What are the top 10 classic lights to own?

Allnew2me

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Feb 20, 2006
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Okay, I've seen the poor man's top 10 list, and the top 10 lists of favorites, high priced, low priced and all the rest. What I want to know is this. Regardless of price, or source of light (LED, incan, or a burning stick) what are the classic lights every flashlight collector should own? I know that there are a lot of lights that you all like for one reason or another but I'm looking for the ones that are proven and that have either been around for a while or they are so good that there is no question as to the practicality of them. They are generally accepted as quality lights even if you don't really prefer them yourself. What are the "firsts" or the real innovators? (6P?) I don't want trendy or the current bestseller unless it really can stand the test of time. Even if you don't use it now it should be one that has seen a lot of use before maybe something smaller or brighter came along, but you still hang on to it because it is really a well designed tool. I would think that most of you guys still have a stock Maglight around don't you? I know there will be more than 10 but we can whittle it down later. Thanks for reading.
 

carrot

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Hoo boy. This sounds like a promising thread. My thoughts:

- Surefire 6P
- Arc LS
- HDS EDC Ultimate (essentially the newer Arc4+)
- Arc AAA
- Maglite, your choice (they're all incredibly old at this point anyway)
- Streamlight SL-20X
- Maxabeam -- the most overused flashlight in Hollywood
- *edit* Ultra-G

Potential classics
- Surefire A2, U2 (look at all the fans these two have)
- Fenix L1P
- McGizmo McLuxIII-PD
- Streamlight Propolymer 4AA Luxeon
- *edit* Osram Golden Dragon Lantern

Remarks to come after I eat.

Remarks as promised: The Surefire 6P was pretty much the first lithium/xenon flashlight. Arc LS was the first mass produced light to use the (then new) Luxeon star. The HDS EDC (or rather, the Arc4+ on which it is based) was the first programmable flashlight. The Arc-AAA was the first pocketable LED light to offer exactly what CPFers cried out for -- a really good keychain light that used standard cells. Maglites... hate it or not, were *the* professional quality, mass-produced metal lights at affordable prices. Streamlight's SL-20X, a classic rechargeable light, probably one of the reasons why SL has managed to keep its steady foothold in illumination tools while Mag ran rampant. Maxabeam... well, its popularity in Hollywood speaks for itself.

About the potential classics: The A2 was the first (and still the only) regulated incandescent light, as well as the first hybrid. The U2 is probably the first adjustable output LED light -- not just 2 levels -- that is mind-numbingly easy to use (no, the EDC is *complicated* comparatively). The Fenix L1P, like the Arc-AAA, answered many a CPFer's wishes -- a small, single-cell alkaline-powered Luxeon light... with a clicky. The McLuxIII-PD has a unique dual-stage switching mechanism, is reliable and beautiful to boot... it also helps that it has the perfect tradeoff between runtime and brightness. Then the Streamlight PP 4AA Lux is not just an ugly light -- it's got great runtime and pretty bright too, with good throw... running so well on alkalines makes it even better.
 
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Flying Turtle

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My list would have to include the Arc AAA and Arc LS. Probably the CMG Infinity and Infinity Ultra could be included, too. These lights set the standards of most LED lights that followed.

Geoff
 

colubrid

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In no particular order.

McLux PD

Fenix L1P

ARC AAA

Streamlight PP LUX 4 AA

Costco HID

ORB RAW

Oshram golden dragon lantern

Surefire E2e

LedBeam 3C

Gerber or CMG Infinity Ultra
 
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cy

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in no particular order

Edit list: due to "classic"

1. ARC AAA
2. ARC LS
3. Mclux TK
4. Surefire 6P
5. Surefire M6
6. Firefly I
7. Mclux PR
8. CNC 123
9. Surefire A2
10 mini mag


classic lights.JPG
 
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rikvee

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Western Australia
Off the top of my head:

1. ARC-LS
2. MiniMag 1AA
3. Surefire E1e/KL4
4. Surefire M3T
5. Surefire M3
6. Katokichi Ichishiki LE
7. Doug Speck Firefly 2
8. TNC KeyLux 1AA
9. Surefire 6
10. Surefire Z2

Again 50% of the top 10 turns out to be Surefire.... :thumbsup:
 
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ABTOMAT

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Well, there's collector and there's collector. If it's CPF Gadget Freak collector, you're pretty well advised already. If it's for real collector, you'll need lots of old milestone stuff like fisheye Evereadys, Ray-o-Vac Sportsman, etc.
 

ginaz

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surefire e1e
streamlight propoly lux 4aa
inova x5
magcharger
q3
aleph 1 2x123
dorcy aaa
lioncub
fenix l1p
 

greenLED

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I'll just edit carrot's list (additions in bold):)
carrot said:
- Surefire 6P
- Arc LS
- Arc AAA
- 2AA minimag
- Streamlight SL-20X
- Maxabeam -- the most overused flashlight in Hollywood
- CMG Infinity Task Light/Ultra
- FireFly
- McLux
I agree with carrot's selection of potential classics, but none of those are "old" enough to fit my idea of "classic" (ie. I think classic= old style, original, old, no longer produced or if produced it's revamped but not changed completely). Then there comes the issue of production classics and custom or CPF classics...
 

Penguin

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Wow, the Arc AAA appears on most people's top 10 :) It really depends when you first found the forums, for me..

In no particular order:

1. Arc AAA
2. Surefire E2e
3. Infinity Ultra / Ultra-G
4. Arc LS
5. EL Blaster
6. Fenix L1p
7. Surefire L4
8. Photon Freedom
9. Arc4+/HDS
10. Surefire A2
 

GhostReaction

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In no paticular order
1-Fenix L1p
2-HDS
3-Mclux PD
4-FIREFLY II or III
5-ARC AAA
6-CMG INFINITY OR ULTRA
7-GHOST 12 LED
8-Q3
9-SUREFIRE G2
10-ANY INCAN MAG WILL QUALIFY AS A CLASSIC
 

LEDninja

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Hamilton Canada
Mag solitaire - the most poo poo'd light of all time.
It did introduce the small pocket/keychain light long before the Arc and Dorcy AAA and Photon clones.

Turtlelight/Dorcy 4AA 1LED floating lantern.
The light that introduced LED to the masses.

These lights are like the model T and original VW beetle. Not your Rolls Caddys Jags Ferraris but still classics.
 

nirad

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RAF_Groundcrew said:
I think the ARC AAA fills the 'just enough' criteria quite well. It's not the brightest, it's not the first, it's just ........ nice.


Yep, that is the little light that "lit the way" for my flashlight addiction. :ohgeez:
 

DaveG

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Dec 2, 2005
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How about the 'Brinkmann long life led' the one that runs on 3-aa cells has one led,silver plastic build,looks like 2-d cells on top of each other,sold at Wal-mart.It was one of my first led lights,and one of the first made available to the general public,with a led.In led lights also the Palight has been around for some time now.
 

roguesw

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Tokyo, Japan
classics lights to me suggest innovations
so the first
ARC LS (first luxeon use)
ARC AAA
McLux (original ) first mcgizmo offering (i still remember the long threads on testing)
Firefly (very small form factor)
Some of the early conversions of maglights to use luxeons

i still remember when the forum went nuts over Q3 bins luxeons, i built my first Mclux using Q3 and upgraded my Kl3 to a Q3
how far has luxeons come since the :)
 

powernoodle

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secret underground bunker
The only lights I consider to be true Classics are:

- Arc AAA
- Arc LS
- Mag 3D :nana:
- Mag 2AA
- SF 6P
- cheapy, ringy, dim, crappy 2D hardware store light that was the only thing you could buy in 1966

honorable mention:
- Photon


peace
 
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