What's the best bargain?

What\'s the best bargain?

Mind you, price really isn't an object for me, but I'm always fascinated by products (in any field) that represent extraordinary value. Whether it's cameras, cars, audio equipment, knives, or whatever- every hobby seems to offer some products that provide a disproportionate return on the investment. Although I will no doubt soon be asshole deep in flashlights (I can't do anything in moderation- it causes cancer), I'm rather new to this field, so I ask the following-
In terms of design, execution, performance, construction- what do you aficianados consider to be the absolute steals of this hobby?

For example, I find the Q3 to be an impressive device that goes for a song.

Re: What\'s the best bargain?

most streamlights are a good value IMO the best value is the TL2 or a surefire G2

Re: What\'s the best bargain?

Streamlight JR Luxeon; Gerber LX 3.0; Infinity/Gerber Ultra

(and all use AAs!)

Re: What\'s the best bargain?

Dorcy 1AAA
SureFire L4
Mag112

Re: What\'s the best bargain?

Dorcy 1AAA 1 LED for $5.94 plus tax at Walmart.

Re: What\'s the best bargain?

Try these:

1. The Infinity Ultra 1-AA (original CMG version): $16-19, tough to find now, but available if ya search. Nice "spill", runs forever, bullet-proof. All-time value.

2. The old/std. power PEAK Matterhorns and McKinleys: $25-30, available via online dealer RMSK. Not as bright as the new Hi-power/Ultra-powers, but longer run-times. You can kick the Matterhorns up a notch via an Energizer L92 lithium battery, too.

3. The UK 4eLED 4-AA: BrightGuy had a special for a while, but it's still a bargain at $22-24 (?). Great emergency power-out light.

4. The old model Streamlight TL-2 and TL-3 ($40 +/-). Great tactical throw; touchy incan. bulb.

5. Streamlight Scorpion: a real junior throw-king, and a bargain for $32-35. Touchy bulb, like the TL-2, but, when adjusted to narrow focus, could temporarily disorient an attacker. Fairly battery-hungry.

6. The Inova X1 LED: its 1-AA pencil-beam "narrows" its usefulness, but for $16-18 (BatteryStation, or Defense Devices.com), it makes a surprisingly decent outdoors spot-light, pocketable back-up, and (in green) a hi-vis/safety mini-light-sabre. (I hang mine on a neck lanyard for night walks.) For close-ups, it's a dud, but at 35-50 ft. out (in darkness) it's pretty cool.

7. Princeton Tec Attitude: 3-LED, 4-AAA. Look for close-outs on the older body style @ $10-15. Runs forever, water-proof as hell, very tough plastic. Its spill and "ceiling-bounce" will light up a large room, and it makes a good "car" light for holding in your teeth (add salsa for better taste) to fix a flat-tire, etc. Campers/spelunkers seem to swear by it.

8. The Surefire 6P: an original classic, $56 (slightly cheaper if you sniff around), same performance as some $100 Surefires, and a helluva lot more reliable than certain cheap imitators. Also a good body on which to hang a KL3/KL4 LED head.

Certain C/D MAGs, when on sale for $15, are the body of choice for the Mod-Maniacs. They also make good car lights... and anti-mugger impact weapons (assuming one has training, a warrior mind-set, plus another Real Weapon in a holster).

Others' suggestions?

Re: What\'s the best bargain?

Streamlight 4AA Propolymer Luxeon. It has a beautiful frosty white beam. If you like a decent throwing beam with a spill light, it runs on easy to get batteries and if you only have 2 or 3 batteries then use a dummy cell...it still works. It has a very reasonable run time.

It is built well, tough and is a bargain.

Re: What\'s the best bargain?

Any of the plastic 4AA & 3C Pelicans, UKs, Streamlights, or PTs. For CR123 cell lights I, too, like the G2, Scorpion and TL-3. The UK 2L is also well liked and versital. I've had better lamp luck than others have reported with those lights.

Value impresses me as much as high quality and most of my lights are in the value category. I've allowed the inclusion of an Arc LSL, and SF E1L & E2e just so I know what the benchmarks are like. High quality, if not insanely priced, can be a good value too - especially if they offer increased ruggedness.

Re: What\'s the best bargain?

Currently, I'd say:

Streamlight 4AA luxeon Propolymer; good utility light, bright and well regulated

Princeton Attitude; especially now you could mod this light with 3 26k light and make it bright and seems to last forever. It always stay in my backpack as a backup backup light.

Sandwich Shoppe Lux I RY0J MM lite sandwich kit; nice tint, good brightness and ~3 hours of regulated output; just a great sandwich(which I had built one recently as in Minimag mod) Even though I love building and modding, I did get some myself at this price level.

Pelican PM6. The new HAIII Lux III PM6 sounds like a pretty good deal, and the original PM6 has one of the best reflectors for throw at its size.

Good luck with you search! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Re: What\'s the best bargain?

LED - SL Propoly 4AA Lux; Nuwai Q3Mother.

Incan - beats me, but if I was going to dip my toe and didn't want to spend much money, I'd probably start with a Scorpion.

Re: What\'s the best bargain?

TigerLight.

Re: What\'s the best bargain?

I think you really need to break it down by size and output.

If you look at lumens/dollar, the easy winner is the Thor from Costco. 3000 or so lumens for $25!!

The Tigerlight is a great light for a high output rechargeable tube based light. So is the MagCharger.

The stock Pelican M6 in both LED and Incandescent is the best buy in my book for long throwing, bright, 2 cell 123 lights. The Hard Annoed light loses out on value unless you want a regulated LED, then it is a bargain in that group.

Too many variables!!

Bill

Re: What\'s the best bargain?

Fry's has a deal this weekend only on a compact 2 cell Rayovac charger (looks like 2 independent channels) and 2 AA nimh's for $6.99.

Batterystation sale page has Tektite LS (1xCR123 1W luxeon) for $20, Gerber LX3.0 and TX3.0 both for $40. each. Those are all pretty good prices.

Also the $1 CR123 and lithium AA batteries at Batterystation are very good prices.

Emilion and this company have pretty good prices and reputations for a bunch of low cost stuff direct from China.

Enjoy. Note that even at sale prices, it still adds up.... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Re: What\'s the best bargain?

[ QUOTE ]
TonkinWarrior said:
1. The Infinity Ultra 1-AA (original CMG version): $16-19, tough to find now, but available if ya search. Nice "spill", runs forever, bullet-proof. All-time value.

[/ QUOTE ]

This great light can still be had by CPFers with a GREEN or WHITE LED
for only $10 (!) at BatteryStation's CPF Specials Page:

http://www.batterystation.com/cpf.htm

Re: What\'s the best bargain?

[ QUOTE ]
Sub_Umbra said:
[ QUOTE ]
TonkinWarrior said:
1. The Infinity Ultra 1-AA (original CMG version): $16-19, tough to find now, but available if ya search. Nice "spill", runs forever, bullet-proof. All-time value.

[/ QUOTE ]

This great light can still be had by CPFers with a GREEN or WHITE LED
for only $10 (!) at BatteryStation's CPF Specials Page:

http://www.batterystation.com/cpf.htm

[/ QUOTE ]

Sorry, I didn't see the word ULTRA in the passage I quoted.

Re: What\'s the best bargain?

Some good suggestions have been offered, but, as usual, many have misread/misunderstood the basic premise.
A product may be inexpensive but still be a POS. Another item may be quite dear, yet be an outstanding bargain. What I'm looking for are examples of lights whose performance, build quality, and overall level of satisfaction are far greater than one would anticipate based on price alone.
In other words, I'm not looking for a $2.98 light, unless it has the performance one would expect from a $20 light. I will gladly spring for big bucks for a well crafted, jewel of a light that has world class performance.

Thanks again for the suggestions so far.

Re: What\'s the best bargain?

I own several lights that I consider to be good value, including my UK 4AA luxeon and several Dorcy AAA's (which has become favorite small gift item). However I would have to rank my Streamlight TL-2 incan as the absolute best "bang for the buck" of any light I own.

Re: What\'s the best bargain?

OK, I'll try again.

You do not want a cheap light with world-class performance like the SL ProPolymer Luxeon. Scratch that one.

How about a Dimmable TRI-LuxIII FatMag2C? Is that light more to what you are looking for?

Re: What\'s the best bargain?

I'll vote for a Surefire G2. Between 28.00-32.00. This was my first purchase in the "good" light arena, and I still like it a lot. I looked at the more expensive Surefires, but being somewhat cautious, wanted to see if the value justified the price. I bought a G2 just to see what 65 lumens really looked like. Now I'm hooked. I've spent more on some lights, and felt I got less. The G2 is in my truck to stay.

Mark

Re: What\'s the best bargain?

Powerful,

You already nailed one down - the Q-III.

Here are another couple of lights I find to be an exceptional value for the money - the Jil 1.3 and Jil rev . You'll fall in love with these little jewels.

For an incandescent, the Surefire G2 (someone else already mentioned this one). For under $30, it's a very good bang for buck - light weight, sturdy, and bright. I own about four of these. I carry a Q-III and a G2 in each of my 4 vehicles.

As for bright, it's pretty hard to beat a Mag85. You can buy one from someone else or build one yourself - it's increadably easy. All the mods are drop-ins (aluminum reflector, borofloat lens, WA1185 bulb (potted), Mag 3D, battery holder, and NiMH batteries). Wa La - for around $70 you've got a standard Mag 3D light that produces over 1200 bulb lumens instead of the stock 60 lumens.

For pure fun, buy a MiniminiMag with 20mm reflector here . Throw in a Li-Ion rechargable AA battery and a Nexgen 750mA TW0J Sandwich Kit

If you want major lumens, you can pick up an X990 HID light for $265 ($300 with extra battery), which is an absolute steal. I paid $500 for mine, on sale, a year ago. This is one extraordinary light.

If you start out with the lights in this list, you will be grinning ear to ear for many months . I know I am.