Favorite and most popular inexpensive flashlights?

paulr

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What are your favorite inexpensive flashlights? What are the most popular ones, even if you don't like them? Let's put a soft upper limit of $10.00 to qualify as inexpensive, but price should be a factor even if you're comparing a $3 light to a $5 light.

My favorites:

Countycomm $1 keychain light
PT Blast
Photon II (Inova?)

Most popular general purpose: Eveready plastic 2D

Most popular and overrated: 2AA Minimag

Semi-flashaholic: PT Rage, PT 40 (I've seen these on sale at under $10)

Slightly over the limit: PT Attitude, CMG Infinity ($12)

There used to be some nice plastic 2AA lights made by Duracell and others but they don't seem to exist any more.

Nice plastic 2C's and 2D's aren't so easy to find any more either.
 

Phaserburn

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Craftsman waterproof 4AA black rubber flashlight, wrist strap with spare bulb carrier attached, completely sealed switch, large faceted reflector (good Everled host) and a led battery indicator on the tail that turns green, yellow and red for full power, half and quarter. $8.
 

milkyspit

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Energizer 2 in 1 (the light that has the pull-out head to turn it into a table lantern). Huge faceted reflector with little partial acrylic ball built-into the center of the lens to create a nice hotspot. Rubber-armored body, nylon cord wrist strap. Waterproof (I think). $9.99 if you're lucky! (I've seen it from $9.99 to $12.99.) Makes a great EverLED host, too. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 

Pi_is_blue

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I don't own many lights that cost less than $10, but I do have a Tec 40, a couple unmodded minim*gs that I need to upgrade to something decent, and a PT pulsar. The Tec 40 is the only light of those mentioned that is decent.
 

zyk

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Energizer flashlight which is using two AA size batteries.
I have compare the brightness with Maglite which is using
two AA size batteries, Energizer is brighter than Maglite.
And the cost of the energizer flashlight is about HKD$38
(about USD$4.9). So this is one of my favorite flashlight.
 

MR Bulk

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The Legend 2AA ($9.95 from REI with nylon sleeve holster and even two batteries, I think) is a good candidate for mods.
 

StoneDog

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I'd vote for the 4AA light I picked up at "big lots" for $2. It has a nice, deep reflector that throws a beam better than a M@g 4D. I also picked up a Ray-o-Vac 2AA swivel head light with a side clip. VERY useful (espcially with the red lens) and still under $10 I think.

Moving up the scale there's at least one online shop that is offering the Streamlight Scorpion or SureFire G2 plus an extra 10 CR123's for $30. If you're looking for the most lumens per $$$, these are really, really hard to beat.

Jon
 

PlayboyJoeShmoe

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Can't buy a new one anymore that I know of, but Sams Choice 3D! Faceted reflector, nice somewhat grippy body, came with batts (heavy duty) for around 8 bucks.

It was made by Rayovac, and was the same thing as a rayovac Industrial 3D. You can still buy that new. But they changed it...

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=UBB16&Number=310972&page=0&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=14&fpart=1

... it still will host something that doesn't need to be perfectly centered, and that doesn't create massive heat. Mine holds a two led replacement bulb from Tektite (found at Frys).
 

paulr

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Thanks for all the answers folks. It looks like the Tec40 is a favorite around here. I guess I'll order one sometime.

I'd be interested in more suggestions of 2AA lights. I'm not crazy about either the Tec20 or the Minimag. I'd actually like to find some decent plastic 2AA lights in the 1 or 2 dollar range, along the lines of the familiar Eveready 2D lights which go for a buck or two. I don't know why there aren't more of those around.
 

Lagged2Death

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Re: Favorite and most popular inexpensive flashlig

Dorcy Boss. Shaped like the Turtlelights, clad in grippy, bouncy rubber, large faceted reflector, and just US$3 with batteries at Dollar General.

It's quite bright as-is, but with a halogen bulb and NiMHs, it's spectacular. There's enough space in the head to fit a spare bulb, or, as one CPFer did some time ago, a regulation circuit. I'm thinking of picking up a bunch of these for experiments, once Dollar General restocks from the big blackout rush. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 

jtice

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Re: Favorite and most popular inexpensive flashlig

Without a dought...
PT Tec40. You just cant beat it for the price.
Very well built, and great light output, in a small package.

I havent tried this yet, but I hear changing the bulb helps alot. To something like a KPR-103.

I havent touched one of my 4 MiniM*gs in months.
 

paulr

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Re: Favorite and most popular inexpensive flashlig

I'm not too crazy about the PT Rage. It's kind of awkward shaped IMO. I went to the store to get one and ended up getting a Blast instead (Blast uses two AAA's instead of four). I love the Blast and am going to order a bunch of them from TTS to give out to people.

As a flashaholic I'm more interested in the Attitude than the Rage, but it's a little too expensive for this survey. Maybe cheaper comparable lights from Dorcy etc. will start showing up soon.
 

LightofMine

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One of the best cheap O flashlights I have found is a $3.00 Dorcy that is sold at Dollar General stores. It has a deep reflector that is the size of a normal 2D light. However the body is short and small because it holds 4AA. It is black rubber covered and is water resistant. I carry one in my truck glove compartment. It is a lot of flashlight for just $3.00.

Dollar General also sells a flashlight they call the Mustang. It is a made in China rip off of the 2D Mag light. It is almost as good as a Mag but only cost $8.00. I modified one to a 3C and put a Xenon bulb in it. I use it at work a lot. The mod only cost me $4.00. So with the mod I am still only one dollar over your $10.00 limit.

Both of these lights are good buys for under $10.00 flashlights.

James
 

Zelandeth

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Energizer Impact R250. 2D Cell, rubber armoured plastic body, partial fasceted reflector, excellent battery life. Just under $10.

Despite having a lot of more expensive lights here, I do find that I tend to grab this one quite often!
 

PlayboyJoeShmoe

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Zel,

I THINK I know which light you mean....

But could you get a picture of it so I could be sure?

I think it's a rather large light, with a rubber push button. Sound close?

And for the question in general...

The Garrity G-Tech lights ain't TOO shabby!
 
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