View Full Version : Flashlights
What do you all like and use for a general purpose really bright flashlight, recreational use such as camping, around the house, evening stroll, etc? Xenon? LED? Which is better? This is a flashlight that will not be mounted to any type of gun.
I like Surefires. If you want them really bright, go with the standard bulbs, if you want battery longevity, go with LED.
jackedco
04-29-2009, 20:30
Surefire forend on the boom stick, Surefire 660 on the AR, Surefire G2 in the nightstand, and a E2D Defender that I carry. Have a few mini-mags around the house as well. Have a TL1 that's not mounted on anything.
My daughter sleeps with a duracell LED that has an amazing run time.
Surefire G2 LED with an aftermarket 290 lumen bulb in my BOB
Surefire G2 Nitrolon with the LED bulb in it on my nightstand :)
ryanek9freak
04-29-2009, 20:40
Can't go wrong with Streamlights. I have several of the smaller rechargables, that fit in your pocket. I used to be an auto tech, and used them quite a bit, and they take a beating. I've dropped my service flashlight about 1000 times and it's never broken, not even a bulb.
They're expensive, (around $100) but totally worth it. They do make tactical gun lights as well. I have the Stinger series, which is what most LEO's carry. Here it is :http://www.streamlight.com/product/product.aspx?pid=7
I bought this one a few months ago, paid about $180 for it, and it's blindingly bright. Has a strobe option too.
http://www.streamlight.com/product/product.aspx?pid=152
Can you tell I like my flashlights?
go cheap!
dealextreme.com
free shipping.
I have bought 6 lights from them. all for CR123 batteries. CREE bulbs.
for under $20 plus batteries you can have a 2x brighter light than any surefire I have seen before.
theGinsue
04-29-2009, 20:58
3-D cell Maglights in every vehicle the family owns.
For my home protection and use while hunting, I use SurFire. I lit up some partiers this past Sunday morning (@ 0100) who chose to drop trash in my yard and another guy who was just whipping it out to pee on my fence (I was waiting in the shadows both times). I scared the shit out of all of them with the brightness of the light - especially coming on so suddenly.
StagLefty
04-30-2009, 16:31
Surefire G2 LED-nightstand,Fenix L2D-work carry,and Fenix E20-EDC (weekends,nights)
Surefires are a bit over rated imo. Ive seen quite a few lights that are much brighter (couple had lifetime warranties as well) for a fraction of the cost.
love flashlights, I have 3 with me all the time.
surefire LEDs are great, but my favorite are Fenix and Nitecore.
check out candlepowerforums.com
trlcavscout
04-30-2009, 20:02
The 16 year old 3 cell mag light that had a LED upgrade 4 years ago and is still using the same batteries from then. Its in my work van and has seen plenty of attics and crawl spaces. Has even kept a few dogs in line over the years. Not the brightest or the best, but it was cheap and works good.
Daniel187
04-30-2009, 20:10
not a fan of the LED's I got the up grade for my mini maglite and it SUCKED, just did not light it up like the original.
I carry surefire e2e defender with a toothy impact attachment on the front.
It's bright enough to blind at night and those teeth can really do some damage. I've carried it on planes with no problem.
Hmmm? Which one should I carry today?
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y220/Tedwantsthemdead/flashlightcollection.jpg
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y220/Tedwantsthemdead/case32.jpg
I like the headlamps. Rei sells them even Walmart has a couple. Princeton Tec LED. Work on the car, camping,ect. It keeps hands free for drinking beer and shootin in the dark.[Coffee]
I'd recomend this guy.
http://www.techtoolsupply.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=3658
230 lumens feels a bit like forgetting to lower your welding mask at the wrong time.
I'm a SureFire junkie and I know it.. between the G2 and G3's with Cree heads and then add the 2 E1E's and my E2D, yeah, I've got enough invested to buy another gun, even at today's gouged prices.
There are some good deals to be had, but Maglite and SureFire have never failed me. I hear great things about the Fenix lights for price and performance, yet I know without a doubt that my SureFires will always work.
Ok thanks for all the information.
Which is brighter? Xenon, LED?
Which has longer battery life?
Brightness varies.. you'll have to look at which light you're buying. Xenon runs hotter and the newer Cree heads are for the most part comparable with most mid range Xenon bulbs. LED's are generally more shock resistance and for the most part are more economical on batteries.
Realistically, LED is the only way to go these days unless the price point is the major issue.
ryanek9freak
05-02-2009, 10:08
I still say Streamlight. They stand behind their products 100%, no questions asked.
The reason I previously said SureFire's are over rated is because myself and two other co-workers (the only two guys I know who use them as mutch as I do) have had nothing but issues with them, granted when you use them enough to be running through batteries almost every week you may come into a few problems but after 3 brand new C2's within a year I am not a fan. Two of my co-workers saw me order one up through our Matco rep. and they have had problems with theirs as well.
The issues Ive had were
1) switch failure (stopped working)
2) another switch failure (erratic operation) - dealt with it for a bit until the LED stopped working (verified with parts from another C2),
3) another failed switch. The other two guys who bought C2's had just about the same problems.
For the price they put on them I would expect a better product.
I carry a streamlight LED stinger. I paid 88 bucks for it around xmas time, came with a car charger, and home charger. the LED has a 50,000 hour life on it, and throws out 18,000 candle power and 160 lumens, has an adjustable briteness by holding down the switch, plus it has a nifty strobe function if you double tap the switch, great for room clearing! even working nights, I only really need to charge it about once every week and a half or 2 weeks. http://www.streamlight.com/product/product.aspx?pid=123 They also make a DS or dual switch version with a switch on the tailcap. the light doesnt really need this, and its kind of cumbersom to use. a coworker of mine uses this one and the tail switch is already going out after about 9 months. surefire will fix it for free, but why bother?
I also carry a surefire G2 as a backup. great little light, never gets used though so i dont have really any review on it.
The reason I previously said SureFire's are over rated is because myself and two other co-workers (the only two guys I know who use them as mutch as I do) have had nothing but issues with them, granted when you use them enough to be running through batteries almost every week you may come into a few problems but after 3 brand new C2's within a year I am not a fan. Two of my co-workers saw me order one up through our Matco rep. and they have had problems with theirs as well.
The issues Ive had were
1) switch failure (stopped working)
2) another switch failure (erratic operation) - dealt with it for a bit until the LED stopped working (verified with parts from another C2),
3) another failed switch. The other two guys who bought C2's had just about the same problems.
For the price they put on them I would expect a better product.
That really sucks and honestly you're the first person I've read having such persistent issues. I had one hickup with one of my E1E's .. completely my fault and SF replaced the tail cap no questions asked and I had it in hand 2 days after the call to them. I abuse the crap out of most of my G2's in one fashion or another and 3 of my AR's are running LED head G2's with after market tape switches or stock push buttons. I bet my life on these lights so while I know from others that there are lights just as good, I readily admit I'm a SF snob/fanboy .. Nothing wrong with most of the others mentioned (Fenix or Streamlight.. I have TLR-1 weapons lights that I trust implicitely as well) just giving my ever not so humble impressions.
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