How many lumens are you really satisfied with.

Blue72

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Aug 24, 2007
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I know we all would love to have a light with the highest lumens possible.

But reallistically how many lumens do you really need to get most of your tasks done.
 

pete7226

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Nov 15, 2005
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Chicago
Well, that depends on what "your" tasks are. For me, I need about 500 if I want to be able to do everything my day to day operations require. If I can exclude work, I'd say about 80-100.
 

scottaw

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Apr 18, 2007
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State College, PA
When im indoors, 10 is usually just fine, if even overkill sometimes.

Outdoors, i like 60-100 usually too much over that is too much for dog walking, etc.

When im camping, i like to keep a light on it's lowest setting, or use a red light, keep the campfire eyes intact.
 

SolarMan

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Aug 31, 2007
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Marlborough,MA
I mostly use my lights for hiking in the woods at night / the 100 to 200 lumen range is perfect ( I use a lumens factory ES-9 or SR-9) I bring along a brighter light (300 lumen) in case I need to "spot" something...usually a coyote.

At work I have an E1L (30 lumens...perfect)

Great Question!
 

wishywashy7

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Oct 17, 2007
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250
100 lumens is more than enough for most my needs for hospital work. I dont get to use my lights outdoors much.:whistle:
 

Paladin

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Feb 2, 2006
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My 40 to 50 lumen lights get the most useage. Even after several years a gen.1 Streamlight TL-2 LED still impresses me as the epitome of edc perfection.

When doing night hikes my constant-on light is often the new E2L Cree, always backed up with my M3 bezeled 2x18650 Leef body. The wife has been using a Pelican M3 running on 2x17500 fairly often because she likes the side switch location, but she carries an L1 Cree on a neck lanyard.

Paladin
 

Zenster

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Oct 29, 2007
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Texas
While many here denigrate the multi-level lights like the L2D-CE/Q5, etc., I like them a lot because it is often when I just don't need the max level, and I enjoy the mega runtimes at lower levels while still being able to do what I want to do in the dark.

That said...

The most I think I'll ever need is the AE Xenide 25W at 1500 lumens. That's a "go to" light for when I have to answer a middle-of-the-night alarm call. I don't just want to see burglars, I want to blind them into submission.

Then for most other "long range" requirements, a Tiablo A9s (or 250 lumen variant) is about the most I need, because quite honestly, it can light up things that are too far away to see for me anyway.

For nice, bright "area" work, I think my new favorite is the MT-III. It's 600 lumens, but spread out nicely which makes it comfortable to see what I'm doing in a wide area rather than in a spot.

Beyone that, my smaller favorite is the L2D-CD/Q5 which is plenty bright for 90% of anything I really need a light for, but I especially like the low level settings. The low (12 lumen) setting is perfect for ambling around the house at night without blinding myself, and the medium setting (53 lumen) is more than I need for most backyard excursions.

So the direct answer to the original question of how many lumens I'm satisfied with, is: Probably 250 lumens is enough. As emitters become brighter in the future, I'd prefer that manufacturers pay a little more attention to designing reflectors that put any extra lumens in to better spill rather than trying to "out throw" each other with pencil thin beams.
 

Tempest UK

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Aug 15, 2006
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England
90% of the time, 1-30ish lumens is plenty. If I need something higher than that, it's rarely over 100.

Regards,
Tempest
 

jugg2

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Nov 15, 2007
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Georgia
At night outdoors when I am just walking around 40-50 is just fine, but I like to have the option of 100+ at night. Inside around 10 is just right.

While many here denigrate the multi-level lights like the L2D-CE/Q5, etc., I like them a lot because it is often when I just don't need the max level, and I enjoy the mega runtimes at lower levels while still being able to do what I want to do in the dark.

+1 Zenster
 

PhantomPhoton

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Jan 15, 2007
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NV
When searching outdoors, in large open spaces I prefer to be at 2000-3000 lumens. But more is better.
Indoors it depends on how enclosed it will be. Sometimes 30 will do, sometimes 500 is appropriate.
 

Curious_character

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Nov 10, 2006
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Everybody is popping off solid numbers. What I'd like to know is how you know with such certainty how many lumens your flashlights are producing?

c_c
 

Illum

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Apr 29, 2006
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Central Florida, USA
no numerical value currently available can be inclusive for what I'm satisfied with, it really depends on the condition of the situation or setting where the light is to be used.

in urban territority something like the fenix P1-CE does the job well,
If I'm out for a stroll in the dark the inova X5 or the surefire A2 works well
I shower with the McluxIII-PD on low
if I need to get up 2AM off my bed to make a greywater dump, the surefire M6 comes in very handy.:rolleyes:

take the average of those lumen numbers and tell me what you think:naughty:
 

Khaytsus

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Mar 2, 2002
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Location
Kentucky, USA
I mostly use my lights for hiking in the woods at night / the 100 to 200 lumen range is perfect ( I use a lumens factory ES-9 or SR-9) I bring along a brighter light (300 lumen) in case I need to "spot" something...usually a coyote.

At work I have an E1L (30 lumens...perfect)

Great Question!

I still don't get this.. I walk in the woods with no light if there's some moon. Doesn't have to be a full moon, just enough. Much more enjoyable than stabbing around with a bright light.
 

dano101

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Jan 16, 2007
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Location
Hinton, Alberta
Id say 100 if on a pathway or trail and 225-500 if in an open area. Where i live you need bright... When its dark its uberdark!
 
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