trying to find a new flashlight

I already have a g2 and g2z both with stock bulbs. I have been looking around for a C3 for the last few days (so I can have something brighter) Should I get the c3 with high output bulb or go with a rechargable. Are there any flaslights that are fairly small rechargable and pretty bright? I was thinking tigerlight fbop or whatever the name is. I will be using it about 5 -10 minutes a day for 5 days a week or longer. Thanks

Streamlight TL3 xenon could be a good choice...

I dont really care for the looks of that streamlight....

THat and if I get a battery powered one that is disposable I want to get a surefire so the lamp assemblys can be exchanged and the beamshaper adapters and stuff.

I would say a rechargable is the way to go if you use it often.

If you us a light 5-10 minues a day 5 times a week. 7.5 minutes average a day = 37.5 mintues on average a week.

If you us a HOLA lamp with 20 mintues run time thats 1.875 times you will change the batteries a week. Lets round that up to 2 because it dims over the average time plot for an incandecent. A C3 with HOLA eats 3 CR 123's up in 20 minutes, and a SF 123 costing $1.25 a pop if bought in bulk will equal $3.75 for each set of batteries. Two sets of batteries will cost $7.50. Over the course of a year (52 weeks), thats $390 in battery costs (if you use the light 7.5 mintues a day.) Plus you have the buy the light too.

With the LOLA lamp assembly, the light should run for an hour. Thats about a set every 7-8 working days. (punch in .625 X 52 is 32.5 times you will change the batteries ina year.) Thats $121.88 or so in battery usage a year plus the cost of the light.

How small are you going for? The Tigerlight FBOP is about the size of a SF M6 (well form what I read just a hair bigger.) Its 8 inches long an the on/off/momentary switch is nar the back end of the light, takes a bit of time to get used too.

Here is a size comparison picture:



From left to right,

pack of winterfresh bubble gum, chapstick, Arc AAA LE, SL TT 1L, SF E2e, SL Scorpion, Tigerlight, and on the end a 2C Mag.

Here is a beam picture on a white wall. Well 3 seperate pictures cut and chopped together in MS paint.


From left to right,
Tigerlight, Sf E2e, and finally Scorpion. They all are on fresh batteries.

The Tigerlight does have beam artifacts due to smooth reflector but the bam in realworld usage does its job well (either lighting up dar spaces or blinding people.) The TL is also focused.

I work security at school and had my Tigerlight in usage for 2 months and then one day the light bulb blew. Tigerlight sent out a replacement at no cost and the new one seems a bit brighter. I will purchase a new bulb next month when I go back to school so i won't be caught without my TL. I do carry a Scorpion as back-up but it doesn't have nearly the wow power of the TL and the TL is guilt free lumens since I can put it in the charger after each shift and have it topped off for the next shift.

I have not read nice reviews on the SF rechargable series. they seem to have problems with their B90 battery sticks but that has since been resolved from the posts I read. The 8N seems decent, 9 series seems alright, but the 10x dominates all rechargables and offers a 60 lumen LOLA lamp but at $400+ it seems a bit excessive.

I had my search for a rechagrable a few motnhs ago and the choices were Tigerlight or Magcharger. The Maghcarger seemed like my choice at first but due to reading about WA 01160 bulbs bein a bit fragile (speculating) and needing to upgrade the battery stick and a little shorter run time also bigger size made this light undesirable. A tigerlight for $122.47 plus $8 fedEx 2 day shipping form Tactical Warehouse sealed the deal for me with the Tigerlight.

If you need something smaller (well a lot smaller) then try a Streamlight Stinger. I have not tried it but from the pictures of it and review here it seems like a good light. It is bigger than a Mag 2AA but nowhere near the size of a Tigerlight plus it also has a fast charger option where Tigerlight only has a 10 hour slow charger.

Well anyway enough random thoughts and typing,

What do you intend to use the light for? How do you intend to carry it? What do you rate as small? Do you have a back-up?

I routinely carry a Tigerlight, SL Scorpion during work with an Arc AAA LE to back those up just in case both bulbs decide to blow (highly unlikely.)

Jason

Gonna use it in the jail. I hate the switch on the tigerlight and will prolly not even give it a chance. I was thinking sl ultrastingr

Well, the tigerlight comes in a FBOP (Federal Bureau of Prisons) version without the pepper spray. So they must like it.

This is assuming that you WORK at the jail. If you are a guest, then your choices might be VERY limtied. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif If you are planning a "covert entry" into a prison for the benefit of a friend, then a covert photon might be useful. Or a headlamp like the Petzl Tikka would allow you to use both hands for digging. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/naughty.gif

I am work in the jail. And no not as a trustee. Just because federal prison uses the flashlight does not mean it is any good /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif. Governments usually go for the cheapest item they can get that has the features they want. I would rather have a mag charger then a fbop because of the position they put the switch in. It is way too top heavy looking....and might be harder to swing it with /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif I am totally assuming this though because I have no held one in my hand before. Anyone have some ultra stinger shots?

I can say that I have the regular version of the TigerLight. The position of the switch is simply a matter of preference, but the quality of the light is quite nice, and I have no complaints at all.

There is a reason that the switch is there. The regular version of the light features a pepper spray dispenser at the tail end of the light (probably the only easy place to put it). This means that in order to use the spray, your thumb must be at the end. From there, the location of the switch follows. The FBOP is simply the regular version with the spray section chopped off. This is the reason for the switch being at the end.

Where you wish to have the switch is your choice, but I feel that this is a wonderful light considering its design goals. The light is incredibly bright, and gives a runtime of an hour. I understand that if you put a WelchAllyn bulb in a MagCharger, it WILL be brighter than the TigerLight, but the runtime is significantly less. TigerLight is also a fair player in the flashlight field, unlike others I could mention. I even got the chance to meet a couple of the Tigerlight guys at the CandlePowerForums get-together after the SHOT show last year.

** Edited to fix spelling /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif ***