good flashlight for bob or edc?

I used to have a maglite, but it broke a little bit ago. I want to replace it with a decent model that'll last at least as long. Preferably it would fit in a bob or something I could carry on belt in a sheath, or clipped. And preferably either water proof, or durable.

I'd like to get decent battery life, or at least easily changeable battery (standard size) and a reasonable output. What are the main differences on the bulbs? How many should there be? (A cheapo 6 led I have now has a good output but is neither durable or waterproof)

I like FourSevens LED flashlights. For a BOB I like the Quark Pro QP2A, a 2xAA LED light with power settings from 205 Lumens (Max) down to 0.2 Lumens (moonlight).

For EDC one of the 1xAA or 1x123A lights may be better. They come in both clicky and twisty configurations with the twisty Mini's being very small for their output.

$.02

freeballer... there are a lot of folks more qualified on that question than I, but just went through upgrading my EDC and hurricane supplies.... I am trying to standardize to AA and D cells... my hurricane electronics are AA, and switched to Sanyo Eneloop AA NiMH rechargables, with a solar and separate 12v/120v charger...for AA lights I selected a...Black Diamond Orion headlamp (pretty high end), Coleman High Tech mini LED area lamp, Fenix E21 (seems to be pretty well made), and still have a couple of the larger 2D LED Maglights... for EDC, my key ring light is a Fenix E01 with lithium cell and sharing a multi tool pouch with a smaller multi tool is a Streamlight ProTac single cr123 110 lumen unit

+ 1 on the fenix,

I have several but my EDC is either the E01 on a small lanyard or the LD15 which is slightly larger.

Both are water proof to a few meters and are small enough to have on you always. The LD15 throws an amazing amount of light for such a small unit, and as a bonus it takes a single AA as opposed to the CR123A batteries.

For EDC I try to stick with easy to obtain battery types for logistical reasons. The 123 batteries are nice but can be hard to find. I have lost count of the times I used a camera or other device to rob a AA battery for a flashlight.

I have an issued surfire at work which is bright enough to blind the devil. 3 CR123A batteries gives me about 20 minutes use. I don't carry it much unless I have to.

+1 on the Fenix flashlights - all kinds to choose from and I like all the ones I have -- from itty-bitty to beastly lumen output (TK35).

The one that most impresses me so far - for being small and bright - is the Fenix E11. A single "AA" battery gives you 105 lumens.

Prior to being introduced to Fenix I was loyal to Surefire (but none that were EDC).

+2 for Fenix. I EDC the LD20

I got a few links to check out
I'll be back in a little bit
thanks for the quick replies

While I have a bunch of flashlights I have yet to find anything as useful as my Princeton Tec EOS Rebel LED headlamp. I probably have 6-8 of these stashed all over.

It packs small (1.75"x2.5" - think palm-sized), is amazingly bright, has a great quality of light (smooth), covers a nice field of view (for my uses), is regulated (keeps max light as long as possible), has 3 really nicely selected brightness levels (blast, most uses, and inside tent), lasts a long time at low (50 hrs regulated + 71 hrs declining) & medium (10 hrs regulated + 105 hrs declining) settings, even high setting has 1 hr regulated + 112 hrs declining, easy to change the three AAA batteries with no tools, lithium batteries OK, waterproof to 1 meter, ...

... and being a headlamp it can magically point to wherever I am looking ... OR you can just hold it in your hand with the strap wrapped around your hand for security ... OR you can wear it around your neck for even more security.

Also, based upon my experience, that elastic strap lasts a long long time - that was one of my earliest concerns, but after quite a few years they show NO sign of aging or wear.

All for less than $35 on-line. That's why I have so many.

I can't think of too much of my gear that I think is as first rate as the PT EOS-R headlamp ... OK, my RSK Mk1 and my Garmin GPSMAP 60CSx, beyond those my favorites aren't so focused on a single brand/model.

Well, let's hope you are wearing clothes with lots of pockets or you would have to wear it on your neck or carry it in your hand. Now I love a good headlamp, and I use them very often but it's a bit much for normal EDC (for this cat anyway)

This is particularly true in summer where I often strut about wearing only a pair of old shorts and a T-shirt. Every ounce of space is need for wallet, keys, sunglasses etc.

Did I miss something? I saw no mention of being limited to EDC. I was thinking the headlamp would fit nicely in a BOB (Bug Out Bag) ... that's how mine is carried.

I carry an ARC AAA LED light in pocket, EDC.

Good plan!

Have you seen these?

http://www.dealextreme.com/p/soshine-2xaa-to-d-size-cell-battery-converter-case-2-pack-7031?item=34

There are several similar designs that accept 3 or 4 AA cells in a D form factor. Even the simple ones for a single AA would allow you to use an AA cell to get your D equipment working (for a shorter time, of course).

Watch out- some designs are series, which means the 3 AA cells are connected together to give 4.5V, which is probably not what you want.

Ahhhh.......Son of a.........

No. I had EDC on the brain and didn't notice the word BOB added in there. (slaps self up side of head)

For a BOB, nothing would beat a good headlamp. Hands down. I have a browning black ice that I cannot kill. I am waiting for it to break so I can get something else but its tougher than hell. Not very bright, but bright enough. The colored LEDs are excellent for hunting (as designed)

Still kinda funny picturing you walk around all day with a headlamp on though.

I use an Apex Pro by Princeton (200 lumen) sans the third strap for my BOB. And a Fenix P3D (205 lumen) for my EDC. Both are CR123 powered so I bought a small box at a heavily discounted $1/ea. - they are Japanese not Chinese branded. I just would like to find a decent carrier for the spares.

I also have a Fenix TK35 in the kitchen drawer.

Naw ... only at night. My wife is never too happy when I'm wearing the headlamp in bed though.

Of course that's the same wonderful wife that gave me a Doug Ritter RSK Mk2 Perseverance for Father's Day!!!

Looking through their specs its a bit of a surprise there's so many settings. But also very nice, I can definitely see myself swaping my "penlight" with an arc or similar for edc.

I was toying with the idea of a headlamp for the house kit, or in the car. Do you find they stay pretty stationary with the battery packs and all?

One other reason i suggested a standard battery is also $$ it seems if you look hard enough you might find some discounted ones.. Which probably means planning ahead.

forgive the pop culture reference, it reminds me of family guy where they lose power and wearing headlamps and peter keeps staring at her boobs.

There are quite a few good, dependable flashlights with variable brightness levels that use standard batteries (AA or AAA). I like a Fenix LD01 on my keychain for EDC. If I had only one light, it would be a headlamp, hands down. ZebraLight has some really neat models, like the 502 - light, bright, and versatile.

ame... my D adapters are a generic single cell spacer type.. my heavier draw tent fans are adapted to a 12v car battery...got a pretty good supply of D cells for the MagLights

freeballer...the Black Diamond has a third strap, with the battery pack in the rear...very solid, though it does weigh more than the cheaper 3 AAA single strap ones... so far, very comfortable, wore it when I was reclaiming a shallow well, for about 4 hours down in the well...I still have a couple of the older AAA Energizers with lithium stashed in the car

For an EDC headlamp take a look at this:

Petzl E94 Zipka 2 Headlamp

It has a unique headstrap that is very small.

REI also carries this.

The Princeton Tec EOS is rock solid on my head. It doesn't really weight that much anyway. No issues with movement or flopping. The up/down angle adjustment has 'stops' to help prevent it from drooping. Works well.

Personally I don't care for headlamps that have secondary battery packs because they become difficult to handle off-head. I want them simple.

I've seen several options for carrying spares.

1 Check out the spare carrier from Surefire. It's heavy plastic with a seal & will hold four batteries. They also make a six cell model
2 A Pelican case with foam
3 Battery Holder
4 Unsealed Case

For times where getting it wet isn't a factor, I'm using options three & four.

When water proof is needed, the spares carriers are more compact but carry fewer cells.

Thanks a bunch. That 6-cell holder looks just about right. I am going to check with local sources first.

I carry a Fenix LD10 and a fauxton. I use the fauxton wherever it's sufficient and keep the Fenix battery fresh. Fenix has newer AA flashlights that are smaller than the LD10. Overall, I'm quite pleased with Fenix. By the way, I prefer a push-button and a clip. So, my options are limited.

By the way, last Christmas my wife bought me and the kids Brinkman Armormax 1 AA LED flashlights - on-line they sell for about $14, and they are really excellent little lights. From an optical perspective they have a nice bright white smooth light - much better than I had expected when I got them.

Their info says they are waterproof to 1 meter and drop-proof to 3 meters. They are made of reinforced nylon and they do have o-ring seals.

They'd be a tad bulky for pocket use, but I thought I'd mention them.

for AA cell storage (more than water proof carry), a 2" diameter small 3 1/2" tall pill vial works pretty well... also use a smaller diameter one to hold one flash drive in the car's glove compartment...with a wrap of teflon tape, it probably would be water resistant for a period of time...

I just noticed something a bit strange with my Fenix LD10. I just tried turning it on after a couple months of non-use. (As stated above, I use a keychain fauxton whenever possible.) A "fresh" battery was sitting in there for a couple months. The flashlight would not turn on at all. I took the battery out and reinstalled. The flashlight now works fine again. The memory feature must have gotten confused somehow. So, you should at least turn on your flashlight for a split second every week or so.

By the way, don't be cheap with batteries. Use high quality lithium batteries. They are so much better than alkaline. The extra expense is worth it.

Plus they don't leak and ruin the flashlight.

FourSevens and Fenix are two excellent contenders for high-quality and reasonable-cost in flashlights. I've owned a number of different models from each. I have less experience with EagleTac, but the one flashlight of theirs that I have is top-notch. Six or seven ThruNite Ti flashlights have passed through my hands; they are similarly excellent.

Coin-cell flashlights (such as the Photon Micro-Light II) are tiny, light, and great for the keyring. The batteries may be harder to find when you need them, and of course they don't perform as well as larger flashlights. I have a few secreted in kits and I'm constantly giving away "fauxtons" from DealExtreme, but I don't carry one on my keyring.

1xAAA flashlights are my ideal for keyring carry. There are models out there that have amazing performance for their size and cost, AAA batteries are easy to find, and they're not terribly bulky. I carry a FourSevens Preon ReVO (sadly discontinued) as my backup light.

1xCR123A flashlights are my workhorse for pocket carry. They're shorter than AA flashlights and outperform them. Some folks carry them on a keyring, but not me.

When I'm giving a flashlight as a gift, especially for a non-flashaholic, I tend to select 1xAA or 2xAA form factors. Non-flashaholics don't want to buy "strange" batteries, and certainly the AA is the easiest of all to find. They also provide excellent storage density compared to AAAs. This is the size to go in your pocket (as a non-flashaholic) or your glovebox.

For a BOB I would go with 2xAA or 2xCR123A. Pick a battery and stick with it. AAs are abundant and work in lots of devices, CR123As give you better flashlight performance.

I've stopped buying alkalines completely. Rechargeables are great for a light you use a lot, but for a kit I always use lithium primaries. They last a long time in storage, have amazing storage density compared to alkalines, and don't leak. Other than cost there's nothing not to like.

I think reading more of the thread and looking at whats available I might need to make an adjustment. I definitely want a small flashlight for EDC. The Fenix LD01 is perfect for me and much smaller than the one I have (that fyi just died lol). I need something because I come in late at night from work. I definitely want a headlamp for either the car, the in my "toolbox" or both…

I've ALWAYS had problems with rechargeables. I've tried all the brand names and they work for a few months but after they last a fraction of their supposed life. Even the high Mh (2k+) are pitiful. I wouldn't mind cr123a as long as there's a noticeable difference.

I've had a photon, and a few smaller ones. My favorites for battery/output were inova.. But they are nice as spares mostly.. Or in rare cases of needing a "beacon light"
I think for the BOB I want something that'll fit in a "magazine pouch". I'm looking at some maxpedition bags and a double sheath pouch that, hopefully, would hold a good 1-2x AA/CR123a light and my leathermate multi-tool for quick, easy access to each.

I'll stop in again tonight when I get home again, and post my picks so far..
Thanks again for posting

Not really on topic but the light is an effort to remake or update my EDC and BOB.

I bought some new tools as well; a mini "prybar" keychain. It has some wrench holes and a nail puller. A new multi-tool; Leatherman Squirt PS4.

Also needed some more paracord. Wish there was an army surplus store nearby..

Nite-ize makes a pouch specifically designed to hold a flashlight and multi-tool together. It's a tad on the large side (I have the big brother version to this one) but really well made.

www.niteize.com

Check out the FourSevens Quark Pro line to compare:


1xCR123A (QPL): 205 lumens for one hour max output

1xAA (QPA): 109 lumens for one hour max output

2xCR123A (QP2L): 230 lumens for two hours max output

2xAA (QP2A): 205 lumens for one hour max output


That's a pretty significant difference!

(I have no affiliation with any flashlight manufacturer or vendor other than as a customer)

CR123A is high performing and would be household name if everybody collectively switched over. My reservation is that the performance of a modern AA flashight is more than adequate for me. Also, CR123A is currently not ubiquitous and is useless in my other gear. So, I won't be switching to CR123A anytime soon. Even if I owned a CR123A flashlight, I wouldn't carry it in my EDC bag. I'd still carry my AA flashlight because of the ease of getting AA batteries, and I need AA for other stuff anyway.

Maybe 10 years from now, I'll be singing a different tune.

yeah. I hate to admit it but it would last a bit longer on the lower settings..
My old camera took them... but that was before I went digital. That'd have to be 5 yrs ago and they were probably the same price as then.

Stephen. can the pouch you mentioned be worn in both horizontal and vertical position? And is that more of a plastic clip, or velcro?

I have been carrying a Maratac 1AAA flashlight in my pocket for over a year now and wouldn't trade it for anything. It has three brightness settings, is very small and water proof,and is nearly indestructible since it is made of stainless steel. After a year in my pocket with keys,knives,change, and whatever else i carry it is still like new. Not even a scratch on the glass. I made a small para cord fob for it so i can get at it easily. bought it at CountyComm for $30.00.

I am not 100% but yes, I think you can. I would look but it's packed away in a moving box at the moment. The clip (where you attach to your belt) is hard plastic and rather thick. Like I said, very well made. It is held closed by velcro.

I have the larger one which has a pouch on the bottom for (whatever) and a key attachment place. My ONLY complaint it the size, and that is why it will be moving on to my "sell on ebay" pile. Personal preference is all it boils down to.

I recomend the Gerber Infinity flashlight.It takes an AA battery.Gerber took over the old CMG Infinity flashlights and made a few cosmetic changes.Still bomb proof functionallity though.I have seen them at some Targets or can be found online for around fifteen dollars....

BOATMAN
John

+1
I keep forgetting the Gerber Infinity but I've had one for a long time (as in I don't remember when I bought it) and it's still going strong. Simple, one output setting and a single AA alkaline will go for about 20-24 hours IIRC.

I bought a Smith & Wesson for my BOB a few months ago and LOVE it!! It's very bright, and the battery consumption is decent too. I use Duracell process batteries and get quite a bit of run time.

The thing is rugged, bright, and has a great price as well. I know a few others that have bought this light and have been happy with the purchase as well.

It also comes with a nylon pouch to carry it in. There's even a place for a couple extra batteries! I wrote a review on it, check it out:

http://frugalhomesteaders.net/blog/2012/01/29/smithandwessonflashlightreview/

Here's one of the pics I took of mine:



Great buy!

Patriot_RAM

It sure looks like another rebranded Nuwai X-3. If it is, I've had a couple and I'm not a big fan. It has only 100 lumens at the emitter (so closer to 65-70 OTF), and the switch is far from great. For almost thirty bucks there are a number out there that perform better and feel like they have better build quality.

I looked up the Nuwai X-3 and it looks like it's probably manufactured by them. Personally, I love the light. The output is very bright with the Duracell procell's that I use in it.

Thanks for the input!

Patriot_RAM

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First off, I'm a fan of the Gerber Infinity (I keep a couple in my kit) but I'm not sure it's that great a choice if this is going to be the BOB or EDC flashlight. With today's LED technology, the venerable Infinity is kind of stuck in this awkward middle ground now--it's a bit big for the amount of light it can generate, and it's also not very bright at all.

For EDC, it's a bit big for pants pocket carry (at least to me). There are a lot of good 1xAAA lights that can go brighter or can last a good long time (the ever popular Fenix E01 is one example, or my EDC, the E05) and are very unobtrusive in your pocket. For a BOB, it's a decent choice for a long running 1xAA light in dark conditions, but you don't have the option of going brighter with it.

I think we've gotten quite spoiled by how bright a single AA/AAA light can go now but if you think you might need the extra output, it's nice to have the option while still having a long running low mode. Well, it really depends on the kinds of situations you think you might be using it in.

Fenix includes a replacement o-ring. I strongly suspect that they are of a standard metric size.

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If you are looking at an AAA light on the high end look at the ARC AAA.It runs in the $40.00 range.I consider the Fenix EO1 a clone of the ARC AAA.I've had mine over five years and the hard anodizing isn't even worn.This is my EDC and my Gerber Infinity is coat pocket carry....

BOATMAN
John

I've carried my ARC AAA LED light attached to my keychain with a pile of keys every day since the end of 2005 - 6.5 years - and it looks exactly like it did the day I got it. Its one tough light.

Now I do have to say that I was concerned about damaging the LED "bulb" in my pocket so I bought a plastic tube end-cap that almost slide over the tip of the Arc and then I sanded it down until is slide over the tip without much force. That worked well ... but I don't know if it was necessary.

Related question to the OP's question.

Anyone have any hands on experience with the Klarus line of flashlights? I am assembling a BOB/GHB for my SO for when she takes on a temporary contract in late August that will place her about 160 miles from home for about 2 months.

I am a Gerber Ultra Infinity fan, as well, although there are more sophisticated lights available these days. I am very happy with a recently purchased Zebra Light H502, a bright, minimalist headlamp which can be easily converted to hand carry, but I hang onto my Ultra Infinities. They are cheap and durable, with a very good run-time. The light I carry typically is influenced by the other electronics involved; I much prefer to be able to swap batteries among the gadgets I am carrying.

Although the Ultra Infinity is no longer cutting edge, if you have one you will be well served, and very enlightened. For light and bright EDC, I often go with a Fenix LD01, with a lithium battery installed, and another carried as a spare. I wouldn't hesitate to use one on an all night hike, if necessary. My Infinity Ultras could accomplish the same task, as well.

They're a relatively new manufacturer. I don't own any Klarus lights but Selfbuilt seems to have good things to say about them.

What I like about the Gerber Infinity and the like is no moving parts to wear out.Well at least no clicky tail switch that is.I have had terrible luck with tail switches.They seemto break at the time I need it most.I do not need a dozen different levels of brightness to work through.When I need light,give me all you got.Twist on-light,Twist off-no light.Keep It Stupid Simple....

BOATMAN
John

Thanks Chaos. I will check that link later today after work.

I just got my new letherman (mini) multi-tool, and it made some space in my coin pocket. I'm going to pick up the Fenix LD01 for a lightweight/edc.

I ended up getting a maxpedition double magazine sheath. It will fit easily on my maxpedition versipack & also my belt in both vertical and horizontal position.
As mentioned earlier. It was a matter of preference...

After super, and on break, I will say a tad more. I think i'll end up with AA though since not only are they easy to aquire and store but one less battery type to keep around. be back in a little bit

Another vote for the Gerber Ultra Infinity ( with a lithium battery). It's my carry around the house light and sometime a, but not the only,GHB light. By the way, if you screw the switch "almost" on, a bit of thumb pressure on the back turns it into a "momentary on" switch. I don't do that for fear that I'll sit in such a way as to turn it on without me noticing. But it's an option I've used on occasion.

I'm looking too ... I am now EDC-ing a Fenix E01 (in fashionable purple no less) I picked up on our father's day weekend getaway to Tennessee. No, it wasn't an impulse buy, I picked it up out of necessity when the Leatherman S2 I got at Christmas decided to crap out on me.

On an interesting side note, after I got home, I put the Fenix head cap on the Leatherman and it worked again so it is definitely a problem with the circuitry in the head cap of the Leatherman. I actually liked that light, it looked nice, had a pocket clip, and had two light modes (which the Fenix E01 unfortunately doesn't seem to have). That said, I am fairly pleased with the Fenix so far. I have it clipped to the whistle I added to my EDC and both ride in my left front pocket. So far so good.

Still looking for a replacement for that mini-mag lite that was the victim of a leaky battery. I like a lot of the options mentioned in this thread but before spending such big bucks on a flashlight, I'd really like to be able to see it firsthand and that is a problem in my area.

I bought a edc light the other night but it won't arrive for a bit. Local picking is slim to none, not that you can't find a decent one if needed..... Anyways, I bought a fenix LD12. Which is a little larger than I had originally planned but will fit nicely in the dual ammo/sheath. I figure 9/10 I have a messenger bag I can put it into, or a coat and its a standard AA size which is easily replaceable.

So, hopefully I didn't buy a lemon lol

How about Rayovac flashlights.

Lee

I just discovered the bulb on my Fenix LD10 is not the same as the bulb on the current production of the LD10. Important note, that doesn't necessarily mean my older bulb is inferior. It may be a matter of preference.

The bulb in my LD10 is a Cree XR-E LED Q5. In comparison, the bulb in my LD15 is a Cree XP-G LED R4. (Sorry, I don't have a current LD10 to compare.) The beam in my LD10 is rated at 120 lumens, and my LD15 is rated at 117 lumens. However, my quick non-expert opinion is that my LD10 is approximately 10% brighter than my LD15. The LD10 throws a more natural yellow-ish beam and has a brighter and more defined spotlight. The LD15 throws a whiter and less defined spotlight.

I value a brighter spotlight more than brightness outside the spot light area. However, I have a feeling manufacturers may rate lumens based on the overall brightness of the entire beam. So, I view the lumens rating as being a general guideline at best. I guess it's difficult to get an accurate assessment of a spotlight before you view it in real life (?).

Here's a quick and dirty explanation of some of the terms.


Lumens == Total light output. Imagine dumping out a salt shaker onto a table. Lumens would be a measurement of the total amount of salt.

Candela aka candlepower == Maximum light output at the brightest part of the beam. In the salt metaphor, this the height of the tallest pile of salt.

Throw == How far a flashlight can be used to spot an object. Candela is a good way to compare throw between flashlights.

Flood == How well a flashlight illuminates a large area close to you, generally viewed as opposite to throw.

Emitter == The part of the flashlight that glows when you put current through it.

LED == Light emitting diode. An electric lighting technology that is far more energy efficient and generates less heat than any others, with emitters that last a long time (50,000 hours is a common rating) and are extremely shock-resistant.

Incandescent, or incan == A classic lightbulb. Less efficient and far less shock-resistant than LEDs, incans typically provide better color rendering.

LED flux bin == A measurement of how many lumens are output at a given current for a run of LED emitters. R bins are more efficient than Q bins, and Q5 bins are more efficient than Q4 bins. The most efficient I've seen so far is U2. This is an area of rapidly improving technology, so the amazing Q5 binned flashlight I bought in March of 2008 is now far behind the times and relegated to my BOB.

CREE == A company that makes awesome LED emitters. Typically near or at the pinnacle of LED technology.

XR-E == An older line of CREE LED emitters.

XP-G == A somewhat newer line of CREE LED emitters, throwier than XM-L but not as much as XR-E.

XM-L == Floodier than XP-G but far more efficient, the current line of CREE emitters. Note that a flashlight's floodiness or throwiness is dependent in large part on the reflector technology and geometry.

You say XP-G is throwier. However, that has not been my observation. As I explained above, my older XR-E is throwier than my newer XP-G. Both flashlights are single AA battery Fenix. Even if you somehow increased the power output of the XP-G by a little bit, I think the XR-E would still be throwier. That is, my older Fenix LD10 would still be throwier than my newer LD15. So, I'm thinking either you have that backwards, or my conclusion that I have to test the flashlight myself still stands. Please clarify.

You absolutely have to test the flashlight yourself -- the emitter is only one component of how throwy or floody a flashlight is.

And anyway I had it backwards. I'll correct it.

Also, the LD10 has a significantly larger cone mirror thingie (name?) than the LD15. Perhaps that enables the LD10 to focus the beam into a spotlight more efficiently.

The job of a flashlight designer is tough. They're trying to make flashlights as small as possible, while trying to please customers who value throw more, customers who value flood more, and customers who value both equally. Then, there are people like me who notice the color of the beam and how "natural" it appears. It's a balancing act.

That's the reflector. Flashlight optics come in several varieties. Reflectors are the most common, with nearly an infinite variety of different geometries and types out there. Also used are aspheric lenses, total internal reflector (TIR), and recoil reflector being some of the more common types.



You bet.

I did not see any single battery, edc size fenix with XM-L, but mine did come with XP-G R5... @ 115 lumens on turbo. Biggest selling point, for me, was price, waterproof-iness and modes. The local rayovacs, duracell and garrisson don't have the same features..

I can't find the item number. I have an energizer 'tactical' (in other words flat black lol) single AAA battery flashlight found on clearance at Target. this model seems to have been discontinued; it's a shame, as it's a lot of bang for the buck. The output is rated at 50 lumens, it's been through the wash at least twice and survived perfectly (upon opening, the inside was found completely dry), and it was under $20 before the sale. It fits nicely into a pocket, being a bit thicker but shorter than a gel pen.

It's a shame it was discontinued; it seems there wasn't a direct replacement in the model line.

I have an Energizer single AA flashlight that was on clearance at Marshall's. It was intended as a cheap Christmas gift for me. However, it turns out this flashlight is bulletproof. It's rated at 45 lumens, but that makes absolutely NO SENSE to me because its brightness is really close my Fenix LD10 rated at 120 lumens. It has a push button that's better than than the button on my LD10. It's a bit larger and heavier than it could be, but it's construction feels like I could drive my car over it, throw it in a pool, and then fire it up.

EDIT: I found it on the Energizer website!

http://www.energizer.com/lighting-products/hardcase-tactical/Pages/1aa-handheld.aspx

A point often made by flashlight aficionados is that you must typically double the lumen output to achieve any perceived increase in brightness - basically about what you are observing. Lumens are overrated and over hyped.

Today is a wonderful time to be acquiring portable lights, compared to the "good old days" - there are oodles of different brands that are insanely reliable, compared to the clunkers of yesteryear.

Most importantly, when you mash on the button, light emerges and you can see. Tint, throw vs flood, beam configuration, etc. are just details that provide fodder for endless internet discourse.

I have not looked at the Energizer flashlights. How durable and waterproof is it?

If the one ireckon linked is as good as the one I have (an older model), it's really durable. As far as waterproof, mine was in a pants pocket, washed on the heavy duty cycle in a not-so-gentle machine. Then the pants were somehow mixed up with the dirty clothes, and washed again. The inside was bone dry. There was no apparent moisture intrusion inside the front lens (whatever that's called on a flashlight). It's like it never happened.

The battery finally died after a few months of semi-frequent use. In stead of dimming, like most of my other inexpensive LED lights, it flickers. Apparently it's something with the way this particular light is designed to handle power. It can be annoying, but it the beam stutters you know you'll need to replace the battery soon.

For EDC I prefer a handheld light but for a BOB or working on something it's headlamps only, and with BOB lights it's a single CR123.

Single cell lights are more reliable since there are fewer cells to fail (and failures don't cause reversed polarity anywhere).

CR123 batteries can have extremely long shelf life, longer than me anyway. A CR123 light that has been tested will probably be ready for the rest of my life.

Regulated lights are nice as they don't fade towards the end of battery drain but you do pay a price in total light per battery, and a big price in overall usable runtime. The old Luxeon 1w emitter could produce enough light to walk a dark trail for *30 days* (!) continuous run-time in a Maglight 3xD body. That combo was my ideal hurricane last-stand light but I'm not sure anyone makes direct-drive D-cell lights any more.

Lumens, tint, etc - these were often done poorly until recently. But today it's really a question of runtime and battery choice unless you want extremely long range.

Where flashlight designers earn their money today is in thermal management: LEDs can't take much heat and once output gets to 200 lumens or so I start looking at heat dissipation before handing over my money.

Energizer has been producing some decent stuff in addition to their usual junk drawer hardware. I've been carrying their "high tech keychain light". It's a 12/6/beacon lumen keychain light with (2) 2016 batteries and a 2/4/4 hour run time. I'm guessing it's regulated because of the short run time. No idea of the material, but I'd have to guess zinc/copper allow (Zamak 2?)

I just realized Energizer got the clip right. I clipped this flashlight securely to the bill of a baseball cap, and it performs like a headlamp. Other flashlight makers should learn from this simple design feature.

I received the flashlight early in the week.
I might be easily impressed but its been working wonderfully. I haven't done any waterproof or drop tests, but its outperformed any flashlights I've had. It was slightly bigger than the e01 but I didn't notice it on the supplied belt clip.

It'll take longer to see how long the batteries last, or how well it works longterm. I was at first skeptical to spend more than 20$ +/- on a flashlight but Its been worthwhile so far. One note is that on turbo it tends to heat up - quickly

freeballer, is that the LD12?

yes, it was