What's The Best Flashlight

[+GeoCyclist]

I was cacheing at dusk and pulled out my AA mini mag I carry. I just doesn't cut it. I have a 3D cell Mag lite that performs well but it's too heavy/long to carry in my pack.

 

What reccomendations do you have?

 

Any have/like the "Surefire" Xeon lights? How do they work? I see the batteries only last 60-75 minutes?

 

How do you like LED flashlights? Bright enough?

Edited June 27, 2004 by GeoCyclist

[+Beta Test]

I have a headlamp from Princton-Tec. It has a four C cell detachable battery pack. In the actual lamp two AA cells are held. The LED's can run 300 hours on the AA's. It also has a low and high intensity incandescant bulb output. I think it works just fine.

[+Cache Viking]

I was cacheing at dusk and pulled out my AA mini mag I carry. I just doesn't cut it. I have a 3D cell Mag lite that performs well but it's too heavy/long to carry in my pack.

 

What reccomendations do you have?

 

Any have/like the "Surefire" Xeon lights? How do they work? I see the batteries only last 60-75 minutes?

 

How do you like LED flashlights? Bright enough?

I have an LED with something like 5 LEDs and it works great for what I need most the time. Not real good for lighting things in the distance.

[+Milbank]

I have found there is nothing better then Surefire lights.

 

I carry a Surefire L1 LED daily along with a Surefire E20-HA.

 

I also have a number of surefire lights. I have tried many other high end lights but have found nothing better then Surefire.

 

If you think Surefire's are high priced take a look at some of the custom flashlights on this forum.

 

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/

[+Sparky-Watts]

I have a really nice headlamp, I think it's made by Energizer (the battery folks). It takes two AA batteries, much like the one BT mentioned in the above post, and lasts quite a while on the batteries, puts out plenty of light, and is very light-weight. It has a clear (more like blue) LED, a red LED, and a regular bulb. Sells for around $10-$15 at Wally World.

[+Milbank]

BTW: If you like the forum factor of the AA mag-lite you can get a really good drop in mod from this guy.

 

 

http://www.anlighten.com/shop/default.php

 

I have a couple of them and they are great, much brighter then any standard mag-light. Still not the same as any surefire light, but I have one in my tool box and one in the tackle box that I use every now and then.

Edited June 27, 2004 by Milbank

[+Will+Bill]

I have a three LED headlamp, and it works great. Uses few batteries too. It is really nice not to hold a flashlight when you are looking for a cache or setting up a tent.

[+The Jester]

I've used a AA mini mag for years and haven't had any problems with it, except when I want to go hands-free. That's what I carry all the time in my cache kit. The night cache I set up has one leg that is over 200 feet long, and I had no problem setting it up with the mini-mag.

 

I also have a couple of different headlamps (3 to be exact) for different activities. A great big one for biking (not made anymore so brand is meaningless), a Petzel Zoom that's good for mountaineering and caving, and a Black Diamond LED (don't remember the name) with two general area LEDs and one Hyper-Brite for medium distance - very lightweight.

[+Mechanics Hands]

I'm an aircraft mechanic and work at night frequently. I personally HATE DETEST cant stand LED lights. I do not like the color of light they produce as often its a bluish light that is glaring but not truely illuminating. Surefire lights are great for something of their size. Also streamlight makes several that are wonderful, bright and have decent battery life. I also use a headlamp from walmart that uses a standard bulb and 4aa batteries. Many mechs I know also dont like the blued hue of an LED light.

 

Streamlight makes the scorpion which is small in size and I've seen it and used it. The batteries can get a bit pricey though :-(

 

http://www.streamlight.com/scorpion_specifications.htm

 

I also use the stinger HP. Its lighter than a maglight and rechargeable. its also expensive so you have to judge how much you are really going to use it.

 

http://www.streamlight.com/sting_hp_info.htm

 

On the less expensive end, try checking out the C cell maglights. They shine well, and are lighter than the D cell and have a smaller handle.

 

http://www.maglite.com/ccell.asp

 

I would be hard pressed to get a stinger for caching as the battery pack last about 1.5 hours plus the expense. It is alot lighter though. The scorpion is great but again batteryu prices get ya there. The streamlight jr might be brighter, however I have never tried one.

 

Hope this helps

 

MH

[+Chillibusher]

I use the AA maglight but I also picked up a head band that the flashlight can be slid into to go hands free. The band has two slots for different angles. Works well for me, but I am also looking at the LED headlamps and am thinking it may make a great Christmas gift for me. HINT HINT.....

[+Nazgul]

I've used Surefires for years, and have a 6P, a 6Z, a 9N, and some other ones not suitable for geocaching. All have been very reliable and Surefire has excellent customer service. They don't make the 9N anymore but good lord is it amazing and it uses rechargeable batteries, although they take quite a while to charge and it was very pricey - even on sale from a shop that was going out of business. It's my go-to flashlight though.

 

For most caching I use smaller lights for stealth, usually a CMG Infinity Ultra LED in white or red.

 

There are a lot of lights out there, and lots of info. Be sure to take battery types into account as it can make a big difference in how useful a light is.

 

I had a couple of AA mini-mags and found that I needed to replace bulbs a lot, and the light output was very poor compared to the Surefires. You get what you pay for there. I've used full-size maglites for years and they're solid and reliable but again their performance is poor for their size.

[Pilgrim, Rhubarb, & Sweet Pea]

I also use the stinger HP. Its lighter than a maglight and rechargeable. its also expensive so you have to judge how much you are really going to use it.

 

http://www.streamlight.com/sting_hp_info.htm

 

That's what Pilgrim has - we used it for some night caching last week and it works great. Being rechargable is handy too - it's always ready to go, just grab it off of the charger. It has a portable quick charger for in the car as well.

 

It is pricey though - it Pilgrim didn't have it for his job we probably wouldn't have spent he money.

[dampeoples]

Another vote for the C-cell Maglite, it's a really nice light

[+BadAndy]

My headlamp is a Princeton tek 4AA model. Very bright, works great. My beltlight is a 5 LED innova X5. Works a looooooong time on a set of batteries and is very bright.

[+Doggiewoggie]

Call me crazy, but the all-round best light I've ever used is a Petzl carbide headlamp, for caving. Versatile, durable, incredibly luminous, cheaper than dirt. A little high maintenance--but what the hey... you can cook your meals on it too. So I wound up using my Petzl incandescent headlight as a back-up to the carbide lamp. I found it totally unequalled, and I'm sorry I sold it when I moved to the States.

 

Here's an explanation:

 

http://www.motherearthnews.com/index.php?page=arc&id=1851

Edited June 27, 2004 by prettynwitty

[+NightPilot]

MH, most of the A&Ps I work with also don't like LED lights, but I love mine. It's great for preflighting in the dark, because the white light shows up the yellow oil in the gearboxes very well. With a somewhat yellow incandescent light, it can be really hard to tell if there is oil there or not, but with my white LED flashlight it's easy to see. The right tool for the right job, huh?

 

I have a small flashlight, about the same diameter and length as a AA maglite, but it's all the same diameter, not larger at the bulbs. It has 5 LEDs, and uses lithium batteries. They last for months, while being used pretty much every night, and give lots of light within 10 ft or so, but not too much beyond that. For my uses, that's about perfect. I used to use a mini maglite, and still have a couple around, but seldom use them any more. I need to check those batteries, now that I think about it, they're probably leaking away after all this time.........

[MMACH 5]

I use a Ray-O-Vac headlamp that was 12.99 at Wal-Mart. It has red and white LEDs as well as a krypton bulb. It takes 3 AAA batteries so it's very light weight. I use the red LEDs while walking down the trails, this preserves my night vision as well as the batteries. When I get to the cache area, I switch to the krypton bulb and BAM it seems like daylight. It does suck down the batteries pretty quickly when using the krypton bulb but other than that. I'm very happy with it.

[+Mr.Benchmark]

Just got an inova x0 LED light. This one uses a 1 watt luxeon star LED. It's about twice as bright as a 2 D cell flashlight, throws a similar beam, but is quite small and light. It's LED is regulated, so you'll have 3 or 4 hours of essentially constant light. The battery life is a significant benefit. It will most likely end up being the light I use most frequently. I've tried an inova x5 flashlight in the past, and it's an OK light, but it's really not bright enough in lots of situations.

 

I've also got a pelican M6 xenon lamp flashlight, which is similar to the surefire and streamlights people like. It's a great flashlight, and it's extremely bright - but it only has about an hour of battery life, so on a long hike, you end up carrying lots of spares.

 

You should checkout www.flashlightreviews.com - lots of useful information there.

[+writer]

I keep a Black Diamond Moonlight headlamp in my pack. It's got four LEDs and supposedly gets something like 70 hours of burn time on 3 AAAs. The manufacturer says you get 15 meters of light - I find it strong about 20 to 25 feet out, no not quite as rated, but great for practicalities. I've used it many times for night hiking and find that the few ounces of weight aren't an annoyance. I've also worn it over a knit cap in winter.

[+woodsters]

I carry a scorpion daily for work duties and it's by far better than any maglite. I've used maglites for years and until I became familiar with streamlight, I thought they were good. The scorpion is rechargeable and puts out a very beam of light.

 

someone mentioned the minimags and handsfree. They do make a clip that can go around your head I believe that will hold it.

 

There are some good options in this law enforcement catalog... http://www.galls.com

[CoyoteRed]

First off I want to echo the recommendations of going here:

Candlepower Forums and Flashlight Reviews

 

What light to use depends on what you are doing at the time.

 

You need a bright light to shine into stump holes, bright enough to compete with the sun.

 

You also need one that will last a long time so when you are walking out at night you don't run out of light.

 

It helps to be small enough to carry all of the time.

 

I've yet to find one light that does it all.

 

I carry a Streamlight 3C Twin Task. It comes the closest to doing it all because of the LED and Xenon sources, and it's small enough to put in my pocket. Price is reasonable. But it has compromises. The Xenon is not as bright as my 4D Mag. It certainly gets the job done.

 

Sissy carries a Bright Star Responder 4AA. To the eye it's everybit as bright as my 4D Mag, it's light weight and cheap from Brightguy. Batteries last a decent time but not the best.

 

Extra lights include a 4D with a 3cell bulb (adds brightness at the expense of longevity), and a couple of 6v lanterns.

 

My thoughts on LED lights is similar to what has been stated above. The colors are not true and it doesn't seem to have the "throw," but it certainly works quite well for getting in and out of the woods, and signing the log without being blinded.

 

Again, theres no one best light for caching. While Surefires are very nice lights, I'd probably go with something not as expensive and still gets the job done well. I might go for a powerful rechargable light with autocharger and decent LED headlamp. Handsfree to get in and out of the woods and trading/signing, with the extra punch of the rechargable (without the high battery cost).

 

Hope this helps.

[+Sparky-Watts]

I'm an aircraft mechanic and work at night frequently. I personally HATE DETEST cant stand LED lights. <snipped out very good information for brevity>

And I thought I was the only one who didn't like LED light!! It does something to me emotionally when I see it.....very strange!

[+Milbank]

The scorpion is rechargeable and puts out a very beam of light.

 

Streamlight Scorpion?

 

The Scorpion I have uses two CR123's

[+Beta Test]

My favorite thing about the mag lights is that they're so tough. I've dropped them off of the top of houses and had them hit concrete and not even flich. If only they made headlamps out of the same aircfraft aluminum........

[+Sparky-Watts]

My favorite thing about the mag lights is that they're so tough. I've dropped them off of the top of houses and had them hit concrete and not even flich. If only they made headlamps out of the same aircfraft aluminum........

My 4xC cell maglite rolled off the bumper of my ambulance one night. It was only about an 18" drop......but we were doing 85 on the freeway at the time! I had left it there while loading a patient from a car accident. I happened to see it after it fell, it looked like a little disco ball disappearing into the trees alongside the road. I radioed back to one of our fire units to go get it. When I returned from the ER, he handed it to me, pretty scuffed and dented, but the light was still bright as the day I bought it!!!

[+Milbank]

I also enjoy the flashlightreview.com site.

 

Lots of great info there.

 

Here is a review on my favorite EDC light the Surefire L1

[+clearpath]

I like the 'feel' of the large Mag-Lites. The Mag Intruments that hold (2) or more 'D' batteries are very well made flaslights. When you have to creep around in the dark and all you have at your disposal is a flashlight, somehow you feel a little safer knowing you have this aluminum club, err flashlight in your grip.

[+Sparky-Watts]

I like the 'feel' of the large Mag-Lites. The Mag Intruments that hold (2) or more 'D' batteries are very well made flaslights. When you have to creep around in the dark and all you have at your disposal is a flashlight, somehow you feel a little safer knowing you have this aluminum club, err flashlight in your grip.

Most of the cops, security guards, and paramedics I know carry two flashlights. One small one for illuminating objects and people, and a big D-cell for making some people "see the light"......

[+woodsters]

Most of the cops, security guards, and paramedics I know carry two flashlights. One small one for illuminating objects and people, and a big D-cell for making some people "see the light"......

We do not!

[+Sparky-Watts]

Most of the cops, security guards, and paramedics I know carry two flashlights.  One small one for illuminating objects and people, and a big D-cell for making some people "see the light"......

We do not!

Riiiggghhhhttttt...........that other BFL you carry is a spare....I know........

[phantom]

I have a Streamlight LED flashlight that uses 4 AA batteries and is plenty bright. Its waterproof too and fits nicely into a nylon holster. A headlamp also works well, even better, in conjunction with a flashlight.

 

[+Cache Viking]

I like them there Surefires. Everytime I see the ones in the NRA magazine I think of buying it but I can here my wife now .... "you want to spend how much on what?!!!"

[Pilgrim, Rhubarb, & Sweet Pea]

Most of the cops, security guards, and paramedics I know carry two flashlights.  One small one for illuminating objects and people, and a big D-cell for making some people "see the light"......

We do not!

The one I know does! Plus it's always nice to have a backup!

Edited June 27, 2004 by Pilgrim, Rhubarb, & Sweet Pea

[+Runaround]

I like them there Surefires. Everytime I see the ones in the NRA magazine I think of buying it but I can here my wife now .... "you want to spend how much on what?!!!"

That's my thought. I can't bring myself to carry a flashlight that costs more than a yellow E-trex.

[+Milbank]

I like them there Surefires. Everytime I see the ones in the NRA magazine I think of buying it but I can here my wife now .... "you want to spend how much on what?!!!"

 

They get over it after the first couple of Surefire's.

 

A couple of years ago I would have never thought of spending more then $15 on a flashlight.

 

Now I can't see myself ever using a stock Gag-light again.

[+GeoCyclist]

Thanks for the input. I think I may get a surefire. I like the Li batteries and Xeon bulb. Will have to see how battery life works out.

 

The rechargables cited above look nice but out of my price range considering I wouldn't use it enough. For my needs batterys should work okay.

[bnolan]

I am a big fan of headlamps for hands free cacheing. By far my favorite is the Princeton Tec Yukon HL

 

It has two light sources. The first is 3 5mm LEDs good for close up work and long battery life. The second is a super bright LED that can be focused; great for following a trail.

 

I don't know how long the battery life is, because I am still on my first set of 3 AAAs. Besides the long battery life, LEDs are great because there is no filament to break or burn out like an incandescent bulb.

[+Milbank]

Thanks for the input. I think I may get a surefire. I like the Li batteries and Xeon bulb. Will have to see how battery life works out.

 

The surefire E20-HA I use gets 2 1/2 hours out of a set of CR123 batteries.

 

I know a place online were you can get the CR123 for $1 each- shipped.

 

You have to buy them in lots of 20, but I don't think there is anyplace cheaper to get them.

 

Just so I don't get anymore off topic, you can email me if you want more info on the batteries.

 

gps@wat.midco.net

[+phantom4099]

I picked up one the 6 volt version of this Browning flashligh two weeks ago (go to cabelas.com and look for item QR-516440 should be $31.99). I took this with me camping last week and found that it was extremly bright (the cabelas guys said it was brighter than similar surfire lights, and it was brighter than a relatives stream light polystinger (he is an EMT) rechargable light).

 

Even though its only rated to last 1.5 hours, I was able to make one set of batteries last the entire week that I was camping.

 

Several of my freinds were extremly impressed with how much light this flashlight produced, and a few took to calling it a "minture sun".

 

Wyatt W.

Edited June 28, 2004 by phantom4099

[+dzdiver]

For a reliable, intense, small flashlight, you cannot beat the Surefire lights. I have a 6P (non-rechargeable) that I keep with my weapon. It throws a tremendous beam. Several people I know use the rechargeable Sure Fire lights and they love them for the same reasons.

 

For geocaching I use a Princeton Tec headlight that has three LED's and one Main bulb. It runs on AA batteries and is quite well made. It offers a choice of soft difuse light with the LED's or a strong beam with the main bulb.

[+stingray and butterfly]

I use the Stinger- and it's amazing- and since it's rechargable, I don't have to run out for batteries all of the time,(makes the price a bit easier to swallow) and the charge lasts for a long time. I have friends who have the big D cell maglights- and my little stinger out shines theirs.

http://www.streamlight.com/sting_hp_info.htm

[+flask]

petzl winter weight light. led flashlight/ bar mount light, light & motion helmet mount whoa-nellie-it's-noontime light.

yeah. careful with that puppy. you can land aircraft with it.

[+Fireman78]

The two best lights possible are the following : Headlamp/ Petzl Zipka $35.00.

Recharchable flashlight- Streamlight Scion. $99.00. The Scion is new, is extremely small, and has a life of about 60-70 minutes per charge. Lithium Ion batteries charge a minimun of 300 times. VERY SMALL, Lightweight, and BRIGHT

[Pilgrim, Rhubarb, & Sweet Pea]

I use the Stinger- and it's amazing- and since it's rechargable, I don't have to run out for batteries all of the time,(makes the price a bit easier to swallow)  and the charge lasts for a long time.  I have friends who have the big D cell maglights- and my little stinger out shines theirs.

http://www.streamlight.com/sting_hp_info.htm

Had to buy new bulbs for ours today - nearly 7 bucks each - ouch! Tiny little things, but they sure are bright!

 

~Rhubarb

Edited June 29, 2004 by Pilgrim, Rhubarb, & Sweet Pea

[+robert]

I use a 3 D-cell MagLite. Works like a champ!

[+JohnnyVegas]

For geocaching at night I like the priceton tec Tec-40, Uses 4AA Batteries and a halogen bulb, it is also waterproof, I have used it as a dive light while scube diving, I think they sell for around $16.00 or $20.00 I also use a princetentec head lamp. LED lights I am not all the crazy about as they do not put out enough light for looking at any thing i the distrance.

[+WalruZ]

For most caching I use smaller lights for stealth, usually a CMG Infinity Ultra LED in white or red.

 

I'm sort of with Naz on this. The answer depends on where and how you cache at night. Much of my caching is urban or semi-urban, and I try to do as much as possible without the flashlight even on. I have some off-brand LED that is the size of an AA battery that I carry on a coard around my neck. If I need to see something I'll turn it on, but that's it. If I need to go hands free I hold the end nubbin in my teeth.

 

IMO, charging around some neighborhood with a huge-a** flashlight or (god forbid) a headlamp will just get the cops called on you. Swinging some bright flashlight beam around just alerts people to your presence. A dim flashlight is not necessarily a bad thing. You don't need that much light to find a geocache. My advice is to do some night caching and see what your style is, then look for a flashlight to fit it. You might find, as I have, that stealth is more important than illumination.

 

Out in the woods it's a different matter, but I would always at least pack an LED flashlight as backup because of their excellent battery life.

 

FWIW, another cardinal rule of night-caching that I've developed is to not try to park as close as you can to the cache site. Find non-descript on-street parking that is further away, then walk to the trailhead or the site.

 

And yes, basic black (head to toe) is always in fashion.

[+Beta Test]

If I need to see something I'll turn it on, but that's it. If I need to go hands free I hold the end nubbin in my teeth.

 

IMO, charging around some neighborhood with a huge-a** flashlight or (god forbid) a headlamp will just get the cops called on you. Swinging some bright flashlight beam around just alerts people to your presence. A dim flashlight is not necessarily a bad thing. You don't need that much light to find a geocache. My advice is to do some night caching and see what your style is, then look for a flashlight to fit it. You might find, as I have, that stealth is more important than illumination.

 

I generally agree that bright lights are a bit....err......less discrete. A lot of headlamps (like mine) can be either dull or bright. And the Blue LED's are also more practical for night movement because it doesn't carry as far as the red light. Also red light poses problems like not being able to see red on paper ( ok so you dont really haave that much red text while caching but oh well).

 

Also imstead of carring the light in your teeth, try putting it between your cheek and teeth. It is easier on the enamel and builds definition in those hard to tone cheeks.

 

Well that my AA (I hope somebody gets that)

Edited June 29, 2004 by Beta Test

[+cmpalmer]

My first LED flashlight (a Brinkman from Wal-Mart) was quite blue, but I've noticed that the "white" LEDs are getting much better. I haven't bought a full-sized LED replacement yet, but the last one I tried had much whiter light.

 

Once, on a night hike on one of my kid's field trips, I was using the Brinkman and one of the mom's actually got mad at me because she said those halogen lights gave her a headache and hurt her eyes. I tried to explain that it was an LED and not a halogen car headlight and she got even more ticked off and asked me to turn it off or keep it away from her. Sheesh.

 

I'm looking for an LED lamp for my bike. Does anyone have any experience in using a headlamp (as in one of those lights that strap to your head) while biking? Is that reasonable?

[+Beta Test]

I'm looking for an LED lamp for my bike. Does anyone have any experience in using a headlamp (as in one of those lights that strap to your head) while biking? Is that reasonable?

It works just fine with me. However a light that constantly stays on the road is nice too. Just don't try to adjust the headlamp while riding too much. Bad things can happen.