Which LED flashlight should I buy?

Use: general purpose, inspecting machines, working on cars and urban exploration


Specifications:
Power source should be 2 or 4 AA NiMH compatible
1W Luxeon element
Should be water resistant
Should withstand drop of 6' onto concrete without structural or functional damage.

Right now, I'm considering one of these:
Fenix L2P (2 x AA)
Streamlight 4AA Pro Polymer Luxeon
Streamlight Jr. Luxeon (2 x AA)
miniMag with TerraLUX MiniSTAR2 conversion kit

Which one of these or anything else do you guys recommend for my purpose that meets my specifications?

You really should check out the UK 4AA eLED. Not as bright as some, but a solid work light, and it's regulated.

Geoff

If you want to use it to work on cars, I'd recommend a headlamp so you have both hands free. The Petzl Tikka XP sounds like it would fit well within your specifications.

Combining your use requirements and your list of lights, it's the SL PP 4AA Lux all the way.

Yes, it is larger than the others, but also brighter. It will shake of bangs and drops better. For working on cars, it will stand up to grease and car fluids and clean up easily. Runs great on NiMh (or alkaline or lithiums).

I have all the lights on your list except an L1P instead of L2P. For those tasks, the SL is the one I would grab. Actually, the SL is the one I do grab.

Mark

Unless one of your requirements is that it must fit into one of your pant's front pockets for EDC, it would seem that the brightest and lowest priced one on your list, the Streamlight ProPoly 4AA Luxeon would fulfill and exceed most of your requirements, in addition to being the best of the bunch. And don't forget about Streamlight's no-nonsense approach to handling warranties.

There are 2 disadvantages to the Streamlight PP Lux. The first is the lack of sidespill. It has a little, but because the hotspot is so bright it might be hard/uncomfortable to use up close. The PP will throw far further than any of the other lights you mentioned however, which may well be more use to you.

The second disadvantage is size. It is a great, easy to hold shape, but it won't fit in a pocket. Personally if I'm going somewhere I need a flashlight and I'm taking a bag, I grab my PP everytime. However if I need something to slip in a pocket then I take my Fenix (L1P).

EDIT: Dammit somebody already said what I did! I need to type faster...

The first two (2) you've mentioned are good choices. Get them both!

The TerraLux are nice drop-ins to be sure, but they are dim, at least to my severely vision impaired eyes. That's why I prefer bright[er] ones.

Hope you find what you're looking for and Enjoy!

CHC said:

The first two (2) you've mentioned are good choices. Get them both!

The TerraLux are nice drop-ins to be sure, but they are dim, at least to my severely vision impaired eyes. That's why I prefer bright[er] ones.

Hope you find what you're looking for and Enjoy!

Click to expand...

Sounds like a plan, but that is unacceptable to me from cost perspective.

DROP TEST PASSING FROM ABOUT 3 TO 4 FLOOR, LONGBOW ECO AAX2 .

Just curious! The Streamlight 4AA ProPolymer Luxeon is cost prohibitive? Interesting. . .That's all.

for working on cars a headlamp (I use the princeton tec EOS) just can't be beat!

There are 2 disadvantages to the Streamlight PP Lux. The first is the lack of sidespill>>>>>>>>>>>>


What! What!

Do we have two different lights ?

Mine has about 60 gegrees of delicious spill.

How could you have much more ?

Streamlight Propoly 4AA Lux for sure. Everyone who's borrowed it from me has been impressed.