The Firing Line Forums

Go Back   The Firing Line Forums > The Skunkworks > Gear and Accessories

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Old May 31, 2018, 02:07 AM   #1
Cosmodragoon
Senior Member
 
Join Date: March 18, 2013
Location: Northeastern US
Posts: 1,869
I Need a Good Simple Flashlight...

I've been using the same set of Maglite incandescent flashlights for decades. They used to be cutting edge, from their incredible reliability down to the spare bulb tucked under the battery spring. Now... well, technology has come a long way. So help me get with the times.

I want a relatively small flashlight. I want it bright but not like, Ark of the Covenant bright. I want the button on the end for thumb operation. I do NOT want to cycle through a whole bunch of modes with that button. I just want "on" or "off". I want it waterproof, resilient, and long-lasting. I want it for under fifty bucks.

Any recommendations?
Cosmodragoon is offline  
Old May 31, 2018, 05:24 AM   #2
turkeestalker
Senior Member
 
Join Date: February 2, 2015
Location: Cottleville, Missouri
Posts: 1,115
I've been carrying the Cree type flashlights daily for quite a few years now that use the batteries that look like a AA battery on steroids, 18650 Li-Ion I think.
Doubt that you'll find one without the feature of multiple modes by pushing the 'on' button, but some are less temperamental than others in that respect.
They make some pretty puny ones that simply use one AA as well.
Great light with a beam that you can focus, durable, waterproof, for very little money.
Pick them up off eBay with light, charger, and at least one battery for anywhere from $5 to $50,(if you want to overpay).
Cheap enough that I keep one in the truck, the service truck, and several places around the house along with the one on my belt daily and two batteries in a charger on the counter 24/7.
Car chargers for the batteries are available as well or you can use the typically included cradle for three AAA batteries instead.
Here's a link to some on eBay.

https://www.ebay.com/sch/sis.html?_n...53.m2749.l2658
__________________
Vegetarian... primitive word for lousy hunter!
turkeestalker is offline  
Old May 31, 2018, 08:44 AM   #3
cslinger
Senior Member
 
Join Date: July 14, 2002
Location: Nashville, TN
Posts: 2,045
Streamlight Microstream. AAA

Hear me out.

I have a ton of flashlights and the Microstream at like 17 bucks simply punches far above its weight for a general purpose have it anywhere buy a few flashlight.

Pop a lithium aaa in it and you will be pushing to my eye about 50 lumens and your runtime is in the 4 hour range in my experience. Throw is decent, spill is decent. The tail switch is perfect. Heavily sprung to click for on requires thought / effort but momentary is easy, but not so easy to constantly come on in your pocket. All that and if you lose or break one......$17 Bucks . I have a couple that are toss around lights and the finish wears but they just keep chugging.

This coming from a guy with Surefires, HDS, and much higher end Streamlights as well as many others.

For more money I really like the Streamlight 1L-1AA. You can set it to only come on in high mode and the ability to run a CR123 or alkaline/lithium AAs is a pretty nice and well thought out feature. A CR123 gets you like 300 lumens the AA about have that. If you use a lithium AA you are looking at around 150 lumens for a good long runtime.

Invest in a set of Eneloop batteries and you have a rechargeable option for either. I would go with the Eneloop Pros for this use but any will work.

For ref sake an incandescent 2D maglight puts out about 20ish lumens but has a discharge curve that drops that number like a mortar very quickly.
__________________
"Is there anyway I can write my local gun store off on my taxes as dependents?"

Last edited by cslinger; May 31, 2018 at 08:59 AM.
cslinger is offline  
Old May 31, 2018, 02:34 PM   #4
burrhead
Senior Member
 
Join Date: July 6, 1999
Location: Chihuahuan desert, Texas
Posts: 1,147
I like the Streamlight 88853. LED, CR123, polymer so it's light and plenty tough for the average user. I have one in my jump kit and one in each of my trucks. Bright but not nuts.
__________________
Join the GOA, SAF and the TSRA

I'm offended by people that are easily offended.
burrhead is offline  
Old May 31, 2018, 05:24 PM   #5
jmr40
Senior Member
 
Join Date: June 15, 2008
Location: Georgia
Posts: 10,786
There are plenty of good options costing under $20. Look at Walmart. If you have access to a Sams Club these are about as good as anything.

https://www.samsclub.com/sams/tasco-...lp:product:1:1

These are 400 lumens and are far more powerful than the light you've been using. I like that they use 3 AAA batteries instead of the expensive ones.

There are several smaller versions that are in the 50-200 Lumen range that easily fit in a pocket
__________________
"If you're still doing things the same way you were doing them 10 years ago, you're doing it wrong"

Winston Churchill
jmr40 is offline  
Old May 31, 2018, 05:53 PM   #6
MTT TL
Senior Member
 
Join Date: October 21, 2009
Location: Quadling Country
Posts: 2,780
If you like your maglight just get an LED bulb replacement kit. Same light, brighter and cheaper to run.
__________________
Thus a man should endeavor to reach this high place of courage with all his heart, and, so trying, never be backward in war.
MTT TL is offline  
Old May 31, 2018, 06:13 PM   #7
jaguarxk120
Senior Member
 
Join Date: February 28, 2008
Location: Michigan
Posts: 2,617
Take your HF coupon and buy something small and get a light for free.

I usually get a brass brush, great for cleaning revolvers.
jaguarxk120 is offline  
Old May 31, 2018, 06:21 PM   #8
bamaranger
Senior Member
 
Join Date: October 9, 2009
Location: North Alabama
Posts: 8,262
two

I'll mention two lights with which I have had good experience.

The first is a metal Pelican #2360 that takes two AA batteries and has a pocket clip. It does have a tail cap switch . But I found that Pelican buried in the mud one spring on a 4wd woods road. It had undoubtedly been dropped months earlier by a deer hunter and laid out for a long time. Once I dug it out, it still worked. Took it home and cleaned it up, and it is still working. 'Course with new batteries. It does have two switch settings, high and low, but that is one tough light. As mine was free, I cannot advise a cost!

The other is a Streamlight Microstream. It talkes a single AA battery and is small enought to wear in your shirt pocket daily. I've washed mine in the machine several times, lost in once and it laid in our gravel drive and got run over , but it is still ticking. Tail cap switch, pocket clip a and one setting.
bamaranger is offline  
Old May 31, 2018, 07:02 PM   #9
Ed4032
Senior Member
 
Join Date: January 13, 2010
Location: Texas
Posts: 306
Coleman Illumilast. I have several. 20 bucks and works great.

https://m.ebay.com/itm/Coleman-400-L...53.m1438.l2649
__________________
Gun control is like stopping drunk driving by making it harder for sober people to drive.

Last edited by Ed4032; May 31, 2018 at 07:04 PM. Reason: Add eBay
Ed4032 is offline  
Old May 31, 2018, 11:57 PM   #10
lefteye
Senior Member
 
Join Date: January 30, 2006
Posts: 1,433
The Streamlight ProTac 2L is an excellent, very high quality, compact flashlight. It uses 2 CR 123 batteries . The switch button is on the end for use of the thumb to turn on the flashlight. I have two of them and they are the best flashlights I have ever owned. Dealer prices range from $30+ to about $44+.

Edited for typo.
__________________
Vietnam Veteran ('69-'70)
NRA Life Member
RMEF Life Member

Last edited by lefteye; June 1, 2018 at 12:08 AM.
lefteye is offline  
Old June 1, 2018, 12:35 AM   #11
Cosmodragoon
Senior Member
 
Join Date: March 18, 2013
Location: Northeastern US
Posts: 1,869
Quote:
If you like your maglight just get an LED bulb replacement kit. Same light, brighter and cheaper to run.
I still like the larger ones and they'll probably stay in use for at least as many decades as they have already. I'll probably keep them incandescent. Beyond nostalgia for the good ol' days, I do like the gentler light for certain tasks. An important problem with the smaller Maglites is that they don't use a button. You need to twist them. I want quick and easy one-handed operation with a thumb button for this one.
Cosmodragoon is offline  
Old June 1, 2018, 01:16 AM   #12
zxcvbob
Senior Member
 
Join Date: December 20, 2007
Location: S.E. Minnesota
Posts: 4,720
Here's one that I'm considering https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00BU9DSHW even tho' I have way too many little flashlights already. I really don't like having 5 modes that I need to cycle thru; just on/off is enough, or Hi/Lo/Off.
__________________
"Everything they do is so dramatic and flamboyant. It just makes me want to set myself on fire!" —Lucille Bluth
zxcvbob is offline  
Old June 1, 2018, 03:47 AM   #13
Cosmodragoon
Senior Member
 
Join Date: March 18, 2013
Location: Northeastern US
Posts: 1,869
Do some of the decent penlights or small flashlights have their multiple modes controlled by something other than the on/off switch?
Cosmodragoon is offline  
Old June 1, 2018, 10:24 AM   #14
Pahoo
Senior Member
 
Join Date: February 16, 2006
Location: IOWA
Posts: 8,783
LED's, standard or tactical, is the way to go

Tactical and non-tactical LED flashlights are so prolific that you don't have to jump thru hoops to find one. Our local farm store lists these for $10.00. LED is the future for a number of very good reasons and yes, most come from China.

I have give most of my hunting incandescent flashlights to my grandsons and replaced them with LED's. I am also in the process of replacing all my 48" fluorescent shop lights with LED"s. as well as my standard lamps/bulbs.

Be Safe
__________________
'Fundamental truths' are easy to recognize because they are verified daily through simple observation and thus, require no testing.
Pahoo is offline  
Old June 7, 2018, 11:31 PM   #15
Hitthespot
Senior Member
 
Join Date: August 25, 2010
Posts: 227
If your just interested in one light and your done any of the Surefire, Streamlight, Olight, Fenix, Klaurus or a number of other well thought of brands would serve you fine. SureFire is considered the best by many and they make a multitude of sizes of hand held and weapons lights.

If you have a serious interest in flashlights (usage or collecting) I highly recommend heading over to the CPF forum (Candle Light Forum) where some serious Flashaholics ( Flashlight enthusiasts, collectors) can answer your every question on flashlights.
__________________
I know little about everything, and know everything about nothing.
I want to pass away peacefully like my grandfather, not screaming and yelling like the passengers in his car.
Hitthespot is offline  
Old June 8, 2018, 01:35 AM   #16
Cosmodragoon
Senior Member
 
Join Date: March 18, 2013
Location: Northeastern US
Posts: 1,869
Thanks, everybody. I was not prepared for the depth of this rabbit hole. I picked up a few of the basic single-mode flashlights to play around with, including the Microstream and Stylus Pro from Streamlight. I ended up joining the CPF to learn more. Now I'm looking at some multiple-mode flashlights that might actually work for me, and some of those less harsh LED options like the Nichia 219...
Cosmodragoon is offline  
Old June 8, 2018, 09:17 AM   #17
rpseraph
Senior Member
 
Join Date: October 23, 2015
Location: MinneSNOWta
Posts: 454
Quote:
The Streamlight ProTac 2L is an excellent, very high quality, compact flashlight. It uses 2 CR 123 batteries . The switch button is on the end for use of the thumb to turn on the flashlight. I have two of them and they are the best flashlights I have ever owned. Dealer prices range from $30+ to about $44+.
Second this.
rpseraph is offline  
Old June 8, 2018, 09:42 AM   #18
Ricklin
Senior Member
 
Join Date: February 22, 2008
Location: SW Washington state
Posts: 1,991
About a zillion

I swear I have around that many flashlights, hyperbole of course.

Not at all fond of the flashlights that take three AAA batteries. In my experience the battery life is poor.

I have become addicted to the really bright headlights. I have one with a large rechargeable pack that I use with my 3.5 loupes.

If you choose the E-bay (Chinese) loupes be careful about the working distance. Prolly around 200 mm is best for working on guns.

I just picked up a headlight by Xanes, designed for cycling. It's a flamethrower. Really like the 18650 battery pack, on the back of the headband.

Nice big pack, recharges via USB, and balances nicely. Awesome and about 20 bucks.
I wear a headlight a lot, and the three AAA type eat batteries.
__________________
ricklin
Freedom is not free
Ricklin is offline  
Old June 8, 2018, 10:44 AM   #19
zxcvbob
Senior Member
 
Join Date: December 20, 2007
Location: S.E. Minnesota
Posts: 4,720
The flashlights that take a AAA battery pack should work with either a 18650 or 18500 (one or the other; many are too short for a 18650 to fit) rechargeable lithium battery. I wrap a paper sleeve for the battery so it doesn't rattle around in there. I get 18650's from old laptop battery packs. Those batteries are not "protected", but I'm pretty sure that doesn't matter when you use them singly.
__________________
"Everything they do is so dramatic and flamboyant. It just makes me want to set myself on fire!" —Lucille Bluth

Last edited by zxcvbob; June 8, 2018 at 11:51 AM.
zxcvbob is offline  
Old June 8, 2018, 11:23 AM   #20
Ricklin
Senior Member
 
Join Date: February 22, 2008
Location: SW Washington state
Posts: 1,991
THANKS

Thanks, I may have a couple that the 18650 will work in. Good thinkin!
__________________
ricklin
Freedom is not free
Ricklin is offline  
Old June 8, 2018, 12:13 PM   #21
Jim Watson
Senior Member
 
Join Date: October 25, 2001
Location: Alabama
Posts: 18,453
Thanks. I have a couple of fako tackytickle lights with the three AAA baskets that would not hold a charge. I might invest in a single cell 18650 for one of them.

ETA: Looks like it will take 18500.

I have a couple of Fenix flashlights. High - low by twisting the bell, the tail button is strictly off-on. Current models are fancier but I think they have one with separate mode select and switch.

I also have a Surefire Outdoorsman with annoying low-high tailcap. It was an IDPA prize table choice. It lighted me out of a burning house, so I shouldn't complain.

Last edited by Jim Watson; June 8, 2018 at 01:27 PM.
Jim Watson is offline  
Old June 8, 2018, 07:01 PM   #22
JohnKSa
Staff
 
Join Date: February 12, 2001
Location: DFW Area
Posts: 24,910
This one has too many modes, but at least the modes are selected with a different switch than the on/off tailcap switch. So you can select one and never change it, and according to the manual, it will remember the mode even when turned off.

https://www.fenix-store.com/fenix-ld...ight-2017-edt/

Can be used with AA or with 14300 batteries but you take a maximum brightness hit and a runtime hit using the AA battery. Still pretty decent stats on both even with the AA.

I have NOT owned/used this light, but I do own a few other Fenix lights and have been happy with them.

This is an interesting light. It's like the one above but runs off a CR123 so of course you get more brightness and longer run times. The really neat thing about it is that (at least for now) it comes with a rechargeable battery that fits the CR123 form factor but is rechargeable with a micro usb cable. The connector is built right into the battery! Saw this at the NRA meeting and thought it was pretty neat.

https://www.fenix-store.com/fenix-pd25-led-flashlight/

Again, I have not owned or used this light--I have seen it demonstrated only.
__________________
Do you know about the TEXAS State Rifle Association?
JohnKSa is offline  
Old June 8, 2018, 11:19 PM   #23
Cosmodragoon
Senior Member
 
Join Date: March 18, 2013
Location: Northeastern US
Posts: 1,869
I already have a dozen AAA Eneloop Pro Ni-MH batteries. That should be good for a lot of the AAA candidates. I don't want to have a "gee whiz, grandpa" moment here but I'm still blown away by how much light we can get out of a AAA keychain flashlight today compared to some of my old D and C cell flashlights.

I'm probably going to get a few different lights so definitely keep the recommendations coming. The separate mode switch on that Fenix looks good. Once I get settled on the right AAA light (or lights), I'll be looking at some AA lights too. So far, this has been an enlightening journey. The next step is playing around with the few that I've ordered. It will help me understand what features are really important to me.
Cosmodragoon is offline  
Old June 9, 2018, 01:51 AM   #24
JohnKSa
Staff
 
Join Date: February 12, 2001
Location: DFW Area
Posts: 24,910
AAA pretty much takes Fenix out of the running if you stick with your stated requirements. The only Fenix AAA light with a tailcap switch has multiple modes controlled by the tailcap switch. Their other AAA lights are twist on/off operated.
__________________
Do you know about the TEXAS State Rifle Association?
JohnKSa is offline  
Old June 10, 2018, 11:51 PM   #25
boondocker385
Senior Member
 
Join Date: March 6, 2013
Posts: 640
I have a couple of Fenix and Terralux lights. ..one, terralux, spent the winter in the snow and ice...still works like a champ
__________________
No second place finishes in a gun fight.
boondocker385 is offline  
Reply

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 04:55 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
This site and contents, including all posts, Copyright © 1998-2021 S.W.A.T. Magazine
Copyright Complaints: Please direct DMCA Takedown Notices to the registered agent: thefiringline.com
Page generated in 0.10063 seconds with 8 queries