What's your beater LED light(s) and why?

I don't have any shelf queens, but at the same time I don't abuse my lights. If I knew a light was likely to get dropped, abused, I had to loan it, etc. I would grab my Fenix TK11 R2. It was my first good light, and it has somehow managed to get quite a few chips out of the anodizing, but nothing worthy of this thread.

The combination of the cosmetic blemishes, the older emitter, and its "bomb proof, tank like construction" have given it its "beater" status. My Fenix TK30 shares a similar status. What about you?

My beater light is my Solarforce L2, Bought it from 2009 and never fails, survived power outages, storms and submerging in swimming pool. It is really durable plus the fact that I know there are available parts if I damage or destroy the light.

All the lights I own are 1AA/1AAA EDCs and they all spend a fair amount of time in my pockets or in the daypack, but my diffused Fenix E01 is the one that gets true and thorough everyday beating. It sees all kinds of use and I really don't care much about it being dropped, scratched and banged against hard objects. The only attention it gets is battery change and occasional lube.

Cheers,

Tam

mine is the EagleTac P10A dropped multiple times on accident from 10+ ft onto concrete and threw the washing machine.

SF C2 w/ M61W. I can't break the damn thing!

Nitecore D10 ramping.

As to why? Well currently it's the only light I have..

My beater is a Fenix LD25. I use it anytime I do any project around the house where I know a light will take abuse. I've dropped it onto the garage floor from 4 feet or so too many times to count. I use it is the rain and snow. I dropped it in the show while snow blowing and accidently ran it over with my 2 stage snow blower sending it about 40 feet away into a snow bank. It still works fine.

I use the LD25 because it is "cheap", uses NiMh batteries (which will not explode like LiCo cels when abused and can take the cold of winter), it is tough, and I don't want to abuse any of my other lights. So far it has taken anything abuse I've thrown at it. It works like the day I purchased it but it certainly does not look like the day I purchased it.

Surefire E1B.

I don't baby any of my lights, they all get carried and they all get used. From the lowly E01 in my glovebox to the Ti D10 that gets carried in the same pocket as my car keys.

That said, some get used more than others, mainly my ZL H501W and my Fenix TK20. Those 2 are really starting to show what I've put them through.

My beaters are a gunmetal L2M clone with a 3-mode Solarforce LV XP-G drop-in, a Coleman Exponent 1, and an Energizer AA rubbery light thing with what seems to have a XR-E R2 ez900 that's actually very nice... I consider beaters lights to be ones that you can hand to children and morons without asking them to be careful with them first...

My beater is a Quark AA-2 S2. The only reason it has acclaim as a "beater" is its green tint. It is otherwise a solid and dependable light. It has the Quark UI that I like with levels ranging from moonlight to very bright with blinky modes. If not for the tint it wouldn't be my preferred "beater" or the light that I let the kids take camping, etc. (they think it is great, btw). Before the S2 Quark, my beater was an LedLenser T7.

P.S.: Despite it being a "beater", the Quark AA-2 S2 remains in nearly mint condition. It is surprising since the children don't exactly coddle it.

my EDC is an Ra Clicky 170 so that definitely counts as a beater. the other would be my Maelstrom because its a great light but if it were totally wrecked i wouldn't care enough to replace it w/ another. my NEW beater is now an Oveready bored C2-HA w/ Z48 & Nailbender XM-L T5 4500K 3-mode.

An E21 or 6P w/ NB SST-50. My beater used to be a Pelican 2360, but one time I thought it'd be a good idea to try a pair of 14500's in it. Needless to say it went out with a burst of blue glory. :duh2:

I have 2 beater lights that get the most abuse and have stood up well. Once they started getting dinged up they were relegated to beaters, have kept their status due to ability to survive it- a RA Twisty (eg-dropped into running engine fan, fell 80+ ft down rocky slope, run over w/ SUV) and a SF 6P w/ Lumens Factory drop-in (eg- lost in the back edge of yard for over a year, found by deck mower, dropped over boat into lake, retrieved a couple of days later). Both lights have been bounced around with other lights and equipment in gear bags and pockets, thrown in frustration (not at the light), dropped more times than can be counted, and most impressively, survived harsh use and abuse by MY KIDS. They are the Destroyers of Everything. Seriously, can give them something like say a piece of hardened steel bar stock, and they would find a way to break or ruin it.

I have about 4-5 that see regular use, and I handle on a regular basis with out too much regard to them getting damaged...

Surefire L2...I have two, but this one is already beat to crap...tons of scratches, chips, ect., but it still works like a champ...good thing I got this, cause my other L2 is in mint condition, and never gets used...one of my favourite Surefires for sure.

LX2; While this night is kind of nice, I bought it with the intention of using it...I would lend this to a responsible person no problem.

Kroma Mil Spec...when I got this, I didn't think it'd be a user, but the YG is so dang useful...this see's daily usage. Still in good shape, but not sure how long that would last with how much I use it.

E2L-AA; this is my last Surefire "Beater"...and while it still looks almost new, the AA rechargeable set-up forces me to carry this everyday...it's only a matter of time until it starts looking like a beater, but it definitely gets treated like one.

The rest of my beaters are anything that's not a Surefire :0)

Inova Bolt 2A - I don't like the tint, I don't like the tailcap switch, and I want the kids to BEAT it up until it breaks and I can get a new 2AA light.

Sadly, it still works.

CMG Infinity Ultra...had it all these years and it picked up its fair share of chips/scratches but it's always on-person and always works.

MagLights, I have 4 3D maglights with the terralux LED upgrade. and when a light is going to get abuse I will uasually grab one of these. I also give them to kids to play outside at night and as you can imagine they are not easy on lights. My EDC is a Neutral Quark AA tactical, it gets used every day and has held up very well.

Sarlix said:

Nitecore D10 ramping.

As to why? Well currently it's the only light I have..

Click to expand...

If your only going to have one light thats not a bad one to have.

I have been using a Brinkmann Armor Max LED CR123 Polymer Flashlight for about 6 years now. It has a CREE LED bulb, which puts out 100 lumens, with a warm tint. I like to go to beaches along the Eastern Coast and don't want to take any of my metal and more expensive lights on the beach at night. So far the light has proven water tight, uneffected by the salt or sand, the battery lasts about 2.5 hours and it has a forward clicky switch. I liked it so much, in fact, that I bought another one a year later. It doesn't have a clip, but the head has a rubber coating close to the body and the body itself has like a rubber sleeve on it and it never slips out of my hand.