Do any of you carry a flashlight with you for every day carry? If so, what brand/model do you carry and why?

11/14/2011 9:33:51 PM

I keep one in my Tahoe for construction site inspections. It's some no-name LED maglite lookin' one I bought off of woot.com a while back. Got three for $15.

11/14/2011 9:42:23 PM

http://www.streamlight.com/product/product.aspx?pid=25

i carry one of these in yellow at work because that's what they gave me on my first day

it's waterproof, very bright, and has stood up to a great amount of abuse

11/14/2011 10:00:21 PM

I'm about to get some free 3.5" LED flashlights from Northern Tool to keep in the cars, house, and shed. I still would like something small/slim/light to carry on my person.The best "bang for buck" that I've been recommended is 4Sevens Quark Mini AA2. I guess the philosophy goes sorta hand in hand with an EDC (every day carry) pocketknife. I did just fine without a pocket knife, however, once I got my first $15 knife I wondered why I went so long without carrying one. $35 isn't exactly pocket change, but I believe I may get my use out of it and am curious if any one else has experience or recommendations.

^ that flashlight looks bulky...

11/14/2011 10:26:46 PM

yeah, but it's for work and it's easy to handle with gloves on. company buys us those carpenter style work pants (i guess that's what they're called) with the kinda tall, skinny pockets on each leg that are just above the knee. it fits perfectly in there and never bothers me. but yeah, it wouldn't be a good EDC light, but my experience with it makes me feel that streamlight produces a good product.

away from work, i use my phone flashlight app for quick little shit. if that won't get it, i have a couple large LED maglights in the house and a few assorted flashlights in the truck.

[Edited on November 14, 2011 at 10:43 PM. Reason : adsf]

11/14/2011 10:41:14 PM

I keep a Surefire G2 with Cree LED upgrade on or near me all the time. It was $80 for the light, and $35 for the led upgrade, but puts out 240 lumens.

11/14/2011 11:52:47 PM

trusty maglight. portable, puts out a solid beam of light, and i'm confident i could use it to crack skulls if it came down to it

11/15/2011 12:44:03 AM

I carry a 4Sevens Quark 123. The Cree XP-G R5 in the single cell Quark will spank a factory Surfire G2 LED (^^What upgrade did you get?) and costs less. My light is brighter than the first gen 4D Mag LEDs.
They also make a Quark 123 limited edition with the XP-G S2 that's even brighter.

IMO you should go for the single cell 123 lights. It'll put out as much light as the AAx2 but is much more compact.
If you don't like the idea of spending money on the 123 cells then go to dealextreme and get some rechargable 1640 cells and a charger.

I considered the Quark, the equivalent Fenix, and Nitecore EX11.2 as they are all around the same price. I picked the Quark because I thought the user interface would be simpler than the Nitecore and I think Fenix had a lower bin XP-G.
I loooove the moonlight mode, which is lower on the Quark than the other two.
The Quark has a great beam for close to medium range. It's got a somewhat wide hotspot and a lot of spill. Looking at beamshots of the Fenix and Nitecore I think they've got a little bit tighter hot spot. It'll light up stuff pretty damn far just through shear output, but it's definitely not a thrower.

I also keep a Fenix TK40 next to the couch at home and a second gen 3D Mag LED in the car.
The TK40's MC-E is amazing. The hotspot on that is as bright as the focused Mag LED but is about 4 times bigger in area.

Ohh yeah, since I started carrying a man purse I also carry an Inova XO3 and a Petzl e+lite headlamp. The Inova used to be impressive til I got the Quark. Now every time I turn on my XO3 or TLR-1 I keep thinking the batteries are going dead.

11/15/2011 1:15:46 AM

http://nebotools.com/prod_details.php?id=31&cid=16
is what I carry with me everyday in my front pocket. It's quite small and really cheap. There was a whole display of them at the counter of my local gun shop so I picked up a few.

I always like to play with something in my hands (input jokes here) so I'm constantly tossing it around (and dropping it). It takes quite a beating and I haven't had a problem yet.

I bought one for my kids and they have been known to leave it on for hours at a time and it takes a couple of months before I have to change the battery so it lasts quite a while.

It puts out enough light for my uses of looking for something around the house (under couches, behind stuff, etc.), looking in my car at night before I get in or trying to find something I dropped outside at night, etc. But if you're going to be walking around at night and you want to illuminate something thats more than approx 30ft away, you'll want something that puts out more light. But I don't use it for anything like that so it works well for me

http://nebotools.com/prod_details.php?id=144&cid=26
This is another flashlight they have that is slightly bigger and more expensive but puts out a lot more light. Looks like it could still fit in a pocket fairly easily. I might pick up one of these at some point down the road

[Edited on November 15, 2011 at 2:34 AM. Reason : more stuff]

[Edited on November 15, 2011 at 2:47 AM. Reason : another flashlight]

11/15/2011 2:28:34 AM

If I need something to stick in my pocket I grab my 2 cell AA or AAA maglite. Easily fits in a pocket, puts out a decent amount of light, and you can still pop someone pretty good with it.

11/15/2011 4:37:56 AM

I have found that a flashlight is at least as, if not more useful, than a typical pocket-knife. I had been carrying variants of Surefire for a while, but after losing two, I decided to look around for something a bit less costly.

I wound up going with the Fenix PD20. Sucker is BRIGHT but it chewed through its first battery faster than I expected. I dunno, maybe I was just playing with it more since it was a new toy. I'm not super wild about how one would switch from uber-bright to the more typical modes of use, but it isn't anything insurmountable and I am a big fan of how the pocket clip is oriented.

11/15/2011 5:17:05 AM

Flashlight porn ITT

11/15/2011 6:14:15 AM

I have a standard 2 AA mag-lite in the glovebox of each car, but hadn't previously thought much about carrying one with me at all times. Could come in handy though, especially given that my work (IT) occasionally finds me in places without much light like under desks, behind furniture, or trying to follow a cable strung above a drop ceiling.

Those Quark 123 lights look damn nice but I don't know if I can bring myself to spend $50 right now. How heavy are they? Add a noticeable amount of weight to a pocket?

11/15/2011 9:44:49 AM

Surefire 6PX Tactical; but I got it when they were retailing for about $70. It throws a ton of light for being so small but it eats batteries.

11/15/2011 9:50:00 AM

[user]fumbler[user]- I don't remember what brand the conversion kit was. I bought it nearly 4 years ago.
The G2 only came with 80 lumens at that time.

11/15/2011 9:52:45 AM

Quote :

"Those Quark 123 lights look damn nice but I don't know if I can bring myself to spend $50 right now. How heavy are they? Add a noticeable amount of weight to a pocket? "

You'd be surprised how lightweight any knife in this category is. They're aluminum that isn't very thick (vs the 2 cell 123 XO3 I have that's built like a tank). The Quark weighs probably a third less than the Victorinox Super Tinker that I also carry in the same pocket. It even weighs less than the Spyderco Native pocket knife I normally carry, which has a lightweight plastic handle.
I'm just guessing from memory, but the single cell Quark with battery is probably about the same weight as an empty 2 AA mini maglite.

$50 seems like a lot at first, but when you see the quality that goes into in then you understand why it costs that much. Consider this; it's a light that is brighter than any regular sized incandescent flashlight you'll find and is small enough for you to carry, which means you'll actually have a light with you when you need it.

The Quark and most other lights have variable output levels. It can be as bright as a crappy cell phone's screen or as blinding as a big D cell Maglite LED. You can save a lot of battery life by using the lower levels. I have 4 rechargable 1640 batteries and a charger that cost a total of maybe $15-20 that will last just about forever so in the long run it could pay for itself in battery cost. Be careful when buying lights. A 1640 cell is the same size as a 123 but is 3.7 volts vs 3.0. A few 123 cell lights can't handle the extra voltage.

Another good feature is the Quark and most other decent lights are truely water proof. When mine gets dirty I wash it with soap and water. I've had one or two cheaper lights that leaked if submerged.

If you don't typically lose stuff then a quality light is definitely a must have.

Quote :

"I have found that a flashlight is at least as, if not more useful, than a typical pocket-knife. "

I'd ditch a flashlight in favor of a knife if I could only have one, but in normal situations I agree. In everyday life I probably use my Quark 20 times more often than my pocket knife. If a person is willing to carry a $50 pocket knife then they can easily justify spending that much on a light.

11/15/2011 4:37:24 PM

I've got a little leatherman light that came with a tool a while back. It's only one AA, but it's bright as hell.

11/15/2011 4:43:47 PM

Streamlight Microstream at work. Cant carry a big light for mutilation reasons.

http://www.streamlight.com/product/product.aspx?pid=144

Off of work i carry a Streamlight Stinger DS

http://www.streamlight.com/product/product.aspx?pid=135

I had a Nebo redline, but after the microstream is brighter and half the size, weight, and diameter. Cheaper as well.

the nebo is awesome because of the magnet in the tailswitch. I leave it stuck to my lift.

http://nebotools.com/prod_details.php?id=144&cid=26

[Edited on November 15, 2011 at 8:06 PM. Reason : added]

11/15/2011 8:01:48 PM

I carry (in the truck, not on my person) a 4 Sevens Quark 123 Turbo. 220 Lumens on 123 batteries. Great light, very well built. Buddy of mine has a standard Surefire with 80 Lumens (Same price iirc, ~$70) and mine blows his out of the water.

Go 4 Sevens or Fenix, you wont regret.

11/15/2011 8:35:02 PM

Gerber Fit

[Edited on November 15, 2011 at 8:46 PM. Reason : or just get something cheap off dealextreme]

11/15/2011 8:45:46 PM

^^ Check your pm sir.

11/15/2011 8:51:23 PM

Quote :

"I'd ditch a flashlight in favor of a knife if I could only have one, but in normal situations I agree. In everyday life I probably use my Quark 20 times more often than my pocket knife. If a person is willing to carry a $50 pocket knife then they can easily justify spending that much on a light."

Yup, that put what I meant to say better than I did.

11/15/2011 10:16:44 PM

Surefires are awesome, even though they get really hot if you have them on for a couple minutes at a time and the CR123A batteries aren't the cheapest

11/16/2011 6:45:03 AM

You can buy rechargeable 123a batteries. I bought a light with built in rechargeable batteries for the amount of use i put it through each day.

123a batteries are annoyingly expensive.

11/16/2011 7:23:08 AM

Surefire LX2 LED flashlight, mostly I use it on the low setting for reading at night, but on high its pretty bright. batts arent cheap, think $25-30 for a box of 12, but I keep plenty of spares with me. Thats the only thing I dont like about them is you cant find batts everywhere like AA's and such. 4sevens, overready, etc, make some kickass upgrades for surefire and other nice flashlights.

11/16/2011 11:07:17 PM

Dang, we're sitting here justifying the $50 price tag on some "nice" lights and colter busts out the $200+ surefire.

Colter, have you tried rechargables?

11/16/2011 11:58:25 PM

I keep a bunch of the cheap LED lights around, for showing houses, especially this time of year because it is getting dark when people get off work.

New construction and foreclosures never have power.

11/17/2011 7:49:18 AM

Kobalt 500 Lumen light @ Lowes, $70

http://www.lowes.com/pd_356000-50584-TAD9V5W_0__?productId=3410368&Ntt=kobalt+flashlight&pl=1¤tURL=%2Fpl__0__s%3FNtt%3Dkobalt%2Bflashlight&facetInfo=#BVRRWidgetID


Any experience with this? Internet reviews are positive, considering output/price/build quality

11/17/2011 8:02:02 AM

okay, so i was going through my camping gear and realized i have a 4-D maglite that's just collecting dust...it has two good bulbs, but i generally go for my 4W/200 lumens cree-powered 2-D (an absolute steal for the $14 i paid for it: http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?209624-New-200-lumen-light-at-Home-Depot)

anyway, i think maglite quality is stellar and so rather than relegate it to a dusty corner where i'll never use it, i'm thinking about upgrading it to LED

so...should i just throw a cheap 140-160 lumens replacement (something like the terralux TLE-6EX) for $15-20 in there or splurge and get one of the 600-700 replacements (something like the terralux TLE-300M MiniStar30M for $70-80)? or is it just not worth it? my brightest like IS the 200 lumens unit...i wouldn't mind having something strong (especially since it has 4 D batteries to power it and should last for a while during use), but i won't pretend that i have much cause to actually use it on a regular basis

1/22/2012 8:18:23 PM

^ I have a 4-D Maglite as well, and I'd love to have it upgraded. I'm thinking 200 Lumens should be plenty especially with the ability to adjust the beam to narrow or wide throw.

1/22/2012 9:43:22 PM

flashlights blow.........headlamps are the way to go

1/23/2012 9:47:46 AM

I picked up a 200 or 280 lumen Cree LED flastlight off of Meritline for < $8. I love the light and will buy some more if I can come across them again for < $10.

http://www.meritline.com/led-flashlight---c-7832.aspx

Speaking of headlamps I picked up this 300 lumen one for $15. Not the most rugged, but bright as hell!



http://www.amazon.com/Camping-Hiking-Lumen-CREE-Headlamp/dp/B004NK6Q7Y/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1327333091&sr=8-4

1/23/2012 10:37:54 AM

I got my 4Sevens Quark Mini AA2 for $40 shipped. Damn this a beast of a flashlight!

1/23/2012 12:34:20 PM

this is what i rock



just takes AAA batteries and you don't have to worry about external wiring. comfortable too

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0019DC2JE/ref=asc_df_B0019DC2JE1870887/?tag=hyprod-20&creative=395021&creativeASIN=B0019DC2JE&linkCode=asn

[Edited on January 23, 2012 at 1:27 PM. Reason : .]

1/23/2012 1:26:48 PM

my (older) petzl tikka plus only puts out 50 lumens...but i have yet to need anything brighter since i only use it for backpacking/camping/around-the-house stuff

1/23/2012 1:35:28 PM

While I carry a cheap Coleman ~170 lumen LED flashlight due to my personal budget and propensity to have them stolen, I have used and tested/reviewed Fenix flashlights, which are great and I highly recommend.

http://www.fenixlight.com/newping.asp

1/23/2012 9:25:16 PM

[Edited on January 24, 2012 at 12:27 PM. Reason : we all saw the fleshlight joke coming. -qntm]

1/23/2012 9:42:37 PM

In Before.... damnit

1/23/2012 10:32:23 PM

I keep a petzl hanging on the rearview mirror in my truck, and an 18v porter cable in the toolbox. Its surprising how often I use lights when I have them around

1/23/2012 10:36:46 PM

^^^ This is the lounge.

1/24/2012 12:05:07 PM