Survival Flashlights

A link to an interesting article about choosing a flashlight for a long-term survival situation appeared in my inbox this morning. The author makes some valid points about standardization, light levels vs runtime, and he is completely enamored with LED solutions.

He even provided a link to CPF for "more info about flashlights than most people would ever need to know...":twothumbs

You have to scroll down to Saturday's post to find the article at the following URL: Characteristics of a General Purpose Survival Flashlight by W. in Washington

wow publicity for cpf that doesnt happen often

quatra2008 said:

wow publicity for cpf that doesnt happen often

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What ya mean quatra2008? Sure my girlfriend loves me because I'm a flashaholic. :shrug: ...

CPF must be officially "cool" now in the eyes of the unenlightened!

A good flashlight is one that can be run at 5 lumens (or even less for reading etc) which I feel is enough for most tasks. It would last forever on 2x 123 cells. It would have brighter modes for more versatility and of course be rugged, reliable and waterproof - like an arc AAA, only better!

We are forever chasing perfection on this forum and will never be happy with what we have I guess...

the perfect survival flashlight is an actual multilevel led flashlight, that can be run at very low for runtime and at VERY high, should the need arise
... AND with a user with enough brain to decide, if the current wasted is worth the output at that time
(and some additional candles)

PS: future, more efficient leds will improve actual lights, or course

I am rather sad that what I always considered one of the best long term survival lights brands, the Lightwave is no longer in production.

Even with the increase in technology, their runtimes are hard to beat.

When they make a Invictus in a E2E size, it will be one h*llva nice survival light!

Direct Link to the article

http://www.survivalblog.com/2008/03/characteristics_of_a_general_p.html

surefire L1 cree is the perfect survival light. only one cell, 10 lumens low, 16 hours, 65 lumen high for 1.5, when you need it. fill up a spares carrier and you are good to go.

The HDS EDC fits the bill. Well it was designed to fit the bill. It'll run all sorts of batteries assuming you can find the tubes.

An SSC modded HDS with an RCR123 can run in the 10lm or 5lm range at either 5.5Hours or 12.5 hours respectively. It's longer using a primary CR123. Using a 2x123 tube it can do about 3x those times. Using the 18650 with the 2x123 tube or 18650 tube it can do even better.

there are so many options for the "perfect" survival light. I think the Title of survival light is an oxymoron, you dont carry one survival light, you carry a few. In true cpf fashion, two is one, and one is none. Redundancy is key. and

" Bigger flashlights are usually bigger (or longer) because they hold more or larger batteries than smaller flashlights, which usually translates into increased light output"
is not strictly true...I would like to have a 6D mag with Niteize drop in in an emergency.

"You never know when someday you may need a lot of light--for example for impromptu surgery out in the field"
LEDs provide a lot of light, for a longer time. Unless you move into M6 or HID territory, and barring rendition, LEDs can do this too.

interesting article,though...
Crenshaw

Surely a survival light is gotta be one of those shake and go babies, no batteries needed?

However what you really need is one you have with you, because, generally speaking, you do no "plan" a survival situation...you may paln for a diaster with a BOB, but thats different, so really your EDC will be your survival light

Mine with hundreds of hours of potential at .12 lumens from one battery, waterproff to 66 feet, and damn tough to boot, one icnh wide and 3,3 inches long, well it fits my bell!

iTorch said:

speaking, you do no "plan" a survival situation...you may paln for a diaster with a BOB, but thats different, so really your EDC will be your survival light

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+1

My best light is my P2D until I can get to my coat/car/briefcase and find something else, even if I can't find something else my P2D is a fine and situation adjustable light.

From what I see about that site though they're preparing for the end of the world where we basically revert to a medieval society with 'fragments' of working technology remaining. I think for that circumstance you would certainly want AA batteries as your source of power. A single AA may trade for a chicken and could be easily scavenged from nearly anywhere. A CR-123 on the other hand, well, if someone even recognized it as a useful item and carried it to market you'd be lucky.

I've never seen a shake-light I would consider decent, reliable or useful. Perhaps I've just never seen a good one.

I'm not sure what "long term survival" means but I lived for over a year on a beach with no power and did not use a flashlight more than a few times. Most of those were for fun.
You go to bed when it gets dark and you get up when it is light. With *no* light around your eyes fully adopt and you can find your way around if need be in very dark situations.

A fire starter and a chamber pot would be of more value in such a situation. (Especially at my age for the chamber pot.)

Flashlights come under the nice to have column.

Survival lights? I have enough lights and batteries for months and months of survival given limited use per night. Even with heavy use I could last for over a month. Not to mention I have a "shake light" that needs no batteries, a solar powered light that would last forever given some sunlight per day, and two "crank lights" that, like the shake light, need no batteries. With those last four lights I could almost survive forever without any batteries, unless of course they eventually stopped working. But if we have a power outtage that lasts months or years long, I think we will all have bigger problems to worry about than just light... such as food and water.

Forget it I just went back and read the replies seems it doesn't work.


how about one of these

http://www.instructables.com/id/Shake-it-like-a-Tic-Tac!/

_

Crenshaw said:

Bigger flashlights are usually bigger (or longer) because they hold more or larger batteries than smaller flashlights, which usually translates into increased light output"
is not strictly true...I would like to have a 6D mag with Niteize drop in in an emergency.

Click to expand...

I'd rather order a 2D mag with Niteize drop in and have the 4 extra D cells "on the side", please.

Crenshaw said:

" Bigger flashlights are usually bigger (or longer) because they hold more or larger batteries than smaller flashlights, which usually translates into increased light output"
is not strictly true...I would like to have a 6D mag with Niteize drop in in an emergency.

Crenshaw

Click to expand...

Having a big flashlight in an emergency or survival situation is very challenging. IMO, its quite unpractical, but it's better to have one than nothing. When you "bug out" lightweight baggage is the key to survival. And some emergency situations requires frequent movement, so it's quite hard to lounge around a 6D mag when you are on the go. However large and long flashlights are great when you are stuck to a place and you're going to be there for a long time.

For me, a good survival flashlight should have only three modes, low mode first (around 15 lumens), then a high mode (300 lumens), and a distress mode with a different switch. Take note that for me a distress mode is different form the tactical strobe and sos, it's more like the blinking light on a tower to warn pilots of it's location, but rather it's the opposite, it is to alert search and rescue team of your location. The size should not be bigger than a L4 SF.

This authors negative opinion of the headlamp comes completely
from not liking the light beamed into his eyes from a partner....
http://www.survivalblog.com/2008/03/...general_p.html
---That problem is solved fast with the 'learning mode' trick of shining 'your'
headlamp right back into the other persons eyes. they will quickly learn
where not to look! It only takes one lesson unless you don't have a headlamp.

The Myo XP in boost mode is real good for teaching your partner not to blind you
w/ headlamp.

One member mentioned the SF L1, I second that nomination. For a single cell, its' feel and performance is hard to beat. However, you shouldn't be limited to just one survival light, besides your handheld, you really should have a good headlight. Last summer we had three power outages due to extremely hot weather. My problem was, I almost stressed out, I had so many great lights ready to go, I couldn't decide which one to use! My favorite headlight is the Princeton Tec Pro, it fires up on four AA, rechargeable, NiCads, their Eos model is great, as well.

Spence
:shrug::duh2: