Some advice please

Tomorrow I'm going shopping at the Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World with a gift card the wife got me. I know there may be cheaper prices on the net, but let's forget about that for the purposes of this thread. Outdoor World has many brands, including Mag-Lite, Browning, Streamlight, and Sure Fire. Of the lights available from those brands, which one do you think is the best that costs less than $80? Preferably closer to $50. And I want one that is small enough to fit in my pocket. Hopefully one with rechargeable batteries.

Here is a link to the flashlights they carry...

Link

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks all,
Doug

Doug, I can tell you right now, you will get some good advice here but first you will have to state: what you want to use the light for, whether you want rechargable, AA, C, D, C123a, etc. batteries, how big you want it, how much power you want, what kind of run-time, LED or incan, EDC or house or car or garage, camping light etc., etc., etc. Basically, as much info about what you really want in a light.

cfromc said:

Doug, I can tell you right now, you will get some good advice here but first you will have to state: what you want to use the light for, whether you want rechargable, AA, C, D, C123a, etc. batteries, how big you want it, how much power you want, what kind of run-time, LED or incan, EDC or house or car or garage, camping light etc., etc., etc. Basically, as much info about what you really want in a light.

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Fair enough, I'll try, although I've always bought cheapy flashlights, so I still have tons to learn.

I want to use this light for everyday use, as in, it will stay in my pocket. But it will also be used on our camping trips, as my main light for general stuff (I have BIG lights should I need them). I think I want a 2-CR123A light, but could sure use a rechargeable one if it fit the other criteria. I am hoping for good output, perhaps 90 lumens or more??? Run time I am flexible on, but obviously the more the better. I think I am leaning towards LED, but will consider any light. What does EDC stand for???

Hope that helps, and thanks to anyone for your advice.

I'm leaning towards the Surefire 9P, any comments on this light?

http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/s...1_-1_10001_65561?cmCat=CROSSSELL&cmid=PP_P1_2

Another one I like is the Streamlight TL-2. Any comments?

http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/s...r=55786&hvarTarget=search&cmCat=SearchResults

Look at the SureFire G2--not too expensive but very rugged.

I was looking around and did not see them listed anywhere--but buy a "cheaper" G2 and use the rest of the money for batteries and spare bulb(s). Then get back to CPF and get some short of LED drop-in for the G2.

Another option to look is head lamps if you don't have any yet (I don't know any details of the models). I would stay away from the Xenon/AAA Browning as a battery eater--unless you really need Xenon occasionally for better color rendering...

Petzl
Browning

Or, at least a CR123 light that has some LED's...

Streamlight Xenon/LED

Or, if you can, get a pack of gum and the rest of your change in cash (if you can). Then go elsewhere and buy a decent LED light of some kind. You already have big/bright lights. Small bright lights that eat batteries like candy is not a great option (IMHO) for your money.

-Bill

I would consider the Surefire 6P or 9P (The 9P may burnout a LED drop-in if you are running rechargeable batteries since it will have too much power), because either flashlight will allow you to buy a LED drop-in or you also can buy a Lumens Factory drop-in to make it brighter.

FlashKat said:

I would consider the Surefire 6P or 9P (The 9P may burnout a LED drop-in if you are running rechargeable batteries since it will have too much power), because either flashlight will allow you to buy a LED drop-in or you also can buy a Lumens Factory drop-in to make it brighter.

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I've been trying and trying the search function on this site, but 9 times out of 10 it doesn't work....

So... how does the light output compare with the LED conversion? The 9P is 105 lumens or 200 lumens with the P91 lamp. Do any LEDs compare to that?

Not at Bass Pro--that I could find.

Yes, you can get LED drop-ins (and other brands of lights) that will easily exceed 100 lumen output--and put them in a SureFire.

I am not the expert here--but a metal SureFire would probably better for the health of a bright LED than the plastic G2 (because of better cooling).

My recommendations would be to cruse CPF for SureFire LED drop-ins (if that is what you are interested in)--then get the body that best meets your needs.

-Bill

KingGlamis said:

Fair enough, I'll try, although I've always bought cheapy flashlights, so I still have tons to learn.

I want to use this light for everyday use, as in, it will stay in my pocket. But it will also be used on our camping trips, as my main light for general stuff (I have BIG lights should I need them). I think I want a 2-CR123A light, but could sure use a rechargeable one if it fit the other criteria. I am hoping for good output, perhaps 90 lumens or more??? Run time I am flexible on, but obviously the more the better. I think I am leaning towards LED, but will consider any light. What does EDC stand for???

Hope that helps, and thanks to anyone for your advice.

Click to expand...

If you're going to use this as a task light, as in, you're actually going to be DOING something for any period of time while using this light, then you should forget the Surefires. They're not designed for that kind of application, and the ones with decent runtime are out of your price range. I would suggest you consider the following: Do you need 90 lumens, really? That's a large amount of light. If you have night-adapted eyes, 90 lumens is nearly blinding if shined at something relatively close to you.

Secondly, I would suggest some kind of rechargable light - or one with rechargeable options.

If I were trying to stay within your budget and needed to buy stuff at BPS, I would actually just get a 2xAA minimag combo pack, a Nite Ize Tailcap Switch, and an inexpensive headlamp like this... you'll find that it's more useful for task lighting than a hand-light. As far as an LED dropin for the minimag, you don't want to get the one they have at BPS. Try one of these over at Battery Junction. That should get you to your 90 lumen goal, but the lower settings on the Nite Ize tailcap should give you more options to save either your eyes or your batteries.

Oh yes - it will be worth your while to buy some NiMH batteries like these Eneloops and this charger to power this light if you're going to use it very often. Under demands like that of a 90 lumen light, alkaline batteries experience voltage sag and die much faster than usual, whereas these rechargables won't. Runtime and brightness curve should be improved. The headlamp doesn't produce as much light or draw as much current so rechargables wouldn't be quite as important in that. If you do want them, these might be good for you to consider.

Sorry for all the links but I think that's the easiest way to show you what my suggestions are.

BB said:

Small bright lights that eat batteries like candy is not a great option (IMHO) for your money.

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+1 to that, definitely. Remember that your small light needs to be useful, not a searchlight.

You can buy the Surefire 6P and this drop-in(thread) and run it with 3.7V RCR123 batteries or a 17670 rechargeable battery.

I'd say buy two lights. One dimmer one for short range and won't blow away your night vision and another one for medium-long range.

EDC means Every Day Carry

Check Flashlightreviews for reviews,(Streamlight TL-2, Surefire M3,9p has similar output)

The 200 lumens will be hard to beat, but if you want to spend the money on a 9P then you will have to buy a CREE LED drop-in that will accept 3.7v-13.0v which very few can handle that much power. You want a D26 model. You can also buy a 3.7v-9.0v CREE drop-in and just run with regular CR123 batteries. The Surefire 6P will give more options and easier to pocket carry for your EDC.
http://www.pts-flashlights.com/products/productList.aspx?uid=1-25-114
http://www.pts-flashlights.com/products/productList.aspx?uid=76-77-82
http://www.dealextreme.com/products.dx/category.917
Keep in mind that Surefire Lumens is brighter than advertised...example a Lumens Factory 380 lumen rating is equal to 200 Surefire Lumens.
LED drop-ins have a completely different output, but still bright and more efficient. Here is a link about he LED drop-in.
https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/156748

KingGlamis said:

I've been trying and trying the search function on this site, but 9 times out of 10 it doesn't work....

So... how does the light output compare with the LED conversion? The 9P is 105 lumens or 200 lumens with the P91 lamp. Do any LEDs compare to that?

Click to expand...

Thanks all. We leave in one hour and I've been surfing the web all morning and still haven't decided what to get. :laughing: But your suggestions have been helpfull.