Your one and only light...

[notamchris]

If you had to pick one and _only_ one light to have, which one would it be? I know - different lights for different purposes, but just pretend that you can only have one.

My pick would probably be the arc aaa because of size, and the fact that it is always with me. It would be nice to have something brighter with better throw, but the arc aaa is pretty usefull in most situations.

 

[oldgrandpajack]

If you're thinking small, I would suggest the Infinity Ultra or Ultra-G. The Ultra-G is available for $15.00 from a dealer I've seen on this forum. It is Type III hard anodized. It uses one AA battery and many members like its size better than the ARC AAA. Both these models use a brighter LED than the standard model and last about 25 hours of bright light.

If you are willing to go for a bigger flashlight I would suggest the Surefire A2. Actually, the A2 would be my first pick if I could only have one flashlight! It is the best of both worlds. It has 3 LED's for low level and short range light. The LED's sip the juice from your batteries. It also has an incadescent bulb for bright light and throw. The whole thing is digitally controlled for long battery and incadescent bulb life. It is Type III hard anodized and lite. The batterries are $1.25 each from Surefire in a box of 12. After I get mine, I may be selling all my other flashlights. I AM A FLASHAHOLIC!
oldgrandpajack

 

[SilverFox]

My vote would be for the TigerLight. If I need a dimmer light, I just shine it through my hand (it's also a good hand warmer).

Tom

 

[Cosmic Superchunk]

That's a tough question. I couldn't imagine a day being separated from my lights, but I suppose if I were to pick one that I could get by with for practical everyday use, it would be the CMG Infinity Ultra. While it's not as small as the Arc AAA, I find that AA cells are easier to come across than AAA cells (at least where I live), plus it's water-resistant, just as bright as an Arc AAA and since it fits easily in my pocket or on a lanyard around my neck, it's small enough not to get in the way.

 

[artar]

I have my E2 now over 2 years and got my first Arc AAA one year ago.
both are always on me.

if i had to choose only one, i would choose the SF E2.

I discovered that when i need a light, than i need a lot of light and therefore the E2 is my best choice.
batteries and replacement lamps are not a problem for me.
last year i used only two pairs of cr123a in he E2.

 

[gyverpete]

I think I would also choose the ARC AAA since it's the one I use 90% of the time I need a light. I carry it on a neck lanyard inside my shirt 24/7. The most useful light (or other gadget) is the one that is always handy and the small size of it makes it so. A larger light (or tool) is useless if you leave it behind because it is too bulky to carry all the time.
Any small reliable light with decent runtime will get you out of a bind and a little light is better than no light.

 

[dougmccoy]

Like others here I own both the Arc AAA and the Ultra Infinity. I usually have one or both of them on me for my WDC (Work Day Carry) but in consideration if I were to name a one and only I suspect I'd go for my Sure Fire E2e with KL1. I guess its long run time and good beam quality along with its rugged go anywhere and survive heritage mean I feel most secure with this light! That doesn't mean I dont value or appreciate the qualities of the other lights , just think that the E2e combo offers the best all round combination.

Doug

 

[PaulW]

It's a tough question. For now, I would have to pick the E2e. It's bright enough to read street signs from the car. However, I would have to cheat and take my Arc AAA along. The E2e is too bright to read a fine-print menu in a dimly-lit restaurant.

I look forward to the Arc LS4, which will have a dim option AND a bright option. I believe that as Luxeons get brighter, the LS4s will give more light (lumens) than the E2e. How long until the LS4 will have the candlepower of the narrow-beam E2e is another question. But I hope I'll be able, even initially, to use it for street signs.

Of course, if I can wait patiently enough, I'll be carrying an LS5. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[FC.]

A2

 

[FluffyGrunt]

I'd have to go with my Arc-lsl if I could only have one.

 

[pedalinbob]

Eternalight Elite x-ray.

anywhere from 5-95+ lux, floats, waterproof, loooooong runtime, many modes, tough, light, relatively small, can be carried on belt...i dont think there is a more versatile light out there.

Bob

 

[paulr]

Hmm. I was going to say UKE 2L (my favorite light), but I think I want something with common batteries if it's going to be my only light. I still want it to be pretty small since I like to bring a flashlight when I travel.

So I think I'll take a Princeton Tec 40. It's still easily pocketed, quite bright (almost like a Surefire), and runs on four AA's. I'd use NiMH cells most of the time but would be able to use alkalines in a pinch.

Yes, I use my keychain light (now Arc AAA) a lot more often, but there's just occasions when you need something bright.

An alternative might be one of the new Streamlight Twin Task lights. These have both xenon bulbs and LED's and you can switch between them, sort of like the Surefire A2 but less obtrusive. But the non-lithium versions are kind of big.

Keep in mind, most normal non-flashaholics just have some random 2D light as their household flashlight, and get by with it just fine, and most of us could do that also. Those things are reasonably bright, have very long runtime, an are simple to maintain and cheap to operate. Choosing anything else is flashaholism, but hey, we're all flashaholics here.

 

[Sigman]

Gotta go with pedalinbob...one of the eternaLight models with the green and white LED option. It's got a long list of features & long runtime.

I recently obtained their Derringer which is a bit smaller than the standard model. I think I'm going to take out the red LED and replace it with a green!

BTW, I've not seen any reviews on it yet...I'm gun shy and was waiting to see someone else do it first, so I could agree/disagree with them /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif! Owning double digits of various standard sized eternaLights, I think my opinion may be biased towards the larger units...I've not given the Derringer enough use to "evaluate" it fairly yet.

 

[tkl]

i'm leaning very strongly towards my E2e. but the M3 puts out more lumens and the combat grip works well with a pistol.

if i'm only gonna have one it might as well be the M3, might save my bacon one day. i can get used to carrying it in a holster or stuffed in back pocket.

 

[Ninja]

Surefire E2e - CJ

 

[Darell]

These days I mostly *do* only carry one light. For quite some time it was the Arc AAA. Now I've switched to the McLux. The AAA still goes with me when I'm travelling light, and there are AAA's sprinkled throughout my home and cars... but the McLux is typically on me these days.

 

[Tree]

Mine would have to be my AB modded Grey Kit. Bright enough to peer into the night and light up objects 30' away, but dim enough not to blind you when working close. And it fits on my keyring. For some reason it's less noticeable in my pocket than the Infinity Ultra I had before.

 

[Mr Ted Bear]

These days, the A2 takes top honors. Over 90% of the time I use only the 3 Leds, and ocassionally the main 60lu. If my night vision was a bit better, I think the L1 woulld be my first choice but find the low mode not quite enough


Normanally I'm at home, or working out of the car, so it's no big deal to walk a minute or two to access "another" light with more power or runtime if needed

 

[paulr]

Hmm, that sounds like a good choice especially if you can have both the 123 and 2AA battery holders. I resisted choosing a lithium powered light because sometimes I need to use a light for hours at a time, and don't want to run through a pile of expensive 123's.

 

[Flow]

Depends on why I can only have one, and keep in mind I'm still 2 weeks from being able to order anything (yey new job!) so I may change my mind later, but I can guess from the reviews and such I've seen so far.

Now:
Infinity Ultra if I need small. From what I hear either the Arc AAA or Infinity will render my solitair as usefull as a match stick, but the Infin has a longer life. And slightly bigger wouldn't bother me that much anyway.

Realisticly, my minimag with a BB400. Feel funny about not being able to adjust the beam, but from the looks of the beamshots I won't need to. Or possibly a LSH-P. Anyone know of a side by side between BB400 or 500 and the LSH-P?

If the poop has hit the global fan, and survival is more important then wether lunch will be at McDonalds or Burger King, a 6D maglite w/ EverLED. Long, heavy, metal tube that happens to double as a flashlight.

Later:
LS4 or LS5. No depends. If I need small, I'll suck it and go with CR123. Realisticly, 2xAA pack (lit is just too expensive for me, and I don't like short/fat). poop, fan, I'll carry a big stick and whack them after I blast them with the burst mode.

Overall (obviously) LS4 or 5 w/ 2xAA. Diffrent settings for diffrent uses, goes down a notch automaticly when the batteries are just too drained, 'find me', and I'm long used to carrying my minimag on my belt every waking moment. And from what I hear, even the AAA is built to last longer then I will. This thing is going to be sexyer then my last girlfriend (I won't say current /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif).