I'm looking for a rugged, lightweight, waterproof, decently long-lived and bright LED handheld flashlight for my EDC bag. AA or AAA. Ability to use lithium batteries and to be stood on end to use as a candle light are plusses, but not a dealbreaker. I already have a Photon and coin cell headlamp in the bag, as well as an EO1 on my keychain. Right now I'm thinking a Princetontec Attitude or a Fenix LD10 R5. Please give me your views, given my specs.

I've had a Fenix L1T for a couple of years now and it's a great little light. Shortly after getting it managed to get ran through the washing machine. When I found it at the bottom of the washing machine it worked!!! The only thing is the L1T doesn't stand on end. There are probably other Fenix lights that do. Up until getting the Fenix I'd been a long time Surefire user. While I really like the Surefire's they are expensive to run due to the 123 batts.

Agree, Fenix L1T is a good solid light. It's goes on the belt easy when needed and disappears in my bag when not needed. L2T is next to my truck's driver seat.

Personally I am a huuuge headlamp fan. A Princeton Tec EOS with lithium AAA's will provide a ton of hands-free light for only about $35 or so.

That said, do take a good look at the Fenix PD10 (twist on) or PD20 (push-button on). They are tough lights that provides a stunning amount of light when needed but last a long long time on lower levels.

I love my $10 dorcy lights

I would suggest a Fenix LD01, which is the AAA version. Three levels of brightness, tough, dependable, and small enough to ride comfortably on my keychain, always ready.

Fenix LD10, I'm quite satisfied. It's fairly waterproof and rugged. One thing, I wish it had fewer light options. I just need bright and dim, but it includes strobe and SOS also. I always forget how to get to the different functions, which are controlled by manipulation of the single button on the butt.

I was thinking about getting an LD01 also, but can't justify the expense. I'd rather get three E01 flashlights for the same price and have my LD10 as my main.

I highly recommend the Quark by 4Sevens.

http://www.4sevens.com/index.php?cPath=297_305
or
http://www.4sevens.com/index.php?cPath=297_355

They are remarkably small, light, powerful, long lasting and nearly indestructible. They have several modes which are practical every day from blinding bright to nightvision-saving low and a few survival oriented modes such as SOS and becon which last for weeks. They can tailstand; they can be mounted as a headlamp or weaponlight and the diffuser turns them into a lantern bright enough to light up a large room. Finally, for $20 you can buy additional bodies to change them from a CR123 to a AAx1 or AAx2.

Fenix makes a great flashlight. For me, I'm slowly replacing my Fenix lights with Quarks.

You can get the Prism accessory to turn a Quark into a headlamp. It works quite well for me.

The Tank007 TK-360 is a good quality and good value CR123 flashlight for money @ around $14.

http://www.tank007.com/view_products.asp?id=338

http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.19183

The TK-360 can be used in candle mode by removing the optics in a similar fashion such as a Maglite AA flashlight.

For single or double AA cell use then the Tank007 TK-556 is also excellent value for money.

http://www.tank007.com/view_products.asp?id=341

http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.18626

I don't know about the Deal Extreme lights for $14, but for three dollars more, I can get a Streamlight Micro, which takes AA. I received the Streamlight Strion LED for Christmas, and it's so impressive I am thinking about the Micro as a smaller companion to it.

On the subject of cheaper LEDs, I'm looking for a really low-priced alternative that I could buy several of and scatter around various vehicles, bags, etc. Is there a truly reliable AA or AAA in the $5-7 range?

David

Everyone speaks highly of Fenix, but ya know, I don't think I see them on shelves. Are these a internet only or specialty shop item (i.e. gun stores, Cabelas?).

As great a any item is for my personal kit the first gate it must pass is be replaceable within an hour or two. Admittedly, I don't get the WOW factor but I have it when I need it and can replace it right away.

WRT DX

The good -- cheap stuff
The bad -- cheap stuff

The best I would consider for that purpose is a Fexix EO1, about $13 a pop, and I would only install a lithium battery for the use that you contemplate. Lights can be really crucial and they are worth spending for.

I'd also recommend the Fenix E01 for inexpensive and reliable.

Regarding being replaceable, even if you had a common Walmart flashlight that breaks down, you're not going to walk into the nearest convenient store and only buy that same exact model, are you? As long as the flashlight takes batteries that are easily obtainable (AA, AAA, etc.), then the flashlight itself can be custom made from NASA, your brother's garage or whatever you heart desires.

I have a few Fenix lights that I carry for tactical situations and mostly use a Petzl headlamp when working/moving through the bush.

I recently added a Streamlight Sidewinder to my EDC pack. It is not the brightest light at 55 lumens max, but it seems to fill all other requirements (light, tough, waterproof, dim modes, strobe, stand-up, clip,on, C4 LED, red/green/blue or IR LEDs, lithum battery use).

I have not tested it yet but was encourage that it is issued to the US Miitary and it gets good reviews on the web.

Mike

[quote=comms


As great a any item is for my personal kit the first gate it must pass is be replaceable within an hour or two. Admittedly, I don't get the WOW factor but I have it when I need it and can replace it right away. [/quote]

In too many situations, an hour or two might as well be an eternity; you need light and you need it now.

The best solution is redundancy, which is easy with the great variety of AA and AAA models, many of which are both highly dependable and light in weight. Standardize your e-gear so that as many items as possible will interchange batteries.

Compared to the past, there are a huge number of good lights to choose from, both from stores and from the internet. I started in what were truly the Dark Ages.

I agree Izzy, I also EDC a Petzl e-lite, and put another one in my BCB Mini Mess Tin PSK. Mike

I have the greatest admiration for the Brinkmann Two-Pack at Home Depot for $10. They are headlamps with two white LEDs and one red one. They come with batteries (3 AAA). I use one as a reading light in bed. The red LED lasts for a very long time (many reading sessions). Of course, I have to use the white when I read my red-letter edition Bible.

Standard Disclaimer

YMMV

My $.02

i think my concern was not stated correctly and maybe misplaced on this thread. When it comes to people asking me what kind of gear to get, I generally tell them to get something that can be replaced quickly when it is used up or lost. Something that the user is not emotionally attached too. Personally I don't lose gear as much as I am hard on it (break it) or use it up.

This thread presupposed the need of a flashlight for EDC and not the breakage of the item when employed or off grid or the battery's running out. Of course batteries should be considered in all excursions.

My point was when people speak highly of Fenix lights, and I have no doubt they are a great brand b/c of the people on this forum, I couldn't tell you where to get one locally.

While I will research online for reviews and not afraid to pay $$$ for specific gear, I try to buy locally. I generally find that Uncle Murphy forces me to get a replacement the day before I need it or during a trip and if for example that item is a Fenix flashlight I couldn't you where I would find one where I live. But if the item can be replaced within an hour or two, at places like REI, Sports Authority, pretty much any gun store or hiking store in the area I am in, its a +1 in my book. Which is why I like brands like Gerber, Mag Lite, Sure Fire, Petzel, Black Diamond. Not b/c they have the brightest illumination or the lightest item but I am familiar with them and they are dare I say ubiquitous in a decent sized city.

For the record, I believe in the "2 is 1, 1 is none" principal. I carry in my EDC; a chem light, a AA minimag LED and a photon LED. Not to mention a zippo, mini bic and Fire Steel. FWIW I have the flashlight app for my iPhone and usually have a headlamp (like the e+lite)with me.

Do they have a lumen rating? great price.

Comms, I'm still not understanding the need for replacement of the exact same flashlight model. We're not talking about something like a carry gun that requires practice time to get proficient. If the batteries are standard, then I don't understand why it matters if the flashlight itself is replaceable. If you buy a Fenix over the Internet, maybe you have to buy an REI brand at the last minute before a trip...so what?

Primarily from the Internet; a few stores carry high-end flashlights other than Streamlight and Surefire. I highly recommend 4sevens.com for their own Quark flashlights and every other brand they carry, including Fenix. Great prices and service with free shipping. Use the coupon CPF8 for a discount. I have no affiliation with them other than as a very happy customer.

I have a very nice 1xAA from DealExtreme that I carry on my belt everyday. A fantastic light for the price. http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.19187

But in my EDC bag, I carry three more: a 2xAA MagLED, a Princton Tec "Fuel" headlamp, and an older CMG "Infinity Ultra" (from before Gerber took them over). Nothing fancy, exotic or expensive. Just solid and reliable. All are LED based.

Thanx to everyone for their input. I've modified my thinking. My latest canidate is a Zebralight SC51. It fits all my spec.s and has the longest run time. Comments??

Looks like a good choice. I don't carry one (yet) but there is quite a following and lots of favorable comments about Zebralights on candlepower forums, where they elevate the discussion of flashlight characteristics to a level previously reserved for vintage wines and rare cheeses...

I recently bought a Fenix MC10 which I like a lot. Yeah, its a funny little angle head light, but it takes 1 AA, is bright, not overly complicated switching mode and its pretty handy.

I think because I learned the hard way, that while having high quality, expensive/unique, hard to replace items make for cool gear porn, when it comes to survival, off the grid or in combat, that the lowest common denominator is usually best. I try to keep things simple.

This thread was not about replacing batteries, it was about finding a flashlight to carry in a EDC. Granted a flashlight is a flashlight and takes zero familiarization or training time but if you replace a small fenix with a larger Dorcy or maglight and it doesn't fit where you have reached for your Fenix 1000 times...Uncle Murphy loves opportunities like that to make it 'lost' in your pack or not in your pocket when you want it. Which is why I stand by my position that Fenix may be a great light and I wouldn't turn one down, but I advise people to be able to see the item in hand before buying and know where they probably can replace it when they need to, at the lowest common denominator, (i.e. Walmart, REI right away versus online and then paying maybe 50-100% of item price to get next day which still might be too late).

While switching from one flashlight to another seems so basic if batteries are the same, I can tell you that I have two CR123 flashlights. One runs 2 hours on new batteries, one runs 20 minutes. That's huge. I just bought a new headlamp that takes same AAA battery as others I own. Except the high setting drains my batteries 50% faster. Fenix makes a decent light and if you're used to it's batteries running for X amount of time, you can not rely on that same time for a different no name light that probably breaks easier or has inferior seals and fittings.

Now extrapolate the need to replace something like a fire starter at the last minute before a week long backpacking trip. You had an expensive but simple Blast Match, but could not get one at the last minute and had to replace with a cheap magnesium stick w/ mishmash that you have never tried before but you've seen them everywhere so why not, right.

Then what used to take a few seconds with a tried method to start a fire in the rain and wind, now takes significantly more time as you attempt to first just scrap the mishmash, then realize you have to scrap the block but again shortcut scrapping onto a collector, then trying to ignite this new contraption.

Keep moving up the ladder of gear. You rip that perfect online tarp with all the grommets you've had for 3 years and had to replace quickly with something from ACE hardware before a camping trip. What used to take a few moments to string up is now a foreign object b/c the grommets are not there, your hanging set up is different, then probably the constant need to readjust in adverse weather and a usually well rested night in the rain and wind was now sleepless and compounds your mental effectiveness the following day.

Trust me, just reading this response makes me seem like I have put way to effort to keep things simple. Maybe I have, but I always have what I or someone needs and I know I have 100% chance of it working they way I want.

You make a worthwhile point, but I believe it is more about not trusting unfamiliar gear when the crunch comes, rather than where you buy your favorite toys.

I learned (the Hard Way, of course) to try out gear and techniques, at least in the backyard, before trekking off into the boonies. I am not the best at staying organized, just ask the DW, but I am decent with my outdoor gear - an ability I developed in my SAR days, where a pack instantly had to be ready to go, 24/7.

With respect to the precise subject at hand, I have enough good lights scattered around, that I could pretty well trust the third stringers to light up when I turn them on, the most important function of any light.

Comms, I get your point, just not on this issue of flashlights. If my 10 flashlights suddenly vanish, I'm not worried about having to use a new brand from REI or wherever. My system is just not so rigid such that I can't find something local that'll work. In fact, I'm familiar with the local brands, and I know at least one of them would work fine.

We're still talking about survival, right? Selecting a new flashlight at the last minute is a tiny obstacle.