropping it while outside. Budget: <$150

2) small-ish in the cabinet/drawer light for indoor/outdoor use. Budget <$50

Thanks!!!!

 

[KeepingItLight]

Nightstand lights are kind of interesting. On one hand, you want a good moonlight mode, so that you can make midnight visits to the kitchen and bathroom without ruining your night-adapted, sleepy eyes.

On the other hand, you may desire high-power strobe and turbo modes. We don't talk about using flashlights as striking weapons here (CPF policy), so I won't comment about that. One thing I can say, is that bright strobe and turbo modes can backfire when you wake up in the middle of the night. With dilated pupils, you can blind yourself when they reflect off nearby walls.

For a budget cabinet/drawer light, I recommend the Convoy S2+. My own preference is for neutral tint, but you can select cool, neutral, or warm when you order. Mountain Electronics is a good source in the USA. Shenzhen Convoy Electronics Co., Ltd., the company that makes Convoy lights, is a good source in China. It has a storefront on AliExpress. Other vendors may be slightly cheaper, but be careful. GearBest sold a number S2+ lights earlier this year that turned out to be counterfeits. Personally, I would buy at one of the first two sites I mentioned.

One of the choices you get when you order the S2+ is how many 7135 chips to have on it. The more you select, the brighter your flashlight. Surprisingly, the best advice may not be to go for the maximum (8). My recommendation is to try 3 or 4. That way, you get a light that can hold its maximum output for longer. When you select 8, your small S2+ flashlight gets very hot fast. You have to turn it down after only a few minutes on high.

A side benefit of choosing 3 or 4 is that the low and medium modes are correspondingly lower as well. For my money, that makes them more useful.

If you want to have some fun, you can also buy one of the optional short battery tubes. They allow you to run your S2+ using an 18350 battery that is about half the size of the normal 18650 battery. The diminutive result is pocket friendly flashlight.

 

[bykfixer]

There is a Mag D size light made by Coast that wal mart sells that's pretty radical for about $60 or so. Some folks swear by that one and it's focusable 1000+ lumens.

While there see if they have the bushnell 20149 single aaa light for about $15. It's 50 diffused lumens so it's a room lighter that will blind a bad guy in your 10' space without blinding you in the process.

 

[Parrot Quack]

Welcome to CPF. :welcome:

If wanting one light, then a Nitecore EC4. If you need an everyday carry light (EDC), then a Nitecore MH20.

 

[ven]

Focus wise i would be looking at the Fenix FD40
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?411586-Fenix-FD40-Review

s2+ as suggested for around house is a good budget option, also the BLF A6 is another worth checking out.

:welcome:

 

[akhyar]

For nighstand light that can momentarily blind someone with less than $150, can try Nitecore TM16, which can be had for around $110-120 with discount code from Banggood or GearBest (but be wary of GearBest due to many complaints here and at the other forum).
For smallish drawer light for less than 50 bucks, can try Nitecore MH20, which can be had for around $45, also with discount code from either BG or GB (as above).
If not, like KIL and ven mentioned above, Convoy S2+ and BLF A6 are worth checking out too. I've both the S2+ and A6 and indeed they are value for money lights.
I have 2 S2+ with 18350 tubes, both configured with 7135*3 drivers each under my pillow and my wife pillow which we use for night visit to the toilet at their lowest setting