You only can have 2 flashlights which one do you choose ?

IceColdKila1

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May 17, 2019
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I'm back and I've been away from the addiction for a few years now. I need to get back up to speed.

what are you two Must have lights and why ? So I can buy them. Need to refresh my collection.
 

thermal guy

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One is a Malkoff MD2. You can load it with just about anything you need. And will not break.the other? I'd say get an hds you won't be disappointed. Now these are not thrower so you won't have that but with those two lights you can do plenty. IMO

Or a Malkoff 18650 hound dog. Plenty of throw and spill. Can't really go wrong with any Malkoff.
 
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chainsolid

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One for EDC "Surefire E2D' can use for all situation
Two 'Nitecore SRT3 "Emergency flashlight can use CR123A,RCR123A,AA Battery
 

bykfixer

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If I can only have two, just shoot me and end my misery.

It really depends on needs and carry style. Smaller and brighter make it easy to down size anymore. A triple A light is easily as bright as an incan 6 volt from a decade ago. Meanwhile conventional sized lights have gotten a ton brighter.

USB rechargeable, C sized lights capable of multi thousand lumens, 18650 barrels, and tiny CR123 sized. It's a great time to be a flashaholic.

My pocket carry consists of a 100+ (steady) lumen triple A and a 500+ (steady) lumen 1x CR123. Each with a rechargeable battery. I have others nearby for either more brightness or longer runtimes.
 
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Dave D

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The two flashlights that cover probably 99% of my flashlight use are

Malkoff M91T MD3.

Malkoff MDC HA LMH Li-ion Rechargeable head on a Surefire E series body with a Lumens Factory 2 way clip.

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lion504

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Oveready BOSS 70: ***reasonably*** priced 18650 titanium light, secondary emitter (red), ORs XP-L HIs have really good tint, customer service.
HDS Executive Clicky: digital UI provides direct access to (***almost***) every level, candlemode, e-switch, omnivorous with different battery tubes, customer service.

mwSvBmm.jpg
 
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Nyctophiliac

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HDS Rotary times two.

One with a 325 slightly throwyer beam (Cree XP-G3 5000K)
The other with Dark adapted Red output (700mW)

Might need three different battery packs for them 2AA, CR123A and 18650 - flush button.
 

peter yetman

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Malkoff MD2 with an Oveready Triple Nichia and an HDS Clicky Nichia. They cover 95% of my needs. If I need throw, I have a Hound Dog, but it just collects dust when we're on Summer Time - I wish we had GMT all year round.

P
 

CREEXHP70LED

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These two...lol. It would be two malkoffs, I just don't know which two. Probably an MD2 and a Hound Dog. I don't even own a Hound Dog yet though.


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Derek Dean

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1. Zebralight SC64c LE (or any other variant you prefer of the SC64 series). Small, pocketable 18650 light with excellent color rendering. Not only bright enough for all my needs, but also goes dim enough for my nightly visits to the bathroom. Small enough to always have with me, but with enough power to last for many hours, even days, at very useful light levels.

2. Countrycom Rev 5 Nichia 219 copper AAA light for my keyring. Even though I don't use this little light all that often, because I'll usually have the ZL in my pocket, I like always having a backup light (just in case), and since this is on my keyring, it's always with me. The copper wears well when used on a keying, and I like that it has 3 levels (always turning on in Medium), giving me a choice between more light or more runtime.

It was almost a tie for the 2nd light, as I tend to use a headlamp quite a bit, but when it comes down to it, it gives me a very secure feeling always having that little AAA light on my keyring as a backup light. I also have the Olight i3e copper AAA keyring light (which I really like). It's even smaller than the Countrycom Rev 5, but it only has one level.

By the way, welcome back to your addiction :devil:
 

Sos24

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HDS Rotary and Malkoff Hound Dog.

The HDS meets most of my daily needs. The Hound Dog gives the extra throw and brightness when needed.
 

peter yetman

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I find it bizarre that most of the answers involve HDS and Malkoff. More and more I notice a crossover between the two.
Do we tend to be minimalists then?
P
 

scout24

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I would need to have a pocket edc sized triple emitter light for daily carry. 18350, maybe 18650 if compact enough. Mozt of the time it's a BOSS 70 or an Okluma DC1. I just prefer the broad beam pattern for day to day tasks up to and including walking my pups. And both have enough power to be 100+ yard lights outdoors at night. Good pocket clips, tailstanding, programmable, good thermal management and runtime if you don't use the higher outputs just for giggles. Second would be a neutral Malkoff Hound Dog in 18650 or Elzetta Bravo, either with hi/low as a "big" light. Outputs and utility go beyond their numbers, and if I need to drive tent stakes ot hammer nails, I won't hurt them... :) If we round up to five, i'll need an HDS Clicky HCRI, a bored Surefire C2 host, and a Surefire E2e. And my M6. Maybe an A2. Oh, and a Fenix E01. Wait... :nana::poke:
 
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bykfixer

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This thread had me thinking "what would my neighbor say?" You know, the typical joe six pack who occasionally checks the flashlight section at Wal Mart while touring the fishing section.... Or the policeman 3 streets over. The kind that say "$35?!? For a flashlight?!!"

I have one neighbor who will pay $399 for a fishing reel and $1000+ for a bicycle, but you'd think you'd just asked for his first born son when asking if he'd pay $50 for a flashlight.

I see some of the posts here and recognize the long timers understand the value of certain brands so the price is worth it to them.

Being a collector, I have literally dozens of flashlights, pens, knives etc hanging around at a given moment. But over a period of a few years I've become enamored by a couple of lights that were shown to provide an overall average positive. I'm supposing that is why the long term folks mention the brand of lights that are priced to where my neighbors would say "are you nuts?"

Another thing I noticed is that aside from the Boss many answers are the same as they would've been 5...8...10 years ago. HDS for example. It shows that a good idea never goes out of style.
 

Nyctophiliac

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I find it bizarre that most of the answers involve HDS and Malkoff. More and more I notice a crossover between the two.
Do we tend to be minimalists then?
P

Well, aside form the brilliance of the lights you mention (Literally!), there is always playing to the jury in mentioning the high end lights we have loved and cherished. No store bought lights in this thread, no sirree!
 

flatline

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I find it bizarre that most of the answers involve HDS and Malkoff. More and more I notice a crossover between the two.
Do we tend to be minimalists then?
P

I can only speak from my own experience, but at some point it occurred to me that if I spend $200 on 5 lights, then when I'm using one of those lights I'm not benefiting from the money I spent on the other 4 lights. If I spend $200 on just 1 light, then I'm getting the full benefit of my $200 every time I carry that light (assuming the light really is worth $200).

It was that reasoning that convinced me to buy an HDS and I EDC'd that light exclusively for almost a decade before I started carrying other lights (the HDS is still in rotation).

A couple of years ago I started thinking about lights again and noticed that while a lot of lights came and went from the market, there were some older designs that stayed relevant somehow. So I bought a SureFire 6P to try to understand its enduring appeal and from there it was a short trip to playing with Malkoff products.

--flatline
 

peter yetman

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Someone started a thread a few days ago asking if he should buy the 10 or so lights that he wanted from China now, before the sanctions kick in. I just thought, but didn't say, that he ought to buy one decent US made light instead.
P
 
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