Need an emergency flashlight for an elderly woman

Here's the params...

<= $100.00

Floody beam, with some spot SSC P4 based preferred.

UI must be super simple, maybe just on/off. A low mode would be nice, but if it has one, it must be very simple to access.

If it's a clicky, button must operate with little force as she suffers from arthritis.

If it's a twisty, light must twist with very little resistance as she suffers from arthritis.

AA power source preferred. Can be single cell or multiple.

peak pacific with momentary tailcap

LLCoolBeans said:

Here's the params...

<= $100.00

Floody beam, with some spot SSC P4 based preferred.

UI must be super simple, maybe just on/off. A low mode would be nice, but if it has one, it must be very simple to access.

If it's a clicky, button must operate with little force as she suffers from arthritis.

If it's a twisty, light must twist with very little resistance as she suffers from arthritis.

AA power source preferred. Can be single cell or multiple.

Click to expand...

i would seriously look at that photon freedom thingy... might be too small but it has a lot of flood and can be ramped easily. it can be worn around the neck or wrist with little notice or discomfort.

I don't think you can power up a P4 on a single AA. You would probably need multiple cells, and then you run into issues with short run time which isn't good for an emergency light.

When I think emergency flashlight, I think of something that has decent runtime, ability to tailstand, doesn't generate a lot of heat, and can light up a room in an emergency. The Husky 2d Cree flashlight from Home Depot fits the bill, you could buy 3-4 of them and come in under $100. In an emergency it's always a good idea to have a backup, or two.

One of the best I have found was the gator-back Rayovac 2AA twisty. It is easy to grip with the rough body and easy to operate. Batteries are easy to obtain. I gave one to a 87 year old aunt with arthritis and she loves it. It's the one they used to sell at Walmart for like $25, I think K-Mart has it now for about the same price. Nice indoor flood beam. Quite reliable as well. It's big enough without being too small, and not heavy. Which matters for older people.

No flaming, please. But a 3aa MagLed is popular stuff with my wife's grandparents. Both are in their late 80's. Both have arthritis. Common battery and long runtime. We also installed power failure lights in several of the electrical outlets throughout the home.

+1 on power failure lights.

I gave my Grandmother a Fenix LD10, and she uses it every night and loves it. Very easy to operate, two simple modes of output, and common AA batteries. She has arthritis really bad and can turn the Fenix on with ease. Even though it has a Cree, the beam is still good enough for general use for a non-flashoholic. Even better, since it's well under your price point you could throw in a 4 pack of lithium AA cells

boost_guy said:

I don't think you can power up a P4 on a single AA. You would probably need multiple cells, and then you run into issues with short run time which isn't good for an emergency light.

When I think emergency flashlight, I think of something that has decent runtime, ability to tailstand, doesn't generate a lot of heat, and can light up a room in an emergency. The Husky 2d Cree flashlight from Home Depot fits the bill, you could buy 3-4 of them and come in under $100. In an emergency it's always a good idea to have a backup, or two.

Click to expand...

You most certainly can power up a high power LED off a single AA cell. Most LED lights use a circuit to adjust the voltage (either by raising or lowering) to that which the LED it uses requires. You can also adjust the power in a wide range of outputs, and associated runtimes.

How about an Icon Rogue? http://www.brightguy.com/products/Icon_Rogue_1_RG101A_RG104A_RG102A.php

My first thought was a fenix e20 because it uses AA's and is nice and floody, you'd probably just want to adjust it to flood for her beforehand. Maybe one of the two mode fenixes could be good too. It might be a little weird, but she might even like the fenix tk20. I think an older person would appreciate the rubber grip and the tint that is closer to a incan which she is probably used to. Plus it would have the lower mode for extended runtimes and the high mode if she needs to take the light outside or something.

i just remembered that i gave my mother a fenix L1T..... she is very happy with it and i am glad that she has it. it's not too complicated and very handy for her even though she still has never figured out that it has another mode other than high.

The Fenix E20 is a great general single-mode flashlight. It puts out a decent amount of light by flashaholic standards, which is actually quite bright by other standards. The 2xAA Minimag LED would also be a good choice and it comes in several colors. If you want SSC, you can go for the Terralux 2xAA upgrade in a normal minimag.

Thanks for your help guys, I've got some work to do now.

So far, I like the Peak idea best. Although, the Pacific appears to be a AAA light, at least the website says so. What about Kino Bay?

I still consider this to be one of the best choices for a good all purpose emergency light:
http://www.brightguy.com/products/Streamlight_ProPolymer_4AA_LED_Flashlight.php

Not too big, not too small. Uses common batteries (although I'd put in some Energizer e2 lithium's). Easy to operate via the simple rear switch, and easy to find with it's bright yellow body.

Inova 24/7 has it all and it's small and compact.

LLCoolBeans said:

Thanks for your help guys, I've got some work to do now.

So far, I like the Peak idea best. Although, the Pacific appears to be a AAA light, at least the website says so. What about Kino Bay?

Click to expand...

It can be ordered with a AA battery tube.
Norm

The pacific is available in a 1 x AA body. I have both a 1 led (which is a fine walking light) and a 7 led (noticeably more light). Both easy to twist and if its too difficult to twist you can get a thinner O ring.

Gerber used to offer a 3 led, 2 x AA twisty (easiest twisty ever). Don't know the model, but built like a tank and completely reliable since its a twisty. The military had used the 1 x AA version (an update of CMG's Infinity - but probably too dim for older eyes). No spot though, just a soft mid to short distance flood, but a beautiful beam.

Gerber also make a surprisingly bright 1 x AAA light for $17 you can get at REI, even buy it on line. Nice spot and flood, one of the best AAA lights I've ever seen, and I have many. For that matter you could even go with Kaidomain's buckle 1 x AAA flashlight - shocking bright but it must have short runtimes and probably dies suddenly (but its the size of your index finger with similar brightness to Arc Mania's $120 AAA light.

I also got a 2 x AAA Romisen from DX - fantastically bright with large spill and quite a concentrated spot for impressive throw, $20. Its a clicky, but I don't recall the amount of force required, I can ck.

tsask said:

my 94 year old (ww2 vet :thumbsup Grand Ma wears a Fenix E01 around her neck with her "instant alert-panic button"

Click to expand...

I'm considering the Fenix lights, but I'm a little wary as Fenix fans seem to think that Fenix lights are the answer to any flashlight need, regardless of what the OPs parameters are. No offense to you Fenix guys, they seem to be decent lights for the money.

Also, they are Cree based lights for the most part, right? Do they even offer an SSC based light?