More throw - Inova Xo or Coleman flood/focus

I have to go outside at night to lock up my dog. I was using a xenon123 light, but the batteries burn up fast. I then got a 3W AAA Coleman light at Wal-Mart. It really sucks. Not much light produced at all.

I have a few Inovas and really like them. The Innova XO gives 5 hours of battery life, and I am happy with its light output. Admittedly, it does not use the latest LED tech, however.

I noticed a Coleman light at Wal-Mart with an adjustable flood option. It pushed the LED firther out from the reflector to switch between Flood and Focused light. If I remember right, it states it is 115 lumens on the package.

Anyway - which one would have the most throw? I want to light up the yard when I approach and lock up the dog in his kennel. This section of my yard is like a long dog run about 10 feet wide with a storage shed at the end that I use as a doghouse.

My 3watt Brinkmann is not bright enough. I'm looking for snakes as I approach the area at night, and to make sure no one is hiding there.

I want something I can easily buy, and not spend too much money - the Coleman is about $25 and a great price. I really don't want to spend the cost for another Inova Xo, but I am very happy with this light. And, it is durable.

I don't want to order a Fenix or something else I'm not that familiar with. I could probably even return the Coleman at Wal-Mart if I wasn't happy with it.

I couldn't find that exact light listed on the Walmart website but it sounds like the Coleman would work for your situation.

They had one that sounds like what you are talking about but it was 75 lumens and another that was 115 lumens but the focus wasn't changeable. Both were about $25.

The 115 lumen model on the website sounds like it would throw further but if you also need a wider angle to look for snakes that might not do.

Yes, I looked on their website to see if there were any reviews. For whatever reason, this model is only in their stores, not on the website.

I believe the best throw you are gonna get from a local store flashlight would be the rayovac sportsman extreme 2C or one of the duracel daylite flashlights. I've personally seen the rayovac at kmart and the daylites at home depot, but I'm pretty sure them have them elsewhere too. The lowes taskforce 2c is supposed to be a a good thrower too. All three are under thirty bucks I believe.

Thanks for the info. I bought the adjustable coles LED this morning actually. I'll see how it works tonight. If it's not at least comparable to the Innovas I have (which I use for other purposes, and wanted a dedicated light just for dealing with my dog at night), then I'll just return it at Wal-Mart tomorrow.

Ok, here is the Coleman I bought - I knew my wife would not go for me buying another Inova XO3 for $50. So, I was looking for an alternative. Wal-Mart has many various sizes and battery types of Coleman LEDs. This one caught my eye with the adjustable flood option:



I just got back from trying it outside. It's not bad. It isn't quite as bright as my Inova X03, which admittedly uses two 123 batteries. But, it's not bad for $26.

This is what I had been using last summer and fall (my dog has been in the garage at night in the winter, so it hasn't been an issue for a while):



I was very disappointed in this 3 Watt LED Brinkmann. I have a Brinkman Xenon light I like, so I took a chance on this LED one last year. It just won't cut it. It is AAA, just like the Coleman. But the Coleman is lightyears better.

The flood option doesn't work that great for my outdoor use - but I can say that it is fantastic for in a room. It lights up my entire garage - in flood mode, it's much wider than my Inova. In spotlight, it does the job outside. For the money and the battery size, it's really good.

I know tht as a AAA battery light,it probably isn't regulated. So while its rated for 3 hours, vs the 2 hours of my Inova, the Inova will probably maintain the same level of light for most of those 3 hours. Oh well.

I did see a two battery 123 model of Coleman, but the reflector was smaller. I figured I'd need the larger reflector for my purposes outside.

Anyway, I expected I might be returning this light - but I think I'll keep it and just pack up the old Brinkmann in the box where I keep emergency supplies. I don'tw ant to toss it, but I don't have much use for it anymore.

All in all, I think this coleman is definitely worth the $26. I'll have to wait and see how often I change the batteries. But, we'll see on that.