Flash Lights....regular or those "tactical"?
 

I may have missed the subject but I haven't seen anyone post about flash lights? Soooo if a double post, what the hell. I have a pair of 4 "D" cell Mag-Lite flash lights I got before I retired from the Navy, about 1983 or so and kept them since retiring in 1985. The have had the finish worn some but still work well and a little over two years ago I bought LED replacement bulbs to see if they were better. Well yes they are brighter especially after the company sent me a pair of new glass lenses. I put in 4 new D cells in each one and they are used nearly every day especially if I have to look behind the computer or find one of my wife's hearing aides. Well it dawned on me today the batteries haven't needed replacement in the time the LED conversion took place! So if you have an old flashlight the replacement LEDs are worth the slightly extra money.

I also noticed while at Costco the other day they had a Duracell 1500 lumen "tactical 4 battery flash light for about $20 so I got one and that sucker is BRIGHT! I want to see how long the C cells last?

Tactical = mall ninja to me.

But for sure flashlight tech has really improved. My favorite is a $20 ‘defiance’ Home Depot light I got about 5 years ago. Use it as a spotlight running the duck boat pre dawn. Single mode and the button is near the lense end where it belongs making it useable with one hand. So much better than the old rechargeable spots that lasted maybe 10 minutes on a charge.

What I hate about most new lights now is the stupid multi mode switch they have. Bright, dim, flash....wtf I just want a flashlight!!!

Agree. I have one where you have to cycle through all the modes each time. Arrrgh. Still looking for flashlight nirvana. Still looking for folding knife nirvana.

I have an affinity for those big 4 D cells. Clubs that happen to have a handy light coming out one end!

Agreed. A 4-cell Noggin' Nokker on the floorboards within handy reach is always a good idea - in case of a blown fuse or something.

Yeah, LED flashlights are something else. While I have a number of old three and four "D" cell Maglites (I didn't realize there was an LED conversion for them - gonna hafta look into that), I bought some generic "hog hunting" green (green is supposed to not alarm them) LED thing from Midway a few years ago. Holy moley - I swear I can light up the bottom of airplanes on final to Paine Field, much less every hog in Washington. I bought it to light up rats in the back yard for my night time pellet gun rat shooting. It takes some weird, non-standard battery, so I bought a box of 20 of those, thinking "those should last awhile". Well, no schitt - five years later, I'm on about my third. The LED just doesn't use any juice. Isn't modern tech wonderful (sometimes)?

The flashlight that I use the most is this one that just clips onto my shirt. http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1547435963.jpg

I still have a couple of those big old Maglights but they don't get use anymore. I have been a flashlight nerd for some time now so may I suggest my favorite Thrunite TN12 or better yet its brother ThruNite Chargeable Flashlight TC12 V2 +3400*1 - ThruNite Official Store. I like it because it can be left charging through a USB port and don't have to deal with a battery and charger.

No cycling through, set it with a little button but cycle through the 5 settings if needed. This little thing is bright, but can be dail back so it can be used inside the house behind cabinets looking for small stuff without blinding yourself. I have one in everyone of our cars. It last a loooong time. When I remember, I change out the batteries on them once or twice a year. Only draw back to this is that its small, so its no weapon and it can get lost in a bag or drawer. I hate those tactical flashlights with the serrated bezels. Not only it cut up my shorts and get snag on stuff, its sharp so its a PITA. Oh yeah, did I mentioned I hate cycling through the modes especially the freaking strobe. When in the hell am I ever going to need that?

These more powerful flashlights had save my ass from crawling into people's attics and crawl spaces because its dark and old Mags aren't powerful enough. Money well spent.

You may be able to save a few bucks buying through Amazon or ebay?

Here we go... I will see something and have to fight the urge to buy. Once every 6 months there is a knife thread and a flashlight thread soon follows.

Here are some of the old threads:
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/off-topic-discussions/875321-flashlight-review-thread-post-yours.html
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/off-topic-discussions/974258-surefire-flashlights.html
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/off-topic-discussions/928578-what-flashlight-do-you-use.html

I've just started looking for a reliable one as well. But so far everything mentioned here have bad reviews on reliability. Going to Cabelas this week to see what they have on offer.

Cabelas is a very dangerous place for me to hang out in.

I bought a two pack of C battery (3) flash lights at Costco that I really like a lot. They have two brightness levels by pushing the on/off button and the front lens slides back and forth to vary the beam from narrow to wide illumination field. I think they're the best I've found so far for general use.

I've had mostly good experience with the Costco Duracell ones... maybe 2 out of 7 failed on me. One was the small one that holds three AAA batteries and another one that had 4 C batteries.

I have a NEBO light that does that. Its a pain. accidentally double click and you have to start over. I have a new NEBO pen light that rocks. Super bright and it is small enough that I can clench it between my teeth when I am in a tight spot, under a dash or under the car.

For me Maglite is the go to light, have had them for years. In our cars we carry safety light, then can cut seat belts, break safety glass, and have a good light.

Form follows function.

I just put a LED into a 20yo 2D cell maglight and was still very meh.

The newer USB-charged tactical-scary-black-flashlights are just too good, and so much smaller. I like the Fenix ones, but I'm sure they're not the best. They might not be as good of a club though.

And I'm not even tacticool-curious. I've no pants with zippers or rifles without wood.

My C and D cell Maglites with LEDs sit by the front door. Like baseball bats but less obvious.

Otherwise, it's $10-15 flashlights from the hardware store. Cheap, bright, small, pretty much disposable. Not very tactical I guess.

Forgot to mention there is at least one forum for flashlight mods and such. Candlepower or something like that?

I EDC a small tacticle Bushnell 20150 flashlight in my pocket that is always there, and always ready. It has 2 AAA batteries, and a end mounted push button on/off button for one handed use. I have used it holding it with my teeth for hands free use, and propped it under a vanity for doing tight plumbing work (just yesterday).

I keep a large Maglite in my truck, and a small maglite at work. I always carry the Bushnell because several times, I have been in a situation that I (and everyone else in the room) have been helpless when the lights go out unexpectedly...never again.

My EDC items are the Bushnell flashlight listed above, a really nice tacticle pen/glass breaker, and a swiss army knife. I carry all three in a COHIBA 2 spot leather cigar holder that slides into my pocket effortlessly, and allows me to grab one of the above with one hand, and without looking....one of the best things I have ever come up with.

I asked my neighbor, a SD PD Police captain what he/they use and the most popular one cost about $650 and is a 5000 lumen one and is about the size of the Costco Duracell. He said they keep them plugged into the car's laptop USB port to maintain charge. I didn't bother asking the name as the price made it out of each! He said they last an hour and a half at full power?

Favorite utility/folding Knife: https://smile.amazon.com/Gerber-Lite-Pocket-Knife-31-000345/dp/B002RILCLY/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1547477791&sr=8-2&keywords=gerber+eab+lite+pocket+knife

Favorite flashlight(amazingly bright for a aaa battery) https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B017R560WC/ref=ox_sc_saved_title_1?smid=AK3HEGILQ6XYZ&psc=1

Both were gifts from Pelican Parts Gift Exchange. Thanks guys. Light is on my daily keychain. I've purchased at least a dozen more knives to pass out.

Cree brand LEDs are still the best, at least in the normal household flashlights, there may be some crazy professional level ones that are better...

Get away from the old AAA/AA/C/D ideas, and get into the new supersized rechargeable Li-ion units. 14500 is slightly larger than a AA, 18650 is the size of those 3xAAA packs, and 26650 is the size of a 3xAA pack. Each packs a wallop much larger than the AAA/AA etc since they run at 3.7V instead of 1.5V

a link to the best LED conversion?

A cop friend turned me onto Klarus lights. Way too many models for me to figure it out but something like the fx10 works for most I think. I like that it switches between tactical and outdoor mode, to me outdoor is more regular flashlight, exactly what I'm looking for.

FX10 - F Series - LED Rechargeable Brightest Tactical Flashlight-KLARUS

i'm on the other side of the fence.

i think Maglight is the "blockbuster video" of the flashlight industry. they had such a jumpstart on everyone. they stayed the course and let the rest of the industry catch up and outshine them.

i cant fight..i suck at it. i do know its easier to block a swinging blow, than a jabbing blow. any small flashlight could break rib easy in a jab.

i dont pick my lights by how they will do in a fight..i dont even pick my knives that way. :)

Just remember how silly it is here. It's a flashlight. That having been said, even construction laborer can get in a bit of a pinch with a crowbar in the car/truck.

I keep mine in the center console along with a fire ext. Should I need to break a window. I've got that.

I work in the flashlight world and any of the lights from Fenix, Led Lenser, Pelican, Surefire or Streamlight will give you years of good service. We test them all and know our competition well. Avoid the ones powered by CR123 Lithium cells as they are expensive to replace. You do not need a big heavy flashlight these days to create a huge amount of light. But..... try and get a light that will give you a low mode as you really do not need a lot of light for most tasks.

I bought these a while back:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0744C3J5W/
2 pack for $15ish. I think I selected them because they were on sale that day on Amazon. If you look around there, you'll see that there are dozens of exact replicas from various companies, it's clearly a Chinese manufacturer who sells through many routes. I don't care about that, I care than they had a Cree LED, used 18650 cells and were focus-able and waterproof. These things must weight 2 pounds, there's lots of aluminum in here.
The problem with these is that you need to buy batteries. If you run the 3xAAA then it's pretty cheap, but you'll burn through then super fast. A pair of good, brand name 18650 cells runs you $20...that's a big investment but very good batteries.

cool career!!

man..i have a few CR123 torches. they have one huge benefit. the batteries can sit for a long time. a long time. i put a cheapo surefire light in each of our vehicles and i hang one from my bedpost. all CR123 powered. i can forget about them for a long time before i need to think, "hmm..i wonder if that light still works".

they still work!! no corrosion that can happen with a AA battery..i change those out all the time.

I love my Surefire. Its small, an easy carry and puts out an amazing amount of light. No multimode, just on and off.

Why not buy a rechargeable LED flashlight?

https://www.amazon.com/URPOWER-Flashlight-Rainproof-Rechargeable-Emergency/dp/B01E6X05VU/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1547486253&sr=8-7&keywords=led+flashlight+rechargeable

Last time I stopped in for just a hat, I walked out with a shotgun.

Haha

Exciting. What company do you work for, if you don't mind me asking?

I have had custom lights made by someone up in Seattle because I wanted my light a certain way, flood instead of throw which it was not available in the market about 6-7 years ago.

Good 3400 mAh 18650 will last a long time if you don't have the thing on full blast for an hour. Panasonic makes one of the better batteries out there.

One of the problem with the smaller flashlights, tactical or regular flashlights, is that they are small enough that it gets misplace or fall out of my pocket. Sometimes, I end up leaving it on a table somewhere and I forget to take it with me unlike a big Mag Light, its hard to miss and forget. If I ever get into it and need my flashlight to jab someone in the ribs, I will have to call Vash. I am sure with the two of us together, no one will dare to Fk' with us;)

I have 2 of the StreamLight Stinger LEDs I use in the shop. Compact for under dash use, light weight, bright, rechargeable. (The dimmable beam is nice for close quarters work, not too bright)
Just makes sense.

The 3D LED Maglite is relegated to “under the bed” status and rarely gets used.

I keep a few of the (Costco) 4AAA Duracel LED lights near exit doors at home. Good when I need to run out to the trash or lock up the chickens after dark.

I really like this one a lot. 2 for $12.95 shipped with the rechargeable batteries and chargers. Great for hiking in the dark!

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1547497084.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1547496646.jpg

Bought this one at Cabelas. Adjustable for 3 brightnesses. Rechargable lithium battery. Blind a bear at 100 yards. Not cheap.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1547498752.JPG