What flashlight for mom?

[Hoghead]

paulr,

My step-mom is in her 80s and I was concerned about switches for her lights. I gave her a Blaster 1R, MiniMag with a Sandwich and a Kroll, Dorcy AAA, Photon II,some 20 for $20 LEDs, 4D folding lantern, Mag 2D/3x123/KPR112.

I wanted to make sure she could use the switches and I tried to cover all the bases. I also got the Mags in her favorite color. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

As you get older you need more light, so I included some bright ones. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[paulr]

Lynx, pocketability is not a concern in the slightest for this light. She will use it almost entirely at home. She doesn't go out of the house very much. It should just be a reasonably small (but not tiny) light because those are friendlier.

I'd be completely unwilling to give her a Kroll-equipped Minimag. Even I get confused by that combination, since both switches have to be on simultaneously to get the light to light up. And the sandwiches tend to fall out of the lights when you change the batteries. Also, I'd rather keep the cost down, since she's not that impressed by gizmology and just wants something practical. But if I wanted a 2AA Kroll+Luxeon light, I'd get her a Longbow Eco rather than mess with the stupid M@g.

I think it's best to stick with common battery sizes for this, not 123's.

Also, the beam should be wide and smooth. Throw is of absolutely zero concern. The light will almost always be used close up, like within 1 foot of the thing being lit.

I did give her an Energizer Essentials 3aaa LED headlamp, since she liked it when I showed it to her. But I doubt if she uses it much.

 

[pedalinbob]

looks like your gut may be correct...the Trio is sounding nicer and nicer.
2aa, semi-regulated(?), smallish, twisty-tail, long runtime, flood, very handsome light, and only $20 from batterystation (am i allowed to say that?).

3 led's are probably perfect for up-close.
as long as she could handle the twisty, you may have a winner!

what are your thoughts, Paul?

Bob

 

[Heabob]

Hi,

Dorcy also has a 3AAA 1Watt Luxeon for about $24.00 at
Target. Batteries in cartridge.
Has fairly good beam (Some Rings)(Slight green tint)
Is 1 and 1/16" Diameter, About 5" long. (feels comfy in hand) Not to small to grab easily.
I hate the 3 pos. switch/strobe feature.(DORCY...CAN YOU HEAR THIS)

BOB
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[paulr]

Pedalinbob, the Trio does seem nice. I've been interested in it for a while anyway. I will probably order one just to check it out, and will give it to her if it seems right.

 

[pedalinbob]

ohhhh, you mean you will give it to her if you dont fall in love with it?

heh, heh, heh...kidding!

it is a very pretty light, and received some great reviews--let us know how it goes.

funny, i have a real soft spot for nicely done 5mm led lights. of all my nice lights, i most often grab my little opalec around the house. this really surprises me.

Bob

 

[nerdgineer]

Another vote for the Dorcy 1xAAA (and I'm older than some of the mom's out there). If MY mom ever found out that I paid like $10 or more for a flashlight I gave her, she'd roll her eyes, wonder where she went wrong raising me, and never use the thing because it cost too much. I'm afraid to think what she might do if I gave her a $60 light and she found out.

If I told her something like a Surefire E1e only cost $10, then she'd ask me to get her a few more because that sounded like a reasonable deal so she'd want to get a couple of more to make sure she'd have enough. She'd probably give them out as cheap Christmas gifts to relatives...

Anyway, Dorcy 1xAAA solves all this.

 

[TORCH_BOY]

Mag solitaire, easy for her to use and parts are
easily obtainable.

 

[Mags]

you could try a Q-III. i dont own one myself, but from the review i read about them, they seem pretty reliable

 

[jaa]

[ QUOTE ]
Main trouble with Dorcy lights is I don't know where to get them.

[/ QUOTE ]
brightguy.com has the Dorcy AA on sale for $9.
web page

 

[paulr]

I just don't understand this cult following of the Dorcy 1AAA. It has no advantages over the 1AA 3LED, unless being smaller is an advantage, which it isn't in this case. And when being smaller is an advantage, the Dorcy 1AAA is bigger than a 1AAA light needs to be, and you really want a CMG Sonic.

Thanks for the pointer about Brightguy. I didn't realize they sold Dorcy stuff. If I order anything from them soon, I'll certainly add a Dorcy or two. But their shipping charges are kind of steep, so I don't know about just ordering one Dorcy from them.

Someone on another thread mentioned Eternalight, and that's actually an interesting idea. Mom likes gadgets.

 

[Lynx_Arc]

I would say get something with 4+ hours run time and easy to change on the batteries, most women are not gonna mess with something that is hard to change battteries in any way, also they wont want to change batteries too often either. I am thinking something tube shaped with 2AA cells easy to open/close with an easy to use switch. That would give you the best of run time, power, weight, size for handling and the tube style will make battery changing just open and drop and screw/unscrew which is easy to do. Either an underdriven luxeon or probably 3-5 LEDs. I figure if it is too bright it may oversaturate what she is looking at, essentially blinding her. Maybe something with a lanyard she could wear around the neck if she is going to use it often since women rarely use pockets.

 

[paulr]

It's not going to be in her pocket or around her neck. It's going to be on a coffee table most of the time, most likely.

I find the most important thing for reading is evenness of beam (you ideally want NO hot spot). "Too bright" just doesn't happen. My favorite light for reading is a McLux with a McFlood reflector. I can't understand why there aren't more lights available with those nice smooth flood beams. Too many flashaholics think a light is no good unless it can light up the house down the street, I guess.

 

[nerdgineer]

My opinion only: 1AAA Dorcy has a wide beam with lots of spill (like Arc AAA and Infinity Ultra) which makes it much more useful than Dorcy 1AA's narrower beam. As bright as (maybe a little brighter depending on your luck) than Arc AAA/Infinity Ultra/and maybe [never compared it] Arc AA. Also significantly smaller and lighter than Dorcy AA, and oh yeah, 40% cheaper around here.

You can trick them up to your taste (I add some plastic tubing to the back for security and remove the D ring) and they will work great. I think they are the flashlight equivalent of the old VW bug.

Mine has survived washing and drying and - if it ever goes - I have a many backups ready to go.

Imagine how much they would go for if Dorcy suddenly went out of business.

I personally am not a fan of Dorcy AA: too clunky and insufficient spill...

 

[jbfla]

...another recommendation for the Trio.

I'm not a Grandpa...yet /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif (60).

I have about 30 lights I could choose from.... $5 to $200 and the Trio is the one on my bedstand and desk (replaced the Inova X5T).

I have a black one and a silver one. The silver one is easier to find when I absent-mindedly misplace it. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/clap.gif

JB

 

[Lynx_Arc]

I prefer a flood most of the time myself. I have defocused an incandescent light I bought for cheap because the spot was so small you would have to be 50 feet away to light up a 3x5 index card. I have little idea why flashlight makers seem to think everyone is a coon hunter. I figure there is two ways to get a flood without spending a bunch. several LEDs clumped together or a luxeon with a diffusion filter. You could try a uke4aa eled with satin tape over it.

 

[Flying Turtle]

Another vote for the Dorcy AAA. I've given several away as gifts to non-flashaholics who have all been quite pleased. Anything much larger is just not going to be carried around by someone not into flashlights.

 

[nerdgineer]

Regarding finding flood type lights (which are also my prefernce), I've found that the multi-LED Chinese lights which use a reflector behind the LEDs and a clear lens over them (like the Ceemore) provide good sidespill and good value, and are pretty compact. This is not the case with the multi-LED lights which have recessed LEDs.

Also, several low dome luxeon lights are available which provide good wide flood type beams. One of these is the Gerber LX1.0 which is available from Batterystation. The other - sadly long gone - is the old Arc LS model with low dome luxeon.

 

[springnr]

My Turtlelite II has seen more hours of use than all my other lights combined. Handy indoor/night stand light.

 

[John N]

[ QUOTE ]
pedalinbob said:
hey, how about the Streamlight 4aa led?

the clicky is very easy to push, and the button is very large.
bright bugger too.


[/ QUOTE ]

Yah, I think Bob nailed it. If she had issues with the Kroll, she is going to have problems with a lot of clickies*. The SL 7LED has a very easy to push button and provides a nice bright, *wide* flood. Perfect for indoors. With 4AA it is maybe a bit large, but not too large. AFAIK, it is already overdriven so it won't take lithiums.

-john

* UK button on 4AA is much harder to use. Clickie on a E series SF light ditto. The SL tasklights might be better but I don't have one.