Help! find a light for my mom

My mom works in a youth corrections ficality and she needs a small inexpensive light to check on the inmates while in their rooms at night. She is looking to spend $15 and under. Thanks guys.

Streamlight Microstream. I'm assuming your mom doesn't need the light to be a defensive item (like a 4D cell Mag) because the MS is tiny so she'll always have it on her and is plenty bright for that kind of work. http://www.brightguy.com/products/Streamlight_MicroStream_LED_Flashlight.php

If she needs more runtime there is always the Stylus Pro as well................ http://www.brightguy.com/products/Streamlight_Stylus_PRO.php

These can be had for $15 shipped from ebay but I've had really good dealings with the above vendor.

Many WalMarts around the country have been clearing out the Rayovac Sportsman Extreme 2xAA 1watt for $4 or $9. It's decently bright, grippy, durable, has a clip and lanyard, works fine on alkaline cells, and has a twist momentary switch. Make sure to get the 1watt and not the 3watt model.

One thing she will definitely want is a light with either a forward clicky or twist momentary, so she can use the momentary feature to quickly flash through the window or doorway.

I dont normally like to recommend maglites but in this case a 3 or 4D could come in handy...

If she doesn't need the light for that then the Target energizer 1AA would be my recommendation. Its 35-40 Lumens of smooth-beam, good for near field visibility. The ROV sportsman series is also another good option if you can catch them on sale at wal-mart.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fWH2mSAOwmI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0raI95vy7cY

**edit**
You might want to find out if her employer issues batteries, and what type they are... start from there.

Lowes sells an Energizer brand led light that takes 2AAA, it's quite small and bright. Package says, "Hard Case mini inspection light", and price is $15. She probably doesn't want anything too bright as to not disturb people at night. Target has a River Rock 2AAA for $10 that has been popular with alot of guys. It has a twisty tailcap switch that also has a momentary use button. My wife carries one in her purse and likes it.

Hi,

In my opinion I would not advise anything overpowering like an LED unless it came with a dimmer switch as I find the light form such torches harsh when shone in the eyes.

I recommend the new British army torch personal combat torch made by Nitech .



It's a tough non-LED penlight style torch that comes with a three-colour lens system allowing the user the choice of red for night vision, green or white light.

It runs off 2 x AA batteries, has a unique two-stage reflector system, spare bulbs housed in the body, is water resistant to 5 m and can operate at temperatures down to -45.

I recently brought one to replace my 2 x AA maglite that I lost.

Thanks for the suggestions, what do you think about the Fenix E01.

Shawn L said:

Thanks for the suggestions, what do you think about the Fenix E01.

Click to expand...

Great light! I was just thinking about my Microstream recommendation and I think that it'd be too bright for checking on patients/inmates. The E01 would have plenty of output for that and is simple, reliable and has great runtimes.

Having thought about it some more I'd go with that E01 if I were you..............

This is probably heading down the wrong alley, but what about the Pentagon MOLLE Light? It's a bit out of the price range, but here's why I like it:

1. It's super reliable.
2. The angle head design is ergonomic.
3. Momentary/Click-On switch is totally silent (you literally have to hold it to your ear to hear it click)
4. 40 advertised lumens, in my opinion, is a bit of a stretch. When comparing it to my Novatac 120P set on 15 lumens, they're very close.
5. Clip is easily removable, and head has provision for neck lanyard.
6. Comes with blue filter threaded on tailcap, which significantly lowers the total output, ie. less likely to wake someone.
7. Runs on 1AA alkaline for 3 hours.

Here's something to consider, just because a single mode is desired, doesn't mean it has to be dim, given the intended purpose. I'd opt for a higher output light, and utilize ceiling bounce to diffuse the beam. That way, no one wakes up, and there's more light if needed. Just my .02

The Fenix E01 would also be a nice choice, I agree with the previous post.

Like others have mentioned, I think momentary on-off is important. I'm not familiar with the Fenix E01, but does it have a momentary button at the back?

My suggestion is the Photon ReX. Over the budget but I think it is worth it ($25.95 at Brightguy, but perhaps there are less expensive places, or maybe on BST?).

One hand operation, compact, light, rechargeable from common batteries, and easy to turn on from high, low or in between for just the right level.

What works extremely well for me, is having the ReX attached to a retractable "badge holder" that is then quick-clipped to a carry-all bag. So easy to keep attached to a buckle, belt, or even on a neck lanyard, and no worries about dropping/losing it.

One downside is that it might not be sturdy enough if there is prolonged, "rough" use.

The E01 doesnt have a momentary button. Its just a twist of the head.

I just love the E01 myself. The primary reason is that the battery just lasts and lasts. I've taken the battery discarded from my friends mp3 player after they've used it up and it still fires up the LED.

Indoors and in the dark, theres enough illumination with out being blindingly bright. Its nice and soft after a few of metres.

It also fits behind the ear for when you need those hands free moments. Mind you, that depends on the shape of your ears.

Mr Floppy said:

It also fits behind the ear for when you need those hands free moments. Mind you, that depends on the shape of your ears.

Click to expand...

or how Floppy they are...

Seriously though, thanks for the great idea! I might have to buy an L0D flashlight now and see if this works.

I think she likes the purple fenix E01, now what was the cupon code for the fenix-store.

Shawn L said:

I think she likes the purple fenix E01, now what was the cupon code for the fenix-store.

Click to expand...

http://www.cpfmarketplace.com/mp/showthread.php?t=181841

For long life and frequent use on EO1, would you recommend Li or alkaline?

The coupon code is "CPF8" but it is for purchases $20 and up.