New to the site and in the market for a new duty light

Hello! I was referred here by a colleague as i am looking for a new duty light as my PD36 has quit.( cant charge)

I am relatively uninformed and what is in the form below is just my best guess as to what i will need


==================Flashlight Recommendation Checklist================

1) How would you prefer to purchase the light?

____I would like to purchase the light in person from a brick and mortar store. I am located in ______________.
__x__This will be mail-order or Online (location doesn't matter).


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

____I don't know yet
____Up to $25.
____Up to $50.
____Up to $100.
X____Up to $200.
____Up to $300.
____Essentially unlimited.


3) Format:

____I am not sure, please help me decide.
_x___I want a flashlight (hand held/self contained).
____I want a self-contained headlamp.
____I want a headlamp with an external pack/power source.
____I want a mounted light (typically for a bicycle or vehicle)
____I want a lantern/area light.
____I want a portable spotlight (it may have an external power source).
____Other ____________________________________________


4) Size:

____MICRO - Keychain size.
____TINY - Every day carry (2-4 inches).
_x___SMALL - Every day carry (4-7 inches).
____MEDIUM - Holster/belt ring carry. (>7 inches)
____LARGE - Big enough to need its own travel case.
____I don't know/I don't care.


5) Emitter/Light source:

____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)
__x__I don't know.


6) Manufacturer:

_x___I want to buy a light from a large/traditional manufacturer that is ready to go out of the box.
__x__I would like a light from a specialty manufacturer (Possibly limited run/Custom).
____I am interested in assembling my own components. (for example a "host" or flashlight body from one manufacturer, and a "drop-in" emitter from another source).


7) What power source do you want to use?

__x__I intend to use "Primary"/Disposable Alkaline batteries based on the usual AAA/AA/C/D sized cells common to most stores.
____I intend to use "Primary"/Disposable Lithium batteries based on the usual AAA/AA/C/D and CR123 sized cells common to most stores (often a cold weather or long storage choice).
____I intend to use Rechargeable cells (NiMH or NiCD) based on the usual AAA/AA/C/D sized cells common to most stores.
_x___I intend to use Rechargeable cells based on less common formats (18500 or 18650 Li-Ion, RCR123, et-al).
____I want a light with an integrated rechargeable battery pack.
____I don't know/I need more information on power sources.

7a) If you have selected a rechargeable option
____I want a light that plugs directly into the wall (literally with prongs built into the light)
____I want a light that has a recharging adapter (your typical "wall wart")
____I want a light that snaps into a cradle (usually mounted on a wall)
____I want a separate/stand-alone charger (this involves removing the batteries to charge)
__x__I don't care


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 not a happy experience).

__x__I want to navigate a dark room or read a map (1-10 lumens).
____I want an indoor "blackout" light (15-50 lumens)
____I want to confidently walk around an unlit/unpaved rural area (60-150 lumens).
__x__I want to illuminate my entire backyard or a campsite (150-300 lumens).
__x__I want to illuminate an entire field, the neighbor's front yard several houses down, impress my friends and neighbors, etc. (300-700 lumens).
__x__I want search and rescue type illumination (800+ lumens).

_x___SPECIAL NOTE: Burst/Turbo mode Category - There are several lights that will run at a super bright maximum for a very limited period (usually 5-10 minutes) and then will "step-down" to a lower level for thermal control. Check here if this is acceptable.


9) Flood vs Throw: Flood covers an area, Throw reaches out to a distance.

____All Flood: I am doing "arms length" tasks like reading and campsite cooking.
____Wide Flood: I want a defined flood area for semi-close tasks like after-dark campsite tasks or working on a car.
____Narrow Flood: I want a sharply defined flood area that will project some distance for tasks like trail walking.
__x__Wide Throw: I want a beam with a noticeable hot-center for distance throw and a significant amount of "side-spill". Good for rough trail hiking, search and rescue, and general distance work.
____Narrow Throw: I want a beam with a very tight "hot center" and minimal "side-spill". Good for distance viewing, fog, and looking through dense undergrowth.
____Turbohead: I want a far-distance projector with a sharply focused spot of light and minimal or zero side-spill. Good for extreme distance and impressing your friends.

9a) Distance: How far away will you typically need to see with this light (check all that apply)
__x__Less than 1 yard/meter (reading, other close work)
_x___Less than 5 yards/meters (looking for something inside a dark shed/garage/basement)
__x__5-20 yards/meters (check out a noise in the backyard)
_x___30-50 yards/meters (I have a big backyard)
_x___50-150 yards/meters (I live in a very rural area/farm with wide open spaces)
____150+ yards (I am searching from a helicopter)

10) Runtime: Not over-inflated manufacturer runtime claims, but usable brightness measured from first activation to 50% with new batteries (Measured on maximum continuous 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)
__x__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).
____Slightly Important (Walks around the neighborhood).
____Very Important (Camping, Backpacking, Car Glove-box).
__x__Critical (Police, Fire, Search & Rescue, Caving, Survival).
____I don't know.


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

____Any size switch will do.
____I need a BIG switch (I'll be using gloves or have very large hands or coordination issues).
____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).
__x__I want a tail mounted switch (found on the majority of today's high end lights).
____I want a remote switch (usually found on high-end bicycle headlights)
____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. (Oscillating pattern to confuse/blind aka "Police Mode")
____I want SOS mode. (blinks in ...---... emergency pattern)
____I want a beacon mode. (Regular flashes at full power to show location.)
____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 higher end 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).
____I don't care.
__x__I don't know.
____Other, please specify____________.

15) Water resistance
____None needed
_x___IPX4 (Splash resistant)
____IPX7 (Waterproof to 1 meter/30min)
____IPX8 (Submersible to greater than 1 meter for 4 hours)

16) Storage conditions
____In house (temperature/climate controlled environment)
____Emergency kit (long standby periods)
____Automobile glove-box (wide temperature swings, long standby periods, critical reliability)
_x___Other____will be stored on my belt when not in use________________________


17) Special Needs/extras: Is there anything else you want or need that hasn't been mentioned? Select any/all 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
__x__Holster/ included or compatible
____Wrist/Neck Lanyard
____Crenulated bezel
____Non-sparking, Intrinsically Safe (IS) for use in explosive environments



Use case notes: I work security mainly intown but frequently go to rural areas for large events (damn you covid!). As far as batteries go, anything that is straightforward to recharge off of usb, or takes easy to source AA or AAA. Cr123 is ridiculously expensive where i am and hard to source (BC canada)

On Fenix, at this point i am willing to pay more for something that i can depend on, i have had 2 die unusually quickly (uc-35, PD36) I fully understand that i likely just got some bad units or killed in with user error, but I would still like to try something else.

1) Olight M2R Pro. Two stage rear switch for low, then max output or max then strobe. Side switch for low, med, hi. Tailswitch also is a magnet that is also part of the recharging system.

2) Klarus XT11GT. Dual tailswitch allows direct access to both max (main button) and low or strobe (paddle). Side switch also turns light on in last mode with memory but it's over-ridden by the main power switch. Micro-usb port for recharging in the light.

Both lights can be programmed to have either strobe or low output as an immediately accessible option, either as the deep press for the Olight or as the paddle switch on the Klarus. Both lights have a secondary side switch which can turn the light on in low mode and change outputs.

Big plus for Olight in my opinion is the UI. Click on/click off for all modes essentially. Click and hold for mode changing with side switch, double-click side for instant max, triple-click for strobe. Klarus uses click on then click-hold until off, double-click for strobe.

Con for the Olight is it's proprietary 21700 cell.

While Klarus has the plus of using standard or high drain 18650 cells of any type and a common micro-usb port for recharging in the light. Cons for the Klarus are it's not so intuitive UI and the nearly smooth body tube which if not for the cuts for the clip attachment and relief for the combat ring (which I don't recommend as it's metal and spins freely once on the light) would have virtually nothing else to hold on to, much like the old incandescent maglites.

I do think however that you might want to just try replacing the cell in your Fenix first. Clean up the contact surfaces as well. You may find that you don't need to replace the Fenix. Of course that doesn't mean you shouldn't buy another light...2=1 and 1=0 after all. ;D

Welcome.

I would not recommend AA or AAA batteries for a Duty light. They don't have high capacity and don't allow for high drain, meaning you will either get OK runtime with subpar brightness or OK brightness with bad runtime. They can also leak which can destroy your light. Eneloop NiMH rechargeable cells are an option but share the limitations in terms of capacity and drain. I would recommend going for an 18650 Li-Ion light, which can give you great runtime as well as brightness. 18650s are by far the most common rechargeable Li-Ion cells used by manufacturers today for medium to full-sized flashlights. There are even 18650s available with inbuilt Micro-USB charging, however I would recommend using a separate charger.

If durability is what your after and brightness is not super critical, take a look at the Malkoff MD2 in its various versions, that's about as durable as its gonna get. About 500Lm with good throw and two modes which are selected by head rotation. A well focused 500Lm is surprisingly bright and will illuminate a field just fine, although some detail may be lost in the distance. It fits nicely in your budget and since its electronics are potted, it will survive falls and moisture just fine. Its a 1 Inch diameter light, and will fit most standard holsters just fine. Lifetime warranty. For any Duty light I would always recommend simplicity and reliability over lots of modes and features and complicated electronics, which can get in the way and fail on you. Go for something simple, a dual mode light is really all you will ever need. Strobe can be useful but many lights make it complicated to get to.

Sounds like the streamlight HL3 might be a good option. With ten tap you can set it to 2-mode low/high. Be is a thrower with a great spill for up close work. Being a streamlight it ought to be duty ready. I have one and it's a great light.

Batteries are 3 cr123a, though I wonder how it would do on a pair of 17500 cells...

Have a look at the Surefire Fury Dual Fuel Intellibeam. It's designed as a duty light, so should meet all those ruggedness requirements and it takes 18650s.

Instead of a traditional low/high, it has a light sensor in the head which automatically dims the light whenever something nearby would make it too bright - in practice, that means you can go from reading something right in front of you to illuminating a field without touching the button. If you double tap it, it locks on in high.

Uniform duty is police level lights- Get the Pelican 5050r that is USB rechargeable and has a REAL LIFETIME WARRANTY. If it stop charging like he Fenix did, they replace it, no questions asked.

https://www.pelican.com/us/en/product/flashlights/5050r

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dAv8IPS5d7U