I think I'm content...for now!

I've been a CPFer for a little over 3 1/2 years, and in that time I've bought/sold/traded a LOT of lights in my never-ending quest to find the "light team" that best fits my needs. For years now, I've put my most used lights into four categories: keychain, EDC, duty & utility. After my two most recent purchases, I've assembled what I consider to be the best "light team" for these categories (for my needs/likes) that I've had since becoming a CPFer. They are:

Keychain: Peak Matterhorn Ultra (1 LED) snow; best keychain light I've ever owned...period!
EDC: Peak Mediterranean (stainless steel); classy looking, excellent throw and overall output for such a small light...a true "pocket rocket" with very good run-time.
Duty: Pentagonlight L2 (HAIII); as a Corrections Officer, this light fits my needs perfectly...great throw and output, HAIII, and VERY good quality, fit & finish.
Utility: EL XM-3; simply the most reached for and used light I've ever owned...built like a tank, excellent run-time on Li AA's (VERY important for a utility light), and perfect output for close to medium ranged tasks.

Those are my "chosen few" for these categories. I have many other lights that get used for different things, but if I were to consider any of my lights "indispensable", it would be these! So, what about everyone else? What are your lights for these categories (...only one light per category)? Again; Keychain, EDC, Duty (...or work), & Utility. Let's hear from ya!

PJD

Hmmm, it's always fun to try and prioritise!

Keychain - CMG Infinity Ultra. The 1st commercial LED light I ever owned, and still a sentimental fave. Built like a brick @#$^house, plenty bright enough, long runtime off cheap batteries.

EDC: I don't really carry a torch everywhere, but if I did it would be my Longbow Micra. I love this little light. It's so beautifully built, with a perfectly tinted beam, decent runtime and regulation. When I pull my finger out and get a Fenix L1P though....

Duty: The light that gets used every day (especially for reading in bed) is my UK 4AA eLED. Cheap, well built, great runtime and perfect regulation off cheapo NiMH AAs.

Utility: Streamlight 4AA Propoly Lux. All the good points of the UK, but with that brilliant white beam. Great throw and brightness for really useful outdoor chores (bushwalking, animal spotting etc).

I have too many catagories. Couldn't fit them all in just these 4.
Key chain
EDC
Duty
Utility
Bedside
Childrens
Automobile
Colection
Emergency
and so on, and so on.
I am pretty much down to Surefires, and Streamlights though.

Key Chain: Ultra G(god i love this thing on lithium AAs.

EDC: HDS EDC U60

Work: McLux PD

Ultility: a Surefire 9P with the new KL3 and 2 stage tail cap, insanely flat regulation and loooonnnngg time on low.

I have a lot of incandecent lights that i also use, including one that uses a 100w osram bulb, but I don't carry them all the time for obvious reasons...

270winchester said:

... including one that uses a 100w osram bulb, but I don't carry them all the time for obvious reasons...

Click to expand...

I'm willing to bet this doesn't get much use as a keychain light....

I am ALMOST content and here is my list

Keychain
Peak Matterhorn 3 Snow29 HO Bright, white with lithium AAA's--long runtime

EDC
Peak Mediterranean 2AA Very bright, clean beam, great throw, indestructable, cool running and 2+ hour runtime with 2500 mAH NiMH AA rechargables

Work
2D Mag modified with nFlex 8 level current regulator board pushing a WX1S LuxeonV with 8AA to 2D battery holder. Hotlips heatsink and double coated glass lens keep it cool and maximize output. Blinding output, multiple levels to match output to requirements, monster throw with a lot of sidespill and 2 to 30 hour runtime on 8 Sanyo Industrial 1700 mAH AA batteries.

Bike lights (frame mounted)
(wife and kids) Aurora "1.5 watt" 2AA NiMH throws a bluish spot that is disturbing when viewed head on.
(my bike) BB500 R2H minimag with Fraen LP optics Very high output for it's size and the Fraen LP gives a square hotspot that is perfect to illuminate the street lane at speeds up to 16 MPH (27 KPH)
(son's bike pending receipt) Fenix L1P He can't break it as easily as the Aurora lights. Small and black to fit the style of his chopper with enough brightness to get him home and be very noticable to cars.

Helmet Light (mine)
Fenix L1P Small, light, waterproof and bright enough to point at drivers and have them notice me when riding. Uses NiMH AA battery that can be scavenged from BB500 R2H minimag frame light if I am hours from home in the dark. This is a guess as I have not received my lights in the mail but they should give me the performance required when I use them.

Wife's bed/purse light
Peak brass Killamanjaro 5 LED with lithium AA

Special Use Lights
low output red Arc AAA red with NiMH to dim it down
high output red Peak AA 5 red LED with Lithium AA
Ultra-Violet Peak AA 5 UV LED with Lithium AA
Long runtime indestructable emergency light Arc AA
Automobile emergency light Inova X5

I am 98% content for now... if Peak comes out with a new tailswitch for the Med (high/low output switch I hope) I will go to 99% content. At this point, I will kick back and wait for the (Luxeon K2) Peak Ocean AAA and a 2007 120 lumen LED single AA mega-light. It will happen... have to save the nickles.

Hello PJD,

Unlike you, I am not content... and the search continues.

My list changes often, but for now

Key chain: Peak Matterhorn Brass 3 LED Snow High Power. Beautiful beam color.
EDC: LionHeart. The variable brightness levels on this light allow it to handle a wide variety of illumination needs. One of my favorite lights.
Duty: I have two lights contending for this. The SureFire 8NX is very close to being replaced by an Aleph 3. Both are great lights.
Utility: Here my vote goes for my TigerLights. There are rumors of improvements in beam quality, and perhaps even extended run times. One of mine has a SL-35X lamp in it, and I love that beam.

Tom

Well, I'm pretty happy with this lot:

Keychain - ARC LS with the kroll switch, it's easy to operate with your thumb while holding the keys, one CR123 last about 2 months or so

EDC - 1AA MiniMag in a pretty color, F04 beamshaper, 3w Luxeon, MadMaxLite sandwich, 14500 Li-Ion battery

Work - Surefire KL4 on an E1e with an F04 diffuser, again on a R123 Li-Ion battery (I have 4 of these, these little hand-warmers only last 20 mins or so)

Utility/Car/House - Surefire 9P on two 17500 Li-Ion rechargeables, great beam!

Keychain: Arc AAA
EDC: TnC Key Lux AA350
Duty (work): Nightcutter P20
Utility: Mag 3C Lux III mod

I have lots of lights that could be substituted in each category. The ones I've listed here are currently the ones I use in each category.

Keychain: CMG Infinity Ultra
EDC: PRT 917-DB/ L4 body
Truck: PT Tec-40
Bed Light: Lambda Super Pill in a MM
Utility/House: Streamlight 4AA Luxeon
Bugout bag: SF G2

Me too. I've got most of my bases covered.
EDC/keychain ArcAAA w/Nichia CS (bright lil sucker)
Belt carry - Fenix L1P 2.5. (awesome size/output)
"Big" light (200+ lumen tri-lux 2d mag) (work on cars, lighting up anything)
work light - SL jr luxeon (for working on cars/etc)

keychain: CMG sonic
EDC: SF A2
Outdoors: M3/M3T
Utility: G2 w/ BOG and 2 stage tailcap.

Keychain: I don't carry keys, except for my one car key, and I leave the house key in the car. I just hate carrying keys and I someday hope to phase out all keys period.

EDC: A LRI Photon Freedom 2X that slips in the front mini fifth pocket of my Levi's.

Duty/Car Glove Box/Camping/Night Hiking: SL 4AA Lux

That's it for me folks. Two models of flashlights cover what I need to do. I love flashlights, but I'm very utilitarian and don't like owning things I don't need. If I upgrade to something new and better, the former item gets sold or given away.

For the past 3 years my EDC for work has been a madmax or a Nexgen 750mA TW0J Sandwich on a belt holster. The nexgen is almost too brigght for a close distance task light. A 3 led minimg upgrade has been getting some use also as a second light. For me the minimag LED mod is a great mix of output, size, runtime, and cost.

KEYCHAIN UK2AAAeLED. The flat shape makes is sit comfortably in my pocket. The front lug means my keys are in front of instead of behind the light. No longer EDC my Dorcy AAA as this will do the same job.

BEDSIDE/UTILITY Turtlelite upgraded with a LPR-113 Luxeon bulb. Great for night time trips to the bathroom yet bright enough for most indoor utility tasks.

rikvee said:

Work - Surefire KL4 on an E1e with an F04 diffuser, again on a R123 Li-Ion battery (I have 4 of these, these little hand-warmers only last 20 mins or so)

Click to expand...

What does the diffuser do to the KL4? Isn't it already a massive flood light? Does an even wider beam of light emit?

On a similar note ! http://candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?p=1118056#post1118056

1) KeyChain = Photon Freedom Max (soon to be replaced by Orb Raw NS )
2) EDC = HDS Ultimate (possibly to be replaced by modded JIL ?)
3) Home = NightStar 2 StarCore
4) Car = Cheapo Cig Lighter Plug In LED
5) Fun = Orb Raw Sterling Silver
6) Emergency = PALights (about a dozen of them !)
7) Back-up = Fenix 2.5

Honourary mention to all Streamlight and Inova lights

Not totally content, but I'm getting there:

Keychain #1 - Original Arc AAA LE - very content!
Keychain #2 - freebie 5mm coin-cell light from Lighthound - may replace with one of the latest Photon coin-cell or possibly a Jil CR2

EDC - CNC-123 HA w/ TWOH/POP2 sammie and RCR123 - very content!

Additional carry - KL1/UYOK/Wiz2 937 on a Vital Gear 2x123 body - looking for something better.

Utility - FlexMag with WX1T, Mag2C/LuxV, a 2D/7LED regulated light for long runtime and a couple of Propoly 4AA lux as loaners - very content!

I have the EDC and Utility taken care of, still looking for a slightly better keychain light and a better "additional" (tactical) carry light for hiking/vacation/etc.

Jon

vaism said:

What does the diffuser do to the KL4? Isn't it already a massive flood light? Does an even wider beam of light emit?

Click to expand...

howdy vaism! The Surefire F04 takes the hot centre out of the beam and evens out the light intensity somewhat. I need to light things up immediately in front of me, no throw required, any sort of hot spot doesn't really help.
As an added bonus, the rubber surround protects the light and it protects other things from being scratched by the light!

btw, there are color filters in the same formfactor as the F04, the F05 (red) and the F06 (blue).