The Flashlight review thread: post yours.
 

I'll start with two. LED Lenser H14R and XEO 19R.

Both are head flashlights. I'm not too sure how many of you guys use these. Both are rechargeable and use Li-ion batteries. Washable headbands, and adjustable "zoom" beams that offer either a wide dispersion or pin point focus.

The fist one (black) has a run time of about 2 hrs, average for a rechargeable super bright light. I'm not sure of the lumens but I'd guess around 500 or less.
The second (white) 3-4 hrs. 2,000 lumens, two adjustable beams, and a trick light sensor that adjusts the brightness of the beams to not blind you, which is good if you're moving or operating equipment. Charge time about 2-4 hrs.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1437260876.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1437260952.jpg

There's an air intake scoop at the front to help cool the light.

And the XEO has a helpful USB charging port. You can charge your phone or 2-way radio with it.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1437261690.jpg

Pros:
Small
Lightweight and portable


Cons:
Produces a lot of heat
Fails consistently during rain.





http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1437306351.jpg

The harbor freight "$3 as you walk out the checkout isle impulse buy."

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1437311183.jpg



Pro's: Cheap, disposable, cool anodised aluminium. Great for children, buy a dozen, stick em' everywhere, cost less than buying batteries for whatever flashlight you currently have.
Cons: Yet another cheap chinese thingee that we Americans fall for and buy- sucking $ out of the country one impulse buy at a time.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1437311216.jpg

Light and motion 1400? lumen bike light
Pro's: brighter than the sun. Can blind motorist. Not even Corey Hart could handle staring at this.
Con's:expensive as hell. Too bright to use under car because the glare will blind you. Light and motion constantly changes their stuff so it's already outdated and replaced by a better light which is even more expensive and sold in a polished "Apple" like product buying experience.
Another con: Now that I have a kid, I cannot go dumping $500 on a replacement bike light- so I hope this last!

I have a Surefire 6P and 6P Led in the cars, a P2X somewhere, a P2X Fury in the nightstand.

I replaced a crappy Fenix pocket flashlight with a 4Sevens. I attached it to a breathing barrier (for artificial respiration).

And of course, I couldn't resist Costco's $20 Duracell 1000 Lumens flashlight, when they had a coupon, it was $16.99.

Somewhere, I have a cheap light meter for my daughter's science project, and the Surefires gave the best readings.


http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1437317049.jpg

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

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/...9L._SY355_.jpg

http://www.brightguy.com/images/prod...Headlamp_1.jpg

I'm kinda a flashlight geek and love the Surefire stuff. I keep them in the cars, night stand, garage, etc. Have one newer one not shown here, an E1D IIRC.

https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8333/...b2ba02f6_z.jpgSurefire collection by Chris Campbell, on Flickr

Holy smokes, those are nice. I like the bicycle light.

Here's an M7RX (600 lumens) 2.5 hr run time, LiIon rechargeable battery.

And a Slyde by Nebo Tools (250 lumens). Cheap, fantastic work light with a handy magnetic base.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1437342391.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1437341923.jpg

I have a Nitecore flashlight in every car. I keep what's they call a Tinymonster in a cabinet near the french doors to the backyard. This thing will light up the entire yard and the beam spread is pretty wide so the hot spot is not small like the throwing flashlights. It is one mean light. All my lights run 18650 rechargeable batteries. For head lights, I use Zebralight. All these lights I mentioned above ate not cheap. They are close to $100 per and the Tinymonster is close to 200 dollars. I need to see the damn coyotes in the dark.

Oh, I do not have those sharp or mean bezels at the end as they like to tear holes in everything. All that has been changed out to a small, smooth round stainless bezels.

Holy craaap! 4000 lumens

NiteCore TM26 Tiny Monster 3500 Lumen CREE XM-L LED Flashlight [NiteCore TM26] - $390.00 : Welcome to LightJunction.com - The Best Deals for JETBeam, NiteCore, Fenix, Olight, and EagleTac LED Flashlights!

Oh dang it. I want one. ^^

you will need it to see the urban outdoorsmen on your property. Its all about beam spread and throw. Those are not toys as I use them to see under crawl space and attics in people's homes. No longer do I have to crawl under there. I just ordered My third TM series light(My first TM26), a TM26 due to the slightly wider beam spread. Check out the review in Utube.

They are worth every penny to me.

I have a Streamlite HID Litebox, which uses a Xenon arc and a ballast to create light.

It's the brightest light that I have, and the go-to for me when stuff is about to go down. But as you say, it's a professional light. Not something that most people would buy, so I didn't post it here.

Looks like this (pic from the web):http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1437348645.jpg

Also, a large light is not something that you throw into the toolbox. I keep it charging in the field office c-train, and get it out when needed. So it's not with me when I'm rolling usually.

If that's not enough, I know someone that will custom fabricate a drop in (basically the bulb or LED and the reflector) to really light up the night. I have had two very small lights made by him. He uses the host, but the electronics and LED is all custom and are super durable and bright. About 900 lumens but the light beam is wider then most lights on the market and very consistent.

Here's how portable light technology has evolved.

The Nitecore TM26 and the Streamlight HID are roughly the same brightness. But LED technology has evolved in the past 7 years or so, to the point that now you can hold a super bright light in the palm of your hand. Amazing if you think about it.

Those are big and the light output is insane, but I think the Tinymonster will give that big thing a run for it money, easy. Advantages, are that its small, and it will fit in the glove box easily. the batteries are very only 1/2" in dia and 2/14" long. Run time is just under an hour at full blast. At 2000 lum, it can go about 2.5 hours. I never use it for more then 1min. at a time.

I have a 5" long maglight that I use all the time....very bright. I also have a 3" one like in the picture, an I can't believe the brightness of it.....good usable natural looking light, not the artificial looking light that comes from LED multi bulb flashlights.

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.

Keep a few batteries in the truck and you are good to go. Those 18650 batteries are small but long lasting comparing to the amount of power drawn from them. The do take some time to charge. This is not the type of light that likes to be on full blast for an extend period of time. It does get warm.

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

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41z4%2BXKTT6L.jpg

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

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

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.

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.

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

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.

I keep one of these in my toolbox.
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41YvpDcpOKL.jpg

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!

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y79...2ndquarter.jpg

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

http://www.cfb4.com/images/tank_ligh...7_23_05_As.jpg

http://www.cfb4.com/images/tank_ligh...7_23_05_Cs.jpg

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

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.

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

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.

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_detailp age_o07_s00

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/...2L._SX425_.jpg

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?

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.

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.

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

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.