Newbie Question

I had to track a deer while hunting this past weekend.
I wasnt properly equipped for the task.
I was less than successful.
Then, my brother-in-law showed up with his selection of nice flashlights (he is a police officer, so he has plenty..)..
I determined that my cheap flashlights werent sufficient.

So, I am looking for a good hunting flashlight that wont break the bank.
Any suggestions?
I want to stay under $70, but I that doesnt mean I want or need to spend all $70.
I initially began looking at the Rayovac Sportsman line, but wasnt sure if they were decent for the money. I came across many people on an Archery forum that really like what Fenix has to offer.
I am just looking for something with an adjustable beam, good quality light, affordable, and doesnt eat expensive batteries.

Any suggestions???

Thanks
Jon

:welcome:

Can you tell us why is that you need adjustable beam? Nowadays high power led flashlights offers enough spill while having decent throw, you dont need to adjust the beam like a maglite.

Fenix and Eagletac have several nice offerings under $70.

Most bright flashlights uses rechargeable li-ion cells instead of disposable alkalines, and the batteries are not expensive.

I say take a look at the Eagletac T100C2, it is a 2 mode light which offers decent throw, long run time and great build quality. It costs less than $50, and for $20 you can get pair of batteries and charger.

You could also go with AA NiMH rechargeables, like Sanyo eneloops (which are available re-branded as 'pre-charged' from a number of other manufactures). As far as a light goes, Fenix is good, Eagletac also. In particular, the Fenix LD20 comes to mind, since I personally prefer the 2xAA form factor. Great track record, a lot of band for the buck.

If you've just gotta have an adjustable focus on your beam, ledlenser makes some decent lights.

:welcome:

take a look at the Fenix TK20, awesome light, swing by 4sevens and check it out, use "CPF8" for further discount, free international shipping too.

The warm tint might be better for the woods, take a look at the TK20 beamshots in comparison with other LED lights.

It's got 2 modes and is tough as nails, runs off 2xAAs, recommend getting some eneloops, six eneloops gives you 2 spare loads. AND get a backup light, maybe a 1xAA or 1xAAA.

The ITP 3 mode AAA at shiningbeam comes to mind as a good buy. Use "CPFuser" for a discount.

Saint_Dogbert said:

If you've just gotta have an adjustable focus on your beam, ledlenser makes some decent lights.

Click to expand...

For a given definition of decent of course.
Pros:

• Adjustable beam, good throw, nice optics
• I personally love the P7/P14 tailswitches, although they may not be everyone's cup of tea (and don't mention the M-word near them!)
• Decent quality body, with large threads
• Forward clicky
• Reasonably bright
• AA/AAA battery types

Cons:

• Overly large body for the P14 - lots of wasted space (although rather nice to hold as a result)
• Direct-drive (no regulation)
• Only two real modes (low & high), high-->low-->off cycle
• No mode memory
• Poor heatsinking (it's there, but it's not so hot)
• No parts were pre-lubed (I've been told that they are supposed to be, but neither of mine were - note you need to pull the head apart to lube it, otherwise you'll destroy the o-ring in there when you adjust the focus)
• Not great with water
• Utterly useless with mud
• Can't handle Lithium / LiIon batteries

Note that the above is based on my experience with their P7 & P14 lights. They were nice to have, but I wouldn't buy another one.

Thanks for all the input.
Maybe adjustable isnt the right word. I am a newbie, so I am not familiar with the terminology. I just want something with more than one choice for brightness. I dont want to have to go all power all the time. Something with multiple brightnesses is what I am looking for.

Jon

A little more info...
This all started with a simple search on an Archery Forum.
There were many suggestions for the Fenix PD30. Many people love it there. But, then I heard horror stories about CR123 batteries and their life/costs...
In my search, I stumbled on the Quark line which also looked good, but there was no info on that forum about them.

I didnt know what or who to believe, so I thought I would look for the opinion of some experts.

Then, I stumbled onto the cheaper lines that are listed here.
Here is what I am looking for:
I want a good flashlight that I can count on and will last me.
I want something that has a low setting for walking into the woods and at least one additional higher setting for following blood trails if I shoot a deer.
The mode to flash SOS seams "cool", but I am not sure it is needed. Maybe just a gimmick..
Maybe eventually a set of rechargeable batteries so I can have a backup power supply.

Thanks
Jon

Perhaps it might be a good idea if you copy / paste the checklist from here, fill it out, and post the result in this thread - that should narrow things down a bit so we can make some more informed recommendations.

Fenix TK10 or TK11. They also come with a holster. EagleTac if you want a pocket clip.

I know I had multiple selections in some areas, but things like how to carry arent as important as being portable. 2 levels or multiple doesnt matter, I just dont want full power all the time. Run time, I dont need forever, but enough to track a deer (couple hours at the most). Batteries...I am not picky. I will invest in good batteries/charger if needed.

0) What Region/Country/State will the light be purchased in?
_X__I will be mail-ordering or buying online, so this doesn't matter.
_X__I am in North America. More precisely I am in _MICHIGAN______.
____I am in South America. More precisely I am in _______________.
____I am in Europe. More precisely I am in _______________.
____I am in the Middle East. More precisely I am in _______________.
____I am in Africa. More precisely I am in _______________.
____I am in Asia, Japan or Micronesia. More precisely I am in _______________.
____I am in Australia. More precisely I am in _______________.

1) Price Range: An easy question, but you may change your mind after answering the rest!
____I only want to pay $1-10.
____I can spend $15-30.
_X__I could spend $40-60.
____I am willing to spend $80-$120.
____I have no limit!
2) Format:
_X__I want a flashlight.
____I want a headlamp.
____I want a lantern.
____I want a portable spotlight.
3) Length:
_X__I don't care.
____1-2 inches. (Keychain sized)
____2-4 inches. (Pocket carry)
____4-9 inches. (Holster carry)
4) Width:
_X__I don't care.
____I prefer a long narrow light.
____I prefer a short wide light.
5) What batteries do you want to use? Alkaline batteries are easier to find and less expensive but don't pack as much stored energy and are don't work well in cold temperatures. Lithium batteries have long shelf life (10+ years, great for stored emergency lights) and are not as affected by cold but must be kept dry and are more expensive. Rechargeable start expensive, but if used frequently pay off quickly.
_X__I want common Alkaline batteries. (AA, AAA, C, D)
_X__I want lithium batteries. (coin cells, CR123, AAA, AA...)
_X__I want a rechargeable system. (an investment, but best for everyday use)
6) How much light do you want? Sometimes you can have too much light (trying to read up close up with a 100 lumen light is impossible).
____I want to read a map, or find a light switch, in a dark room. (5-10 lumens)
____I want to walk around a generally paved area. (15-20 lumens)
_X__I want to walk unpaved trails. (40 lumens)
_X__I want to do Caving or Search & Rescue operations. (60+ lumens)
____I want to light an entire campground or dazzle an intruder. (100+ lumens)
7) Throw vs Flood: Which do you prefer, lights that flood an area with a wide beam, or lights that "throw" with a tightly focused beam? Place an "X" on the line below.
Throw (distance)---------------X------|----------------------Flood/close-up
8) Runtime: Not over-inflated manufacturer runtime claims (like some LED lights). but usable brightness measured from first activation to 50% with new batteries.
____20 min. (I want the brightest light for brief periods)
_X__60-240 min. (1-2 hours)
_X__240-360 min. (4-6 hours)
____360+ min. (More than 6 hours)
9) Durability: Generally the old phrase "you get what you pay for" is very accurate for flashlights.
____Not Important (A "night-stand" light.)
____Slightly Important (Walks around the neighborhood.)
_X__Very Important (Camping, Backpacking, Car Glove-box.)
____Critical (Police, Fire, Search & Rescue, Self-defense, Survival.)
8) Switch Type:
_X__I don't care.
____I want a sliding switch. (Stays on until slid back.)
____I want a "clickie" switch. (Stays on until pressed again.)
____I want a momentary switch. (Only stays on while held down.)
9) Switch Location:
_X__I don't care.
____I want a push or sliding switch on the body near the head.
____I want a push switch on the back end of the body.
____I want a rotating head switch.
____I want a rotating end-cap switch.
____I want a remote control.
10) Operational Modes: Check all that apply.
____A simple on-off is fine for me.
_X__I want 2 light levels. (Brighter/short runtime and Dimmer/long runtime.)
_X__I want multiple light levels. (some lights have 5-16 light levels.)
____I want a strobe mode. (blinks to show location.)
____I want a tactical strobe. (Flashes rapidly to disorient an opponent.)
11) Is it important whether the body is metal or plastic/composite?
_X__I don't care.
____I want a metal-bodied light.
____I want a plastic/composite light.
12) Special Needs: Is there anything else you want or need that hasn't been mentioned? Circle any below or write in your own comment(s).
____Red (night vision preserving) filter
____Other filter colors (Amber, Green, Blue, _________)
_X__Waterproof – how deep: _JUST ENOUGH FOR HUNTING (RAIN/ELEMENTS)__
_X__Non-reflective/dark finish (stealthy/hard to find)
____Polished silver or brightly colored finish (for easy locating)
____Corrosion resistant or hard-anodized finish
____"Hybrid" light (bright incandescent combined with long running LEDs)
____Built-in second (or spare) lamp or filament
_X__Belt/Jacket clip
_X__Holster
_X__Wrist/Neck Lanyard
____Kobuton/self defense features
____Non-sparking Intrinsically Safe (IS) for use in explosive environments

Based on your check these Quark 123² Tactical / Quark AA² Tactical will meet your needs.

More info about this flashlight ( output, runtime, size etc ) you could find here. Thease all come with Lanyard, Holster, Removable and Reverseable Pocket Clip and Batteries. Plus 10 year warranty :thumbsup:

Also don't forget use the Coupon CPF8 while check out. Good luck




:welcome:

What type of discount will you get with the coupon?

And, are there advantages/disadvantages to the AA or the 123?

gokartjon said:

And, are there advantages/disadvantages to the AA or the 123?

Click to expand...

CR123's cost about $5 a piece locally (Walmart, Target, Krogers, etc.) but you can get them online for much less. AA's can be found just about anywhere pretty cheap which is an advantage when traveling.

the sportsman extreme is an EXCELLENT flashlight for the money, some of the higher end collectors and people who are going to carry every day want something smaller and prettier, but my first high powered LED was the sportsman extreme 4W here which i bought back 2 or 3 hunting seasons ago for 24.99, it has the original 3C meijer brand batteries and its still amazing with the adjustable beam, i use it for hunting only, as it is a bit hefty for every day carrying, but yes, for what its designed for its perfect

How about rechargeables?
Are decent alternative available for both?
If I went AA, I was thinking something like this..

http://www.batteryjunction.com/combo-tg1000-8aa.html

Could this be used for CR123?

http://www.batteryjunction.com/4parc390reli.html

If these are decent choices, is there an advantage of 123 or AA?

I forgot to mention that Alkaline batteries tend to leak if left in a flashlight and lithium do not. Lithium batteries perform better in cold conditions and give better runtimes.

Rechargeable AA's (NIMH) perform better than alkaline in high drain applications.

how about that coupon code?
What kind of savings can I expect?

CPF8 - 8% off purchases over $20 at 4Sevens.com and Eagletac-store.com

gokartjon said:

How about rechargeables?
Are decent alternative available for both?
If I went AA, I was thinking something like this..

http://www.batteryjunction.com/combo-tg1000-8aa.html

Could this be used for CR123?

http://www.batteryjunction.com/4parc390reli.html

If these are decent choices, is there an advantage of 123 or AA?

Click to expand...

Those would work but AA are safer for a beginner. If you want to go with RCR123's but don't want to burn your house down then I suggest learning about Li-Ion batteries starting here: http://www.batteryuniversity.com/partone.htm