Best Flashlights?

[jyl]

It is time to buy some flashlights to restock the house and cars.

I used to have a whole bunch of Maglites and similar, but one by one the kids took them to college or camping and they disappeared.

What do you all like for flashlights, in the following categories?

A: Light Cannon. This is the flashlight you keep by the door for when you hear a sound and go outside, aim your flamethrower into the night sky, and light up a UFO taking off with a whole neighbor family. You raise the alarm but no-one believes you. A week later the UFO comes back for you and you fight them off with your light blaster, focused to max tight and broiling pasty aliens like ants under a magnifying glass. Not just a self defense weapon, in a pinch serves as a photon drive or tanning booth. Size and weight not that important, looking for sheer lightpower plus beam control. Optional club feature a nice to have but we’re not cops on a beat.

B: Utility Illuminator. This is the flashlight for the back of the refrigerator, the underside of the car, the basement during a blackout. The light cannon gets all the oooos but when you want to change a fuse without being knocked unconscious by the light beam ricocheting off the panel door, this is what you need. Wide and even illumination, good battery life, small and handy, stays where you put it, and cheap enough to have a dozen stashed in cars and rooms. Bonus if can be held in your teeth, double bonus if battery life is long enough to last through the whole blackout. Rechargeables will be considered.

C: Headlamp. More than just a utility illuminator stuck to your forehead, the ideal headlamp is feather-light, goes from bright enough to mountain bike a trail in the dark to dim enough to tie on a fly without spooking the whole stream. Waterproof, small and powered by standard batteries are all musts. Night vision red setting gets bonus points.

Have any recommendations to share? Post links and watch me do my patriotic consumer duty!

[herr_oberst]

I have one of those harbor freight rechargeable hand held spotlights by the back door.
Dirt cheap, works fine, and did I mention rechargeable?

My best headlight is one I bought from the Columbia Sportswear outlet store, and I think it meets your needs, but there's a million different headlight brands out there these days. (My most disappointing headlight is a HEBO brand rechargeable; it would tick all the boxes except the charge doesn't last nearly long enough)

The car flashlight is a 4D cell maglite, (mag heavy, actually. It falls easily to hand if you know what I mean....).

I'm interested in this thread because I love hearing about the new flashlight technology.

[vash]

House. Stream light stinger rechargeable. So bright and durable. Battery is replaceable.
Utility. Streamliight protection 2AA. Cheap. I’ve had one in my manbag for two decades. The same one. It’s my EDC.
Total emergency- sure fire G2 (?). Anything that runs the CR123 battery. Those batteries have a crazy shelf life. So the light in your glovebox will work despite the fact that you haven’t touched it for 5 years. I just got a new light that uses a single CR123 from stream light. I fist full of them for earthquake kits my wife put together.

Headlamp. Zebra light. No doubt.

[Fast Freddy 944]

Mag lights, the security and police size, cool effects, but makes a great weapon if somebody wants to get in you zone.

[wdfifteen]

I'm OCD about house lighting, mainly because I get, "Did you hear that sound?" from MrsWD just before she dives the covers and holds a pillow over her head.

The biggest thing for me is keeping the lights in designated places so I can find them in an emergency. I try to keep the NEBO rechargeable plugged into the charger on the kitchen counter all the time. (I don't have a lot of luck with that.) It's strong enough to let me see the chicken coop 75 yards away. The little Fenix PD 35 is small enough to keep in my desk drawer and is strong for its size. The contacts need to be cleaned every few months though. It takes 123 size batteries.
I've tried a couple of headlights and like this "Coast" brand from the hardware store best. It uses 3 AAA batteries that last about an hour at full power. I keep an extra set of Eneloops on the battery maintainer and swap them out when they get weak. I like this better than the rechargeable headlamp I have because when its battery is dead I'm dead in the water until it is charged.
We have motion sensing lights in every room. We have plug-ins where there is an appropriate outlet and some are battery powered ones for places there is no outlet.

Our biggest problem is location discipline. I'd railed and railed to MrsWD about the putting the damn flashlights back where they belong, and I still find myself searching for one when I need it.

[Joe Bob]

Streamlight are the schizzle...

[craigster59]

5.11 makes good flashlights...

https://www.511tactical.com/accessories/flashlights.html

[Shaun @ Tru6]

These are amazing flashlights.

UltraFire 3 Pack 502B Tactical LED Flashlight 1000 Lumens 5 Modes Mini Flashlights Waterproof Bright Torch (Batteries Not Included)


Batteries

3000mAh 3 7V 18650 ANR 30Q 20A Rechargeable Lithium Battery

[vash]

Originally Posted by Fast Freddy 944

Mag lights, the security and police size, cool effects, but makes a great weapon if somebody wants to get in you zone.

My brother the policeman says the police don’t even carry mag,lights anymore. I never liked them

My tiny stream light has those raised bezel ribs. They are made for a jab defense. Not so sure I could put it together in the heat of the moments.

[masraum]

We've had a bunch of flashlight threads over the years and most of them get a ton of responses.

I've got a thrunight that was recommended by someone here in one of the threads. I've also got a zebralight headlight that was recommended here.

Some of the popular brands are streamlight and surefire.

Here's a thread with 100 posts from last Dec.
The Flashlight review thread: post yours.

and some more
What flashlight do you use?

Tactical flashlight. Impressed.

Flashlight addiction??

What's the best flashlight out there?

[masraum]

Originally Posted by vash

My brother the policeman says the police don’t even carry mag,lights anymore. I never liked them

My tiny stream light has those raised bezel ribs. They are made for a jab defense. Not so sure I could put it together in the heat of the moments.

Dude, we all know that this fight scene where Jason Bourne kicks the sheisse out of the other assassin with a rolled up magazine was choreographed based on video of you.

[Seahawk]

My son is a complete gear junky. He camps quite a bit and has an amazing eye for quality stuff.

A few years ago he gave me a set of these: https://www.moonsportusa.com/u-headlamp-page



I have other, cheaper headlamps I put in every car, unopened, for emergencies, but the Moon Sport is really, really good and my go to.

It has a UBS re charger and is always ready.

For non airline trips I pack it in my suitcase just in case. The only issue is they are made in the PRC.

For other flashlights, I have a bunch of run of the mill, waterproof stuff that I rotate, Nothing special.

[daepp]

Small, 2 cell Surefire tactical. Unbelievable!

[widebody911]

Oh flashlight; neverminde

[jyl]

Originally Posted by Seahawk

The only issue is they are made in the PRC.

I’d sure like to see more stuff made in Mexico. IMO the US should leverage and extend the NAFTA framework to steer more investment, infrastructure, trade and production to our Southern neighbors. For one thing, more jobs in Mexico and points south helps reduce the refugee issue. For another, sending money to China is basically the US taxpayer helping to enrich our primary global competitor and antagonist.

[flatbutt]

Wait...Vash has a "manbag"? For two decades? It's a backpack right? You're just playing silly buggers with the name...right?

[jyl]

Originally Posted by flatbutt

Wait...Vash has a "manbag"? For two decades? It's a backpack right? You're just playing silly buggers with the name...right?

I have started carrying all my crap in a “Baggu” fanny pack slung over my manly shoulder . . . and it’s pink . . . hey, the times they are a’changing. Would you like to know my pronouns?

[masraum]

Originally Posted by jyl

I’d sure like to see more stuff made in Mexico. IMO the US should leverage and extend the NAFTA framework to steer more investment, infrastructure, trade and production to our Southern neighbors. For one thing, more jobs in Mexico and points south helps reduce the refugee issue. For another, sending money to China is basically the US taxpayer helping to enrich our primary global competitor and antagonist.

[stevej37]

Originally Posted by widebody911

Oh flashlight; neverminde

Lol

Best to go with the cheapest/throwaway type.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by widebody911

Oh flashlight; neverminde

Whatchyou talkin bout, Willis?!?