What flashight do you recommend?

[Looking4new]

I have two PELICAN Stealthlite 2410 LED my work requires me to have one and it must be intrinsically safe (explosion proof). They are also water proof to 10'.
Made in Torrance, CA
I have the lime green one in my boat to conform with the boating laws up here and the black one I use for work. They take 4 AA batteries and I use rechargeable batteries in them.
One of the things I like about them is they will fit in your back pocket and you will hardly notice them there. They also come with a lanyard for around your wrist.
Pelican Products Advanced Lighting Systems

 

[Clyde the Pointer]

Just bought a couple of these, and along with some batteries off flea bay, they are far better than anything else I've used.

2000 Lumen LED Flashlight UltraFire CREE XML T6 Torch Rechargeable Battery Brigh | eBay

I am replacing my maglites with these.

 

[lostcreekranch]

Bought three of these;

2000 Lumen Zoomable CREE XML T6 LED 18650 Flashlight Focus Torch Zoom Lamp Light | eBay

You can focus the beam and it can use either the 18650 rechargeable batteries or 3 x AAAs.

Sent from my iPad using TractorByNet

 

[dodge man]

Some one else mentioned Surefire. They make really nice ones. I bought a LED one that has two brightness settings, the brightest one is about as bright as a headlight on a car, the dimmer is about like an old DD Maglight. The bad news is they take the CR123 batteries, which you can usually find discounted on the Internet. The good news is the batteries last a long time, 40 hours on the dim setting, 2.5 hours on the brightest setting.

 

[lostcreekranch]

Just ordered 2 of these so can leave on tractors.

2500LM 5 Modes Adjustable Focus CREE XML T6 LED 18650 Flashlight Torch UltraFire | eBay

2500 lumens, 5 modes, and zoom. These also can use the 18650 or AAA batteries.

 

[Gunny]

I'm also one that seems to have a good collection of flashlights, all sizes, but a few years ago I bit the bullet and bought one called "Light for Life" flashlights. It's about the same size as a 3 "D" cell, with leds. It's rubber coated and resistant. Three light settings, low, high and strobe (which I never need anymore), but the main reason I got it was that it doesn't have batteries, just a big capacitor inside that will recharge in 90 seconds if it's fully depleted. I think that it will run an hour on a full charge.

Full lifetime warranty, supposed to be stand 50,000 recharges before the capacitor has to be replaced (also covered under warranty) ugly as all get out, but I love the convenience of never having to worry if it's charged or have to keep extra batteries on hand for it.

I haven't seen them around anywhere lately, so they may have been discontinued.

 

[3930dave]

2 things to remember about some of these high lumen lights posted:

1) Output is getting high enough that you can seriously _____ somebody up by shining it in their eyes. Not for kids.

2) At the higher levels, they are going to chew through AAAs fast.

Interesting point Gunny. Supercaps keep getting smaller... I'm surprised that there aren't more of those around. Addresses one thing I don't like about fixed battery rechargeable lights - recharge time.

My preference is to keep a stash of standard alkaline batteries on hand. In an emgergency, the longest I want to wait is the time it takes me to physically change batteries.

Rgds, D.

 

[k0ua]

For those looking for mag lite conversion kits:

Amazon.com: TerraLUX TLE-6EX MiniStar5 140 Lumens Extreme LED Replacement Bulb for 4-6 C&D Cell MagLites: Home Improvement


Niteize 142 0434 C/D Mag - Lite Led Conversion Kit - Basic Handheld Flashlights - Amazon.com

LED UPgrade Bulb C/D - - Amazon.com

LED Upgrade Bulb C/D High Power - - Amazon.com

 

[polo1665]

Got one of these for Christmas last year. Goes through batteries pretty quick, but it is easy to carry and throws out a bunch of light.

TerraLUX PRO-3 Professional LED Flashlight

 

[dmccarty]

Years ago I bought some LED upgrades for my Maglites. I bought a few of these for about $20 to replace the old bulbs in a few flash lights. TerraLUX TLE-6EXB MiniStar5 140 Lumens, Led Conversion Kit for 2-3 Cell C&D MagLites - Led Household Light Bulbs - Amazon.com Pretty sure I replaced the old bulb in a rechargeable Maglite as well as a 2D Maglight.

I splurged and bought this danged thing, Terralux(TM) TLE-310M-EX MiniStar31M-EX LED Conversion Kit for 4-6 D Cell MagLite® - - Amazon.com for about $70. It will toggle through three light power settings or can be switched to just go full power. Full power on this thing is amazing. I walked down to our road to see how far the light goes and it is at least 900-100 feet. The road curves before the light ran out. The light is very bright to say the least and it is, pun intended, a difference between night and day with the old bulb and this LED package.

I did compare the light from the old bulb and the LED bulb in the flash light and the difference was huge. Well worth the $20 not to mention battery savings. The expensive light might not be needed by many though and the $20 replacement bulbs work just fine. Just make sure the particular replacement bulb works for a given Maglite. Two of my Maglites were bought 20 and 25 years ago and you need to get the correct bulb for the older models.

The Maglites I have are 2-4 D cells units. Big and heavy which is good or bad depending on circumstances. I also have a small Surefire with a non LED bulb that uses CR123 batteries. It is a VERY nice flashlight and I just replaced the batteries after a good decade or so of use. The light just gets blipped on now and then so the batteries lasted a good long time. The light is very bright and the LED units would be even better. The Surefire is nice because it is small and light.

I had a Pelican flashlight for Kayaking that was nice and light but it broke. :shocked: It was waterproof, fairly small and light but it broke. After using Maglites for decades I am not used to flash lights breaking.

The rechargeable Maglite I have was bought around 1995 and I had to replace the battery a few years back which I thought was pretty impressive.

Later,
Dan

 

[caver]

Princton Tech Apex is still my go-to headlamp. I prefer hands free headlamps. With voltage regulation it will pull every bit of juice out of those batteries before it dies.

 

[MrWhippy]

For headlamps, I've found Zebralights are topnotch. All metal construction. AA or CR123 lights. They come in a regular beam or floody beam and are virtually indestructible. I agree, on the farm, headlamps are extremely handy for late night repairs.

Zebralight

 

[MacLawn]

Since I like me stuff to last, I use Maglites. Mine are over 25 years old, good as new. I just put that newfangled LED bulb in one of them, love it, and makes batteries last longer. And, I'd rather be able to use batteries than those recharge lights. It's easy to have spare batteries in boondocks, but hard to recharge ye batteries. Yep, get a Maglite, ye're done buying flashlights.

 

[RedNeckGeek]

I just put that newfangled LED bulb in one of them, love it, and makes batteries last longer.

I'm on the same page as you, MacLawn.

Mind sharing make/model info on the LED bulb? Amazon lists several, some with poor reviews, some with hardly any, none that people rave over...

 

[MacLawn]

RedNeck, oh me, I bought that LED bulb about --------- 10 years ago! Finally got around to putting it in me Maglite. I think I got it at Lowe's, but, whew, canno' remember. Knowing me, that's probably where I got it. Anyway, I can tell you that it stores good! Lasted in package for 10 years.

 

[dmccarty]

...
Mind sharing make/model info on the LED bulb? Amazon lists several, some with poor reviews, some with hardly any, none that people rave over...

This is what I bought from Amazon to replace my old Maglite bulbs with LEDs. Just make sure you buy a bulb that works in the right Maglite. Some bulbs are for new flash lights and others are for older ones. Two of my Maglites are 20 and 25 years old with one that is younger. :laughing::laughing::laughing:

Years ago I bought some LED upgrades for my Maglites. I bought a few of these for about $20 to replace the old bulbs in a few flash lights. TerraLUX TLE-6EXB MiniStar5 140 Lumens, Led Conversion Kit for 2-3 Cell C&D MagLites - Led Household Light Bulbs - Amazon.com Pretty sure I replaced the old bulb in a rechargeable Maglite as well as a 2D Maglight.

I splurged and bought this danged thing, Terralux(TM) TLE-310M-EX MiniStar31M-EX LED Conversion Kit for 4-6 D Cell MagLiteｮ - - Amazon.com for about $70. It will toggle through three light power settings or can be switched to just go full power. Full power on this thing is amazing. I walked down to our road to see how far the light goes and it is at least 900-100 feet. The road curves before the light ran out. The light is very bright to say the least and it is, pun intended, a difference between night and day with the old bulb and this LED package.
...

Later,
Dan

 

[JRobyn]

I'm with Al Mac; I like a small light that can disappear in a pocket so that one ALWAYS has it on them. Just like your carry gun, ANY light that you have on you is better than one too bulky to carry constantly. Once I found these (Gerber Tempo Microlight Flashlight 22-80107) I rarely use any other flashlight. Super inexpensive. Sometimes hard to find since I think that Gerber no longer makes them, but I see they now have a similar AA model (Gerber Infinity Ultra Task Light 22-80010). It uses cheap, standard AAA batteries, and they seem to last forever. I use mine a LOT (daily) and change the battery maybe twice a year. The ad says 4 hrs battery life, but they must have used a worn out carbon battery. I once accidentally dropped mine down inside a wall cavity while fishing coax wire; when I retrieved it TWO DAYS later, it was still shining! They put out an AMAZING amount of light for such a tiny thing. Perfect for walking at night over rough terrain. Beam out to maybe 50ft and will light up critter eyes out to maybe 100yds. Easy and light to mouth-hold when doing close-up work involving both hands. I bought several extras just for spares. After a couple of years of hard use, the green anodizing partially wears off leaving a cool looking mixed green/polished aluminum patina. Can you tell I am a big fan?

- Jay

 

[RalphVa]

If you have any battery powered tools, I'd recommend getting the light that comes with them. Otherwise, buying the light plug battery and charger is pretty expensive. Our DeWalt 18v light is our most used one, as it'll stay put sitting, lasts a long time and is very bright. Their latest is their 12v LED one that runs off Lithium ion battery.

Ralph

 

[RobertN]

I still like Maglite. LED version work well.

I get the most use out of my DeWalt 18V that came with my 4-tool set(light, recip saw, circ saw, drill-driver). That thing has been everywhere with me. All around the house and property. Camping. Hunting. Battery last a long time on a charge. And, I have the charger that works from the cigar lighter in the truck(I guess they call them auxiliary power now). It gets used all the time! It has been on countless Boy Scout campouts. Dropped, bumped, accidentally kicked. Fell in pond. Sat on.

I like my other, a Makita 9V too.

Otherwise I usually use a LED mini-maglite.

 

[RobertN]

I should add, I really like the light I have with my fire gear. It is a 4C style rechargeable 90 degree angle light. Similar to the "Big Ed" light. Have to look tonite at what brand it is. That light, works GREAT...!