Help with selecting flashlights

I am trying to select a new flashlight.
(I may purchase a headlamp instead, so any suggestion in that direction are welcome!)

0) What Region/Country/State will the light be purchased in?

__X__I will be mail-ordering or buying online, so this doesn't matter.
____I am in North America. More precisely I am in _______________.
____I am in South America. More precisely I am in _______________.
____I am in Europe. More precisely I am in _______________.
____I am in the Middle East. More precisely I am in _______________.
____I am in Africa. More precisely I am in _______________.
____I am in Asia, Japan or Micronesia. More precisely I am in _______________.
____I am in Australia. More precisely I am in _______________.


1) Price Range: An easy question, but you may change your mind after answering the rest!

____I only want to pay $1-10.
____I can spend $15-30.
____I could spend $40-60.
__X__I am willing to spend $80-$120.
____I have no limit!

2) Format:

__X__I want a flashlight.
____I want a headlamp.
____I want a lantern.
____I want a portable spotlight.


3) Length:

____I don't care.
____1-2 inches. (Keychain sized)
__X__2-4 inches. (Pocket carry)
__X__4-9 inches. (Holster carry)

4) Width:

____I don't care.
__X__I prefer a long narrow light.
____I prefer a short wide light.

5) What batteries do you want to use? Alkaline batteries are easier to find and less expensive but don't pack as much stored energy and are don't work well in cold temperatures. Lithium batteries have long shelf life (10+ years, great for stored emergency lights) and are not as affected by cold but must be kept dry and are more expensive. Rechargeable start expensive, but if used frequently pay off quickly.

____I want common Alkaline batteries. (AA, AAA, C, D)
__X__I want lithium batteries. (coin cells, CR123, AAA, AA...)
____I want a rechargeable system. (an investment, but best for everyday use)

6) How much light do you want? Sometimes you can have too much light (trying to read up close up with a 100 lumen light is impossible).

____I want to read a map, or find a light switch, in a dark room. (5-10 lumens)
____I want to walk around a generally paved area. (15-20 lumens)
____I want to walk unpaved trails. (40 lumens)
____I want to do Caving or Search & Rescue operations. (60+ lumens)
__X__I want to light an entire campground or dazzle an intruder. (100+ lumens)

7) Throw vs Flood: Which do you prefer, lights that flood an area with a wide beam, or lights that "throw" with a tightly focused beam? Place an "X" on the line below.

Throw (distance)---X-------------------|----------------------Flood/close-up

8) Runtime: Not over-inflated manufacturer runtime claims (like some LED lights). but usable brightness measured from first activation to 50% with new batteries.

____20 min. (I want the brightest light for brief periods)
__X__60-240 min. (1-2 hours)
____240-360 min. (4-6 hours)
____360+ min. (More than 6 hours)

9) Durability: 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, Self-defense, Survival.)

8) Switch Type:

____I don't care.
____I want a sliding switch. (Stays on until slid back.)
__X__I want a "clickie" switch. (Stays on until pressed again.)
__X__I want a momentary switch. (Only stays on while held down.)
Either is fine.

9) Switch Location:

____I don't care.
____I want a push or sliding switch on the body near the head.
__X__I want a push switch on the back end of the body.
____I want a rotating head switch.
____I want a rotating end-cap switch.
____I want a remote control.

10) Operational Modes: Check all that apply.

____A simple on-off is fine for me.
____I want 2 light levels. (Brighter/short runtime and Dimmer/long runtime.)
__X__I want multiple light levels. (some lights have 5-16 light levels.)
____I want a strobe mode. (blinks to show location.)
____I want a tactical strobe. (Flashes rapidly to disorient an opponent.)

11) Is it important whether the body is metal or plastic/composite?

__X__I don't care.
____I want a metal-bodied light.
____I want a plastic/composite light.

12) Special Needs: Is there anything else you want or need that hasn't been mentioned? Circle any below or write in your own comment(s).

__X__Red (night vision preserving) filter
____Other filter colors (Amber, Green, Blue, _________)
____Waterproof – how deep: _____________
____Non-reflective/dark finish (stealthy/hard to find)
____Polished silver or brightly colored finish (for easy locating)
____Corrosion resistant or hard-anodized finish
____"Hybrid" light (bright incandescent combined with long running LEDs)
____Built-in second (or spare) lamp or filament
____Belt/Jacket clip
____Holster
____Wrist/Neck Lanyard
____Kobuton/self defense features
____Non-sparking Intrinsically Safe (IS) for use in explosive environments

Would an E1B out-throw a G2X? And would a E2DL have about the same throw as an ArmyTek Predator?
Thank you for any suggestions!

Post heavily changed, if the question you answered is gone, it probably fell through the cracks.

Just remebered, a local store got a boatload of E2Es, had some trouble selling them. They are now down to half price. Anybody think they would be worthwhile?

NOREAT said:

Just remebered, a local store got a boatload of E2Es, had some trouble selling them. They are now down to half price. Anybody think they would be worthwhile?

Click to expand...

E2E is a nice little light, and a classic - if you are ready for an incandescent. Of course, you would have a number of options for modifying the light with LED heads, etc.

Maybe you could help us understand what you are looking for by filling out this questionaire - copy and paste it into a new post and fill in your answers -

Good luck!
0) What Region/Country/State will the light be purchased in?

____I will be mail-ordering or buying online, so this doesn't matter.
____I am in North America. More precisely I am in _______________.
____I am in South America. More precisely I am in _______________.
____I am in Europe. More precisely I am in _______________.
____I am in the Middle East. More precisely I am in _______________.
____I am in Africa. More precisely I am in _______________.
____I am in Asia, Japan or Micronesia. More precisely I am in _______________.
____I am in Australia. More precisely I am in _______________.


1) Price Range: An easy question, but you may change your mind after answering the rest!

____I only want to pay $1-10.
____I can spend $15-30.
____I could spend $40-60.
____I am willing to spend $80-$120.
____I have no limit!

2) Format:

____I want a flashlight.
____I want a headlamp.
____I want a lantern.
____I want a portable spotlight.

3) Length:

____I don't care.
____1-2 inches. (Keychain sized)
____2-4 inches. (Pocket carry)
____4-9 inches. (Holster carry)

4) Width:

____I don't care.
____I prefer a long narrow light.
____I prefer a short wide light.

5) What batteries do you want to use? Alkaline batteries are easier to find and less expensive but don't pack as much stored energy and are don't work well in cold temperatures. Lithium batteries have long shelf life (10+ years, great for stored emergency lights) and are not as affected by cold but must be kept dry and are more expensive. Rechargeable start expensive, but if used frequently pay off quickly.

____I want common Alkaline batteries. (AA, AAA, C, D)
____I want lithium batteries. (coin cells, CR123, AAA, AA...)
____I want a rechargeable system. (an investment, but best for everyday use)

6) How much light do you want? Sometimes you can have too much light (trying to read up close up with a 100 lumen light is impossible).

____I want to read a map, or find a light switch, in a dark room. (5-10 lumens)
____I want to walk around a generally paved area. (15-20 lumens)
____I want to walk unpaved trails. (40 lumens)
____I want to do Caving or Search & Rescue operations. (60+ lumens)
____I want to light an entire campground or dazzle an intruder. (100+ lumens)

7) Throw vs Flood: Which do you prefer, lights that flood an area with a wide beam, or lights that "throw" with a tightly focused beam? Place an "X" on the line below.

Throw (distance)----------------------|----------------------Flood/close-up

8) Runtime: Not over-inflated manufacturer runtime claims (like some LED lights). but usable brightness measured from first activation to 50% with new batteries.

____20 min. (I want the brightest light for brief periods)
____60-240 min. (1-2 hours)
____240-360 min. (4-6 hours)
____360+ min. (More than 6 hours)

9) Durability: 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.)
____Critical (Police, Fire, Search & Rescue, Self-defense, Survival.)

8) Switch Type:

____I don't care.
____I want a sliding switch. (Stays on until slid back.)
____I want a "clickie" switch. (Stays on until pressed again.)
____I want a momentary switch. (Only stays on while held down.)

9) Switch Location:

____I don't care.
____I want a push or sliding switch on the body near the head.
____I want a push switch on the back end of the body.
____I want a rotating head switch.
____I want a rotating end-cap switch.
____I want a remote control.

10) Operational Modes: Check all that apply.

____A simple on-off 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 strobe mode. (blinks to show location.)
____I want a tactical strobe. (Flashes rapidly to disorient an opponent.)

11) Is it important whether the body is metal or plastic/composite?

____I don't care.
____I want a metal-bodied light.
____I want a plastic/composite light.

12) Special Needs: Is there anything else you want or need that hasn't been mentioned? Circle any below or write in your own comment(s).

____Red (night vision preserving) filter
____Other filter colors (Amber, Green, Blue, _________)
____Waterproof – how deep: _____________
____Non-reflective/dark finish (stealthy/hard to find)
____Polished silver or brightly colored finish (for easy locating)
____Corrosion resistant or hard-anodized finish
____"Hybrid" light (bright incandescent combined with long running LEDs)
____Built-in second (or spare) lamp or filament
____Belt/Jacket clip
____Holster
____Wrist/Neck Lanyard
____Kobuton/self defense features
____Non-sparking Intrinsically Safe (IS) for use in explosive environments

Thanks run4jc!

(I moved the questionnaire to the first post)

As far as the E2E goes, would it out-throw a G2X Pro?
Also, would the LED options void the warranty?

Thank you for any advice!

I have both the E2DL 200 lumen version and an armytek predator- smoother relfector with high CRI XP-G.
and it really is not a contest when it comes to throw. the predator is more focused and reaches further out.
the TIR optics of the E2DL provides very good throw, with a wider hotspot. but that hotpsot also becomes very dispersed at a certain point. so its actual range becomes more limit.
my predator is also about 310 emitter lumens, so the lumens output is very similar to the E2DL, which is about 250 OTF lumens.
Predator is much bigger though. the E2DL is a thin 2xCR123 light. with a 1inch head diamter, while the predator is 1 7/16th of an inch.

the predator is still a relatively new light, so it has not had the thorough testing of the E2DL in terms of ruggedness.

I think the preadtor is the best thrower that will still fit in your pants pocket.
let me take that back.... cause ive yet to get my hands on a malkoff hound dog.

you also cant go wrong with the E1B.... it would probably de-throne the G2X as your EDC.
some good deals for E1Bs come along the marketplace alot.

Thanks skyfire!

Do you think the Predator is the best compact thrower, or are others, such as the EagleTac T20C2, or O-light M20 better?

As far as the E1B goes, I saw one in a store last night and compared it with my G2X. It doesn't seem that it could out throw the G2X, and it has less total light output. Since the G2X is very comfortable pocket carry for me, I think I have ruled that one out.
(If I am wrong about the throw, please tell me and I'll have to reconsider, again.)

4Sevens Quark 123^2 Turbo X

http://www.4sevens.com/product_info.php?cPath=297_330&products_id=2621

2xCR123
450 OTF lumens
Cree XM-L
Built primarily for throw, but good spill too.

$85.00
Free worldwide shipping

--

HDS Systems (www.hdslights.com) makes some solid lights too, ranging from $100 - $200+.

Fenix TK35 is a pocket rocket too, I believe.

820 lumens
330m distance

$115.00
Free worldwide shipping

http://www.4sevens.com/product_info.php?cPath=22&products_id=2586

---

I'll be getting a Surefire Saint Minimus soon too. I also have a Surefire 6PX Pro, very similar to yours. A smaller EDC light, a headlamp, and a larger home/car light would round out your kit.

example:

edc - HDS Rotary 200
headlamp - Surefire Minimus
general use - Surefire 6PX Pro
home - Fenix TK35

--

E1B is a tempting choice. Heard nothing but great things about it. I believe it's outclassed by some of the offerings from HDS Systems though, for the price range. Just as durable if not more so, much brighter and more efficient LED and driver, slimmer and more tacticle form factor.

One of the helpful things I did was go to the sticky in one of these boards: "Top 10 MUST HAVE lights". Purchase the ones at the top

Thanks Quicksilver!

Is the TK35 good as far as reliability?
I do S&R, so that is very important.

With the Quark Turbo, is it really going to out throw the G2X? It's not much bigger, but maybe the reflector is deeper?
Also, the 4Sevens website just says 450 lumens. Do you get the OTF from some other source, or did I just miss it?
I would have the same concern with reliability.

Right now the ArmyTek Predator looks nice. Large reflector, seems very durable, 500 OTE lumens, private tests set it at
370 OTF.

If you owned only the 6PX Pro, which of the three other lights you listed in your example would you buy next?
I plan to get one light in each of those catigories, but I am wondering what to buy next, as it will be awhile
till I can get one of the other catigories.

Is the Thrunight Scorpion V2 very reliable?

skyfire:
How is that high CRI Predator working?
The output is lower than the R5, but does the better color rendition make up for it?
Also, does the Predator seem reliable enough for S&R?

Thanks!

surefire LX2. Good throw and well built.

Flashlight Dave said:

surefire LX2. Good throw and well built.

Click to expand...

That is my dream flashlight, (well, except for the UB3T). Unfortunetly, it is significantly out of my price range.

Thanks for the suggestion, though!

NOREAT said:

If you owned only the 6PX Pro, which of the three other lights you listed in your example would you buy next?
I plan to get one light in each of those catigories, but I am wondering what to buy next, as it will be awhile
till I can get one of the other catigories.

Click to expand...

Depends on tasks.

If I wanted an EDC light, I'd pick up the HDS Rotary. If I was in love with Surefire I'd pick up the E1B for EDC.

For hiking and outdoors, a headlamp is invaluable. I've had (good and bad) experience with Zebralight headlamps and want to buy a Surefire Saint (Minimus) soon. That would be a priority if I only had the 6PX Pro.

The 6PX Pro out-throws my HDS Rotary 200 but not by much, however when it comes down to it I don't explicitly need or require a flashlight with serious throw.

Some of the later Surefire models (Invictus, etc) look like throw monsters, however they're out of my price range.

So, if I already had the 6PX Pro:

For hiking, I'd pick up the Surefire Minimus (or Saint).
For EDC and everything, the HDS Rotary 200.
My 6PX Pro doesn't get much use anymore, unless I go on long distance hikes which is usually twice a year.

Can't go wrong with a Surefire, however you lose some output and throw with them due to outdated emitters. The really good ones have very high prices.

Thanks everone for your suggestions!

I was trying to change the bulbs in all the outdoor lighting today (in the dark, of course) Juggling the bulbs, flashlight, and covers for the fixtures was not fun, so I may have to look into headlamps more serously now, as well as throwers. :sigh: I can see how one could end up with a large collection.

Quicksilver:

The HDS Rotary is quite a bit out of my price range. I am wondering, however, is the HDS as bright as the 6PX?
I may have to save up even more!

As far as things that are actually in my price range right now, I'm thinking ArmyTek Predator, O-Light M20, Quark Turbo-X, Dereelight DBS, and Saint Minimus. (And maybe an E2E. $50? How can I pass that up!)

Thanks everyone for your help!

Did some more research, and I may have to see if I can save $70 more for a Surefire LX2.:sigh: By the time I have that much more money in my flashlight fund, Surefire will probably have come out with a $300 light that does 500 lumens for 3.5 hours.

NOREAT said:

Did some more research, and I may have to see if I can save $70 more for a Surefire LX2.:sigh: By the time I have that much more money in my flashlight fund, Surefire will probably have come out with a $300 light that does 500 lumens for 3.5 hours.

Click to expand...

Hi, sent you a pm, there is an LX2 for sale over at the Marketplace for $125. Here is the link:

http://www.cpfmarketplace.com/mp/showthread.php?255966-Final-Price-Drop-Surefire-LX2-Lumamax

Thanks!

I was playing around with all the flashlights availiable to me last night, including a pair of D-cell Maglites. I was amazed to find, after having not used them since I purchesed a Surefire G2X Pro, that although there was less peripheral light, they threw just as far as the Surefire, with considerably better tint. I therefore did some reaserch on something even brighter in incandesant lighting that would not eat lithium primaries. The only fruit of my research so far has been the MagCharger. Is that still a good light, or has it become obsolete? Also, are there any other options that are either rechargable, or use alkaline batteries?

Thanks for any comments or suggestions!

Thanks everyone for the suggestion! My search has concluded with the purchase of an ArmyTek Predator.