Help me pick a flashlight?

ApplesNbananas

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Jun 13, 2011
Messages
1
I assumed Maglite was the best but...I was wrong. Best flashlight I have owned is a Streamlight Microstream light or the free harbor freight flashlight during camping.

Whats the best bang for my buck out of the box based on the requirements I mentioned?

1) How would you prefer to purchase the light?


____I would like to purchase the light from a brick and mortar store. I am located in ______________.
____I will be mail-ordering or buying online, so this doesn't matter.
__X__I don't care if its a B&M or online

2) Budget: An easy question, but you may change your mind after answering the rest! :)

____Less than $25.
____Less than $50.
__X__Less than $100.
____Less than $150.
____Less than $300.
____I have no limit.
____I'm flexible, tell me what you gotJ.
____Other, please specify ________


3) Format:

__X_I want a flashlight.
____I want a headlamp.
____I want a lantern.
____I want a dive light.
____I want a portable spotlight.


4) Flashlight-specific format/size:

____Keychain size.
____Every day carry small (2-4 inches).
__X__Every day carry medium (4-7 inches).
__X__Holster carry.
____Big enough to need its own travel caseJ.
____I don't care.
____I don't know.
____N/A


5) Emitter/Light source:

____LED (known for efficiency, longevity, and compactness)
____Incandescent (known for superior color rendition)
____HID (known for max output, but often at the expense of size)
__X__I don't know.


6) Manufacturer:

__X__I want to buy a light from a traditional mass producing manufacturer that is ready to go out of the box.
____I would consider getting a light that is pieced together (for example a "host" or flashlight body from one manufacturer, and a "drop-in" emitter from another source). Under the right circumstances, this path can provide more options to the consumer to meet specific needs, and can often be easily upgradeable as technology improves.


7) What battery type do you want to use?

__X__I intend to use alkaline batteries (AAA, AA, C, D) (disclaimer, while it does not preclude all choices, these are not recommended for many of today's most powerful lights)
____I intend to use rechargeable nickel chemistry (NiCad, NiMH, NiZn)
____I intend to use lithium primary batteries (CR123, CR2, Energizer Advanced/Ultimate Lithium AA/AAA)
____I intend to use rechargeable lithium (li-ion) chemistry. Feel free to specify a size if you know which size you want (14500, RCR123/16340, 17500, 17670, 18650, etc.)
____I want a light with an integrated rechargeable battery. (Note: these choices may be very limited unless you are looking at spotlights)


8) How much genuine out the front (OTF) light do you want/need? Sometimes you can have too much light (trying to read up close up with a 100 lumen light is impossible).

____I want to navigate a dark room or read a map (0-10 lumens).
____I want to walk around an unlit rural area (50-150 lumens).
__X__I want to illuminate my entire backyard or a campsite (150-300 lumens).
____I want to illuminate an entire field, the neighbor's front yard several houses down, impress my friends and neighbors, etc. (300-700 lumens).
____I want ridiculous amounts of lumens (800+ lumens).


9) Throw vs. Flood: At what distance will you be most likely to use this light? Select all that apply.

____Less than 1 yard/meter (reading, other close work)
__X__Less than 5 yards/meters (looking for something inside a dark shed/garage/basement)
____5-20 yards/meters (check out a noise in the backyard)
____30-50 yards/meters (I have a big backyard)
____50-150 yards/meters (I live in a very rural area/farm with wide open spaces)
____150+ yards (I want maximum throw possible)


10) Runtime: Not over-inflated manufacturer runtime claims, but usable brightness measured from first activation to 50% with new batteries (Measured on maximum output).

__X__Up to 30 minutes (I want the brightest [and potentially smallest] light for brief periods)
____30-60 minutes (I have plenty of batteries just ready to be changed)
____90-120 minutes (Runtime is moderately important, but still not critical)
____3 hours + (I critically need this light to run on max for extended periods in between battery changes/charges).


11) Durability/Usage: 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).
____Very Important (Camping, Backpacking, Car Glove-box).
__X__Critical (Police, Fire, Search & Rescue, Caving, Survival).
____I don't care.
____I don't know.


12) Switch Type and location (choose all that apply):

____I want a forward clicky (Helpful for momentary activation and signaling).
____I want a reverse clicky (For use with multi-mode/level lights).
____I want a momentary switch (Predominantly for use with signaling and short bursts of momentary light only).
____I want a twisty switch (Tighten the head/tailcap to activate, and the light will stay on until the head/tailcap is loosened).
____I want a body mounted switch (near the head, like on a Maglite).
____I want a tail mounted switch (found on the majority of today's high end lights).
__X__I don't care.
____I don't know.
____Other, please specify____________________.


13) User Interface (UI) and mode selection. Select all that apply.

____A simple on-off with only one output level is fine for me.
____I want 2 light levels. (Brighter/short runtime and Dimmer/long runtime.)
____I want multiple light levels. (Some lights have 5-16 light levels.)
____I want a programmable light.
____I want a selector ring.
____I want a strobe mode. (Blinks to show location.)
____I want SOS mode.
____I want a beacon mode.
__X__I don't care.
____I don't know.


14)Material/Finish/Coating

____Plastic/composite body (this may limit your choices significantly).
____Anodized Aluminum – either type II or III (Hard Anodized) (Aluminum, specifically HA, is the most common material/finish for today's flashlights).
____Stainless steel (durable, but much heavier than aluminum)
____Titanium (durable and nearly as lightweight as aluminum, but can be moderately to significantly more expensive).
____I don't care.
__X__I don't know.
____Other, please specify____________.


15) Special Needs/extras: Is there anything else you want or need that hasn't been mentioned? Select any below.

____Red filter (for preserving night vision).
____Other filter colors (Amber, Green, Blue, _________).
____Dedicated R/G/B secondary LEDs.
____"Hybrid" light (bright incandescent combined with long running LEDs)
__X__Pocket/belt clip
____Holster
____Wrist/Neck Lanyard
____Crenulated bezel
____Non-sparking Intrinsically Safe (IS) for use in explosive environments
 

Napalm

Enlightened
Joined
May 1, 2011
Messages
735
Location
Canada
Based on your answers the Eagletac P20A2 Mark II with the XM-L HO module would be a perfect match. 2xAA, 272 ANSI lumens, floody type of beam, comes with holster and clip, solid and reliable, $69.99 shipping included.

Although I would recommend you look into some Eneloop rechargeables too, at least for avoiding leaks that could create a mess inside your flashlight.

Nap.
 
Last edited:

Samy

Enlightened
Joined
May 12, 2011
Messages
539
Location
Australia
I have identical needs to yours.

I currently have the Klarus ST20 (2xAA 240 lumens) Link to ST20

also a 1xAA (100 lumens) and another 2xAA (200 lumens) 4Sevens Quarks Link to 4sevens 2xAA Quark

The 1xaa puts out heaps of light and is very portable. My wife keeps it in her handbag. The 2xAA quark is extremely bright and currently my dad has it and uses it for work. They're both excellent lights. I am using the Klarus ST20 as my daily light and take it with me everywhere, it's insanely bright but goes down to only 2 lumens.

I am very happy with my AA lights.

cheers
 

flashflood

Enlightened
Joined
Mar 9, 2011
Messages
608
Thrunite Neutron 1A or 2A (takes 1xAA or 2xAA, respectively). $60 or $70, rock solid build, insanely bright. Detailed review here.
 

qwertyydude

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Aug 10, 2008
Messages
1,115
With some of those less expensive options I'm sure it won't take much convincing to add another flashlight to the mix without going over budget. I really like my Solarforce L2R with low voltage drop in. It's a very high quality light and has the added benefit of easily replaceable and upgradable components should any break or if the module burns out.
 
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