LED Rechargeable Flashlight Recommendation

Hey guys... didn't know the world of flashlights was so complicated but have some questions for you guys.

I'm visiting my family in India after many years and every time they've asked me to bring a good quality, rechargeable flashlight (or torch as they put it).

We're farmers in India so the main use will be to go out at night to check the fields as well as during rainstorms (monsoons) to make sure the rice paddies haven't flooded, etc.

I've been looking at the Pelican 7060, Streamlight Stinger/Strion HP and would like to stay in that price range.

Requirements are:

1) Rugged (doesn't need to go 10m underwater, but if dropped in shallow water and / or exposed to monsoon type rain, should be able to come out unscathed)
2) Bright with a good "throw" (preferably 100-200 yards (or is that asking too much?)
3) Rechargeable, with decent battery life (looks like 2 hours at around 185 lumens is average)
4) Preferably LED (unless you guys recommend otherwise).


Thanks in advance!

To be clear, do you want to be able to 'hang' the light on the charger without removing the batteries, or is it OK to have a flashlight and a couple extra rechargeable batteries and a charger so you can swap out as needed?

Take a look here:

http://www.led-resource.com/2011/02/rechargeable-led-flashlight-reviews-and-comparison/

One common problem I found with rechargeable lights is water resistance. Charging contacts tend to be source of water ingress because there are no O-rings around the screws, so dropping the light into water may require a quick rescue. All of the Streamlight models are IPX4 rated, which is equivalent to rainfall. Rinsing the lights under running water for about a minute caused a couple drops of water to enter the Stinger DS LED HP, Strion LED, and Inova T4, but all of them worked fine after drying out. The 5.11 LFL PC300 is designed to float in water, so that one doesn't have any problem being submerged.

If surviving a swim in a rice paddy is important, I would go with a higher water resistance rating, which would rule out most dedicated rechargeable lights. That being said, between the rechargeable lights, I would be most likely to recommend the Strion LED because of its compact size.

I vote for the Streamlight Strion because for the money it is a GREAT light. Output is nice even if a bit of a tight beam for my liking. Build quality is nice. Tactical switch on the rear instead of the head like the Stinger. Lithium Ion battery pack, anti roll head, glass lens and small size make it a great light in my honest opinion. I think you will be pleased with it.

However, for throw, the Stinger DS HP has it hands down. But, in my opinion, that's the only good. It has a plastic lens (it is NOT scratch resistant, I will show you my UltraStingers if you don't believe that), uses a NiCd battery and is quite a bit larger than the Strion.

I almost forgot about the light I just got yesterday...the Stanley 95-154 Rechargeable LED Flashlight. For only $40, it's pretty good value. 70 lumens and single mode with pretty good throw (Cree XR-E and smooth reflector), and it's roughly the same length as a 2AA light.

Stanley 95-154 Rechargeable Aluminum Flashlight

I haven't posted my review for it, but initial impressions are good. Runtime is regulated for about an hour and then dimmer for at least another half hour more with the 3.6V 1000mAh 1/2A NiMH battery pack. You could get three of these for the price of a tactical rechargeable flashlight. The charge port looks sealed inside, so water resistance shouldn't be an issue.

Thanks for all of the replies guys... as I know little about flashlights (taking a crash course right now through all the online forums)... I can tell you the following:

I'm not too worries about size... I'd rather have something that is akin to the old style Maglite 3-cell C than a mini Maglite (sorry if I've offended anyone by mentioning Maglite).

As for the Strion vs the Stinger, does the the difference between 135 lumens and 200 lumens make that much of a difference? You guys seem to be pressing the Strion due to the fact that it's 1) smaller 2) uses Li-ion batteries


but again, I'm more interested in durability, output power (what I would say in lay terms is brightness), and throw (the amount of distance this light can push).

Most use will be within 100 feet, but I'd like for it to be used out farther if needed.

As for the water resistance, it's not going to be intentionally dunked in water, and if need be..., I guess can cover the electrical contact points with electrical tape if being taken out in heavy rainstorms.


Again, I mentioned Streamline b/c that's what Google directed me to... I'd be more than happy to take any recommendations you guys have.

Thanks, one more time for helping out!

cratz2 said:

To be clear, do you want to be able to 'hang' the light on the charger without removing the batteries, or is it OK to have a flashlight and a couple extra rechargeable batteries and a charger so you can swap out as needed?

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It's OK to have a flashlight with rechargeable batteries... but please understand, I need something that won't crap out on me... I can only afford to visit every 2-3 years (I'm a student) and my family back in India doesn't have access nor the resources to purchase high-end Li-ion / rechargeable batteries once a year.

So, I'd prefer something that has a high recharge cycle count (preferably around 1000 or so). My background is EE so I understand that overall charge will eventually dissipate, but would like something that can hold up well till my next trip back.

-Jaspreet

Sorry for so many replies, but again, size isn't too much of a factor... we're farmers in India and generally speaking, everything is done manually... so weight, and size (within reason) aren't a big differentiating point, mostly looking for quality, durability, brightness/throw.


Thanks!

Do they have a postal service? you could always post replacement batteries etc.
Norm

jaspreets said:

I can only afford to visit every 2-3 years (I'm a student) and my family back in India doesn't have access nor the resources to purchase high-end Li-ion / rechargeable batteries once a year.
-Jaspreet

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Norm said:

Do they have a postal service? you could always post replacement batteries etc.
Norm

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Haha... of course... even the VPO (Village Post Office) receives international mail.. however, I've taken battery operated flashlights before (Maglites, Surefire, etc.) and every time, they ask for rechargeable.

So, that's why I'm looking for rechargeable.

Why not just get them rechargeable batteries and a charger? The problem with flashlights with built-in batteries is when the light runs out, you have to wait for them to recharge, instead of just switching batteries.


You can also look at something like this:

http://www.baccusglobal.com/stanley/fl5w10.php

jaspreets said:

As for the Strion vs the Stinger, does the the difference between 135 lumens and 200 lumens make that much of a difference? You guys seem to be pressing the Strion due to the fact that it's 1) smaller 2) uses Li-ion batteries

but again, I'm more interested in durability, output power (what I would say in lay terms is brightness), and throw (the amount of distance this light can push).

Most use will be within 100 feet, but I'd like for it to be used out farther if needed.

Click to expand...

The small size of the Strion LED is great for portability, and it actually has more battery capacity than the Stinger (3.7V 2000mAh vs. 3.6V 1800mAh). The Strion LED has pretty good throw, but if you want a tighter beam, you could always go for the Strion LED HP. However, note that the Strion LED HP doesn't have anti-roll.

As for brightness, it's about the same. They draw pretty much the same amount of current from the battery, so it's probably optical losses (Stinger DS LED HP is 200 lumens, PolyStinger DS LED is 185, Strion LED is 160).

jaspreets said:

It's OK to have a flashlight with rechargeable batteries... but please understand, I need something that won't crap out on me... I can only afford to visit every 2-3 years (I'm a student) and my family back in India doesn't have access nor the resources to purchase high-end Li-ion / rechargeable batteries once a year.

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If you want the batteries to last as long as possible, Ni-Cd might be a good choice because they're capable of more cycles than Li-Ion. Regardless what light you choose, definately get a spare battery just in case (or for use with PiggyBack so they can swap batteries when it's time to charge).

cccpull said:

Why not just get them rechargeable batteries and a charger? The problem with flashlights with built-in batteries is when the light runs out, you have to wait for them to recharge, instead of just switching batteries.

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Waiting to recharge isn't a problem if you choose Streamlight's PiggyBack option.

Robin24k,

I'm just having a hard time understanding, if the family can't afford more batteries (even rechargeable ?) and he has already sent them Maglites, Surefires; what is he advantage of another flashlight (like the Stinger) with a built-in dedicated rechargeable battery?
It would seem that just sending them several batteries and a charger would take care of the situation, unless they just want or need a different light.

Robin24k said:

The small size of the Strion LED is great for portability, and it actually has more battery capacity than the Stinger (3.7V 2000mAh vs. 3.6V 1800mAh). The Strion LED has pretty good throw, but if you want a tighter beam, you could always go for the Strion LED HP. However, note that the Strion LED HP doesn't have anti-roll.

As for brightness, it's about the same. They draw pretty much the same amount of current from the battery, so it's probably optical losses (Stinger DS LED HP is 200 lumens, PolyStinger DS LED is 185, Strion LED is 160).

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Not sure what anti-roll is, but I was specifically looking at the Strion LED HP or the Stinger HP LED (or DS model); just wasn't sure if the Li-ion tech / smaller size of the Strion was worth the decreased output / range when compared to the Stinger.

If you want the batteries to last as long as possible, Ni-Cd might be a good choice because they're capable of more cycles than Li-Ion. Regardless what light you choose, definately get a spare battery just in case (or for use with PiggyBack so they can swap batteries when it's time to charge).


Waiting to recharge isn't a problem if you choose Streamlight's PiggyBack option.

Click to expand...

Going to call Streamline and figure out what the charge cycle count is on the Strion...

cccpull said:

Why not just get them rechargeable batteries and a charger? The problem with flashlights with built-in batteries is when the light runs out, you have to wait for them to recharge, instead of just switching batteries.


You can also look at something like this:

http://www.baccusglobal.com/stanley/fl5w10.php

Click to expand...

So.. .not to open another bag of worms... but any recommendations for now not only a good flash light but also batteries/charger to pair with it (that can also work on 240VAC)

The Strion's battery is 500 cycles.

So I guess the question here is...do they already have powerful lights? You said you brought Maglites and SureFires, but did they take it? For multiple reasons due to safety and convenience, I would not recommend using rechargeables in the SureFire unless it's an E2L AA. If they have a bright light already, it might be better to get them Eneloops and a charger. Of course, this is increasing complexity, and probably not a good idea if they're not familiar with electronics...

If they don't already have a good flashlight, I would go with the dedicated rechargeable route. It would be hassle-free and minimize the potential for problems, such as using charged and discharged cells together, or mixing in an alkaline battery.

Unfortunately... the Maglites I sent were incandescent and were purchased at a black Friday sale a few years ago (i.e.... they were crap), the Surefires I sent were again purchased on eBay but were of the smaller pen type variety... again, great for around the house use, but not for field work... (also, apparently the batteries only lasted about 40 minutes of use)... I'm also a bit older now and have a slightly higher income (graduate researcher)....

I purchased the Maglites and Surefire for the same reason people buy Bose sound products... b/c they're familiar with the name and good marketing, not actually because they're good

I'd recommend AA batteries and a good charger. That would open a whole lot of other options. Fenix LD25, Zebralight SC50, etc.

Robin24k said:

The Strion's battery is 500 cycles.

So I guess the question here is...do they already have powerful lights?

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No

You said you brought Maglites and SureFires, but did they take it? For multiple reasons due to safety and convenience, I would not recommend using rechargeables in the SureFire unless it's an E2L AA. If they have a bright light already, it might be better to get them Eneloops and a charger. Of course, this is increasing complexity, and probably not a good idea if they're not familiar with electronics...

If they don't already have a good flashlight, I would go with the dedicated rechargeable route. It would be hassle-free and minimize the potential for problems, such as using charged and discharged cells together, or mixing in an alkaline battery.

Click to expand...

Yes, yes, yes... you hit the nail on the head... so, to ask for one last time (as this conversation can go on forever)... I'm leaning towards the Stinger HP LED or the Strion HP...

Thanks!

-Jaspreet

Robin24k said:

If they don't already have a good flashlight, I would go with the dedicated rechargeable route. It would be hassle-free and minimize the potential for problems, such as using charged and discharged cells together, or mixing in an alkaline battery.

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Simplicity! That answers my question. With a dedicated battery and battery pack, you can't screw up.