best bang for the buck flashlight

[otherloginbroke]

I have a hard time spending big bucks for flashlight. I want to pick up 2 flashlights one for my hunting bag other for around the house. I want to get the most light, out of a small light, with decent battery life without spending a ton. This train of thought has me thinking maybe a Surefire G2 with a solarforce cree bulb. Along the same line I could just get a whole solarforce for cheaper then that but what is the quality like on the L2 models.

[Fisheadgib]

For around the house, I'm sure others will chime in as to what the best flashlight in the world is. For a hunting bag, I picked up a streamlight twintask two seasons ago, and it is by far my favorite hunting bag light. It has a bright white light for the rare times when you need lots of light, and a green tinted LED light for when you need a subdued light. The LED makes the batteries last quite a bit longer and the green tint is supposed to be less visible to animals. I usually hike to my stands an hour before sunrise and the green LED lets you see supprisingly well.

[Chris]

Originally Posted by otherloginbroke

I have a hard time spending big bucks for flashlight. I want to pick up 2 flashlights one for my hunting bag other for around the house. I want to get the most light, out of a small light, with decent battery life without spending a ton. This train of thought has me thinking maybe a Surefire G2 with a solarforce cree bulb. Along the same line I could just get a whole solarforce for cheaper then that but what is the quality like on the L2 models.

For the same price as a Surefire g2 LED, you can get a Fenix tx-11 that is twice as bright or more.

[otherloginbroke]

I have small LED colored lights for making it to my stand, but early bow season = hunting until dark and sometimes searching for deer in the dark.

[grandeyota]

Originally Posted by Chris

For the same price as a Surefire g2 LED, you can get a Fenix tx-11 that is twice as bright or more.

I've got a fenix T-1 (earlier version of tk11) and I don't really use any of my other lights anymore. At least look into it, they are solid lights.

[Rat~Man]

Cheap and surefire?


I use one of the Streamlight Stinger LEDs at work.

Almost too bright. 3 brightness adjustments on the switch and this sillyass flash setting. 2 batterys, wall charger. Batteries last about 4 hours each.

[Fisheadgib]

Originally Posted by otherloginbroke

I have small LED colored lights for making it to my stand, but early bow season = hunting until dark and sometimes searching for deer in the dark.

That's what's cool about the twintask. Both features are built into one light.

[otherloginbroke]

Originally Posted by Rat~Man

Cheap and surefire?


I use one of the Streamlight Stinger LEDs at work.

Almost too bright. 3 brightness adjustments on the switch and this sillyass flash setting. 2 batterys, wall charger. Batteries last about 4 hours each.

yeah the G2 runs 30 something (plastic body which I have no issue with) and add the cree for 16

[LiLBucket]

I have about 20 (in all honesty) of those 2 for $5 led lights at Advance Auto Parts

They're great for truck lights, pocket lights, in-a-drawer light. Everytime I go into Advance, I buy two.

Yes, I LOVE flashlights. I have the Streamlights, Surefires, Pelicans, etc., but with these stoopid little things I can afford to buy one for every single possible place that I'd want or need a flashlight and not be afraid of it getting lost/stolen/broken.

Now, in a "real life" scenario where the light means life or death, I wouldn't rely on these, but seriously, what the fawk is it really getting used for?!

The only thing I use a lights for in "real life" is firefighting, and even some of those are "cheap" because even the best light is getting melted in a given situation. For "not detrimental to flashlight" conditions, I use a Streamlight because that's what our department uses.

[Texas97]

i picked one of these up for nothing off my roomate who is an ex-cop and MP. i really like it and the price is right. just as bright as my surefire, atleast its tought to tell the difference

Dorcy Metal Flashlight

[wheelerfreak]

Go to http://dealextreme.com/ and look at their Ultrafire lights. I have several and they kick ass. I liked them so much I bought the LED insert for my Surefire G2. They are cheap and much brighter than my G2. You can find lights up to 700 lumens there.

[COVEJEEPSXJ]

Originally Posted by wheelerfreak

Go to http://dealextreme.com/ and look at their Ultrafire lights. I have several and they kick ass.

Specifically which models do you have?

[wheelerfreak]

Originally Posted by COVEJEEPSXJ

Specifically which models do you have?

This is the best bang for the buck 501B

I also have a few of these that work well but are not as bright. But they run on AA's not CR123's. 601A

[wheelerfreak]

This is the insert for the Surefire G2 that I have. It is at least as bright as the upgraded 120 lumen bulb SF sells.

[Red Dwarf]

Best bang for the buck? IMHO, the 2AA Maglite. Bullet proof, parts available at Walmart, batteries available anywhere, no goofy switch to go bad. All for under $10. If you need LED, get the LED Maglite - still under $20.

[Berne]

I've had good luck w/ "COAST" LED flashlights.

I've got a couple different ones. One that takes 3 AAA batteries, and one that takes a single AA.

the single AA one is SUPER handy...not ultra bright, but prolly as bright as a 2 or 3 cell MagLight...its a 'usable' bright, not tacticool bright.
the 3 AAA one is 'pretty fawking bright'....prolly right up there w/ standard xenon surefire brightness. Too bright for up-close working on stuff, but a good outdoor flashlight.
batteries in both seem to last for fawking ever....like, they're gonna rust in there before they go dead...

and, I like the common-cheap batteries. Sure, they don't have a million year shelf life, but for everyday use, its nice to be able to get them cheap/everywhere.


:edit: I think this is the little one I have: little guy
and the bigger one
--B

[muddawg95yj]

I like my Pelican M6 LED, 40 hours battery life. This is the one I use for hunting. I also have a Streamlight Poly Stinger rechargeable that gets a ton of use around the house.

[665.0coupe]

Originally Posted by LiLBucket

I have about 20 (in all honesty) of those 2 for $5 led lights at Advance Auto Parts

They're great for truck lights, pocket lights, in-a-drawer light. Everytime I go into Advance, I buy two.

Yes, I LOVE flashlights. I have the Streamlights, Surefires, Pelicans, etc., but with these stoopid little things I can afford to buy one for every single possible place that I'd want or need a flashlight and not be afraid of it getting lost/stolen/broken.

Now, in a "real life" scenario where the light means life or death, I wouldn't rely on these, but seriously, what the fawk is it really getting used for?!

The only thing I use a lights for in "real life" is firefighting, and even some of those are "cheap" because even the best light is getting melted in a given situation. For "not detrimental to flashlight" conditions, I use a Streamlight because that's what our department uses.

I'm glad somebody has had some luck with them. My boss thought it would be a good idea to get some of these for our at-the-track tool boxes cause he was a cheap bastard. I never had one that worked right. I ended up throwing them all away and using my Surefire 6P.

I don't like my 6P for everyday use just because of the cost of batteries. I like the AA led maglights. I had a regular AA maglight and tried the led conversion for $15 and never did get it to work.

Luke

[SeaBass44]

$25 home depot LED, 2 d batterys
these things are bright!
insane it's like an $80 small light, or better

[JeepsRcool]

Originally Posted by Berne

I've had good luck w/ "COAST" LED flashlights.

I've got a couple different ones. One that takes 3 AAA batteries, and one that takes a single AA.

the single AA one is SUPER handy...not ultra bright, but prolly as bright as a 2 or 3 cell MagLight...its a 'usable' bright, not tacticool bright.
the 3 AAA one is 'pretty fawking bright'....prolly right up there w/ standard xenon surefire brightness. Too bright for up-close working on stuff, but a good outdoor flashlight.
batteries in both seem to last for fawking ever....like, they're gonna rust in there before they go dead...

and, I like the common-cheap batteries. Sure, they don't have a million year shelf life, but for everyday use, its nice to be able to get them cheap/everywhere.


:edit: I think this is the little one I have: little guy
and the bigger one
--B

This^^^ i have three

[Hooligan]

Fenix

I have a TK10 (precursor to TK11) and a small P5D. Great lights, nice battery life and Brightness that an old school 2D Mag can't match.

If you want a Mag style light- check out the Cabelas brand with 2 LEDs (http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/te...t=search_redir It is nice.

[Jeff.]

Solarforce with the R2 CREE LED is an exact knockoff of the Surefire...It's an awesome flashlight with all accessories being interchangeable.

http://www.solarforce.hk/PRD/main.jsp

[Unrepentant Sinner]

Have you looked at the $20 Coleman's that WalMart carries, Cree bulbs, very bright and have been pretty damn durable. Worth a look.

[intenseimages]

I will toss in another vote for the 3 AA LED MagLite. $25 at wallyworld comes with belt sheath. I use it on a fairly regular basis and end up replacing batteries about every 3 months. I use the Energizer ultimate lithium batteries in it.

[COVEJEEPSXJ]

Originally Posted by Unrepentant Sinner

Have you looked at the $20 Coleman's that WalMart carries, Cree bulbs, very bright and have been pretty damn durable. Worth a look.

Not sure if this is the same light as the ones at Walmart but I think it is. The descriptions sounds the same, but the auction doesn't say anything about Cree bulbs.

http://cgi.ebay.com/COLEMAN-MAX-CR2-...QQcmdZViewItem

I just bought one.... I will report back once I receive it.