What's your benchmark flashlight?

When a fellow flashaholic, or non-flashaholic, is taking a look at your collection, what's the benchmark light you show them before heading up to the good stuff?

Personally I have a completely stock 3D Mag, with krypton bulb, kept only to use as a starting point when showing off other lights. People seem to recognise the 3D as a 'good' light, and are generally stunned when I show them a Elektrolumens MCE-III or Mag5761 :twothumbs

Mini Mag Led or 2D Mag Led, depending on if im showing an edc sized light or a larger sized light.


By the way. the Haiku in your sig cracks me up. :laughing:

2AA Minimaglite

I use a Surefire (6P size) with P60 bulb. After that it only goes up.

After I mod a MagLite 3/3D into something extreme, I'll keep a regular MagLite 2 or 3D for demonstrative purposes so they can see the difference.

The amazing Shi-Tiao.

For me it is the Arc AAA. This changed my whole strategy for outdoor activities. I know I have a light that is small, water proof, bright enough to navigate a dark trail, and has the endurance to get me through the night if I'm forced to shelter in place. Plus the spare lithium AAA cells easily fit into my water proof 1st aid kit.

Great topic!

To facilitate easier sorting procedures for the wish list and justifiable avoidence on buying new flashlights, my benchmark is my EDC.

An L4 modded with a 5A tinted M bin MCE:nana:

I don't use anything currently. I used to use my incandescent 2 AA Mini-Maglite since just about everyone is familiar with those, but that's not stock any more so I have nothing to use as a benchmark.

To tell you the truth, I've given up trying to show non-flashaholics my collection. It's always deflating. They never get it. Before I traded away my new Michael Jordan SFIII, I showed it to a friend, all 800+ lumens of it (now, granted, we weren't in the woods in the middle of the night). He just shrugged, held up the P1D w/leef body which I'd given him, and said that one was better, it fits in his pocket, and is about as bright.

I don't really show-off to non CPF'ers frequently enough to justify keep one.

For a while, I had a stock 3D -- assembled from leftover parts. It's been taken down, and I think my last 3D bulb is in a 6V lantern right now.

But really, what's the point of a benchmark light -- it's so much more fun to just hand them a P7 or so and say "check this out".

My Benchmark light whatever they bring to no-contest.

Benson said:

For a while, I had a stock 3D -- assembled from leftover parts. It's been taken down, and I think my last 3D bulb is in a 6V lantern right now.

But really, what's the point of a benchmark light -- it's so much more fun to just hand them a P7 or so and say "check this out".

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I like to have a benchmark, purely because of the way the eye can be tricked with light. If you go straight for the bright ones, it's easy to think it's not that bright. Having a low light to start with gives you something to judge against. Having something like a Dolphin or stock Maglite gives non-flashaholics something they recognise as a starting point.

Surefire. Any model. Began with incandescents lo' these many years ago. Have many other brands and models now (you CPF b**tards cost me so MUCH $$!). But when it comes to benchmarks, it's still SF. THEN I bring out the MCE's and SST's. Natch. :thumbsup:

LX2. Now it's really hard to decide to buy a new light 'couse there aren't many that could be better than my beloved Surefire!

mvyrmnd said:

I like to have a benchmark, purely because of the way the eye can be tricked with light. If you go straight for the bright ones, it's easy to think it's not that bright. Having a low light to start with gives you something to judge against. Having something like a Dolphin or stock Maglite gives non-flashaholics something they recognise as a starting point.

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That's why I have the Maglite Solitaire, you can only go up you from there.

I've got two. An old round bezel surefire 6P with P60 on fresh cells and minimag 2aa on fresh cells.

Benson said:

For a while, I had a stock 3D -- assembled from leftover parts. It's been taken down, and I think my last 3D bulb is in a 6V lantern right now.

But really, what's the point of a benchmark light -- it's so much more fun to just hand them a P7 or so and say "check this out".

Click to expand...

Yes, I think it is a point. Normal (non-flashoholics) people , have no or bad, understanding of what is a good, or bright flashlight.
I have noticed that in many cases, if I have for example a 2AA LED flashlight and switch it on they MAYBE will mention something like "it shines pretty well" but not more than that. If I have a stock Mag 6D they will say "WOW! that's a real flashlight". They don't realize that the modern 2AA LED flashlight is as bright as the 6D.

Therefore I think it's a good idéa to first show them a common krypton flashlight (2D, or a 4D lantern), and after that telling them: "that was the old technology, now you shall see the flashlights of today!". Then they will be aware of the difference of as well brightness and beam quality.

About the original question I am not yet sure about it. I am considering a 2D flashlight with krypton bulb, either a rubber Sonca or a Maglite. A common 4D lantern I think would also be good...

Regards, Patric

Maglite. Maglite was the first quality flashlight I ever owned. Pretty much every light I research or acquire I compare back to Maglite.

Right now I usually have the Fenix LD05 pen light on me at all times and people really get a kick out of that light, especially since it has 3 stages. That opens the door for me to whip out my ROPs the the 1185...and if I must, the Osram 633!