General-purpose light recommendation

Hello all;

First off, let me say how pleased I am to have found this forum. Finally, a place where I can discuss flashlights without someone saying, "Two hundred dollars for a flashlight! Are you crazy?"

I'm looking for a recommendation for a general-purpose flashlight. I work exclusively at night, so flashlights are a necessity. Right now, I'm carrying a standard 2AA Mini-Mag, a Streamlight Scorpion (soon to be replaced by my recently ordered and impatiently awaited SureFire C3), and of course a Photon on my keys.

The Scorpion is used for car and building searches, low-light shooting, etc. The Mini-Mag is used for everything else, and is the light that I'm looking to upgrade/replace as it just doesn't throw enough light.

I was thinking that the Energizer double-barrel light would do a nice job, but they're a bit big (I really like the size & weight of the Mini-Mag), and hard to find in Canada. I've looked at a few LED lights, but can't seem to find one that puts out a decent amount of light and is similar to the Mini-Mag in size. After reading some posts about the Nexstar bulbs being a great addition to the Mini-Mag, and I'm thinking this is the way to go. What about running AA lithiums in there as well? Will the higher voltage of the lithiums reduce the bulb life?

Any suggestions would be welcome. Also, if anyone knows how to get Nexstar bulbs in Canada, please let me know: Brinkmann won't ship to Canada.

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Since this is my first post, here's a little background on me:

- I have more flashlights than I'll ever need;
- My favourite light (of my current collection) is the Mag Charger;
- I carry two Photons on my keys and a AA Mini-Mag in my jacket pocket;
- My "night stand" flashlight is a Star Headlight & Lantern model #292 (real ugly, but does what I need it to do - http://www.starwarningsystems.com/locom.htm );
- I have an intense dislike for UPS;
- My most "modified" light is a Mini-Mag that I've altered for cockpit use;

Well, that's all from me for now. Sorry for all the yappin'!

Avro

I'd say similar to size and weight of the Mini-Mag in LED is the Princeton Tec Attitude. If you need more power than that, the Rage is the same saize, but with an incandescent bulb. There is also the Brinkmann Long Life, which puts out a tight beam, but won't have the throw of the Mini-Mag, and is a little bulkier.

Of course an Arc-AAA will have close to the power of the Mini-Mag, but only at close distance.

If you don't mind me asking, how have you modified that one Mini-Mag?

Joe S.

Wanted to add, a PAL light will have a decent amount of power for the secondary light, but is shorter and squatter than the Mini-Mag due to it taking a 9V battery.

Joe S.

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Joe S:
If you don't mind me asking, how have you modified that one Mini-Mag?
Joe S.[/QB]<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

It's kind of a cheesy mod, really. I needed a flashlight that would preserve my vital night vision, and let me read charts while flying (this was in the days before LED lights were popular).

The Mini-Mag (in this case) was WAY too bright. I tried a red filter, but couldn't see all of the markings on the map: it's hard to see red lines under red light. The amber filter was better, but still too bright.

My solution was to trace the lens shape on a piece of plain white paper. I cut out 2 circles from the paper, and stuck them, along with the amber filter, under the face cap. I guess you could call it a half-cent beam shaper!

I hung the flashlight on a shortened neck lanyard so that it rested on my chest and lit up the chart on my lap.

Like I said, really cheesy, but worked phenomenally well: the perfect amount of light, and no loss of night vision.

Hi Avro. Welcome to CPF! You`ll find the CPF`ers to be a good group...and with a sense of humor not easily found elsewhere.

IMHO, a good replacement for your 2AA Mini-Mag would be the white Arc LS with the 2AA and/or the 123 power packs.

The LS is a high quality light, and is extremely bright. As an added plus, it`s backed up by the legendary customer support services of its manufacturer, Peter Gransee.

The only downside is that you`ll have to wait a few months to get one, while Arc is refining its manufacturing process and then again starts to sell the LS`s. The wait, however, would be worthwhile.

I was lucky to get two white LS`s that were sent out as a part of the first limited run. The LS`s I received are truly great, and now part of my EDC.

The LS brightly lights up the night like magic. And with the 123 power pack, which is my strong favorite, it is very compact.

I second the vote for the ARC LS as a replacement for a Mag AA. The only problem with the ARC LS is the price. It sells for $60~$100 and will not be available until at least April. (Personally, I'm going to buy one!) If you are considering an LED flashlight to replace your Mini-Mag AA and you don't want to spend a lot, then I recommend the Inova X5. It is smaller than the Mini-Mag AA and produces a much smoother looking beam. It's only downfall is that it uses 123A Lithium camera batteries and they can be expensive unless you buy them online. Battery life is about 5 hours of very good brightness, followed by another 9-10 hours of progressively dimming light. Also, any LED light you buy (except the ARC LS) will have some amount degree of blueish tint in the center of the beam. I have some comparison photos of the X5 & Mini-mag AA's on my web page, just click the link below and then click Inova X5.

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Avro:
Hello all;

..................
- I have more flashlights than I'll ever need;
..................
Avro<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

So is all of us.
I don't need 30 over flashlights....
I am sure everyone have more flashlight den his two hands can carry.
anyway WELCOME
Linfeng

Welcome aboard Avro,

Many of us have had the same reaction of relief, surprise and pleasure at discovering a like-minded group of happy obsessives!

Sean mentioned the Inova x5. They are currently the brightest small LED lights available, except for the previously mentioned ARC LS. In case you're interested here are some stats:

LENGTH: 4.75 inches
WIDTH: .75 "
WEIGHT: 3 oz (with batteries)
LEDS: 5 highly overdriven
POWER: 2x123A lithium
BURNTIME: Count on 6 hrs + bright light with good 123A's (Surefire, Duracell Ultra etc. not Sanyos )
CONSTRUCTION: Aluminum
BUILD: Seems very strong and solid
COLOR: Black or "aluminum" color
WATERPROOF: Yes
OPERATION: Twist on/off (I find one-handed operation very easy and convenient)
APPEARANCE: Sleek, elegant and futuristic. Longitudinally fluted body with smooth head.
COMMENT: My favorite LED light for everything but serious rural walking/trekking for which I use the 3-C LED lights.

BTW, if you're interested in a small incandescent light that I consider the best all 'round combination of brightness, size, weight and especially long burn time (using AA lithiums) please see the thread "Two Ideal Lights" My comments are in there.

Best regards,
Brightnorm


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