Which l.e.d. Flashlight is the most Rugged?

[Search]

If you asked me this personally, I would hand you my SureFire E1B. If you notice how torn up it looks I would tell you to throw it as high up as you want.

When I landed, working of course, you would know why it looks abused.

(Don't tell SF.. )

 

[Jimbo-Coolie]

I'd say Surefire 6p or 6p defender if you like clicky switch, you can always upgrade them with a M61! RA clicky switch is shoddy in my opinion, I mean for real hard use a RA twisty is a good choice for a smaller light. If size matters Maglite, many great upgrades available!

 

[NightKids]

May I asked why the maglite was even mentioned in this thread?

 

[HDS_Systems]

We did a bit of testing on a production HDS Systems EDC Tactical flashlight to see how tough it was:

We started by dropping this production HDS Systems EDC Tactical repeatedly from a height of 6 meters (20 feet) on to concrete, pavement and rocks. We then moved on to throwing the light at concrete, pavement and rocks for over an hour. The light still functions normally using the original battery. The glass lens did not break even with this severe abuse. We also put a Ra Twisty through a similar punishment and the photo is on the web site.

Henry.

 

[Search]

May I asked why the maglite was even mentioned in this thread?

While it may not be the most technologically advanced light on the market, the Maglite will forever be the laymans light that will work no matter what.

 

[NightKids]

The maglite is definately not one of the most rugged and it has plastic lens :thumbsdow

 

[Zatoichi]

May I asked why the maglite was even mentioned in this thread?

I wouldn't have thought to mention them in a 'most rugged' flashlight thread, but come to think of it I've only ever had one M@glite fail, and that was over 10 years old. I bought it off a bloke who'd just ridden his bike into the canal and had managed to retrieve the M@g - still working. I got it for the price of his bus fare home. :D

When it finally stopped working it appeared to be due to corrosion inside, probably due to lack of maintainance and the o-ring being perished (it was often used in wet conditions), or maybe battery leakage.

I've found the only real weak point to be the incan bulb or cheap drop-ins. A M@glite with Malkoff drop-in would, I imagine, be a very tough setup. Perhaps not the toughest flashlight around, but worth an honorary mention I'd say.

PS: Those plastic lenses are quite tough, they scratch easily but I've never managed to break one. They could break of course, but glass is hardly a strong point unless it's toughened (note a couple of people in this thread have had Surefire lenses break). I think it may be preferable to cheap glass in a flashlight designed to be both tough and easily affordable.

 

[NightKids]

Yes maglites was probably the most rugged about 2 decades ago but definately surpassed by Fenix & Surefire.

 

[Zatoichi]

Yes maglites was probably the most rugged about 2 decades ago but definately surpassed by Fenix & Surefire.

Yeah I'm not trying to pass them off as the most rugged, I was just replying to your post asking why they were even mentioned. They are still popular as hosts for modding and upgrades after all this time.

Maybe they don't belong in this thread, it's a bit like letting Chuck Liddell back in the octagon. :naughty: I can just understand why they got a mention though.

 

[jorn]

Maybe they don't belong in this thread, it's a bit like letting Chuck Liddell back in the octagon. :naughty: I can just understand why they got a mention though.

lol good onelovecpf


My most rugged light is with no doubt a old dragonsub lux 4.
-4x ssc p4 leds direct driven, if a led :poof: the tree remaining will still work.
-Rugged, fluted aluminum body with aggressive knurling. (3x c cells)
-Diverated to 300m
-Twisty tailcap with a monster spring. No clicky to fail on me.
-THICK lexan window, so no chance it will break

I also have a md2+m30w, valiant little twisty+m60wlf, fenixtk20, fenix tk11. All are very well buildt, but imo they dont quite match the dragonsub.

 

[kaichu dento]

We did a bit of testing on a production HDS Systems EDC Tactical flashlight to see how tough it was:

We started by dropping this production HDS Systems EDC Tactical repeatedly from a height of 6 meters (20 feet) on to concrete, pavement and rocks. We then moved on to throwing the light at concrete, pavement and rocks for over an hour. The light still functions normally using the original battery. The glass lens did not break even with this severe abuse. We also put a Ra Twisty through a similar punishment and the photo is on the web site.

Henry.

This is the answer to the OP's question. Most companies do floor drop tests. Henry starts at 20', then goes on to throwing them, and if you'll look at that bezel you know there were some strong throwers there. :eek:

 

[Jash]

Yes maglites was probably the most rugged about 2 decades ago but definately surpassed by Fenix & Surefire.

And you can buy a Surefire for AU$29. That's how much I payed at Coles for my sons led maglite and it survived a 3 metre drop onto concrete with nothing more than a few scratches, and it was bezel first.

Any light can fail (I had an MD2 die in less than a week), I think you need to look at the overall averages and make a judgement from that. There are few people here in CPF land who would say that mags are unreliable pieces of junk.

They may be big and old, but they work and work well. There's more mags that have spent the last 20 years bouncing aroung in the back of peoples cars, trucks or whatever than you could imagine and they all probably still work.

 

[TITANER]

About a year ago there was a video of some guy trashing an energizer Hard Case tactical light. Him and another guy were throwing it (really hard) against a concrete wall, off a ~20 foot tall building and rolling over it with a car.

It was scratched to all he11 and back but it worked fine.

WOw,sound great .Are you member Which type is this energizer Hard Case tactical light:).

 

[jonesy]

I'd add my peak eiger AAA to the mix. Solid brass, potted electronics, heavy, only one level. Not much to go wrong. Also recommend the 6P, G2, and MD2. None of them have ever let me down, even when soaked and dirty and dropped.

 

[Notsure Fire]

I think they're both around the same, but the TK's are marketed as being rugged, so I'd say TK20 or 40.

 

[latestarter]

And you can buy a Surefire for AU$29. That's how much I payed at Coles for my sons led maglite and it survived a 3 metre drop onto concrete with nothing more than a few scratches, and it was bezel first.

Any light can fail (I had an MD2 die in less than a week), I think you need to look at the overall averages and make a judgement from that. There are few people here in CPF land who would say that mags are unreliable pieces of junk.

They may be big and old, but they work and work well. There's more mags that have spent the last 20 years bouncing aroung in the back of peoples cars, trucks or whatever than you could imagine and they all probably still work.

Totally agree.I am no expert when it comes to modern lights,and i am not suggesting mags are the best in anyway.What i can say is i am one of those guys that have had a 3D and 4D bouncing around tractors,trucks etc for 18 years,and apart from replacing the bulbs now and then neither has let me down.As you could imagine they dont look so good these days but i still would trust either with my life

 

[rbramski]

Surefires are durable, but not indestructable. I took a floatplane into a pond in the Adirondack Mountains hunting. While sitting around the fire I heard a log pop really loud. I started to see this weird blue green glow and "POP". Turned out it was my L2 Lumamax. It fell out of my pocket putting a log on. Also I was welding at work and couldn't see to get started with the mask. So I used my L1 lumamax and now have pot marks in the lens. They are still a hell of a flashlight.

 

[Bronco]

Ra Twisty

 

[kramer5150]

WOw,sound great .Are you member Which type is this energizer Hard Case tactical light:).

Here you go... not really scientific in any way, but a test to failure really doesn't need to be (IMHO).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dNLcglmyyWM

 

[monkeyboy]

Tektite expedition LS4 (I've got one)

They ran over it with a tank and it still survived

Unfortunately it weighs as much as a tank too