lights for non flashaholics

ok, i've had friends that saw my bright lights and want a bright edc like mine, and i know what to get for them.
but what do i get for an older woman who probably just needs runtime over brightness and a sub $10 price over anything else.
i was gonna get her mte seoul aa from dx for $15,
maybe something more geared towards runtime?

she also wants something for her keychain and this is the one i was really concerned with cause the kiadomain aaa 100 lumen and the ultrafire 602 aaa/10440 (great little light) only run for an hour on a aaa and i don't think that's acceptable to an older woman.

i figure you gotta spend at least $15 usually to get a decent aa/aaa light, and she wants one of each. she doesn't have alot of money, so i'm wondering what in these categories i can get for around $5 apiece, that will still impress with brightness?

any ideas?

maybe start here for the aa if i stretch the budget a little
http://www.dealextreme.com/products.dx/category.942

if i stretch the aa budget, i really should cut back on the aaa or i'll be buying these for her. (i have too many friends to buy all their lights, i usually just offer to match them with something at my cost)

I would seriously consider getting her a simple $8 incan MiniMag (maybe in favorite color, since WalMart seems to carry a good color supply) and upgrading it with either a $7 SMJLED or $5 NiteIze 3LED dropin. Great runtime, familiar package that is easy to use with arthritic hands (just guessing if she's old), and both work just fine on plain old alkaline batteries.

Might also want to consider splurging and getting an E0 for a keychain light. Impressive runtimes, even on alkalines. But if you can hold out on that, I'd be willing to bet they will be putting out a DS version sometime after Christmas.

for $15 bucks i'm thinking a simply cree for $9 would be as good as a maglite with nite ize upgrade, unless i am mistaken about something. wouldn't that give me 6 hours runtime?
but i'm concerned about the quality of the $10 dx lights.
i've ordered one before and was doa.

for the aaa, tell me more about the fenix Eo
how bright is it?
i'm guessing a single led with aaa battery?
what kind of runtime we talking about?
if i was to splurge ($10 for her-only 40-50 yrs old with 2 kids and poor) it would be on the aa, i was thinking super cheap for the keychain light, and i preferred a aaa battery.

11 hours at 5.5 lumens. For most of the runtime, it's brighter than an Arc CS due to the tabletop flat regulation, even on alkaline.

https://www.fenix-store.com/product_info.php?cPath=22_69_49&products_id=102

http://www.flashlightreviews.com/reviews/fenix_e0.htm

Still debating if I want the DS version when it comes out, since it would be equivalent the the low mode on the LOD Q4 anyhow (with slightly more runtime probably).

i like the runtime and quality on that eo, but when i talked to this lady about the lights, we really didn't talk price.

my wife mentioned to me, "you know she probably didn't plan on spending $20 per light"

also i offered for her to take home my mte seoul aa (which i had on me) and she said no, her son has an led light so she knows how good they are. he has a 3led light that i'm betting is 3 nichias and no better than 10 or 15 lumens. so i'm thinking she just want cheap, and also she mentioned just wanting to use it and make sure it works (reference to battery runtime when asked) so i think runtime is more important to her than brightness.

have you ever been in a situation when a keychain light would do it? i think that's all she really needs.

she mentioned two lights, one for car glovebox and one for keychain.
glovebox= aa cree/seoul light or 2d rayovac if i go cheap route there.
keychain= up in the air. that 's why i'm here. prefer aaa

also it may be possible for me to combine the two and just sell her one, if you guys can think of a way she might be satisfied with one light.
i'm thinking a cheap aa cree/seoul might have her covered in the portability department and bright enough for glovebox duty.

jasonsmaglites said:

have you ever been in a situation when a keychain light would do it? i think that's all she really needs.

Click to expand...

I've rarely been in a situation when more than a keychain light was NEEDED. Sure, more is nice, but that's because we're all flashaholics here.

Walmart and Target have some 1xAAA LED penlights for $5 that would probably suit her just fine. I think they are Rayovac and Energizer. Energizer 2xAAA Cree Hard Case Inspection light at Lowes for $15 would do well in a glovebox. The gray 2xAA Hard Case pro at Home Depot for $12 using 3xNichias would also probably do her just fine. Both have simple side clicke switches and are bombproof. Don't have the Inspection Light, but I love the 2xAA Hard Case for a toolbox. Just make sure to put e2 lithium primaries in any glovebox light for her.

http://www.cpfmarketplace.com/mp/showthread.php?t=172254

Get her the Fenix LOD. Its small enough to put on the keychain, can run for a few hours or throw out a respectable amount of light for an hour. It does what 2 other lights would do for under $30 plus its a deal.

12 Lumens(3.5hrs) -> 4.5 Lumens(8.5hrs) -> 30 Lumens(1hrs) -> Strobe -> SOS

I'd really be pleased to be able to offer any kind of worthwhile advice. However, I faced a similar problem myself one day, only to be told, "Why do I need a stupid flashlight. I've got the sun and light switches and headlights." Perhaps, someday, after I've read another few thousand posts I'll be better prepared to deal with peasants and serfs, the unenlightened, and my wife.

Maglite is popular among lights for non flashaholics

The $5 Dorcy 1AAA at Walmart works very well. Served as an EDC in my pocket for a couple of years before I got flashlight lust and is now riding in my wife's purse. Tough light with good output. If all you want is a 1AAA light, there is no reason to spend more than $5.

For the glove box, spend the savings on the Dorcy and get a a Streamlight 4AA Propolymer ($25).

I agree with the 2XAA Mag at WalMart. Nonflashaholics like AA batteries, and the ladies can identify with some of the femanine colors like pink.

Walmart and Target both have Brinkmann units that are decent

the Brinkmann 3 watt is made of glass reinforced nylon, is pretty bright and inexpensive as well (has some rubber accents as well)

the Inova series are sold at Target in several series as well

keep it coming, i'm listening.
i'm thinking about romison (whatever the name is) $11 aa light from dx that got good reviews and there are a few $1.50 aaa size lights that come with three little batteries. for a buck you can't go wrong right?

those keychain lights, are they all the same brightness.
i mean are there different nicia led's or is one the same as the next cause if you've seen a 1/10 watt led you've seen them all?