How many ....

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flashlights do all of you fellow flashoholics own and which are your top three favorites?
 
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Five SureFires and 7(?) MagLites. Top Three Favorites (on duty): 1st- SureFire 6R w/ P61 lamp and Z32 bezel; 2nd- MagCharger; 3rd- SureFire 6Z or SureFire 8X (off duty) 1st- SureFire E2 2nd- SureFire E2 and 3rd SureFire E2.
 

Gandalf

Enlightened
Joined
Jul 3, 2001
Messages
802
Location
USA
I've never counted all of my flashlights, but I know I have more than 80 that are in operating condition, with batteries in them. Probably, the number is close to 100. So little time, so many flashlights.....
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My favorites:

1) Far and away, my all time favorite is the Underwater Kinetics 2L (lithium) light. I have 5 of them; one of them has occupied my left front pants pocket continually for around 6 to 8 years now. This light does what people are *hoping* the reduced power lamp for the SureFire E2 will do: provide bright light, for a reasonably long time. The UK2L produces this light, for 4-5 hours, from 2 lithium 123's. They cost around $25 . Replacement lamps are only $6.50. They are small, and incredibly tough. They are cheap enough that I will use it *everywhere*, and not worry about destroying, or losing it. If it only had a momentary on button on the end, it would be almost perfect. But, if it did, it might turn on in my pants pocket, and it would cost more, and it would be larger, too. Perhaps it's already 'perfect', as is.
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2) The SureFire 6P, or the newer E2. When I need more light than the UK 2L can provide, the 6P/E2 really puts out a lot of light for it's size. And that can be said for the entire line of SureFire flashlights; I own 5 models. But I use the 6P and E2 the most. They are so similar that I've lumped them together, although the E2 is a substantial improvement over the larger 6P
3) Although it's a relatively new light, the Technoogy Associates EternaLight Ergo 3 is, for the time being, (read: until the Arc-LS is in production...) The best compromise between cost, size, light output, and battery life. With 4 Nichia LED's in it's flat 3AA side by side design, it's small enough to be easy to carry, but puts out enough light to be really useful. Until I have a lenghty power outage, or my car is hit by an iceberg, and begins to sink in the North Atalantic, I have little use for the many 'modes' the manufacturer has put in this light. They are largely useless bells and whistles that make the Marketing people happy. But the light is reasonably tough, and uses inexpensie AA batteries; not that they need to be changed very often. If you put in a set of lithium AA's, the light will float, making it very useful for those who spend time on or near a large body of water.

Even when the Arc-LS is in production, it will cost substantially more than the EternaLight, and have substantially shorter battery life. Comparing a light with multiple white Nichia's to a light with a single Luxeon Star, is a bit of an apples and oranges comparison. They are very different in the way they project the light they generate.
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keep those responses coming, hmmm.... let's see how many responses come back without a surefire as a favorite....impossible...
 

JonSidneyB

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Jun 22, 2001
Messages
3,423
Location
Greenfield In
almost impossible to name a single favorite flashlight, depends on what I am doing and more improtantly, where I am doing it. If I was forced to pick only one, it would probably be an E2 since it is bright enough to use around the house, can be used a a tactical light and is small and light enough to be truly portable but I find flaws with it. I hate the bezel up clip and would much prefer a bezel down carry option roughly with the balance slighly below the clip contact point. I refuse to use a holster since it adds bulk or weight.
 

JonSidneyB

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Jun 22, 2001
Messages
3,423
Location
Greenfield In
oops, I thought this thread was single favorite flashlight. My light inventory is extensive but I am not a collector, these are using lights. I first of all try to have lights covering all common battery types just in case there is trouble getting batteries(blizzard etc, also in case i need to pull batteries from another item). I have two AA minimags two 3 D-maglights one 3 C-cell maglights, 8 Surefire lights though I want to reduce this inventory since some I don't use and I think a situation where I would use it over what I already have will not come up. with three favorites lets see. I consider my three favorites to be a 9Z, E-2, and E-1 though I do not think these are always the most practical. If you forced me to have just three lights, I think it would be the E-2 a 3 cell maglight and an Arc-AAA(if I had the Arc-ls, this might make the list in place of the Arc-AAA.
 

Brock

Flashaholic
Joined
Aug 6, 2000
Messages
6,346
Location
Green Bay, WI USA
I have over 100 lights, and stopped counting. I carry the Surefire E2, Arc AAA, and Photon 3 covert on me all the time at work an most other places. These are also my favorite 3 lights. #4 would have to be the Surefire M6, I don't carry it much, but it is the light I "play" with the most.
 

The_LED_Museum

*Retired*
Joined
Aug 12, 2000
Messages
19,414
Location
Federal Way WA. USA
I have somewhere between 180 and 200 flashlights (torches), of all shapes, types, and sizes; ranging from the diminuitive pinky-nail sized Tag Light to huge fluorescent lanterns that use multiple fencer batteries and are in the way no matter where you try to store them.

Then I quit counting.
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Favorite / most used (CURRENTLY): Arc LS prototype, 2 "AA" configuration.

Favorite / most used (Pre-LS): Expedition 300, DB-18, Eternalight X-ray, Trek 6000, Arc AAA.

Kept in or near emergency supplies or escape routes: Micra Lithium, Photon II, Division 2 Responder.

Kept on steering arm of wheelchair: Tektite Knife Lite, Photon UV, Pocketlight Auto, Tag Light, Trek 6000 (mounted as primary headlamp).

Kept in daily carry kit: Batonlight, Arc AAA.

Kept at bedside: Starlight 128, Eternalight X-ray, Eternalight Classic, Trek-4, Pal Onestar, Energizer Folding LED Lantern.

Kept in the can: Ledcorp "Our Best Aluminum Flashlight", Eternalight Ergo Marine.

Kept within arm's reach of the computer (where I am most often found when disasters strike): Expedition 1900, Trek-3, Trek-2, PLW-1, Photon 3, Deltalight Coast Guard, Maglight 3D, Maglite Solitaire, Tag Light, Arc AAA, Trek 4000, LEDTronics FlashLED, and several dozen others.

Scattered about...by the couch, on tables, on the dishwasher, in the kitchen, in shallow boxes, on the floor, in the toolbox, etc:
The other 130 or so flashlights, most of them with batteries in them.
Maybe I should crack a few of them open and see if they're full of gooey Duracell poop yet. :-O
 

AluminumOvercast

Enlightened
Joined
Aug 1, 2001
Messages
802
Location
New York City
Most of my flashlights are SureFire lights. Here are the numbers:

SureFire:
M6 (2)
M4
M3 w/19 LED head
M3
M2 (3)
E2
E1 (2)
G2 (3) + KR1 conversion kit.
8NX
9AN
P-111 for glock 21

Underwater Kinetics:
Light Canon 100 HID

Mag-lite:
Baseball bat.

Total for SureFire lights = 17 + 1 UK + 1 Mag = 19 lights. Not as much as most of you guys though.:

I have the M1 and M-111 on my to-get list.

As far as my favorite lights: (Top Three)

3. M3 (For it's power to size ratio)
2. M6 (For it's frightening power)
1. M2 with SAS Bezel (For engineering Inginuity)

Shelby Chan
 

PeLu

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Jul 26, 2001
Messages
1,712
Location
Linz, Austria
I cannot count them, but electric flashlights are probably well below 100. Many of them are headlights. If I add the non electric ones (mostly carbide lights) it may be 100. My wife says: too much. I'm actually giving away some of them all the time and trying to go up with the quality.

My favorite now is the ActionLight, I use it a lot. Next is a LuxBrite 229 for simple tasks and an Arc AAA.
My SureFire rest on the desk, because the Li cells are even more expensive over there.
 

JoeyL

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Joined
Mar 25, 2001
Messages
256
Location
California
I have 8 sure fires (mostly small lithium type), 3 stealthlights, 3 mag lites, 2 eternalights, an arclight
and a bunch of homemade lanterns tweaked from cheap eveready lanterns and leftover cellphone batteries from the days that an 8 ounce motorola flip phone was the state of the art.(they're good for something else at least).

For best engineering and appearance, M3
For best throwing power, UltraStinger
For best everyday overall use, E2.
 

Bucky

Enlightened
Joined
Aug 31, 2000
Messages
432
Location
Grand Rapids, MI
I only have approximately 10-15 lights, with 5 of them being SureFire lights. It is hard to purchase non-SureFire incandescent lights once you have experienced a flawless beam, although the Scorpion is very close.

My three favorites are:

1. SureFire E2 - as bright of a light as one needs for most any task in a very compact package. Add 75 minutes of runtime and the HA Type III finish and this light is almost perfect. (To make it perfect I think it needs to be waterproof, have a high-output lamp like the P61, have a clickable tail switch, and a M2-style clip)

2. SureFire M2 - many of the same properties as the E2, but it actually is waterproof, it does have a high-output lamp, and it does have a very usable pocket clip. The M2 really cannot be improved in any way - save making it smaller.

3. Arclight AAA - this light replaced the white Photon II on my keychain as it uses the cheaper and more readily available AAA battery. This is probably the light I use the most.

Bucky
 

flashfan

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Aug 2, 2001
Messages
1,301
Location
USA
Approximately 50, including several spotlights and a few fluorescent lanterns. Two more lights are on order, plus about six more on my "wish list." Have given away about two dozen over the past several years.

Everyday, I carry two Photons (II and covert III), Radio Shack pocket fluorescent, UKE 4AA, UKE pocket 2AAA on keychain, "flashcard," and SureFire E2.

The SureFire 9P is my workhorse light, while the SureFire M6 is my favorite (for now...).

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HunkaBurninLove

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Jun 22, 2001
Messages
179
Location
The Hotel California
Marvin,

I am glad you asked this question. Now my girlfriend can't get as mad at me when I tell her that other people have a lot more lights that I do
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Here's what I have:

Eternalite Ergo Marine (x2)
Pelican 2AAA
Pelican 2AAA
Pelican 2D
Pelican 4AA
Pelican Prolite rechargeable
Pelican Rechargeable LaserPro 4D
Photon-1 (x3)
Princeton Tec Pulsar
Princeton Tec Rage
Streamlight Litebox (x2)
Streamlight Scorpion
Streamlight Stinger
Streamlight UltraStinger
Underwater Kinetics 2L (x4)
Underwater Kinetics 3C
Underwater Kinetics 4AA
Underwater Kinetics SL4

My top 3 favorites are: UltraStinger (just received it; you gotta love the candlepower on this baby), Scorpion (small yet bright and a great beam), Stinger (nice light for its size).

My next purchase would be a Surefire since I've heard good things about it. I'm getting married this year so maybe I can register for one
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Congrats on your engagement nealct, hope you all the best.
 
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