The Flashlight review thread: post yours.

[HardDrive]

I have an Olight M20-x Warrior. Absurdly bright. It has a strobe mode that is both blinding and nauseating to look at for more than few seconds. I pity the fool who gets hit with the front bezel. It will take a chunk out of your hide.

Amazon.com: Olight M20-X Warrior 550 Lumen XM-L2 LED Tactical Flashlight, Black: Sports & Outdoors

[HardDrive]

Dad and I both use them for deer hunting. Great lights, great price point. Batteries seem to last forever in them.

Originally Posted by masraum

I've got 2 Petzl Tikka 2 headlamps.

They have 2 continuous modes, one that's bright but goes through the battery, and one that's less bright but gives something like 120 hours of battery life. They also have a strobe mode. The lamp also adjusts to varying positions from out ahead to down low whether you are looking out in front of you or working with your hands much closer to you.

I bought them for a trip, but didn't use them at all. I have used the heck out of them around the house since the trip. It's been fantastic for working under or behind things where you need your hands free for work, but also need light. I've also used them up in the attic and various other places.

http://www.amazon.com/Petzl-Tikka-Headlamp-Blue-Size/dp/B009062NBY/ref=sr_1_15?ie=UTF8&qid=1437321029&sr=8-15

[look 171]

Hey Harddrive, I use one of these in the dark when I need both hands. The brightness is adjustable and it is brighter then those Petzl for sure, but batteries do not last as long. it uses one AA or you can get the same thing that uses 18650 batteries. Its just 3/4" longer but its more then 3-4 times the brightness. Very light on your forehead and the beam spread is wide, but a standard or focus beam can be had. Not sure what you need, wide or focus in deer hunting. Once you use the Zebra light, you willl not want to go back to the Petzl lights. I didn't.

This is one of those companies that allow you to order the same light with different tint. If LED or Cool white isn't your cup of tea, then a softer, halogen type, or slightly yellowish light can be had. H502w L2 AA Flood Headlamp Neutral White

[look 171]

Originally Posted by rusnak

Yes, thanks! I'm going to get a Nitecore TM. Just have to decide which one. I think 2.5 hrs will work. Sometimes we're working all night, in which case I switch out the lights. I have 4 of the M7RXs that I showed, for that reason.

Make sure you get protected 18650 for a piece of mind. I have had good luck with the Panasonics. Get the 3400 mAh for longer run time. We have them all over the place as my men use their lights all the time. I am not sure if the TM26 requires flat top or button top batteries since mine are still in the mail.

[rusnak]

Originally Posted by look 171

Make sure you get protected 18650 for a piece of mind. I have had good luck with the Panasonics. Get the 3400 mAh for longer run time. We have them all over the place as my men use their lights all the time. I am not sure if the TM26 requires flat top or button top batteries since mine are still in the mail.

Oh wow, that's a lot of great info!

I have one Nitecore flashlight. It was an impulse ad click while reading Planetf1.com

The battery died almost as soon as I opened the box, so I bought 2 more online, and it's been a good light, but like you said, it gets as hot as an iron. I tend to use flashlights up all in one long continuous shot. Working on stuff, etc. When we use flashlights for parking lot duty, I teach the guys to shut the lights off to let them cool.

[rusnak]

Originally Posted by look 171

Hey Harddrive, I use one of these in the dark when I need both hands. The brightness is adjustable and it is brighter then those Petzl for sure, but batteries do not last as long. it uses one AA or you can get the same thing that uses 18650 batteries. Its just 3/4" longer but its more then 3-4 times the brightness. Very light on your forehead and the beam spread is wild, but a standard or focus beam can be had. Not sure what you need, wide or focus in deer hunting. Once you use the Zebra light, you willl not want to go back to the Petzl lights. I didn't.

This is one of those companies that allow you to order the same light with different tint. If LED or Cool white isn't your cup of tea, then a softer, halogen type, or slightly yellowish light can be had. H502w L2 AA Flood Headlamp Neutral White

Dude.

You're killin' me man. Killin' me. I gotta get one of those now.

[look 171]

Originally Posted by rusnak

Dude.

You're killin' me man. Killin' me. I gotta get one of those now.

the right tool for the right job. I would never get a head light with a throw beam, but in your situation, a throw beam is the perfect tool for seeing them urban campers.
You need this puppy. H600w Mk II 18650 XM-L2 Headlamp Neutral White

I spend about 500 bucks a year just on flash light stuff for my men. If not, they will just go to Target and get a cheap light. When they can't see what's under the house, they will spend an hour crawling in there where a bright light will only take 30 second to see the full picture.

[look 171]

Originally Posted by rusnak

Oh wow, that's a lot of great info!

I have one Nitecore flashlight. It was an impulse ad click while reading Planetf1.com

The battery died almost as soon as I opened the box, so I bought 2 more online, and it's been a good light, but like you said, it gets as hot as an iron. I tend to use flashlights up all in one long continuous shot. Working on stuff, etc. When we use flashlights for parking lot duty, I teach the guys to shut the lights off to let them cool.

don't run em' on turbo boost man. Take it down a notch and it should be fine. I learn that on the smaller lights, there isn't enough contact area for the LED to cool, so we stuff alum. foil around the drop in to help with more contact area to the body of the flashlight for better heat transfer to aide cooling

[rusnak]

Holy jumpin baby Jesus, that's a great idea right there! ^

If you ever get a pic of that, I think it would make a great tech tip.

[cashflyer]

I keep one of these in my toolbox.


Pros:
Bright
Easy to spot when mixed in with a pile of tools, or dropped in the belly of an airplane, or dropped on the ground.
Rechargeable

Cons:
$80.
I have nothing else bad to say about it.


Not a flashlight, but hey, no thread about lights should be without.....

... the 600 watt AN/ASQ-132 arc light!



... or the AN/VSS-3 1kW xenon arc light

[David]

I'm a big fan of the Fenix lights. Great LED light output and quality aluminum case at a reasonable price.

[wildthing]

The Fenix I had just quit working. It was their smallest one for pocket duty.

I should stop reading this thread. Otherwise I might buy a few of your guys' recommendations.

But someone did say you can never have enough flashlights.

[OffCamber00]

I just got a ThruNite 1C V2 (CR123). It is my new nightstand light. Very pleased.

[bleucamaro]

I have a surefire E2D (posted previously) and a couple/few G2's. I like the size and shape of the light, especially the E2D, but mine are halogen, and use C123 LiIon batteries. When the batteries are fresh, I love the light, but they chug through batteries very quickly.

I have bought a couple streamlight LED with built in rechargeable battery as gifts for family members. I forget the model, but they have a tail switch, multiple brightness modes and a strobe mode, and come with a charging cradle. These lights are fantastic and I'd recomend over my surefire's any day. The fact that its always charged is a great benefit, as 1/2 the time I grab a surefire out of the night stand, its dead.

[gtc]

These are about the best bang for the buck I have encountered. They're tiny, pretty bright, run fine on AAs, have three modes and an adjustable beam.
I picked up 3 for $10 a while back (the price fluctuates).

http://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B006E0QAFY?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00

[look 171]

I hate strobe mode. especially the ones where you have to cycle through to get to the brightness needed. That's why there are guys out there who build custom flashlights. I sometimes send a regular off the shelf light to him (he's actually an engineer for one of those flashlight companies) to get rid of the muti-mode including strobe. I want only low and full blast or just full blast unless there's a separate dial for different brightness. The tail switch that act as a selector on the brightness drives me nuts. What the heck was the last time any of you guys needed strobe mode other then to have it on accidentally blinding yourselves?

[rusnak]

I find that LED Lenser makes the best off the shelf brightness/ strobe mode.

I don't usually enter strobe mode unless I want to. Having said that, if I could have a guy program the light, I'd jump all over it.

[look 171]

he's usually 30-40 bucks. I have him buy the light and do his magic (Dedome the LED) and ship it to me. I paypal him at the very beginning and its done. No shipping back and forth BS.

[wildthing]

Ok ok ok... Can't help it. This one is in my cart, bundled with batteries. What do you guys think?

http://www.amazon.com/Nitecore-Monster-TM26-Search-Ultimate/dp/B00F8JR79U/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1437444401&sr=8-1&keywords=Tm26

[look 171]

Oh, another sick puppy. You will like this light if that's something you use often. Look into their smart battery charger. This way, you will always have fresh batteries on hand. I think the charger is only 60 bucks. Charging those four batteries will take all day and night.