LED flashlight suggestions

harkamus

harkamus

Joined
Apr 23, 2007
Messages
4,984
I am wanting to get into flashlights and like the idea of getting the most powerful light I can carry that's still portal...something that is the size of a regular 2 AA battery Maglite but with tons of Lumens. So far I've only found Surefire and Fenix.

Is Surefire really worth the premium? I found one of their LED lights with 220ish lumens for like 200 bucks. Then I found Fenix lights with something like 240 lumens for around 90 bucks. I guess, what's so special about Surefire that makes them that much more expensive. Construction looks similar.

Also are there any other brands I should look at? When I have time, I'm gonna pay 4sevens a visit, since the company is like 3 miles from my house.
 
I buy most of my light from 4Sevens and this is one of their new lights. This has become my favorite flashlight. Here are a few of my favorite features of the light.

1) A Moonlight mode of .2 lumens that runs for 30 continuous days or 360 days for 2 hours a night

2) A reversible pocket clip

3) A Beacon mode that flashes at regular intervals to help you or others (re)find your camp (perfect for the late night cat hole or visit)

4) Uses the same AA batteries that I use in my GPS and 2 way radios

5) Waterproof to IPX-8 standards (it will survive a dunk in the water)


http://www.4sevens.com/product_info.php?cPath=297_305&products_id=1620

Here is a YouTube video review:

[youtube]W0vgQKw_rpw[/youtube]
 
Check out Fenix flashlights. They make a lot of quality lights with a great bang for the buck factor.

The Quark series is very cool. I haven't gotten a chance to check them out myself, but they're supposed to be designed in close conjunction with flashlight nuts... Always a good thing!
 
fenix are good, i edc a P2D-CE w/a leef clickie, i like my surefire L4's (as in plural lol) the best though.
 
the industry is moving soo fast; as soon as you get a great model; a better one is hitting the shelf.probably wise to stay under 60.00$ aluminum can be used as a yara stick ; in a pinch.
 
I work as a Corrections Deputy and am always on night shift, so as such am required to have a working flashlight on me throughout the duration of my shift. They issued us mini mags (standard bulb)...which clearly will get the job done, but don't really cut it.

I purchased a Fenix E20 for myself, which is nearly identical in size, runs off 2 AA, and is a 109 lumen LED. I love this little light. Got it on a popular auction site for a buy-it-now of $35, and it came with a Nite-Ize sheath designed to fit a lot of different size flashlights, which works surprisingly well. I highly recommend that little light.
 
Maratac 9290 from County Comm is $39
190 lumen output from 1 AA. it's about 5" long.
 
harkamus said:
I am wanting to get into flashlights and like the idea of getting the most powerful light I can carry that's still portal...something that is the size of a regular 2 AA battery Maglite but with tons of Lumens. So far I've only found Surefire and Fenix.

Is Surefire really worth the premium? I found one of their LED lights with 220ish lumens for like 200 bucks. Then I found Fenix lights with something like 240 lumens for around 90 bucks. I guess, what's so special about Surefire that makes them that much more expensive. Construction looks similar.

Also are there any other brands I should look at? When I have time, I'm gonna pay 4sevens a visit, since the company is like 3 miles from my house.
Click to expand...
I've been into flashlights for quite a few years, and currently have more than a dozen Surefire lights (used to have more) and 6 or 7 Fenix lights, among others. In my experience, Surefires are built better than Fenix lights, have tougher anodizing, and the lumens ratings aren't the same between the two companies, in other words, a Surefire light rated at 200 lumens will be brighter than a Fenix light rated 200 lumens, but probably cost 2x-3x as much. Fenix is generally quicker to get the latest and brightest LED's in their flashlights.

There have been lots of discussions on CPF about the two different flashlight companies, many of them getting quite heated and eventually getting locked. For most people the step up in quality of the Surefire just isn't worth the price, to me it is. I also prefer the simpler user interface of the Surefire generally. I don't dislike Fenix flashlights, I carry one every day, and just got another one yesterday, for most people they will be just fine. If 4sevens is that close to you, they are definitely worth checking out, I've ordered from him in the past and been happy with the lights and the service.
 
Check out the L-Mini 2. I have an earlier version and the new version. IMO, it's one of the best out there. It uses 18650 batteries. You could pick one up with two batteries and a charger for about $75. L-Mini II I don't think there is a brighter light out there in such a small form factor.
 
BushcraftBrainTrust said:
I buy most of my light from 4Sevens and this is one of their new lights. This has become my favorite flashlight. Here are a few of my favorite features of the light.

1) A Moonlight mode of .2 lumens that runs for 30 continuous days or 360 days for 2 hours a night

2) A reversible pocket clip

3) A Beacon mode that flashes at regular intervals to help you or others (re)find your camp (perfect for the late night cat hole or visit)

4) Uses the same AA batteries that I use in my GPS and 2 way radios

5) Waterproof to IPX-8 standards (it will survive a dunk in the water)


http://www.4sevens.com/product_info.php?cPath=297_305&products_id=1620

Here is a YouTube video review:

[youtube]W0vgQKw_rpw[/youtube]
Click to expand...


+1 :thumbup:
 
Josh K said:
+1

Personally I prefer Surefire to Fenix FWIW. F&F, USA made, etc. You'll find lots of people complain about China and Taiwan made knives, but they seem fine with China made lights.
Click to expand...

I love it,i love surefire they are my top picks bar none,china or usa make the pick....:thumbup:
 
Surefire is great... I have a C3 with an aftermarket, USA made (malkoff) LED dropin... it kicks serious @ss. But surefires must run on cr123s, which are about $1 a piece online, or between $6-10 per rechargeable lithium battery, $13 for a charger... You can get a good (eneloop) AA setup for around $20... a comparable one in lithium ion (for surefire) is more like $30 or more.

Mine: [(2x17500 =$20) x2 ] = $40+$13= $53, not including shipping (takes 2 batteries to run, spare set, and a charger).

My question is, what are you willing to invest in a rechargeable scheme? That would determine my suggestions. I could throw an extra 5 brands at you off the top of my head, but that doesn't help so much as needs.

Lastly, what's the range of illumination- 10 feet or 100? Mine is bright- the flashlight gets warm, even hot within a minute or two. But its beam pattern is tight, and only really shows it's awesomeness at 20 feet or more. If you want something good at 10 feet, it's marginal at 30, and vice versa.

Zero
 
I've heard the rechargeable batteries aren't that great, at least on candlepowerforums. I don't mind spending tons on batteries, since I wouldn't be using this light more than once in a blue moon. It's something to carry besides my knife so that I can temporarily blind someone should the need arise; I rather use the light before drawing my knife. Kind of like a pepper spray sort of thing, but with more utility (should I actually need to illuminate something).

My tech-geek side wants to get the highest lumen rating LED flashlight that can still be pocketed. I want something that's roughly the size a standard double AA Maglite in terms of size. I know what LED flashlight I finally decide on will most likely run on those "fancy flashlight batteries" (li-ion or cr# somethingsomeother). I just said AA Maglite because that's something people can picture, and something that I'm sure most of us have had at one point or another.

I've heard Surefire under rates their lumen rating. I have briefly looked at the Malkoff drop in. Wondering if that would be a better route. Surefire 6p LED + Malkoff = portable sun?

And yes, I'm looking into pistol options; it's just that atm, I have no place to carry a firearm legally. I'll be in college for about 5 more years for grad school and then phD school.

EDIT: The LG-Mini II looks crazy. How come there's not much talk of this light? 250 lumens and a CREE? Wow. Who makes the LG-Mini II? I couldn't find a manufacturer. Or does shiningbeam.com make them?
 
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harkamus said:
EDIT: The LG-Mini II looks crazy. How come there's not much talk of this light? 250 lumens and a CREE? Wow. Who makes the LG-Mini II? I couldn't find a manufacturer. Or does shiningbeam.com make them?
Click to expand...
Bryan at Shiningbeam has them made under his MG line. Keep in mind that lumen ratings are often what the emitter will put out and does not reflect lumen loss from reflectors, lenses and heat buildup. I've read on CPF that a third of those ratings are typically lost. I don't know about that but my L-Mini's are easily twice as bright as my 120 lumen rated light. Throw a Turbohead on it and the L-Mini is nothing short of astounding. As far as batteries, it's hard to beat those 18650's.

There's also two MG lights with the MC-E 700 Lumens LED. They seem to be sold out right now. I have the MG RX-1 with the MC-E led. It's a monster. He has one with a smaller head too, that's designed as a bike light. When he gets them in, they go pretty fast.
 
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