2 days, 2 nights, 2 lights

Ok, hypothetical situation. You are in a situation where you are going to be without electricity for 2 days and 2 nights, such as when camping, or an extended power outage. I know that this is a typical situation for many, chosen or not. For this period of time, you can have only 2 lights, both using the same size batteries. No spare batteries, rechargers, self powered lights or candles, light sticks, propane lights, etc. allowed. Just the 2 flashlights you choose loaded with a fresh set of batteries of your choice. You will have to do quite a bit of work/activity during the darkness of night.

For each size battery, which 2 lights currently in your collection would you choose? In other words, if you could only have 2 AAA lights which ones would you choose? If you could only have 2 AA lights? C? D? (no two different sizes at the same time)
These are my choices:

AAA: Arc AAA-P, and Princeton Tec Aurora Headlamp
AA: EternaLight Ergo X-Ray, and TnC Key-Lux AA
C: Mag 3C Lux III, and Mag 4C with an EverLed
D: Mag 3D Lux III, and Mag 4D with 20 LED drop-in
123: Inova T3 and Inova X5
Coin cell: Princeton Tec Eclipse, and Photon 2
Other (cr2, or other type cell): I don't currently have any

I tried to select one with good runtime and one brighter one from each size.

I hope the question isn't confusing, and it's just for fun.

What are your choices?

Depends on the work needed to be done really.

Headlamp if you need both hands, throw or flood determined by the task required.

ps: Would glow in the dark gear be allowed??

for AA :
KL1 + 3x123 tube
Ultra-G

thats what i've got in my small collection :shrug:

hds
and
hds

Inova XO - 2xCR123A
HDS EDC U60 - 1xCR123A

Both will drain the batteries pretty well and have a good runtime. If I need to use both hands, swap out the Inova XO with a Nuwai HLX712L Headlamp (2xCR123A).

How about the energizer 2LED folding lantern and a UK4AA eled

HDS U85 ( Can I have a F04 beamshaper too? )
&
SF M6

BTW, can you tell I'm cheating?

Ok, if you won't allow that, I guess:

HDS U85
&
HDS U85

or

HDS U85
&
Nuwai 1W headlamp (HLX712L)

-john

Interesting question when limiting the lights by batteries and no spares. Based on my current collection I would go like this:

AAA Lights - Arc AAA v4 Premium and Petzel Zipka
AA Lights - Eternalight Elite X ray and Arc AA
123 Lights - Arc 4 and Surefire A2 w/blue LED

Based on the situation you outlined I would really prefer the 123 combo but the lack of a headlamp would really make working in the dark harder. I could comfortably use the AAA combo but the lack of a "big gun" or "thrower" would be a handicap. The AA combo offers the most flexability with the Eternalight and the always useful Arc AA.

AAA: Princeton Tec EOS and Dorcy "super 1 watt" 3xAAA
AA: Gerber LX 3.0 and River Rock 4xAA Lantern
C: River Rock 2xC (Jupiter) and some sort of mag mod
123: Surefire L2 and Surefire 6P w/P61HOLA

2X123s
Inova X5 -as battery holder/backup/headlamp(the night eyes for the MM@G)
Aleph 1 DB917 2X123s- can run on hi and low for a long time batts get to low take the ones out of the X5 and put the used ones in the X5 for 26hrs more of usable runtime.

Simple - when working in a situation where nothing is predictable except the sun rising the next day, go for variable power lights whose output is adjustable to match exactly what you need.

If the sun DOES NOT rise the next day, we are in bigger trouble than a couple of small lights can manage

My pick (from the lights I already own):

1 x CR123: HDS Basic 60 and Surefire L1 LumaMax
2 x CR123: A2 Aviator, U2 Digital Ultra

The A2/U2 combination will give me an incandescent for the moments I need one, plus 20 + 48 hours of runtime on their lowest settings. This is more than enough to ride out say, 24 hours of darkness (out of 48) contingent on the sun being available for 12 hours a day. If it's available less than 12 hours, I'll sleep a little

Bumping the U2 up a level would give me 24 hours of runtime and quite a lot of light when your eyes are dark adjusted.


D Mags are great for riding out extended outages. I'd opt for my PocketMate-V Luxeon V light on top of a 4 or 5 D-cell power pack. The PMV that I own currently uses a single 18650 or 2xCR123, but if I needed staying power the design can be just as easily adapted for a D Mag. The Fatman driver is very flexible and incorporates a dimmer rheostat so you can adjust power all the way from 30mA to 1.3A reaching the LED. At 30mA it WILL basically run forever yet provides a substantial amount of light.

Easy, Surefire A2 and M6 with 250 lumen LA.

The M6 is really for momentary use.

The A2 LED's would do 99% of the jobs you need, but the bright white is there if you need it. The A2 LED's will suck whatever juice is left in the cells from the M6 once you have burned it down to where it won't light anymore.

Alternatively, McGizmo PD and Aleph3 both with two stage switches.

2nd Alternative, LionHeart or LionCub and Surefire M6

Bill

Interesting scenarios, is that the situation you and your lights will be in soon?

AA: Minimag RY0J MM lite or CMG Infinity, Mag2d nflex luxV 8AAs
AAA: PT Attitude 26k mod, ARC AAA
123: SF A2 35k mod, SF U2
C: Lightwave 3000, FT3C

what, no poll?

AA Choices:

1. FlexMag-W (8AA) for plenty of runtime and its a WX1T@1000ma
2. Mag2HID (8AA) for occasional bursts of big light.

Alternate AA Choices:

1. Fivemega FatMag85 (18AA) for one-hour of 1234 lumens
2. Fenix (1AA) I have 18 spares with the FatMag85 flashlight. :naughty:

CR123 choices:

1. Gladius Night-Ops
2. Surefire L4 with McE2S 2-stage

Jeff

I just went through that scenario last week when a storm knocked out power for 100,000 homes in the area. I was without power for two full nights. I had a 5500w generator hooked up via a interface panel, but it wasn't practical to run constantly (mostly got it for running the well pump) and the noise gets on my nerves after awhile (seems to bug the neighbours without one:naughty.

Anyway, my two most used lights cost all of $27.

Both take 4 AA's......

UK 4AAeLED
Dorcy "Waterproof L.E.D. Light" (plastic version of "Turtle"?)

The Dorcy is a stubby little light that works great for "ceiling bounce" with it's 2" base. One had been used by my 4 year old and left on over night already earlier in the week, but still lit up a room nicely for general use. It's not real impressive to look at, but it got the job done. I've got four of these just for this purpose.

The UK is another unimpressive light brightness-wise, but it's ten hour constant level run time is why I have three of them. When I needed more light, having been seeing by the light of the Dorcy, the UK really shined. It also spent some time shining up on the ceiling.

Now I must say, the first light I grabbed was my Q-III, then my Energizer LED headlamp to get the generator set up (I got home after dark). Other lights were used sporadically of course, being a light freak I was in heaven.

The only other lights I have that would run longer are my Infinities and a PAL-light (find mode simulated the clock light). They were pressed into service as nite-lights for the kids' and our room.

Would I pick the UK and Dorcy? Pressed with a choice, I'd have to say in my case, "Less was More". If it was a outdoor adventure, I'd have to think some more as I'd like more of a thrower, also compact. Mabey a Peak McKinley single and a two-stage Q-III. Not very glamorous I know, but neither am I.

I'll be damned, if you'll find me anywhere without a half dozen lights with me though!

From the light I currently have:

Camping --
Minimag with MJLED and two fresh alkline "AA"s Will run continiousally for many days. Would take lithiums if necessary and replace the mjled with the 26K led in the tailcap.

Q3 with single "AA" extender tube. This will run for about 4-5 hours with about 50%-75% of the 123 brightness. I would like a lithium but would take an alkline.

The Q3 could also take the spent MJLEDs alklines and get another 2-3 hours from them.

Home --

Three "D" cell maglight with homemade MJLED bulb running 75mA and the original bulb in the base.

Two "D" cell mag light modified with a single 3-Watt clone and dorcy "AAA" circuit. Ran it for over 30 hours and was still going good. Died somewhere between 30 and 40 hours. This is a good thrower.

wwglen

AA
Gerber LX 3 and infinity ultra

The ultra runs forever, the LX 3 has good light (and the batteries can be switched into the ultra as needed...)

The 2 lights I would pick would be:

1) Headlamp - Petzl Tikka XP: Great runtime on 3 AAA batteries in 'low'. A sliding diffuser for when I need an area light.

2) Flashlight - River Rock 2AAA .5w. Decent runtime and a decent enough distance light in an emergency.

AAA = PT EOS and ARC-P v.4

AA = UK 4AA eLED and Princeton Tec 40 w\ SE EverLed

123 = SF G2 w\ BOG 3W DI and Brinkmann Maxfire LX w\ BOG 3W DI

C = Maglite 4C w\ HD EverLed and Black & Decker Snakelight w\ SE Everled

D = Lightwave 4000 and Fulton 2D Anglelight w\ SE EverLed

I think the above lights would cover anything that you would run into in a 2 day timeframe. Reply and let me know what you guys think.