"I also keep a dozen homemade disposable battery lights, they are cheaper than chemical light sticks, give more light, for longer, and can be turned off."

Please explain.

Sue

Seconded. Google left me empty.

I am not sure if I have his home made light idea right, but I think if you google "Throwies" you might find something.

I suspect you can live without the magnet, but I could see it coming in handy if you want to stick the light some place with a steel surface to attach it to.

These are very simple, some would say crude.

A plastic battery holder for 2D cells, with a 2.4 volt 0.7 amp flashlight bulb.
The bulb is soldered to two short pieces of wire, which are soldered to the terminals of the battery holder.
No switch is needed, insert batteries to light, remove batteries to turn off.

Run time 10 hours continous or about 15 hours total of intermitant use, with alkaline cells

Cost of battery holder about 25 pence, cost of bulb 5 pence, wire and solder ,estimate less than a penny.
Alkaline D cells if bought in bulk are less than £1.00 for two.

Total cost about £1.00/£1.25, glow sticks cost more than that and give a lot less light.

I also made some smaller versions with 2 AA cells and a 0.3 amp bulb, these are smaller and lighter in weight and use cheaper batteries, but the run time and light output are less.

Although very basic, these are reliable due to the small number of potential loose contacts.
They are cheap enough to give away, and I allways keep some to hand.

Great thinking!

Those could easily be upgraded with LED replacements, such as this:
Niteize LED bulb replacement
The manufacturer claims 50 hours on 2 D cell batteries. Unverified, but likely.

The bad news is that the cold white LEDs will not create the atmosphere as a dimmed incan bulb when the family huddles up for noodles in the living room...

The use of an LED retrofit would certainly greatly extend the run time, but a cost of $10/£6 would no longer be a throwaway item.

I also suspect that an LED retrofit bulb would be destroyed by the heat of soldering wires to it.

For my own use, not for giveaways I have some lights that use 4D cells and a miniture screw base bulb holder.
These use either a 5 volt 0.5 amp incandescent bulb for a run time of 20/30 hours or an screwbase LED lamp for 100+ hours.

Slick. VERY slick.

Adam2 hits a good point about expensive gear vs. cheaper items. I actually go with cheaper gear on about 85% of my kit. Some items you just can't get away from b/c of bias. I invested in a RSK Mk1 but Moras are great too and 10% of the cost. But the bulk of my EDC and packs are very basic.

I destroy a lot of gear. When was the last time most people bought a magnesium block and used it down to the mishmash starter? Me, all the time. If I bought something b/c it's 'cool', and didn't put it through hardcore testing to see if it holds up, I might as well not have it at all.

Consequently, I have become a raving fan of some brands and will push people away from others. Its one thing to tell someone you own 'X' item, its another to say, I put that thing through the ringer and did great.

Neat idea. But if you wanted to store the light with the batteries inside could you put a removable plastic spacer between the batteries?

I approach the topic of the thread with the mindset that I always want a little something in reserve for myself and those closest to me.

I put the easiest to get to stuff in what I call modules or kits which in their smallest form are contained in sealed plastic freezer bags. I bundle a day's food per bag for example. Other bundles are complete personal toiletry sets probably good for 4-5 days. Water is primarily a purchased in individual plastic bottles.

I have bulk supplies in waterproof plastic tubs; almost all of which contain only large individually sealed containers. I have a lot of water in multi-gallon containers.

If pressed I would admit to a discrete duplicate stash of everything kept nearby but not readily visible or as easily accesible. I hope that not even looters or well-meaning do-gooders would find this stuff.

I have taken the same approach to my tools, hardware, lubricants, batteries, and everything else.

So, strangers or those passing through might get a plastic freezer bag or two, and some bottles of water. Closer family and friends might get aa bulk package or two plus several freezer bag kits, and a case or two of water in bottles.

This does not take into account my EDC or BOB which remain with me or under my control, nor does it include my vehicle "kit."