Small Powerful Flashlights

[JPope]

Do anyone have any experience with small powerful flashlights, that typically use a 123A lithium battery, like the ones by:

www.surefire.com

www.streamlight.com

http://ishot-inc.com/store/product_info.php?cPath=29&products_id=56



even these can be BOMBED:

http://www.lumileds.com/products/family.cfm?familyId=2

 

[JoshPeters]

I've seen and used the Surefire light..... That bad boy is BRIGHT! Even on a sunny day, inside, turn it on at aim it at a wall... You will see the beam against the wall! Shoot Duluth Diesel a PM, he carries his at all times.



Josh

 

[Jim Fulmer]

Surefire's are real nice but spendy, if you want to drop some more coin then get a rechargeable one, a bud has two of there lights and his big one doubles as a landing light... ... sick bright.



Jim

 

[ARedetzke]

I've got one from SnapOn that I bought for $36. Runs off 1 AA battery. Carry it with me at all times, and I love it. Puts out a ton of light for a little sucker.

 

[Hohn]

Sure Fire here. Batteries aren't cheap (they are Lithium camera batts) but you can't get more firwpower in a smaller size.



jlh

 

[Alan Reagan]

I use a Surefire for a tactical light. It is bright. The batteries are pricey but seem to last a long time. I use a blue lense and that saves my night vision plus I can read navigation charts at night with the blue.



The light has been immersed in salt water, dropped, kicked and had a lot of the paint rubbed off but it still works great.

 

[mikel]

I just bought SureFire lights to replace all the junk flashlights (3 and 4 "D" cell Maglights) in my truck, my wife's truck and the nightstand at the house.



I got the G2 (about $35. 00/ea) 65 lumens standard or can be BOMBed with an optional hi-output 120 lumen bulb. It is a plastic light and is very very bright with the standard bulb. If you buy your 123 batteries from SureFire they will run $1. 25/ea. Not all that bad of a price in my mind. I saw the same batteries at wal-mart for $9. 88 for a pack of 2.



Personally I won't buy another wal-mart light again, they just aren't worth the crummy light and bulky size.



Try one, $35 isn't all that much if you don't like it...



Mike

 

[JPope]

Checking Surefire's site I notice that they had the 123A batteries for $15/dozen, and $90/72, which is a lot cheaper than buying them locally, $8. 25/2!!!!



That was my main concern. The one I was checking out was BRIGHT!!!!!! Oo.

 

[Duluth Diesel]

SureFire all the way. Go to www.surefire.com and order a catalog and read up on the logic of light. I have a Bombed out 6P (120 lumens), a SC1 spares carrier, a quick-release SureFire holster, and my wife has a G2 Nitrolon. These are extremely good lights, and I carry my 6P every day on my belt. I'm waiting for the 9P to come back out this summer. That light runs about $107 bucks but can be easily bombed out to 200 lumens. The 6P and G2 use two 123A 3-volt lithium lamps. The 9P uses three of these batteries. The best price I've found on these batteries is directly from surefire.com. These lights are spendy but I feel worth every penny. You get what you pay for. Since I bought my 6P, not only have I stopped using my MagLites, I have given a couple away. MagLites are too dim, have dark spots (inconsistancies) in the beam, and too big and heavy. The SureFire 6P is waaaay smaller, tougher, lighter, brighter, and just a better light. The advantage with this much firepower in a small package is that you can daily carry the light so you actually have it when you need it. The biggest problem with C and D cell MagLites is that since they are so huge and heavy, you don't carry them daily, and so you have to go get it or find it when you need it. Having a bright light with you when you need it is priceless. Mine lives on my belt next to my Leatherman Wave, Benchmade 940S knife, and Fox Labs pepper spray, Nextel phone, and lots of keys. Yes, I have a BatMan belt. By the way, at subzero temperatures, the alkaline batteries in MagLites die and leave you in the dark. The Lithium batteries in the SureFires will provide 100% light output at temps as low as -40 degrees. Again, you get what you pay for.



Basically, as a CTD owner, I will never own a gasoline powered full-size truck again. Likewise, as a SureFire owner, I will never own a MagLite again.

 

[klenger]

I have the one (among others) shown at the bottom of http://www.streamlight.com/tasklight_info.htm



That this is bright, almost blinding bright. It uses 1 single LED powered by 3 AA batteries.



#ad

 

[JakeGMCHD]

Might want to check this company out. I've had good luck with them. Inova

 

[nickleinonen]

I have the one (among others) shown at the bottom of http://www.streamlight.com/tasklight_info.htm



That this is bright, almost blinding bright. It uses 1 single LED powered by 3 AA batteries.



#ad

a few guys at work have this one... it is bright, but the light doesn't have real good depth, but up close it is great

 

[MLimpert]

I have an INOVA and am pleased with it. Its the single LED model with 2 lithium batteries. Its almost too nice to carry. I bought mine at sharper image.

 

[The patriot]

I have two surefires. One 6Z and one 7Z. Theyre both of the older types.

The 6Z is the smaller and more powerful of the two. It uses two 123 lithium batts.

The 7Z is a rechargable. It also came with an adapter so that it could be used with 123's, and came with an A/c and D/c charger.

I'm very happy with both, but some people suggest to me that if I ever want to buy a rechargable to get a streamlight next time.

Theyre supposed to make a better rechargable.

The 6Z mostly sits on the nightstand. The 7Z gets to do all the work here. :-laf

Eric

 

[NVR FNSH]

I carry a Streamlight NF-2 on my duty belt (2 CR123 batteries) and a rechargeable Mag Light issued by my dept. IMO - get a rechargeable - batteries get expensive if you use the light regularly.



Brian

 

[TRAMPLINEMAN]

I've got a handful of Streamlights and will never own another brand of light. I know they are expensive, but in my opinion, well worth it!

 

[C. Harlan]

JPope-- I second TRAMPLINEMAN... . I own a streamlight, and will never own another kind of light... I have a large one like the linemen use, and that sucker is bulky, but Jeez Louise it's bright! The other one is like the size of the police issue light. Also super bright! Anyways, Streamlight gets my vote!



-Chris-

 

[JPope]

Interesting thread on The High Road on bombing flashlights!!!!

Seems like nobody is ever satisfied with stock :-laf



http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=125447

 

[The patriot]

I'm familiar with the high road, AKA THR.

There's also another one that's called candlepower forums, or something like that. I'll see if I can post a link later.

Eric

 

[The patriot]

This is another brand that I've seen in my newest catalog:

http://www.pentagonlight.com/

These guys REALLY get into battery power:

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/

There's another brand tactical light that's been running full page ad's in Shotgun news a few months back that (at least in the ad) compared favorably to a much larger Streamlight or Surefire (I forget which it was).

It was extremely small.

I paged through a few old ones I have here, but I couldnt find the ad.

Eric