List of Must have Torches?

Sorry if this has been asked/posted before, but I haven't seen a compiled list of Must have Torches. Sure BessieBenny's Budget LED list is great..but what is it missing?

I mean like Surefire 6P with P60 drop-in a must have in a collection? NiteCore Defender Infinity considered a must have? Fenix P1D CE Q5? Lowes Task Force 3W CREE LED? ...etc...

I don't think there really is a "must have" of anything. Individual preferences are so varied across the forum. I think you can pick any one light and easily find 10 who love it and 10 more who dislike it... even the most popular ones.

I think the one "must have" that everyone can agree on is that it must possess some degree of durability and reliability.

Ra Clicky/Twisty
6P/9P/C2/C3
McGizmo something
LX2
Mag ROP
Malkoff
Some SF E series Lego

I started a list a while back. quite awhile abck in fact, it was when i just joined.

i think one was an ARC LS

Crenshaw

kramer5150 said:

I don't think there really is a "must have" of anything. Individual preferences are so varied across the forum. I think you can pick any one light and easily find 10 who love it and 10 more who dislike it... even the most popular ones.

I think the one "must have" that everyone can agree on is that it must possess some degree of durability and reliability.

Click to expand...

That's it!

A collection can't ever cover everything, if it does, you have a museum, not a collection anymore.

So, you have to find out what lights you like first and then decide for yourself. As time goes by, the "must have" lights change, unless you decide to collect all the milestone lights, but then you're gonna pay more for 10 historical Lumen then you would pay now for 700 actual Lumen.

Btw, when I got my first lights, I didn't think at all about a collection, I just wanted some bright and modern lights. Now, after about 30 more lights, it's still the same, I buy a light because I think I really need especially that one. So, I can tell you about the actual "must have" : EagleTac T20C2!

A few weeks before, it was the NEX GDP ss bezel (will be one of my favorites), the SR3 (shouldn't have bought it) and the RRT-2 (my best thrower so far). Before those I can't really remember... :shakehead

I wouldn't like to be too specific, but I'd say...

a nice P60 host with appropriate dropins for your use
a Surefire E series
a nice affordable EDC type light from Fenix, Nitecore or Liteflux
a keychain light such as an E01 or Peak.
Also either a nice headlamp or a way of using a light you have as a headlamp.

I haven't included mega bright lights or dedicated throwers because I think these are a bit more specialised than 'must haves'. I could probably have left the Surefire E series out of a must-have list, but come on!

If there is such a list of must have torches, then a D size Maglite is definitly on it. It is the definitive torch somehow.

And almost everything else you own will be brighter, so it makes you feel better somehow lol

I'd say the only must have torch is one that you don't mind having for EDC. Mine has always been a AAA, starting with the Arc (still on keychain) and currently an LF2XT.

Geoff

In my list its not a particular brand or model but more of a 'type'. Here goes:

1. Keychain light.
2. Slightly larger EDC such as a light that uses 1 CR123, 1 AA etc.
3. A 'tactical' light that uses 2AA's, 2CR123's, 1 18650 etc.
4. BIG flood or throw light (ur choice, but more on the lots of lumens light) such as the TK40, M2 range
5. Headlamps
6. HID

wicked laser's torch of course It can even melt plastic with its whopping 4,100 lumens...It's not really a "must have" but it IS a neat toy.

HID? What's a HID?

flatline said:

HID? What's a HID?

Click to expand...

:welcome:
HID: High-Intensity Discharge, a type of bright and efficient lighting. See here: spotlight and hid flashlights

i only carry one light- eagletac t100c2, so that's my own personal must have. it's 18650 powered, really nice knurling, almost flawless beam, good spot, decent flood and with cpf discount about $45. the eagletac replaced a solarforce with r2 drop-in, and the new improved mark ll version is available now i think, or maybe soon?

Quark 2x123
Fenix E01
Eagletac T100C2
Nitecore D10

These are my top four must have torches today.

Soon to be released Titanium RA Clicky!!

add a zebralight to the list. Even though I am frustrated with my leaky H60 and my H50 is currently being repaired, their unique form factor and floody beam make them an excellent choice for a must have light.

I'm very happy with my collection.

my favorites include:

EDC: nitecore D10, fenix L0D-CE (on keychain)

nightstand: fenix TK40 (also goes camping with me), quark AA,

zebralight H30-Q5 (so many uses); perfect floody light

i have many others, but this list is my current must-have list.

A must-have torch is the one you have with you when you need it ... and ... that gets the job done with a minimum of distraction and effort investment.

Which means the "list" is very different for everyone as it is task specific and very personal.

bernie

I've loved flashlights since I was a kid in the 60's and 70's and am happy to be alive during this time of technological advances, so happy in fact that I've gone a little overboard since this darn board exposed me to so many cool lights.
Current lineup in no particular order:
Fenix LD10
Nitecore D10
LiteFlux LF3XT CR123 + AA tube
Zebralight H50 and H501
Surefire G2 with a few DX drop-ins.

I think any of these would be a must-have if the alternative is nothing or a cheap kitchen drawer incan.

Quick edit - MerkurMan reminded me - I forgot to mention my AKOray 106 and 109 have regular duty on the nightstand and out in the garage- and my Romisen MXDL RC-G2 gets a lot of use at work. My DX lights helped get me started with this obsession!

My list would probably echo a lot on here. It seems like we share mutual good taste.

Nitecore D10/Fenix LD10 (both excellent in their own right)
Zebralight H60w
AKOray K-106 (K-103 to a lesser extent)
Solarforce L2 w/ L2M body and both a nice R2 as well as DX MC-E dropins

Hopefully adding to my list when it arrives: T100C2 MkII.