What are your favorite flashlights and why?

[Wildernesstech]

Part of my EDC, and something we stash many different places are flashlights of varying quality and cost.

I have come to lean towards LED lights that take 123 style batteries, but have some that take AA's, and a few that take AAA's.

Some of the less expensive ones have stopped working quickly, but the more expensive ones have seldom let us down.

We still have a few with incandescent bulbs (who knows what EMP would do to LED circuitry?), But the efficiency of LEDs can be addictive!

With enough lumens a good light can certainly be a help in some self-defense situations, but light is simply nice to have when you need it.

What do you like and why?

[pgvoutdoors]

Maglite is my favorite general purpose flashlight, extremely durable and a wide variety of options.
http://www.maglite.com/

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I'm currently using a Black Diamond "Spot" headlamp which has performed very well.
http://blackdiamondequipment.com/en/...9CVGRALL1.html

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[SlowRide13]

Same here. Flashlight junkie. I have bought "them all," and keep gravitating back to the LED Mini Mags. They fit in a pocket (and my mouth) better than the newer "tactical lights."

I wish they would all stop with the blinky, stroby, dimmy business. I need on, off, focus. Maybe I'm just "old fashioned."

[Wildernesstech]

Agreed on the strobe effect being unecessary. I prefer on/off and like a tailcap pushbutton instead of tube-mounted slide or twist switch. On some lights I appreciate dual intensity settings for those times when you need to stretch your run time, but I want it to come on in the brightest setting the first time I press the switch, no hunting for settings!

[Wildernesstech]

I just got the Mag-Lite LED XL50 yesterday at Home Depot on St. Thomas and it seems to be a bargain. We had bought 2 of their innexpensive Defiant brand LED lights for hurricane season here, and they did not last long at all! I have many far more expensive lights that do little more. The new Mag-Tac looks promising. I want the plain bezel so they don't try to take them away at the airport.

[Rick]

The mini mag is probably my most used. I have several of them and that's what I always seem to grab. Hunter posted sometime back if the battery leaks and it's Duracell, Everready or Ray-O-Vac then maglite will repair or replace the flashlight. I've had them make good on that too. See post 6 in the link below.

http://www.wilderness-survival.net/f...aglite+battery

I also like my Smith & Wesson Galaxy 9 bulb l.e.d.. Bright as heck and inexpensive.

[Batch]

Lots of LED flashlights allow you to avoid usage issues with illumination and flashing.

For instance I carry this light and it has instructions...

http://www.streamlight.com/en-us/pro...l?pid=202#tabs

[Rick]

Instructions! I have to remember that! If I can just find the English version and get past the six pages of warnings. My dealings with instructions go something like....

Open package
Pull out product
Pull out instructions
"Caution. Read all warnings carefully. Do not use product until all instructions have been read. Avoid......blah, blah, blah".
Toss instructions aside.
Begin playing with product.
Curse engineers for designing an impossible to use product.
Finally figure product out and decide engineers did okay...sort of.

[natertot]

My favorite flashlights are the ones at the auto store for $4.99. They are a decently bright LED, take common batteries, have a soft rubber grip, small enough for any pocket or pouch, come with a wrist strap, and cheap enough that I don't curse when I lose one or the tots swipe it. Overall, good value in my book.

[bvbowhunter]

I have a Streamlight Microstream i carry with me everyday. And as an edc item other than my pocket knife its one of the most handy items.
31DJFn4MITL._AA300_.jpg

[SurvivalGearPrep]

I carry a Streamlight 88032 Protac Tactical Flashlight 1AA. It's a compact and powerful LED flashlight. You will see this flashlight on a lot of police officers. The reason I like it is it has C4 LED technology which makes it one of the brightest tactical personal carry lights of its size. I purchase mine at Amazon.

[WY21lmb]

My ideal flashlight would be one that does not require any batteries. No batteries what so ever. Squeeze it or crank it for light. Light the first time, every time, for a lifetime. That way I would have light to go find batteries for all my other flashlights that always seem to have dead batteries when I need them most. I have had a shake-light - did not work. I have a crank-light - sort of works, less output with each subsequent use. I doubt that my ideal flashlight is out there yet. If I am wrong, I would love to hear about it.