Hate to answer a question with a question - But it depends on what you need it for.<br><br>Maglights are reliable and use easy to obtain batteries. They last a fair amount of time, too. Downsides is that the conventional batteries and bulbs limit brightness. They used to be the only game in town and I still have one that has held up for 20 years.<br><br>If price is not an issue, Sure Fire and Streamlight make the best lights by far. You'll frequently see them being carried by police officers.<br><br>If I had to pick one: A SureFire 6p or 9p (a little bigger than a jumbo magic marker) using photosize lithium batteries is brighter than a huge 4D cell maglight. The lithium stands up well to the cold, store well, and gives good power. You can slip these in a pocket or get an accessory hook to clip it anywhere. Downside is cost. Check e-bay, though.<br><br>SureFire or Streamlight rechargeables with proprietary batteries are the brightest "flashlights" in the world. And I mean amazing brightness. Check out their web sites. Some are employed tactically as weapons by law enforcement because the bright beams cause temporary blindness and disorientation at night. Down side is battery life limited to 1-2 hrs usually. I have a couple of these around the house in chargers as well as one for each vehicle. You probably don't want tor rely on them far from reliable electricity. Cost is $80-$300. <br><br>If cost is a concern, look at Pelican lights. They usually have a very sturdy plastic housing and range from pen sized to jumbo. THey have a really good reputation for being waterproof (some are submersible for diving), sparkproof, etc. Their lights with xenon bulbs are a great bargain. Most model use off the shelf batteries so replacemnts are easy to find. I have found that the site cases4less.com has the best prices on Pelican lights as well as Pelican storage cases.<br><br>Of course, you'll want a photon LED or two or a LED headlamp (Petzl Tikka or Black Diamond are my favorites) and maybe even a little LED flashlight. If you're looking for a dropped wallet in a movie theater, reading in a tent, etc. - nothing beats a little LED - they last a very, very long time. After I ran over my lantern last camping trip, I used a photon LED on a string around my neck (I taped a piece of foil behind it as a reflector) as my only light. I just turned it on and left it one and I was able to set up my tent and make dinner with plenty of light. That's saying alot for something the size of a quarter. There is a website http://ledmuseum.home.att.net that features extensive descriptions and testing of LED's if you really get an urge to delve into the specifics.