While I agree fully that flying *is* ridiculously expensive, I'd recommend that you not shy away from high priced items...especially ones that are designed to save your life!

I'd like to give a recommendation as well...any "Doublefly" version of ACR strobes.

Why the Doublefly?

Say you're sighted by SAR, and now they've got a chopper hovering over your position. A strobe can be a bit annoying for the pilot that has to contend with whatever factors occupy their mind at that precise moment...trees, lines, whatever. In reduced visibility, a flash, or reflection of the flash, every 5 seconds, could possibly become a hazard in itself.

That's where the Doublefly comes in. You now have a constant, lower intensity light for SAR crews to pinpoint you without the light becoming a distraction.

I've also taken Matt's excellent advice a while back and picked up an Inova 24/7. It also allows you to switch between the strobe and a low intensity constant light, and also gives you a handy red mode for when you want to save your night vision. I wouldn't replace a dedicated strobe with it, though, but it makes a great backup & utility light.