I recently picked up a drop in led bulb for a 2 D cell maglite.

It's called the SMJLED, costs about 8 dollars and will run for 50 hours until it reaches half brightness, and by some accounts on CPF from those who've tested it, gives another 4 days of usable light afterwards.

The bulb will work in any light that has a 'pr' base, so that includes many $1 specials - you don't need to drop it in a more expensive light if you don't want. PR bulbs can also be found in several AA lights if you want a smaller light, but it sacrifices some runtime.

Combine that with a 12 pack of D cells from Costco, and you have (conservatively) a month of light if used constantly, for under $50, less if you don't use a Mag.

Definitely a staple for my bug-in stuff.

Just a word to the wise. I bought an off-brand LED light from wally-world. Not a good idea - wasn't all that bright. Spend the extra few dollars and get the name brand replacement. It's worth the extra price!

Please note that the bulb I suggest isn't a cheap retail item, they're put together by ArcMania over on CPF. Available at lighthound.

I picked up a couple of TerraLUX TLE-20 Universal LED Lighting Kits for the same reason. Not the brightest LED light I have, but an entirely adequate light output for most purposes. The big deal is total flexibility -- they fit into just about any light I'll come across, which is perfect as a backup to my usual carry. If anybody is interested, I'll post additional info as I test them.

Yes !
always useful ....

I went to Epieon LED bulbs (LEDCORP) in my two and three cell maglights quite a while ago, but the SMJLED is way less pricey. I found the Epieon LEDs to be a great alternative to incandescent bulbs. Just as bright or brighter, easier on batteries and not as fragile. My only wish is that they could fit in a regulation circuit so the light didn't dim with use just like the original bulbs.

The SMJLED is super cool. I love it in my 2 D cell maglight. I am looking for a good led for my 5 D cell maglight. Any one got any suggestions?

The TerraLUX MiniStar5 SSC seems like it'll put some life into your 5D Mag. It's the newest LED replacement from TerraLUX and uses the latest LED technology. It'll run on 3-6 C or D cells, constant-brightness output for up to a claimed 20 hours before starting to dim, and plenty bright.

By the way, I have a couple lights with SMJLED's, too. I have a 94 cent Walmart 2AA light and a Garrity 2D. In the 2AA, it makes a remarkably good around-the-house flashlight. The 2D is a good complement to the 2AA because the 2AA is great for short to medium-range use, and the smaller, more concentrated beam of the 2D is better for long-range use.

Some flashlights will perform poorly with the SMJLED because of the way they're designed. The beam just looks crappy. So, if anyone decides to try the SMJLED and the beam looks awful or disappointingly dim and diffuse, you should consider trying it in a different kind of flashlight before giving up on it.