Flashlight ideas for Christmas gifts ?

Hi guys,
Starting to think about Christmas gift ideas (ie flashlights) for the men in my life, my dad and four brothers. Needless to say coming from South Louisiana, they all like the great outdoors, year round campers, hunters and fisherman. I was thinking about a flashlight, leaning toward LED. Mainly be used for night fishing, walking around the camp and navigating to the duck/deer blinds at dawn, I know their routine, they used to let me tag along with them until I became too much of a girl and insisted on wearing makeup before starting to fish or hunt. Now I only get to go on special occasions without bringing makeup, hair gel, nail polish etc.

1) Max price around $50.00, open to online ordering.
2) Not rechargeable but uses common batteries AA,C, etc., although I might be able to be talked into lithium 123s if the flashlight is right.
3) Minimum of 3 or more hours run time per battery change.

I know you guys can help me out here,

Lynn

The Ultra-G is water proof and has about 10 hour runtime.

The ARC AAA water proof with 5 hour runtime.
The ARC AA water proof with 10 hour runtime.

The Streamlight Junior Luxeon only has about 1 hour & 10 minutes runtime, but it's much brighter.

I'd consider one of the Eternalights. The only one I'm familiar with is the Derringer, but one of the "better" ones that are waterproof could be just the ticket. Check out the reviews for the best models. Oh, and give them all a Dorcy AAA for a stocking stuffer.

I'm sold on headlamps for outdoor stuff such as camping, hunting, etc. I keep referring people to this thread. An excellent thread on headlamps. Some of the newer ones with Luxeon/LED combos are nice and the vast majority use AA or AAA batteries. For extended runtimes (under "normal" temperatures) you can get something like the Petzl Myo 5 Belt (works off C batteries).

streamlight 4 aa led

Max price $50 for all of them, or $50 each? (Can i be your brother too? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/naughty.gif)

Headlamps are great for outdoors, esp a dual output one. Else a Twintask 2L or 3AA is also good for its dual output and long runtime. They should also have at least an Ultra G or Arc AA/AAA on them all the time as a backup light. Also, maybe some of those $1 keychain LED lights from CountyComm, if there's any in stock... get them the blue led ones, IIRC blue helps in identifying blood trails while hunting or something?

I should have been a little more clear, I meant a max of $50.00 each. I know my dad and at least 2 of my brothers have headlamps, not LEDs but regular incandescent bulb type. I was thinking more on the lines of a hand held flashlight that they can carry in a pouch or drop in a coat pocket. It would be nice if the flashlight would also be able to light up a trail/marsh path if needed when walking at night or at dawn.

ps. Sorry Stanley, I can't handle any more brothers.

Lynn

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/awman.gif Maybe next time then, huh? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

For lighting up trails, etc, I'd suggest a UKE 2L but it runs 2x123, about 3 hrs runtime, indestructable, waterproof, etc... Along the same lines, the UKE 4AA eLed is also great for brightness and runtime. If you get both the 2L and 4AA eLed, the lamp assemblies are both interchangable, so they can carry the light in the configuration they prefer. Both add up to just under $50, excl shipping, IIRC.

The inova x0.My Dad has yet to change the batteries in his and I gave it to him for Father's Day.Or inova x5t.

Second the recommendation for the CMG Infinity Ultra / Gerber Inf Ultra / Ultra-G, they're basically the same light. Those that who have been good to me this year are getting them.

(edited to add) now I know why they call it the Infinity - 12 hours at full brightness, and then you can leave it on for 4 days after that and it still lights up. Not very bright, but it does.

Ultra-G
UKE 2AAA eled
UKE 4AA eled with switch
Streamlight Twin Task series, can be had in either AA, C, D, and 123 lithiums. These have good runs times and are under $50.00 (Brightguy.com has decent prices).

Mike

Elektrolumens XM3 or Inova XO. XM3 uses 2AA and runs around 1.5 hours on alkalines. The XO runs 4 hours on 2x123.

There is a group buy goiong for Nuwaii QIII which is really a great light. Price is around 35-40 dollars which gives you at least ten extra bucks per lite to buy extra lithium batteries.

Try these: http://host205.ipowerweb.com/~goldenga/product_info.php?products_id=141&osCsid=11441527531df29e4f81b144607ed7fd

Only $43! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

NikolaTesla /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

An Arc lamp is the Spark that takes away the Dark--HID Forever!

My Lights

All,
Thanks for all the great recommendations. I really like the CMG/Gerber Infinity/Ultra-G especially the size/battery type and also what a great price. Rethinking under what conditions these lights would be used, too bright can be a liability but one concern I have is reach (ie tying a fishing knot, looking for bullets in deer stand). I realize that the Infinity Ultra will not blaze a trail but under night/dawn conditions, would these light up a trail? I have a Photon Freedom which I think would be marginal at best, how does the Infinity Ultra output compare?

Thanks a bunch,
Lynn

Why not a pair of lights, the Streamlight Jr. Luxeon PLUS the Ultra-G? Best of both worlds, still falls into or near the budget.

streamlight 4aa 7led
great light to toss in pocket... nice bright even white for close tasks.. and plenty wide for trail walking... easy switch on the tail... and great runtime

check costco for good deal...or brightguy.com

and the bright yellow body helps to find it if they drop it in the brush (which is why i carry a photon freedom around my neck at work.... to find my flashlight when i drop it under the stage)

[ QUOTE ]
Flying Turtle said:
I'd consider one of the Eternalights. The only one I'm familiar with is the Derringer, but one of the "better" ones that are waterproof could be just the ticket. Check out the reviews for the best models. Oh, and give them all a Dorcy AAA for a stocking stuffer.

[/ QUOTE ]

I second the Dorcy AAA....I was VERY low on cash last Christmas and had a LOT of gifts to buy...
$120.00 worth of Dorcy AAA helped a LOT!!!

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