I like Doug's recommendation for his version of the Photon. If worried about the pushbutton being accidentally activated, tape a coin over the button that is slightly oversized, and bridged in such a way that the button can't be squeezed or pressed upon. If worried about moisture getting to it, coat it with a thin layer of RTV silicone, then trim away the part just over the lens. Dang near waterproof sucker then.

I have a photon freedom on my keychain because it's lightweight and non-obtrusive, but I rarely use it. There's a Peak Matterhorn 1xAAA (similar to Arc AAA) which I EDC in a Mission Wallet. The Peak is what I use when I need a light; the battery is common, inexpensive and easily replaced.

does it have a hands-free switch?

Mine does. It ain't quite the same as Doug's version, but it's close.

But why even have to worry about that. If the squeeze lights have their limitations in a regular outdoor environment why would you want to depend your life on it during a survival situation.

Plus a light like the Arc takes common batteries that can be easily found and its circuitry can take advantage of dead batteries or poor quality batteries that you salvage from other equipment or find laying around.

Here is a video demonstrating that

http://www.arcflashlight.com/media/Arcvsmag.wmv


plus it is waterproof to 200 feet and has a proven durability record


here is one that was found in the bottom of a river after 5 years and still works




here is one that fell of a mountain





And the best part is that ARC is one of the few flashlights still made in the USA!!!!!!!!


I am sorry if I sound like a commercial, but I think depending on a push button coin cell light for survival is a bad idea.




.

I'm a fan of the Arc AAA (EDC on keyring) and DR Photon (EDC on other keyring). It makes sense to pay close attention to what people carry EDC because those lights (or tools or whatever) are the ones getting used most frequently and getting knocked around the most. The ones that can take the most daily use abuse are the ones more likely to be ready after being stored in a PSK. If your PSK is there for survival only (some people combine EDC items and PSK items) then make sure whatever light you have uses lithium batteries...better shelf life than other types. Remember that a AA light will have the best chance of you scrounging for batteries from other things (remote controls, etc.) if need be. I would not suggest relying solely on countycomm.com lights. They have a lot of advantages, but if you're carrying one or two of those, and they happened to be the bad ones in the batch... Then again, buy a few and put them through the paces. Carry one in you pocket for a few months. Or two...one to use EDC and one to just sit...see how it holds up. It might be just the thing for you. Or carry one in your PSK (space allowing) and go for that first in a situation. But have something else as a back up. Here again, the Star Trek philosopy applies...triple redundancy. At this moment, I've got an Arc AAA on the keychain my flash drive is on (in this computer right now), and Inova X1 in my PSK (in cargo pocket) and Inova X5 in the other cargo pocket. Worked well the other night...driving in really bad weather after dark on a school trip no less, the person navigating was using the Arc to read the Mapquest directions (put us about 5 miles off course btw)then when it came to reading dark road signs in the middle of nowhere, the X5 was quite handy...

Going off topic now, but whatever you choose, put it through every possible pace you can think of...test it out and see how it works for you.

I have one on my key chain. It has been kicked around for YEARS and is fairly indestructable. It has only been turned on by accident once in my pocket.

the batteries can be a bit of a b$%&h to find at times. and the light appears to dim after a shorter time than expected, but you most likely wont find a tougher little flashlight than the L1

it comes with colored lenses as well. a good way to preserve night vision for reading maps in the dark if you need it for that purpose.

something to consider.

Hi dd619999,


The Fenix T1 is a pretty tough flashlight;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0WvhJWE3_Oc&feature=related

A flashlight crushing obsession I suspect.

The Fenix T1 is an awesome flashlight.

The drawback is that it is a bit too large to put in a PSK

Well, you are correct, there are much more suitable light sources out there for various tasks and conditions. My recommendation is based on having carried both the flat pushbutton lithium powered single LED lights and the AAA and AA powered aluminum tube light with one or more LEDs. I can swing either way, but for now I have two of the photon type lights in my pocket, and they've been there for a couple years now working just fine for what I need. I haven't had to replace batteries despite almost daily use, and they are no more encumbering than my keyring is without them, not that the little AAA light I carried before that was any moreso. From a size perspective, the photon type are both smaller and lighter than the tube type flashlights. They may not be as durable, but they work, and will do what I need them to do in both day to day use and postulated likely survival situations. If I really thought I would need more light than this, I would of course pack along one of my 3 watt Luxeon flashlights, or my G2 Nitrolon, or my 1 watt Luxeon headlight.

If your pack has the room for a tube light, go for it. Really they aren't that much more encumbering than the photon style anyways. I think Doug's point was that the light he recommends is reasonably dependable, easily packable, and fairly useful, all of which contribute to it's overall effectiveness as a survival tool. Certainly there are a number of other items in his kit that can be upgraded to more durable, more powerful components, size not being so much the issue. Doug's choices have proven effective, and more is only better if it can be easily accomodated.

I would much prefer to pack my bob around with me than my edc, but for the encumberance it would generate.