recommendation

Alin10123

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Nov 14, 2004
Messages
1,281
Location
Atlanta, Ga.
Hi all,
I recently had a 4D maglite that i lost. So... i did some more research and found a whole new world of flashlights. I had no idea there could be that much to learn with flashlights. Anyways... upon browsing the site. I've learned that LED's in general are the most efficient and produce the most amount of light in most cases while Incandescents produce the best throw by a huge margin. Anyways... while browsing a flashlight review website (flashlightreviews.com) i looked at their charts for the throw of the lights. I'm sort of confused... i thought most of you guys on here laugh at maglites... how come maglites have the most amount of throw according to their throw charts? AM i missing something?
Anyways... i'm looking for a light that uses batteries that i can just walk into any store and buy (not 123's) since i dont always have room to carry spares like D cells and C cells. Also, something with a really nice beam. Adjustable maybe... but i want the light saber affect when i shine it. Maybe something bright enough to blind someone at night temporarily? but also... with a battery life that lasts more than 1 hour (I think the stinger does that 1 hour thing). Any suggestions? I am already getting the tristar phazer for my "bright" light. But i want one with good throw since even the 4D maglite throws farther than the phazer. I dont really mind the big size since i am used to carrying around the 4D maglite. But none of those spotlight things. Just a regular normal flaslight with good output and good throw.

thanks in advance
Aaron
 

elgarak

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Jul 30, 2004
Messages
1,045
Location
Florida
From flashlightreviews output-vs-throw startpage:[ QUOTE ]
First of all, Lux and Overall Output readings should NOT be relied upon to give you all of the information about the light you are looking for. Read the review and look at the beamshot. All newer reviews include a beamshot on a graduated target at one meter. This will give you a good idea of the beam width which is NOT described by either Lux or Overall Output readings.

[/ QUOTE ]To be blunt, the beam of Mags sucks. It's spotty, ringy and full of holes. The beam gets fairly decent if you focus the light. Then you'll have a small hotspot. You'll get the throw that was measured, but the illuminated area at the target is quite small, which is noticable if you look at the low overall output charts on flashlightreviews.com, in which the Mags greatly drop.

People here like the Mags as host bodies for mods (I'm not much into it). Looking into the mods, it amazes me (and greatly reduced my esteem for the company Maglite, not the lights) is how easy it is to get a better beam (frosting/texturing of the lens and/or reflector helps a lot), but Maglite has done nothing in this way in the last 20 years (and does not have a single LED light yet, which ALL other manufacturers have). Instead, they are suing other manufacturers for allegedly copying their trademarked appearance. Go figure.

Enough ranting. For the light you are looking for: As I said, I'm not much into modding (other people around here can recommend much better things in this direction). For standard off the shelf light with lots of throw, take a look into the Princeton Tec Surge. Runs 3 hrs on 8 AAs. According to the throw chart, it throws slightly less than a Mag 4d, but believe me, the better beam more than compensates for that. And it's fairly cheap ($25).
 

Alin10123

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Nov 14, 2004
Messages
1,281
Location
Atlanta, Ga.
Hmm... not quite my taste on the looks. Hows about one with a metal casing? Sort of like the elektrolumens phazer type case? Of the surefire cases? I kinda of like that look better.

thanks
 

Alin10123

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Nov 14, 2004
Messages
1,281
Location
Atlanta, Ga.
Hmm... not quite my taste on the looks. Hows about one with a metal casing? Sort of like the elektrolumens phazer type case? Of the surefire cases? I kinda of like that look better.

thanks
 

ACMarina

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Sep 10, 2004
Messages
3,119
Location
Brookston, IN
Surefire's good, but you're looking at 123 batteries there. Maybe some of the Inova lights that run on AAs would be of interest?? Or the Twin Task lights. .

Don't completely discard the Princeton Tec, though. You should try and pick one up, as the size to output ratio is hard to beat. Plus, it's a great option for those watery times (flooded basement, leaky pipes, stuff like that). .
 

Double_A

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Jul 15, 2003
Messages
2,042
Alin10123-

Welcome to CPF. All of your questions are reasonable questions. I see some have already answered a few of them.

The single best thing I could suggest to you would be to find some fellow members here on the forum. A quick visit to see some flashlights would answer nearly all your current questions and really open your eyes to how much better newer flashlights can be. Check the Members get together section here and maybe modify your CPF ID to include the city/state/province where your located you might get an offer to check out some cool lights. Most of us enjoy showing off our lights to a newbie. It's a great way to check out what can be some expensive lights without dropping a dime. My personal collection would cost about $1500 to replace and I have over 10 different Surefires.

GregR
 

cratz2

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Apr 6, 2003
Messages
3,947
Location
Central IN
Incandescent with throw on par with a 4D Mag, metal tube, longer than 1 hour runtime, no CR123 batteries...

Sheesh! Sounds like you want a 4D Mag... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/nana.gif

Seriously... It seems like most of the newer technology is in the direction of being smaller which means much of the newer 'brighter' lights will be using 123 batteries. The Legend LX, Dorcy Spyder, Streamlight Scorpion and Pelican M6 are all among the brighter/smaller lights available for a very reasonable cost, but they ALL use 123s. Surefires are all all either 123 lights or rechargable.
 

Ratso

Enlightened
Joined
Jul 15, 2002
Messages
413
Location
Knoxville, TN
Have you considered rechargeables? An Ultra-Stinger, Tiger Light, or Magcharger may be the ticket. Or maybe even an SL-20X.
 

Alin10123

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Nov 14, 2004
Messages
1,281
Location
Atlanta, Ga.
Since i'm getting the "phazer" as my bright light. I need one with good throw. This being my "throwlight", reduced size isn't too big of a deal to me. Like i said, i dont mind if it takes 4C's or 4D's, as long as it's a good throw. But i like the metal casing instead of plastic.

I'll be getting another light as my compact "pocket light", that's why it can be 4d or 4c or whatever. Like i said, as long as it's got good throw and the light saber effect. and somewhat of a good quality adjustable beam, i'm good to go.

I"m not really against 123 batteries. It's just that the good lights i've seen with those batteries dont even have an hour life in them. Someone correct me if i'm wrong on this one.
 

Ratso

Enlightened
Joined
Jul 15, 2002
Messages
413
Location
Knoxville, TN
The Ultra Stinger has excellent throw. It is not 123A lithium powered, it is powered by 4 'sub-C' rechargeable Ni-Cad batteries. It can be focused down into a very tught spot (especially with the older smooth reflectors). The TigerLight is also a rechargeable with excellent throw. It puts out more overall light (Lumens) but its beam is not quite as tight as the Ultra Stinger's at tightest focus.
 

Alin10123

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Nov 14, 2004
Messages
1,281
Location
Atlanta, Ga.
I did a search for "tigerlight" on yahoo. It's a light with pepper spray?? I dont think i need that just yet.
Anyways... is there a good flaslight that shoots far; that uses regular batteries and has a metal case?
Also,... i looked at the ultra stinger... how come the battery life only lasts one hour? Is there one that lasts longer? With a good throw as well?

thanks
 

Alin10123

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Nov 14, 2004
Messages
1,281
Location
Atlanta, Ga.
So, which is brighter? the Stinger? or the ultrastinger? the ultra seems to put out more light? but which has more throw?
Will that one give me the light saber effect?

thanks
 

CroMAGnet

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Sep 4, 2004
Messages
2,540
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Los Gatos, CA
I'm not familiar with the stingers but I kinda know the TigerLight. IMHO The TigerLights are one of the best incand lights you can get. They have a Federal Bureau Of Prisons model that is only 8" long and doesn't have pepper spray. It's called the FBOP model. However you asked for a standard battery model recomendation and the Tiger is rechargable so that wont meet your request.

I also have a Princeton Tech Surge (dive light) it's small and pretty powerful. Has good throw, nice spill and pretty clean beam. It uses eight AA batteries, so that's easy to find for you. It's durable too. You might want to throw that one in the mix.
 

Topper

Flashaholic*
Joined
Dec 1, 2003
Messages
2,630
Location
North East Arkansas
I gave away (brother in law) a 6D mag after I got my Tri Star Phaser. My thrower is a SF M4 w/2 A19's on 3 168s Pilas
Turbo head ,rechargable cells, life is good. The 123cells are much cheaper online. If you are determined to stick with store easy found cells A 6C mag is fun I have a 4C mag as well. Please do not tell anyone. I do use my TSP more than the mags. I use almost everything more than the mags but I still got them for loners.
Topper
 

Ratso

Enlightened
Joined
Jul 15, 2002
Messages
413
Location
Knoxville, TN
[ QUOTE ]
how come the battery life only lasts one hour? Is there one that lasts longer? With a good throw as well?


[/ QUOTE ]

Most rechargeables will run around 1 hour, depending on bulb and batteries; However, they have a flatter output vs. time curve, while alkalines will run longer but dim in the process.

[ QUOTE ]
So, which is brighter? the Stinger? or the ultrastinger? the ultra seems to put out more light? but which has more throw?
Will that one give me the light saber effect?

[/ QUOTE ]

The Ultra Stinger has more light output and has greater throw than the Stinger.

Don't discount the Tiger Light; It is available without the pepperspray and has greater output than the Ultra Stinger. Both throw very well, but the Ultra-Stinger has a slightly more focused beam.

If you do not want a rechargeable, I recommend you check out the Princeton Tec Surge and the Underwater Kinetics SL4 and SL6.
 

Double_A

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Jul 15, 2003
Messages
2,042
The only reason lights using 123 cells generally run only an hour is because they are jacked up running at max. For the most part that is what customers seem to want. The chemistry of lithium cells allow for very high energy density. This packs alot of power into a small cell. There is no reason they couldn't make a dimmer light that runs for 4 or 5 hours on 123's. Except when people compare two small flashlights side by side, one of average light output running for several hours and the other running for an hour and burn your eyeballs out bright, people start drooling over the bright one and forget about the longer running light.

This is where meeting up with someone and seeing a tiny Surefire compared to a 4-d cell maglight in the darkness is great. Usually comments are of the "Holy poop I never would have believed that much light could come out of something so tiny and it fits in the palm of your hand!"

Of course you'll start to believe when you get your Phazer....
 

Hookd_On_Photons

Enlightened
Joined
Oct 28, 2004
Messages
647
Off-the-shelf solution: buy a Maglite rechargable. Seriously. It's decently bright, and smaller than your 4-D Mag. If you want to turn it into a lightsaber, buy a UCL lens and Welch-Allyn 1160 lamp (swap it for the stock Magcharger lamp) from Flashlightlens.com. That setup will get you 500+ lumens, but at significantly reduced runtime (about 30 minutes).

Another simple solution: get some Elektrolumens 3AA-to-D battery holders (browse the Elektrolumens forum here on CPF). I have a stock 2-D Mag with two of these, running the equivalent of a 6 D-cell Maglite bulb (it's the cheapo Radio Shack model). It's bright for its size, it's cheap, and it uses stock parts and batteries (except for the 3-to-D holders). It's still got that ugly Mag artifact-ridden beam, though. If that's still not bright enough, you can buy a fancy GH24 bulb and power it with 6 AA NiMH rechargables (alkalines can't keep up with the current draw). The GH24 bulbs cost about $15 each, though.

For even brighter and more exotic Mag mods, try doing a search using the term Mag60 or Mag85. Also try browsing through CPF member Ginseng's posts.

The Princeton Tec Surge is pretty decent for a stock flashlight. It's small, bright, and uses 8 AA batteries (don't use lithiums!). The UK SL6 is even brighter, but it weighs twice as much (about 20oz), and is a bit bulky for hand carry. It's powered by 6 C cells. You can check them out at Brightguy.Com
 

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