Until a few days ago,

I knew all I needed to know about flashlights.
Then I found CPF. I know practically nothing about flashlights.
It all started 2/05/08. The day Gassville,Ar got hit by a EF2 tornado.
It hit about 5:30pm just as I was closing my shop. The power was out and I headed down to my mom and dads to see if they were all right. When I got there I found mom and dad were ok. The tornado had missed the house by 2 blocks but there was debris everywhere. I got my 2D maglite and was checking the area out for any damage. It was ok for finding my way around the house but it didn't throw enough light out to check the roof out or see if any of the neighbors houses clearly. I needed a better flashlight. I was going to get a 4D cell maglite form wal-mart but when I found your website I found out there were hundreds of flashlights I didn't know existed. I don't want to be in that position again. I'm going to buy the best flashlight I can afford maybe 2. I'm looking to spend 100.00. If you have a suggestion I would really appriecate it. Thanks

UPDATE: First thanks for all the help with your suggestions. Here's what I came up with.
Surefire 6p (I got for 42 bucks on e-bay) from Good Deals. I added a Bog Q5 this light is awesome.
I didn't stop there next I bought a Surefire G2 and added a Malkoff M60L. While I was ordering the M60L I saw that they had a dropin for my M@glite so I got one. I'm not done yet I got a ARC AAA for my keychain. I got the kids mini-mags and I picked up an Eneloop charger with 4 AA batteries for 10 bucks. I guess I'm on my way to becoming a full fledge flashaholic.

Sorry for the tornado, and welcome to CPF

Have a look at a Fenix dealer. For me Fenix brand are the best quality / price ratio flashlights.

Anyway, your decission will not be easy. You will start to consider a lot of factors: Runtime, weight, size, type of batteries, type of led, throw vs spill, ...

Sure you will find here useful help.

And another flashaholic is born!

First of all, welcome to CPF. :wave:
There is a huge wealth of information here, it can be a little overwhelming at first, but you will get used to it.

Glad to hear that your family was ok.

I would make 2 recommendations, both at your price range.

#1 You can uprade your maglite with the following led upgrade.
This one will meet your needs and then some :thumbsup:
http://www.malkoffdevices.com/main_page/product_info/products_id/15.html

#2 If your looking for something smaller yet incredibly powerful, buy yourself a Surefire 6P and replace the bulb with one of these:
http://www.bugoutgearusa.com/crq5drmo.html


Enjoy!

Ray

What will the light be used for?

Do you have a preferred battery type?

Rechargeable?

Size?

Throw, flood, or somewhere in between?

Preferred output?

Preferred runtime?

These are a few general questions to help us narrow down our suggestions. People love suggesting lights that they like, or lights from their favorite brand, but it may not always be the right one for the job. Also, while you're here, check out the Welcome Mat for terms, definitions, and frequently asked questions.

https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/172991

Sorry to hear about that storm.....:welcome: There is a wealth of knowledge here on CPF and alot of helpful members. Your question will raise many more from the board members who will assist you after you can determine your needs of what you require in a flashlight. As you have already read there are many different types of lights used for very different purposes. There are many choices based strictly on different battery types.

The options are overwhelming and you can bury yourself in research before you even make an educated choice. Just my two cents - If you want a high quality light that is simple to use, compact, durable and EDC (every day carry) (it is slightly large for jean pocket carry but a holster or larger pocket it would fit comfortably) you can't go wrong with the SureFire L1 Cree. It has two modes (low and high) accessible through a momentary switch or by using a twist of the front bezel. The light is very bright and white and has a good amount of throw(high mode) to light up objects at a distance. Do some search on the boards I'm sure you will find exactly what your looking for. :wave:

For a high output special purpose light, I've been real happy with this one. Despite it's low price, it is solidly built and very, very bright (14,000+ lux) You can run it on CR123's if it's not used often, or go to rechargeable RCR123's for regular use, or go to a rechargeable 18650 for long runtime (almost 4 hours at 6,000 to 11,000 lux). A low level setting lets it run for many hours.

Mine can put a pretty good spot on trees 150 measured yards away.

For something small, it's hard to go wrong with a Fenix like the L1D. I've also been real impressed with one of the Fenix clones for output, efficiency, and value.

Well first off :welcome:. I don't know much about tornados (even though we are under tornado watch right now) but Hurricanes I am very familiar with. They are very serious and for that kind of situation where lives could be on the line, Dealextreme and fenix lights simply won't do in my oppinion. For these kinds of situations I say go Surefire. For the kind of price range you have, I say get one of these, it's very tough and pretty bright stock but one of these drop ins for it and it will be even brighter.

-Evan

Welcome to CPF. I agree with the Fenix recommendation in terms of quality to value ratio. Surefires are also highly recommended and maybe more available in a brick and mortar store if you do not want to buy online although they are more expensive. Many lights here take AA's and CR123's primaries. For emergency use I think it is good to have a stash of both (lithiums). If you get into collecting for fun then rechargeables are a good way to go. Online is the way to go for affordable CR123's (around $2.00 a cell). Have a clear idea of what you want the light for so you can find the one that fills your needs. Good luck!

:welcome: I'm glad that you and your family are safe.

A maglite is still a very tuff and useful tool, it just that the overall output and beam quality are so poor when stock. Todays LEDs are very bright and efficient and probably the very best drop in for the maglight is the Malkoff Device. A 3 cell Malkoff is a great tool and provides about 5 times the output of a stock bulb, with even better run-time. A handy pocket light is a very good idea too and there are many to choose from.

I have no experience with tornadoes, but I'll make some guesses: you may want to check your property or your neightbors' from a distance (easy, you said that already!), the power may go out for a short time or a couple of days, you may have to do some emergency expedient repairs.

So, for checking your property at a distance, that suggestion from kid9p for the Malkoff option will give you an incredibly strong light, stronger than any of the other options. Unless you want a completely new light, this is a great option for a ton of light that throws really well.

Other lights to consider:

- A headlamp. If you're digging something or someone out of rubble, you'll need two hands free. What if it's raining and you want to make a quick repair to your roof or cover a window? You don't need a hugely strong headlamp, because it only needs to shine light a few feet away (again, by definition, you're working with your hands). But a good headlamp is a MUST. Plus, in the case of power outage, if you want to cook on your gas stove or whatever, you'll want hands-free capability.

- A lantern. A small LED lantern, like the 4xAA River Rock LED lanterns sold at Target, is fantastic for power outages. It'll light up an entire room, and that can make a huge difference between feeling secure or insecure ... it also means that you only need that one lantern running, even if you're all sitting around a table eating or whatever.

I think that River Rock lantern ($25ish), an inexpensive headlamp ($25ish) and a SF G-2 ($40ish) or low-end 2xAA Chinese-made light (Fenix etc) get you under your $100 budget, and are a way better option than a single light. If you'll stretch your budget a bit, replace the SF G2 with that Malkoff drop-in for your Maglite. If you wanted to standardize on just one type of battery to stockpile, you can go with a 4AA lantern, 4AA headlamp, and 2AA Fenix or something like that.

GassHogg said:

I knew all I needed to know about flashlights.
Then I found CPF. I know practically nothing about flashlights.
It all started 2/05/08. The day Gassville,Ar got hit by a EF2 tornado.
It hit about 5:30pm just as I was closing my shop. The power was out and I headed down to my mom and dads to see if they were all right. When I got there I found mom and dad were ok. The tornado had missed the house by 2 blocks but there was debris everywhere. I got my 2D maglite and was checking the area out for any damage. It was ok for finding my way around the house but it didn't throw enough light out to check the roof out or see if any of the neighbors houses clearly. I needed a better flashlight. I was going to get a 4D cell maglite form wal-mart but when I found your website I found out there were hundreds of flashlights I didn't know existed. I don't want to be in that position again. I'm going to buy the best flashlight I can afford maybe 2. I'm looking to spend 100.00. If you have a suggestion I would really appriecate it. Thanks

Click to expand...

:welcome:

Take a look at Fenix-Store.com
They have free shipping worldwide, a lot of models, with good construction, fair prices and very, very bright LED lights! I suggest the L2D CE Q5 model. It´s a superb little light.

Greetings from Brasil! :thumbsup:

I'd suggest the Fenix L2D-Rebel 100. AA powered, multi-mode, long runtime on low, and good quality. 8% off coupon at Fenix Store is "CPF8".

For the maglite, if you don't want to spend too much money, I'd get the Terralux module. The malkoffdevices would be the brightest one though.

I'm glad that your family is safe.

:welcome:

If you want bang-for-the-buck, you might take a look at Fenix flashlights; my personal favorite emergency light is the Fenix P3D Q5 - it's *five times brighter than a 2D Maglite in a package smaller than a Minimag*. Plus it's multilevel, so you can turn it down for indoor use, and the low setting will give you regulated (never dimming) light for over three days nonstop.

Fenix-store.com carries the full catalog and has *free shipping worldwide*, check it out :thumbsup:

It's hard to beat the durability, reliability, and versatility of a Surefire. For the $100 you could buy 2 G2's and upgrade to drop-in LED's. The G2's are almost indestructible, not to mention, waterproof. Or for a little bit more, you could buy 2 6P's. Or how's about one G2 and one 6P?

Surefires are a great choice, hard to beat a G2 for that price.

Another option for a grat thrower, and great runtime would be a Fenix T1, according to tests, it lasts 14 hours in "low" which is actually plenty to go by. about 50 torch lumens.

The higher up surefire models can get pretty pricey, so Fenix can be a good, lower-cost but still fantastic quality alternative.

I highly reccomend the Fenix P1D-CE Q5

Crenshaw

Glad that yer' family is OK. :twothumbs


Welcome to CandlePowerForums.

:welcome:

_

Gass Hog,

I wish you the best of luck with your recovery. I feel so much sorrow for those affected by the tornadoes. I cannot imagine how it would feel to lose your house, or any priceless property, to nature. I hope you can pick up the pieces and move on...

I would recommend spending your money at least on two flashlights. I would recommend one very bright throwing flashlight, and one lower powered flashlight for extended runtime during long power outages. It couldn't hurt to stick with cheaper Alkaline cells, as they are really easy to find and very cheap to buy in bulk. CR123 cells are nice, and they have a huge storage life, but they do not have the same capacity as a cheap D cell.

When I say lower power light, I mean one that uses 1-4 low power 5mm LEDs, or a single, efficient emitter (like the Cree XR-E, Seoul P4, or Lumileds Rebel 0100) that is run at 10-100mA (maybe on a low mode). Multi-level lights are great for fine tuning the brightness as needed while still carrying one light. This low powered light probably should have a softer beam that is very useful for close work. Is it wise to have a super small, compact flashlight for this certain application? Sure it is cool, neat, and stylish, but it probably is not the easiest to hold while multi tasking, and the batteries are probably tiny. I agree that some of the double cell, digital Fenix lights would be a great investment. Even the classic Princeton Tec Attitude is an acceptable light (decent brightness and super runtime -sure there is better).

Your other flashlight can be a bright thrower. For the additional brightness, more power will be consumed, so a larger flashlight that uses larger cells may be needed to provide the extra current for long periods of time. You can have a stunning light that shines a spot on the house a block away, but with small cells, it will only provide this useful light for a single night. There are larger lights that have a great balance of bright light and good runtime. I agree that the Malkoff would be an awesome upgrade for your Mag. The Streamlight ProPoly Luxeon (4AA or 3C) is terrific and has a tight spot, but runs for 4+ hours. They use the older Luxeon, but there are a few here at the CPF (me included) than can cheaply mod the light to use the latest, efficient LED emitters (the Soul P4 and premium TFFC K2 emitters).

Two lights could work for your typical outages, but if you really want to be prepared, I would recommends (as said before) a head light for ease of handling. There are an abundance of lightweight, and long running head lights out there. A low power lantern would be great for area lighting or use as a night light (for the now terrified children). Every parent, adult family member, and responsible child probably should have a decent light as well (your choice of brightness). This way everyone can see what they are doing, and it keeps everyone from asking if they can borrow one of your two lights. Even the very young one can have a cheap light just for the sense of security. If anything goes wrong with your light, there is always a spare to use.

Sure this seems like overkill, but it does make sense to have more than one light to be prepared. Things happen, and each flashlight (a tool) has its function. There are different needs for different types of light during an Emergency. Do not limit yourself from getting all the other required supplies you may need other than flashlights. Unless it is hard to do, I would recommend spending all that is required to get every type of flashlight, headlight, and lantern that you need. It would not make sense to spend hundreds of dollars on one specialty flashlight if that is all you can afford. Just think about every need during and emergency and start to make a list. List your needs and all of us here will chime in with the perfect light. For me, it would feel wrong to rely on just one old D sized Mag. I would feel so naked.

I am never as prepared as I would like to be for an unexpected emergency. I think that the worse will never happen today or tomorrow, so there is no need to get the supplies (flashlights, radios, food, first aid, clothing, etc) I may need and store them. That is classic human thinking, and is so wrong and careless. Take this time to get everything you need now and store them. You will thank yourself later!!!

Best of luck!
-Tony

My goal is to get a couple decent flashlights for each popular battery type. If I can I buy American, but if I can't afford American and the cheapo chinese one is built as well and is as bright or brighter I get it. My safety comes first.