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#251725 - 10/14/12 06:32 AM Cheap flashlights
Frisket Offline
Addict

Registered: 09/03/10
Posts: 640
I been looken for some cheap LED flashlights to throw around and stock up on and it turns out its a pretty difficult task. Finding them cheap is no issue but finding any WORTH anything at all is damn tough.

So far I only snagged 3 lights. The first is a Life+Gear minimax.

http://www.lifegear.com/flashlights/mini-max-aluminum-flashlight-flasher.html

I hate it. Walmart had um for 3.88$ and I couldnt resist such a bargain. First off the Switch is a full on digital button, no clicky switch, Which is odd for such a cost. That part I like its pretty darn neat. The red LED on the back is a gimmick and actually can be used as a low light alternative to close up needs. The blinking is useless and the SOS it totes around is actually the RED BUTTON not the flashlight and blinks so stupid fast with no pauses you cant tell if its SOS or strobe. The lights barely bright enough and has no reatch typical of multi LED lights but emites a bizzare snow flake patter right after the hotspot that is to dirty and distracting.

EDIT: I forgot to mention the ALL FUNCTIONS TURN OFF AFTER ONE HOUR feature this thing has.....I cant say if that includes the light portion but it states ALL FUNCTIIOOONS...Sooo I can just picture that crucial moment of going down stairs and CLICK the flashlight decides hey one hour is all you need bub....

Next is the Defiant single AA light.

http://www.lifegear.com/flashlights/mini-max-aluminum-flashlight-flasher.html

I like it. The Body is of cheap plastic the clip is cheap metal and the tailcap feels cheap. BUT it has a lovely clean hotspot with a lovely clean spill light that clean and lovely like ends with no overspill. For 7$ Id say meh kinda would maybe buy more but if it was say 4-5 id be all over it. The money seems to have gone all into the LED and reflector. It throws a hell of a distance for a tiny light too not fantastic but WAY WAY more usable then any muli LED light Ive used.

And the Defiant 2AAA Penlight.

http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1v/R-...51#.UHpZB4bLFlM

Cheap Awful dirty Blueish hued off center 5 foot distance useless light.....sigh.... All the money has gone into the Aluminum body and not a penny was spent on the switch LED or reflector. Very tough to click in the switch and cheap smooth vinylish rubber ta boot. Heavy body for its size and just not reasonable for its price.



So yeah only 3 tickled me for the price at common stores. I keep going back and forth to these flashlight sections to see what a normal everyday joe would snag if they needed a few lights for powerouts and such and nothing seems to cut it. Alot of these lights now are going towards the 3-4 cheap LEDs with no proper reflectors and strange magnified focusing sections on the lens ontopa the LEDs. My Eton Radio has this and it creates a Hollow dim artifact riddled circle with no hotspot just a dim circle of glowing.

Anywho just thought Id rant abit after not being around so much! Would love to hear some similar thoughts and Projects on finding cheap stuff for the average person to prep with.


Edited by Frisket (10/14/12 06:34 AM)
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#251726 - 10/14/12 07:32 AM Re: Cheap flashlights [Re: Frisket]
Phaedrus Offline
Carpal Tunnel

Registered: 04/28/10
Posts: 3148
Loc: Big Sky Country
Nice! I'm an admitted flashlight junkie so I'm always on the lookout for good cheap ones. I know I've posted the link to the Black Cat ones I like from DX- a few days ago I "kicked them up a notch"! grin It might seem silly, but I dropped $5 on a 2-pack of AAA Lithiums for my cheap lights. Very cool! They run slightly brighter but the thing I really like is that the battery won't likely leak and ruin the light when I most need it. Plus, I think Lithium is good at cold temps; I plan to put them in the lights I leave in my truck (SD can reach -35 F in the winter, probably too cold for any battery but better than regular alkaline, I suppose).
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#251728 - 10/14/12 11:05 AM Re: Cheap flashlights [Re: Frisket]
chaosmagnet Online   content
Sheriff
Carpal Tunnel

Registered: 12/03/09
Posts: 3819
Loc: USA
The best cheap flashlight I've seen in a while is the ThruNite Ti. At $16 it's a bit spendy compared to the lights you've been looking at, but I think you'd be pleased.

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#251735 - 10/14/12 07:18 PM Re: Cheap flashlights [Re: Frisket]
UTAlumnus Offline
Old Hand

Registered: 03/08/03
Posts: 1019
Loc: East Tennessee near Bristol
Fenix E01 13 lumens for 21 hours according to their website. I don't have any of the E01's but their L/LD and P series lights are well built. My current EDC is an LD20.

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#251736 - 10/14/12 07:50 PM Re: Cheap flashlights [Re: UTAlumnus]
MostlyHarmless Offline
Old Hand

Registered: 06/03/09
Posts: 982
Loc: Norway
Big +1 for fenix E01, they're pretty much indestructable. Google "fenix e01 torture test" if you want some internet quality time. Really though + 10 hours of stable plenty good enough working light plus 11 hours of slowly decaying ligth. You can put dead AAAs in there and most of the time the E01 will ligth up and drain whatever electrons that may still be in there... (battery wampire) Pretty much like the perfect backup emerency light in my book.


I've bought maybe three lights or so from this guy: http://www.shiningbeam.com
No worries so far. Only reason I don't buy more lights from Shiningbeam is that I've found I'm more comfortable slightly higher up on the price/quality scale.

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#251737 - 10/14/12 08:10 PM Re: Cheap flashlights [Re: Frisket]
Am_Fear_Liath_Mor Offline
Carpal Tunnel

Registered: 08/03/07
Posts: 3078

Ok, $55 might not be cheap flashlight, but 3000 Lumen (probably nearer 2000 Lumen @18-20W grin ) might just be required at some point in time.

FandyFire UV-S5 (Sky Ray King.)

http://dx.com/p/fandyfire-uv-s5-xm-l-t6-...-120679?item=39

www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZGXXe_p6bRk

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#251739 - 10/14/12 08:59 PM Re: Cheap flashlights [Re: Frisket]
LesSnyder Offline
Pooh-Bah

Registered: 07/11/10
Posts: 1680
Loc: New Port Richey, Fla
somewhere in the middle...I upgraded the SureFire 6P with a Malkoff 240 lumen LED conversion last summer, but was introduced to SolarForce(Hong Kong) LED upgrades for the SureFire incandescents I had picked up off prize tables... the G2 Nitrolons (top example) has a 320 lumen upgrade for about $11... I'm so far impressed with the center light from one of their bodies (only) ... the $11 320 lumen module + a $12 body +$5 worth of CR123's give you a pocket flamethrower for less than $30.. I accidentially flashed myself with it, and was disoriented for at least 3 minutes... the SolarForce upgrades do not have the heat sink of the Malkoff, and are more center weighted.


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#251740 - 10/14/12 09:47 PM Re: Cheap flashlights [Re: Frisket]
ireckon Offline
Pooh-Bah

Registered: 04/01/10
Posts: 1629
Loc: Northern California
The Fenix LD15 is about the least expensive for the specs. I have not yet found a high performing 1xAA flashlight this small on DX.com or anywhere else.

3.15 x 0.65 in (80 x 16.6 mm)
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#251753 - 10/15/12 07:04 PM Re: Cheap flashlights [Re: Frisket]
tomfaranda Offline
Enthusiast

Registered: 02/14/08
Posts: 301
Loc: Croton on Hudson, NY
Big thumbs up for the Fenix E01, which is about $12 on amazon. I give them as gifts - they are excellent.

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#251792 - 10/16/12 07:06 PM Re: Cheap flashlights [Re: Frisket]
Pete Offline
Veteran

Registered: 02/20/09
Posts: 1372
alright -can I ask you guys for a little bit of help? i do need to upgrade my kit and get a new flashlight.

considering the lights mentioned above ... which one has the following:
1) A very robust case (metal, or extremely strong polymer)
2) Gives a very bright light that will disorient you in the dark
3) Doesn't cost and arm and a leg. Just a leg, maybe :-)

thanks,
Pete2

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