Flashlight for walking the dog

I'm looking for flashlight to use when I'm walking my dog. I have used the Fenix E21 neutral white light until now. I would like to purchase something similar but with 18560 battery.

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 ______________.
__X__I will be mail-ordering or buying online, so this doesn't matter.


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

____Less than $25.
____Less than $50.
____Less than $100.
_X___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).
____Holster carry.
____Big enough to need its own travel caseJ.
____I don't care.
____I don't know.
____N/A


5) Emitter/Light source:

_X_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)
____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?

____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)
_X_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).
_X__I want to walk around an unlit rural area (50-150 lumens).
____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)
____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)
_X__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).

____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)
_X__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).
_X__Slightly Important (Walks around the neighborhood).
____Very Important (Camping, Backpacking, Car Glove-box).
____Critical (Police, Fire, Search & Rescue, Caving, Survival).
____I don't care.
____I don't know.


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

__X_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).
____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.
__X_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 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.
____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).
__X_I don't care.
____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)
____Pocket/belt clip
____Holster
____Wrist/Neck Lanyard
____Crenulated bezel
____Non-sparking Intrinsically Safe (IS) for use in explosive environments

Moving this to LED Flashlights forum.

Bill

Pyykola,

This subject has come up before. If you use the search function you'll find plenty of info to help you choose a suitable light for walking your dog.

BTW, just so you know I use a pair of Lumens Factory SP-6 Seraphs, one has a 3 mode XML [floody] and an XRE for throw. Both are 18650 powered.

Zebralight sc600 is definitely worth considering.

I tried the search but apparently I was using wrong field because it took me to the Google. I will check the search results. I was looking earlier 4sevens limited run neutrals but from the information I found seems that none of them supports 18560 batteries.

Interesting... Joined 1 year ago this month and you are on post #1 . I hope you had some flashlights of your own before this query.

Zebralight SC600 would be good. Although if you walk your dog in very large areas and want to be able to spot it then it may not throw far enough.

A floody type of beam probably is best to go for though.

Consider run time too. How long do you walk it for, are you ever delayed?

I usually take dog half hour walks. Dog is on leach so delay should not be big problem and there isn't wide areas without street lights.

I found from earlier posts recommendation for DealExtremes UltraFire WF502B light. If there isn't any problems with that light I think I order that first atleast.

pyykola said:

I usually take dog half hour walks. Dog is on leach so delay should not be big problem and there isn't wide areas without street lights.

I found from earlier posts recommendation for DealExtremes UltraFire WF502B light. If there isn't any problems with that light I think I order that first atleast.

Click to expand...

I wouldn't. You usually get what you pay for.

Don't forget to get a flashlight for the dog:

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?99785-Even-my-dogs-are-flashaholics...

You might want to consider a headlamp type light with a pocket clip like the Zebralights...H31, H51, H60, etc. The reason being...when your dog does his/her business and you have to bend down in the dark to pick up his/her poop, you're either going to have to stick the light under armpit or hold the light in your mouth...I've tried both and neither works very well. The H31 is a great little light and it easily clips to my shirt, belt, pants pocket, etc., and shines its beam directly in front of me for hands free use when I'm walking my shepherd at night.

Now, if you live in a rural area where no one cares if you pick up your dog's poop...then you won't have to worry about it. But the H31 has served me well. I'm actually waiting for the new H600 for more output in a similar design.

Hope this helps.

Yes, I'd forget the DealExtreme light for now. For one thing it's only a single level light (unless I misread it), and for another, it tends to be a roll of the dice as to whether you'll get a light that functions longer than a few weeks.

With your budget, I'd say go ahead and get either the Zebralight SC600, or the Spark SL6 NW (neutral white)

1. The SC600 is only available with a cool white LED (for now), but has a lower low level (moonlight mode), which can give maximum runtime in an emergency, or just walking around the house at night without disturbing anybody else.

2. The SL6 NW is available with a neutral white LED which is preferred by many CPF members for outdoor use, but only goes down to 18 lumens.

Both of these lights use the XM-L LED, which will give you an excellent floody and bright beam with multiple levels. I imagine that most of the time you will end up using one of the lower levels, but it's surprising how comforting it is to be able to access a super bright mode for a few seconds whenever you feel the need.

By the way, don't overlook the possibility of a good 2xAA light. They can be much less expensive and use the more common (and less dangerous) NiMh rechargeable cells. They won't be quite as bright as the SC600 or the SL6, but that is about the only trade-off.

By the way, have you used rechargeable lithium-ion batteries before? They require special care in their handling, use, and charging and can be dangerous if not used properly and with caution. Learn more here:
http://batteryuniversity.com/

And here are some good flashlight review sites:
http://www.light-reviews.com/reviews.html
http://www.sliderule.ca/flashlight.htm
http://www.lygte-info.dk/review/Reviews UK.html

Mainly, don't be in a hurry. Spend some time reading here and on those review sites, and pretty soon you'll begin to get a feel for which light will work best for you.

Malkoff MD2 with H/L ring. I use this light often when walking the dog. It still amazes me how long it runs on a single 18650 for the output it has. It's got a great beam and it's bomb proof.

I have been using LiPo batteries in rc planes and have read information about lithium batteries. Zebralights H51w could be one alternative. I could use same NiMh batteries on Fenix E21. Is the Zebralights switch hard to use with thick gloves. It gets here at worst -30 degrees celcius in winter so that could become issue.

+1 on the Zebralight SC600, great deal on a high output compact light, especially if you can get them on cpfmarketplace for around 80 dollars as new, if not zebralight has them on the website for 95 dollars shipped. If you're walking your dog in a more remote place, you might want something that throws better, like a Thrunite Scorpion V2 with turbo head, which should be spot on, on your budget of 150 dollars.

SC600 if you're really up for li-ion batteries. The beam pattern would be ideal for walking in the dark (very wide spill). The highest high is very bright. It's tiny. It's beloved by flashlight affectionados. Insanely versatile.

It's beam pattern is more geared toward nearby things than distance as others have said but...it's throw is about 1/3 greater than *the* best thrower of 5 years ago (Streamlight Propolys). It'll be fine. I use to shine my Propoly 1/2 mile down the road to check for the glowing eyes of cougars...it was more than enough.

You can't go wrong wit this setup:

Malkoff Turn-key MD2 with High/Low Switch
On sale now for $119
excellent build quality
awesome customer suport!
High/low switch
Runs on 3.4 - 9 volts - so you can use primaries or rechargables like 18650's, 2xrc123

http://www.malkoffdevices.com/shop/turnkey-md2-with-highlow-switch-p-87.html?

Don't let anyone talk you out of a budget light, if that is what you want. They are fine. I think you'll want a Low of a few lumens so you can see what the dog is getting into, and something brighter to see what's ahead. For me, an XM-L is too much light and I prefer an XP-G light. The 502B is a pretty cool light, but you won't find one with only two modes and a forward clicky. However, if you don't like it, the nice thing is you don't have that much invested in it. Shiningbeam's S-Mini XPG might be pretty close with 3 fixed modes. It is a compact 18650 light. If you want more throw there are a lot of P60 choices. Solarforces aren't that expensive but you can get a similar Ultrafire 504B for less or the Seraph knockoff Skyray SR5. Both will probably deal with heat better than a 502B. You can find a 3-mode drop-in from Solarforce or Ultrafire. That's if you want something budget.

I have Ultrafire 502B 5 mode light that I purchased year ago. Would it be possible to change neutral white led to the 5 mode light or is led and the driver in the same package?

Shouldn't be a problem swapping out a LED if it is mounted to a board (14mm diameter is best), but it will take some soldering and some thermal glue to mount the LED board to the pill. Is it a similar LED? If the current drop-in has an XP-G, it would be good to get another XP-G. If it's an XM-L, get another XM-L.