The Strength of Your EDC Flashlight

What is the strength of your EDC flashlight?


  • Total voters
    135

cosine

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Dec 19, 2005
Messages
159
It appears to me that one essentially gets four options when it comes to choosing a flashlight for EDC: throw, spill, runtime, or brightness. If you read this before you post, and if you EDC more than one flashlight, select the poll selection which corresponds mostly to your most-used EDC flashlight. Or, select the poll selection which corresponds to the most used function of your EDC flashlight(s).

I am curious to what the strength of your EDC is. Also, I'd like to know why you chose one of those strengths over the other in picking your EDC, and what led you to choose that option.

Thanks.
 
Last edited:

John N

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Oct 12, 2001
Messages
2,201
Location
Seattle
I think you need an additional option or two. For example, I EDC a HDS U85 w/an SF F04 beamshaper.

With the beamshaper removed - I get throw.

With the beamshaper on - I get spill.

It is multi-level, so I get runtime. For example on .3 lumens (default "low" mode), you get over 300 hrs.

It is 85 lumens, so it is as bright as a SF E2e.

I'd call that "all of the above". :)

-john
 

iamerror

Enlightened
Joined
Jan 2, 2006
Messages
253
Location
Nevada, USA
I guess mine would be brightness. A Surefire E2E is my main EDC (I also always carry an Inova X1). It does not have the best runtime, but it is decent (75 minutes). One reason I got an E2E was because I had a Surefire G2, but found it a bit too thick for jean pockets (I still like the G2 a lot, and kept it). The E2E is very bright for it's size. I guess I value brightness over long runtime (a minimum of about 45 minutes would be nice for any flashlight that I will use frequently/semi-frequently).
 

JimH

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Apr 8, 2004
Messages
2,714
Location
San Jose, CA
Stupid poll. You left off the last category - "all of the above". I EDC 10+ lights and cover all categories. The right light for the right situation.
 

cosine

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Dec 19, 2005
Messages
159
Ah, good point John N. I didn't think of that. Well, I can't edit a poll anyway, so I'll see what people think the dominate strength of their EDC is.

JimH - 10 lights? :wow:
 

SuperNinja

Enlightened
Joined
Oct 2, 2005
Messages
507
John N said:
I think you need an additional option or two.
Size should be one of the choices.

My EDC is one of the smallest keychain lights made. (modded with a 40K LED)

pro325em.jpg
 

diggdug13

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Nov 11, 2004
Messages
1,193
I have to agree with John and Jim,

depending on if I bring my Jumbo fatboy or not I have maybe 5 or 6 lights that cover the spectum. If not I have one of three lights on me.

1. McLux III PD - always on my side: long battery, bright and med flood
2. McGizmo L1 PR-T DB917 - with a beamshaper it's what John said lotta throw (nuttin like Jims lights with throw) but with beamshaper lotta flood
3. PM6 Superbird mod - exactly the same as the PR-T above.

got the bases covered.

doug
 

JimH

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Apr 8, 2004
Messages
2,714
Location
San Jose, CA
diggdug13 said:
depending on if I bring my Jumbo fatboy or not I have maybe 5 or 6 lights that cover the spectum. If not I have one of three lights on me.

Doug, I didn't know we were counting EDC bags. If I include my Maxpedition Proteus, that's another dozen lights.
 

metalhed

Enlightened
Joined
Jan 29, 2004
Messages
671
Location
Washington State
For me, brightness is most important. If I pull a flashlight from my pocket (or wherever), I want light to see...everything...well.

That's why I really like my Amilite. I usually EDC it with an Arc AAA on my keychain, and a Firefly (no optic or reflector--pure flood) in my other pocket (just like my sig). Basically gives me three distinct lighting options.

But the Amilite will almost inevitably be replaced when something just as small, but brighter, comes along.

After all, I can easily dim a bright light, but I can't easily brighten a dim light.

Or was that 'dim bulb'? I get so confused, sometimes. :laughing:
 

LEDninja

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Jun 15, 2005
Messages
4,896
Location
Hamilton Canada
None of the above. Has to fit in my pockets.

I like a minimum 2 hour runtime. Hence the TM-310H instead of the L0P. Haven't put away the UK 2AAA eLED yet. That should give me moon mode till the next morning.
 

cratz2

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Apr 6, 2003
Messages
3,947
Location
Central IN
Well, you need more options... My primary EDC is a Vital Gear 2 cell host with a TW0K-modded BOG module. I'd tried countless (literally countless) 2 cell Lux III lights and a few of the better Lux I lights and what I like about the Vital Gear/BOG is the balance and flexability it offers.

Basically, I wanted something with decent throw, but primarily a large hotspot with a good spillbeam that I could run on either 2 R123s, or 1 18650 or 1 17670. Lights like the Inova X03 or T3 offered the large hotspot, but very little spill, a ringy beam and probably shoulnd't be run on LiONs. The Streamlight TL-2 2nd Gen LED had nice throw, a wonderful spillbeam, but the hotspot was tiny and still no LiONs. The Striker VG, Gladius and U2 were all too bulky. The L2 and L4 were much more of a flood than I was wanting. The Elektrolumens XM-2 was pretty bright (actually one of the brighter small Lux III lights I've owned) but wasn't very throwy.

I was always kind of impressed by the numbers of the LEDXtreme Predator, but it was also pretty bulky and I wasn't sure if I'd be happy with the beam pattern.

My EDC is trim, is HAIII coated, has decent throw, good brightness, wide hotspot, beautiful spillbeam, can be run on 2 or 3 primary cells or 2 rechargeable cells. There are countless other lights that would probably make me happy including many by McGizmo or Mr Bulk, but they come at a higher price but I have less than $100 in this light including 4 R123 cells and a charger.

I'll admit I'd really like a 2 stage which is unlikely with the Vital Gear tailcap, but I usually have 1 or 2 other smaller, dimmer lights with me so it's not quite a tragic loss.
 

warpdrive

Enlightened
Joined
Oct 31, 2005
Messages
286
Location
Ontario, Canada
I don't think this is a good poll.....

I think you should have asked to RANK the strengths of your EDC flashlight

For me:
1) Pocketable size
2) Brightness
3) Flood
4) Throw
5) Battery Life
 

SuperNinja

Enlightened
Joined
Oct 2, 2005
Messages
507
JimH said:

The Fire-Fli is smaller than my light.
I'd get one, but it costs about 10 times (going by what I saw on ledmuseum) as much as the light I got, and the batteries must be more expensive too.
 

hyperslug

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Oct 24, 2005
Messages
61
Just to stay on topic,

EDC: Amilite
Strength: Brightness
Actual real world use:
  • finding seat in dark theater
  • trying to see the furthest object I can reflect off at night
  • toy for kids when they get bored
  • anywhere there's smoke (looks cool)

I hope to add "reading menu in a classy, low-light restaurant" to that list as well.
 

BentHeadTX

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Sep 29, 2002
Messages
3,892
Location
A very strange dark place
I voted brightness,
Since I have two EDC's, (usually) the Mediterranean 2AA gives me decent runtime, brightness, spill and throw with it's reflector. My other EDC is a Matterhorn which has decent runtime, throw and brightness with a little spill.
Luckily, with the Pacific AAA becoming available next week, I can have all four of the poll when accounting for the small size. After all, when it is on my keychain (lanyard when out of the country) it is always with me and runtime becomes critical.
Maybe the poll should be done with listing the priority of the four but adding size to the list. That would be interesting to see. Make my vote
Size
Runtime
Brightness
Throw
Spill
 

kelmo

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Aug 27, 2004
Messages
3,092
Location
Sacramento
First off I don't think this poll is stupid. Why all the criticism? Cosine just asked you for your opinion.

As for the poll topic, my choice was runtime. IMHO an EDC is for the un-expected situations that require light, power failures in large buildings or car troubles in rural areas come to mind. You never know how long your going to be stuck or lost or both.

kelmo
 

vic303

Enlightened
Joined
Nov 11, 2003
Messages
312
Location
NTX
SIZE is what mattered for pocket carry. So I have a TM-310H. It does what I need for 90% of my light needs. When it is insufficient, I have lots of others to pick from. They just don't pocketcarry as easily!
 
Top