What's your most trusted light?

[weez82]

I always see threads about favorite lights but not about trusted light. So what is your most trusted light?

For me it's my 47's Quark X using a single AA tube. I've had this light for almost 10 years now and it's always worked. Everytime I click the switch it turns on with no issues. I've taken this light in caves/lava tubes, hiking, camping, all kinds of stuff. It's been dropped, scraped, dropped in water. It's been used. And it keeps on working. This is the light I always have on me when out adventuring either as a primary or a backup. It's always ready to go.

So how about you guys and gals, what's your most trusted light?

 

[Olumin]

when I have bad dreams the lights I grab never work properly. They will usually not turn on at all, neither will any other lights in the house. Some will flicker or have bizarrely low outputs, far below what they should put out. Doasnt matter if I grab a surefire or malkoff or anything else, its always the same. None of these have ever failed me in the real world. But I dont think I can really trust any light anymore. its just something in the back of my mind.

But i suppose all things considered its my malkoff mdc with the M61WLL. its certainly my most used and carried light by far, and my bedside light.

 

[parang]

I have a couple of Armyteks: a Wizard Pro and a Prime A2 Pro.
Most lights are rated for two meter drops and two meter submersion, but these can do ten meters. So I reckon they are five times as tough.

In general, I think good heat dissipation is important for longevity, so copper and brass might help with that.

Ultimately, I would like a couple of Fraz Labs lights.

 

[Mr. LED]

I always see threads about favorite lights but not about trusted light. So what is your most trusted light?

For me it's my 47's Quark X using a single AA tube. I've had this light for almost 10 years now and it's always worked. Everytime I click the switch it turns on with no issues. I've taken this light in caves/lava tubes, hiking, camping, all kinds of stuff. It's been dropped, scraped, dropped in water. It's been used. And it keeps on working. This is the light I always have on me when out adventuring either as a primary or a backup. It's always ready to go.

So how about you guys and gals, what's your most trusted light?

View attachment 15955

To each, their own. When the Quarks were released around 2009, I bought 10, of various models. One for EDC and the rest as shelf queens. In a couple of years, 6 were defective and one was replaced twice and then got bad once again.

I got rid of them as fast as I could.

 

[xxo]

My 35 year old 4D Mag - it' been through hell and never let me down.

 

[eff]

No trusted light. But if by "trusted" you mean toughest, then I would say the HDS clicky (Henry shot his own lights to show how tough they were).

 

[3_gun]

I don't keep anything that doesn't work & I can't trust, unless it's a toy/vintage. That said some are defaults; SF X300 on the pistol, SF L2 in the GO bag as well as a few cheap throw away/trade lights. Fenix LD10 in the truck. Streamlight TL3 by the bed. Fenix LD12 or Klarus SP10 in my pocket. Streamlight Scorpion in my day pack. Streamlight 123a TwinTask in the toolbox. 2D cell MagLite in the garage, basement & hall closet. Fenix E12v2 with my Surge. There are others, all work & are ready for use. 2 is 1 & 1 is none ; guess you could say I'm a believer

 

[boo5ted]

These are my most trusted, Prometheus Alpha/Delta and Ti Tool 2.0. The Prometheus lights are basically the same except for the emitters. The Delta has Nichia 219C 5K, Alpha has Cree MCE 4k and the Tool has a Samsung LH351D 5k. Great tint and beam on each and they work without issues every time I grab one.

 

[UFO]

Streamlight Stinger. Incan/LED.

 

[Lumen83]

Either my Surefire Kroma or my EDCL1-T. Both have been through hell and back and have never let me down.

 

[thermal guy]

Honestly it has to be my very first high end "at the time "light I got. My E2E. Have had it for 18 years and other then one switch it has always worked. Im sure many of my other lights are way tougher then it but that light is well tried and true.

 

[gottawearshades]

Good idea for a thread. I think about reliability more and more. It's why I pay most of my attention to HDS's and Malkoffs these days.

 

[Dicaeopolis]

Malkoff MDC XP-L 16650 500 lumen flashlight is my most used light, so I have to say my most trusted. I really never wanted to like that light, but I carry and use it at work everyday. I like the bigger and smaller Malkoff lights better, but that 16650 just hits the sweet spot for my front pocket and still have good power on high and lower modes to read with. I recharge the 16650 every other day in summer and every day when it gets dark early. The Hound Dog 18650 reflector version is probably my second most used light. Based on what I have put those two through, I have faith in all the Malkoff lights.

 

[Hooked on Fenix]

The light that I beat up the most and never failed was a Gerber LX 3.0. Used it one summer doing electrical work in Tucson, Arizona. It got to 120 degrees and the light still worked. Dropped or smacked it on concrete and rebar hundreds of times and never failed. It is outdated though.

My Nitecore HC60 headlight would come next. Used it for 6 years. Used it for 8-10 hour shifts on a lighting crew doing electrical work. It fell off my hard hat while working atop an 8 foot ladder and cracked a tile on the floor. The light worked fine. Been using it on night hikes in very dark, secluded places most light aren't up to the task. Used it in the cold and rain plenty of times. After 6 years, still has no issues and improvements in new version are modest. No real need to upgrade.

 

[Robot Mania FU]

Back when it still looked new....VME head w/ m61wLL on a shrouded 123 body. I'd happily take any of my Malkoff's as my last light, but this is the one that never leaves my side.

 

[Gray Matter]

Zebralight SC64w Hi

Never had some issues with this light

 

[SYZYGY]

when I have bad dreams the lights I grab never work properly. They will usually not turn on at all, neither will any other lights in the house. Some will flicker or have bizarrely low outputs, far below what they should put out.

wow. i have the same dream.

i also have dreams where guns don't work, or if they do, i have to pull on the trigger so hard that accurate shots are impossible.

or cars where the brakes don't work well.

Zebralight SC64w Hi

same probably, but i actually do have occasional issues due to dented batteries from the pogo pins. the output drops on high modes.
usually taking the battery out, rotating it slightly, and putting it back in improves battery contact, but it might take one or two tries.

 

[bykfixer]

A yellow SureFire G2 with a Malkoff M61NL.
Aside from running out of fuel, not much that can/will break on that one.
Twisty mechanical switch, potted LED chip in a brass housing, plastic lens, polymer body and it's yellow so it's easy to spot.
Edit:
with primary fuel cells.
End edit

 

[LeanBurn]

I trust all of them, none have ever failed on me.

 

[PoliceScannerMan]

I have a bunch of lights I trust, but the most trusted? Hmmm. Would have to be my Malkoff M61NLLLL with a FM 18500 with a Oveready ZeroRes Twisty that runs a 18650. Over 40 hours of light on one charge, twisty only that tail stands solid, no switch to break. Can also run 2xCR123.

I have since replaced the tail cap with one of these.