New User in need of a flashlight...

Hello folks. I've recently been looking for a flashlight and I heard you guys are the ones to talk to on the subject. I recently started a job that requires me to work anywhere from late afternoon to 12AM maybe up until 2-3AM. And walking from work to my car in a dark parking lot and then from my car to my house in a dark street makes me a sitting duck, if you will.

This is where y'all come in. I need a flashlight. But not just some $5 lightbulb on a stick, and definitely not one of those ~$100+ tactical illuminators. I would like something cost effective. It should be small enough to fit in my front pants pocket (so around 5 inches or less.) I would like for it to be durable enough to withstand me dropping it (I'm all thumbs) and strong enough to be used as an improvised weapon. The light should be bright enough to disorient or "blind" someone. A low setting (for close up stuff like reading) would be nice but I don't require it. But a big factor is cost. I don't want to spend more than $50 unless I really have to (and it better be Surefire-type quality if I do.) Something around $20-$30 would hit the spot, but I don't want to limit my choices.

Can y'all help me pick something out? Feel free to leave out the low-setting part, it's not important it would just be useful. Thanks in advance!^^b

Inova X5 is a great all around light with great runtimes, is a tank and has decent output. Perhaps given your "blinding" criteria the Inova T1 might be a better choice, again, built like a tank, has great output and runtime and with the CPF specials from someplace like Battery station is right in your $50 shipped ballpark.

Duplicate

Lowe's Hardware sells a brand of LED flashlights called Coast.
Coast makes a large series of flashlights that they named LED Lenser. I got a Coast LED Lenser Professional Use 3.44 watt focusing LED flashlight that takes 3 AAA batteries. To get to the point, it is extremely blinding, it can light up my entire yard at night, and its beam throws so far I can light up the front of a neighbors house across the street. It is focusable like a Maglite so the head can be twisted from spot to flood beam. It is very tough and shock resistant, I have dropped it from high up onto a hard floor and it was fine. It is very small and easily fits in my pocket. The only thing about it that I don't like is that it only lasts like 20 minutes or so before it dims a lot.
I got it for around 50$ at Lowe's. It has a button on the back to turn it on and off, but no low/high setting.
This might be a good light for you

:welcome:

I'd just like to throw this light out there:
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.10688

And the Fenix L1T
https://www.fenix-store.com/product_info.php?cPath=22_69_50&products_id=334

Do you care what kind of batteries it uses?

+1 for the INOVA T1 if you don't mind using CR123 batteries,you have to purchase them online to get a reasonable price.Bright and very nice quality.

http://batteryjunction.com/2008-t1-inova.html

A little over $50 shipped using the CPF discount.If you go this route I would advise staying with name brand batteries(Panasonic,Energizer etc.).The $1 batteries work but often don't perform as well and sometimes they have quality iissues.

Oh BTW......:welcome:

20-30 dollar price rang for blinding is hard:thumbsdow. The fact is you may not want to exactly look directly at a 100 lumen LED but it really wont be much more effective then a 55 Lumen light. I would just suggest a 2AA LED maglite or 3AA one "3AA will not fit in your pocket comfortably:banned:" If you don't mind spending in the $70 price rang a Fenix TK10 will fill all your needs including blinding/ last ditch weapon "though a knife will work a lot better"

:welcome:

I personally would take out the "temporarily blnd or disorient someone". I'm not an LEO, so honestly, I don't know how effective that will be. The only person I've temporarily blinded is myself.

If you're firm in keeping it $50 and under, I would suggest (as others have) the Inova T1 (make sure it's the 2008 model). If you have a little financial flexibility, maybe consider Fenix L1D, Fenix L2D, or Nitecore Defeder Infinity. Both light have multiple modes (Nitecore is programmable).

:welcome:try the venerable surefire G2 or 6P. Both are quality flashlights that wont let you down.:thumbsup:

Both Surefire 6P and G2 are very good lights with a lot of options of buying brighter LED drop-ins. But it's a little bulky and big to carry around ... unless you're wearing cargo pants, or carry your flashlight in a holster.

Knifekulture said:

:welcome:try the venerable surefire G2 or 6P. Both are quality flashlights that wont let you down.:thumbsup:

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L2T Q2 from Fenix Store? I know it's a little long, but it's not very big around, and it's two levels.

Go with Fenix T1 or TK10 and AW's Rcr-123, more than $50 but worth it.

I've been looking at the SureFire 6P and G2 models myself. I wouldn't mind shelling out the ~$60 for the G2 LED, but I want to see all my options before I make a choice. I'm looking at all the lights you guys have mentioned and am comparing them. Feel free to keep sending suggestions.

EDIT: Oh and my battery preference is either AA, AAA, or those 123 types. But I'm open to others as well.

Juggernaut said:

though a knife will work a lot better

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And my M1911 would work better than your knife. :thumbsup: But alas if I could carry either at the moment I wouldn't need the flashlight as badly.

Roc_Kor said:

And my M1911 would work better than your knife. :thumbsup: But alas if I could carry either at the moment I wouldn't need the flashlight as badly.

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True, if only we could carry all the things we needed all the time:shakehead

Roc_Kor said:

I've been looking at the SureFire 6P and G2 models myself. I wouldn't mind shelling out the ~$60 for the G2 LED, but I want to see all my options before I make a choice. I'm looking at all the lights you guys have mentioned and am comparing them. Feel free to keep sending suggestions.

EDIT: Oh and my battery preference is either AA, AAA, or those 123 types. But I'm open to others as well.



And my M1911 would work better than your knife. :thumbsup: But alas if I could carry either at the moment I wouldn't need the flashlight as badly.

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I have both the G2L and the INOVA T1.Both are great lights but my preference is the T1.The T1 is smaller and sports a much warmer tint.Honestly, I can't imagine carrying either in a front pants pocket though.Both lights are fairly large in diameter especially the G2L with its larger head.I think the G2L will run you at least $70 when you factor in shipping or tax. I am seeing them advertised at $65.The INOVA T2 may also be worth considering,slightly longer than the G2L but the body is much slimmer.The T2 is about $55 + shipping from Battery Junction but they do offer a 5%cpf discount.
IMO the INOVAs are a better value unless you dislike thier warmer tints.I believe all three offer the performance your after but I am not sure you will be able to carry them the way you would like to.

The main problem with DX is the slow shipping.

But if you are willing to wait 2+ weeks for the product to arrive, the RC-N3 might be a good choice.

But I'd recommend the Fenix L2T or L1T V2.0. Forward clickie, easy to use, and from Fenix Store would be much quicker then DX. 8% off coupon at Fenix Store is "CPF8".

:welcome:

Thanks for all the help. I've narrowed down my choices but I'm torn between a few models at this point:
Fenix L1T or L2T
Inova T1 or T2
Surefire G2 LED

The L1T/L2T seems to have more of what I would like. They have high and low settings and they use AA batteries which I find more convenient than 123As, since they're all over the place.

The Inova T1/T2 are similar in price and output but have longer run times, probably because of the better 123A batteries. They're slightly thicker, a bit heavier, and the T1 is longer than the L1T.

The Surefire G2 LED is the thickest, the most expensive (without all them discounts) the lowest output, heavier than all but the T2, shorter than the L2T and T2, but has the longest runtime at 12 hours. But heck, it's a Surefire.

I'm really leaning towards the Fenix models, but I don't want to blind myself (bah dum kish, xcel730) to the other choices. Is there anything about the other models I'm missing? I really want to consider everything before I make a decision.

The only issue I have had with Fenix lights is the clicky and interface issues I have had. Both click switch lights, L1S, and L2T had switch problems to the point they are now twisties only (switch on and left on and base twisted for on off). Others have had issues, and some are great. Perhaps they have solved that problem with the latest digital series lights. Neither light would stay in high either.

My L0P SE however works great.

Roc_Kor said:

The Surefire G2 LED is the thickest, the most expensive (without all them discounts) the lowest output, heavier than all but the T2, shorter than the L2T and T2, but has the longest runtime at 12 hours. But heck, it's a Surefire.

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With the Surefire, be carefull to get what your want:

G2L: A Nitrolon flashlight with aluminum head

G2 + P60L: An all Nitrolon flashlight with a led dropin, can not run at full power for extended time.

I selected the last one, because I wanted the all Nitrolon body.