The Flashlight review thread: post yours.

[rusnak]

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.





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

[rusnak]

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

[Mo_Gearhead]

Pros:
Small
Lightweight and portable


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

[LEAKYSEALS951]

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





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.



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 Light and motion constantly changes their stuff so it's already outdated and replaced by a better light which is even more expensive and sold in a polished "Apple" like product buying experience.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!

[wildthing]

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.

[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

[campbellcj]

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.

Surefire collection by Chris Campbell, on Flickr

[rusnak]

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.

[look 171]

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.

[look 171]

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.

[rusnak]

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!

[rusnak]

Oh dang it. I want one. ^^

[look 171]

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.

[rusnak]

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):

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.

[look 171]

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.

[rusnak]

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.

[look 171]

Originally Posted by rusnak

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):

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.

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.

[ckelly78z]

Originally Posted by wildthing

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.

[rusnak]

Originally Posted by look 171

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.

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.

[look 171]

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.