What is your favorite flashlight?

[Garandman]

1500 lumens is a lot of light. Nearly 5 times what my stream light puts out. I have a hard time believing that. Can you post a picture of it at night? How is the battery life?

Weapon lights are small. This is a lot bigger and uses C cells.

Video review on YouTube [not me]. Maglite vs small LED vs Duracell 1500.

 

[chim]

Oh boy, that's almost like "What's your favorite knife?"

If I could have only one flashlight it would be my Streamlight Microstream. It is always in my pocket and I use it several times a day. One AAA Alkaline nothing special battery. There are other lights that are better at certain applications but this is the one I wouldn't want to do without. It isn't bright enough for spotting deer, won't blind an assailant and won't light up an entire large room if the power goes off. It is plenty bright to navigate in the shed at night, check a problem under the tractor or car, look inside of or read data tags on equipment and just be plain handy.

Next up is a Coast HX5. Simple on/off WITHOUT the LO/MED/HI/Laser/Red/Green etc. It does have a sliding focus and a unique double clip that is very handy. The focus sets the width of the lighted area with a sliding action of the front end of the light. With the pocket clip able to fasten the light from the front or back I can clip it to the brim of a baseball cap and use it like the typical headlights. This one is seeing a lot of use lately with the short days. I'm taking care of a couple cows for a nephew for a week or so and clipped to my hat it is the ticket for after dark tasks. It is a little bigger than I like for a pocket flashlight and I'll miss it in the warmer weather when there's no coat pocket to carry it in.

The newest DeWalt I have is a 20V LED and it is a huge improvement over the 18V DeWalt fluorescent I've had for many years. Never could bring myself to get one of those snaky DeWalt 18V incandescent units some guys love. At work we ended up with a few 2AH 20V batteries by mistake (we usually use 4AH minimum, and are moving to 5AH). We gave a 2AH battery with what would have been a "bare tool" LED light. It is nice and bright and runs almost forever on that puny battery.

There are a few Costco lights that see regular use when I know I'm wanting something bright that is OK for carrying in the hip pocket. I'm one of the trustees at our church and we take turns doing walk-through inspections. A nice bright light is handy for checking pipe chases and such for water leaks.

Wifey and I both have 2D LED Maglights that we like. They're bigger and heavier than most but are bright, bulletproof and run a long time. She keeps one near her favorits recliner and mine rides in the map pocket in the truck.

 

[Deerherd]

I have lots of flashlights (OK, I'm obsessive/compulsive about flashlights) and by far the one I use the most is a Brunton rechargeable headlamp. Long lasting charge, various intensity settings and a button you can press with gloves on. Check out their warranty, it's really great.

I use a light on a daily basis and having two free hands is one of the most important features of a light IMHO.

 

[newbury]

Oh boy, that's almost like "What's your favorite knife?"<snip>

True, my favorite light at the moment is the one I can reach and do the job.

The newest DeWalt I have is a 20V LED and it is a huge improvement over the 18V DeWalt fluorescent I've had for many years. Never could bring myself to get one of those snaky DeWalt 18V incandescent units some guys love. At work we ended up with a few 2AH 20V batteries by mistake (we usually use 4AH minimum, and are moving to 5AH). We gave a 2AH battery with what would have been a "bare tool" LED light. It is nice and bright and runs almost forever on that puny battery.

I bought two of those bare on sale. I'm already invested in the 20V max arena.
Makes a decent emergency tractor light.

with minimal mounting requirements

I just wish I had bought 4, especially since I've found 3rd party batteries for about half the cost of DeWalt.

 

[chim]

True, my favorite light at the moment is the one I can reach and do the job.

I bought two of those bare on sale. I'm already invested in the 20V max arena.
Makes a decent emergency tractor light.

with minimal mounting requirements

I just wish I had bought 4, especially since I've found 3rd party batteries for about half the cost of DeWalt.

You have the larger model. Here's the one I bought:

https://www.heltontool.com/Dewalt_D...S-DCL040.htm?gclid=CPrm3Ijh_skCFQ6SaQod32sKDg

 

[4570Man]

Weapon lights are small. This is a lot bigger and uses C cells. Video review on YouTube [not me]. Maglite vs small LED vs Duracell 1500. Video Link: http://youtu.be/_RB4c0y2oPY

He was comparing them to an old halogen Mag light. The new LED mag lights are way brighter. My 150 yard test looked about like his 50 feet test. My comparison used a LED mag light. Does anyone know if the new mag lights still have a dark hole in the beam?

 

[EddieWalker]

The flashlight that I use the most is an app on my phone. As a contractor, I never know for sure where I will end up when going to meet a client for the first time, and it's pretty common for me to climb into their attic and look around. My phone is always with me, and it puts out plenty of light to see what I'm doing.

The flashlight that I use the most and like the best is my Makita LED flashlight. I keep it behind my seat in my truck and use it on jobs all the time. When the power goes out at my home, I also use it instead of my generator for light. I have no idea how long it will last on a single battery, but I have had it on for at least six hours without any issues and turned it off to go to bed.

http://www.tylertool.com/makita-dml...p=mktndml801&gclid=CNHs-5H2_skCFZOCaQodweIFVQ

 

[newbury]

You have the larger model. Here's the one I bought:

https://www.heltontool.com/Dewalt_D...S-DCL040.htm?gclid=CPrm3Ijh_skCFQ6SaQod32sKDg

Yes, my son has one of those in a kit I bought him. They are OK but nowhere near as bright. I keep one of mine by the backdoor. We have a Corgi who owns the backyard and must go out at night. And occasionally there is a fox that comes around. But it's easy to step out with the DeWalt and scan the fence line (~100 feet).

 

[DFB]

My M12 LED is the one I reach for most often. Its what I call a flashlight :confused2:

There are other "work lights" that I have that are much more powerful either providing brighter lumens like the true view stick light or the M18 hexagonal flood. That flood still is my favorite one. Or designed for a more specific purpose like the new long reach spotlight.

I have a brand new M18 LED flashlight/battery combo still in the packaging it came as an free add on with a recent tool purchase. I will have to put that one to work. With the larger battery it stands up in a fixed position better than the 12v with the slim battery does. Shouldn't fall over as easy...if at all

 

[Cord]

I use a Makita LXT 18V lithium ion light. Its a good, heavy duty light and the charge will last at least two weeks with use every night.

Second. Have used that light a TON! Thinking about getting a second one to leave in the truck. Now I see Makita has a flood light out and I'm very tempted.