Flashlight recommendation?

[Dirtdiggler]

I bought a rechargeable led trouble light / flashlight from Eastwood. I added a cigarette style socket in the trunk of my accord and I keep it plugged in. I can turn it on if needed instead of that crappy low light trunk lid and storage/replacement/corrosion of batteries is a non issue.

[bart998]

I've bought these Lil Larry lights for each of my kids and wife to keep in their cars... They are lantern style instead of a beam, two brightness levels, have a red flasher mode and a magnetic base to stick onto the car. https://www.amazon.com/Flashlight-Ma...lil+larry+nebo

[chrismoustache]

I have one of the FourSevens and love it. I pick up some of the 123a batteries via Amazon and I'm good to go. It stays with me on my keys so I always have it ready.

The light also works really well with the flashlight holder that Twofish puts out. Super handy when I forget my commuting lights or get caught out after dark.

For other bits, I do light Princeton Tec's offerings. Most are made in the USA and their customer service is top notch.

The EveryDayCarry blogs are good to sift through for more ideas.

[dustyrider]

Headlamp from petzl. Be sure to check the batteries every now and again. Nothing like having to crawl around under a car covered in grease and mud while trying to hold a light on the area you're working on...

[charliedid]

Originally Posted by gdw

I keep a headlamp in the center console for general and emergency use. It provides plenty of light and allows me to work with both hands. Princeton Tec and Black Diamond as well as a number of other companies offer a wide variety of models in your price range.

This ^

That said if you want a flashlight this one is great.

http://www.theemsstore.com/store/pro...yABEgIbM_D_BwE

[11.4]

I live with flashlights and every time I go into a disaster area I bring a pack with at least a dozen flashlights. There are some super-cheap Mini MagLites (the LED version at least) that are basically giveaways I don't expect to get back. Then there are some intermediate grade ones (mostly Fenix which I can get at a big professional discount) that put out a ton of light and take CR123a batteries. And then I have a couple really nice ones for my own use, mostly Elzetta's, and I make sure I bring those home with me. They also take CR123a's.

Here's the deal. Whatever you use, replace the original batteries with lithium ion ones. They can sit for twenty years without losing power. They work in the cold where alkaline batteries lose all power. And when you use them they give you 3-4 times the amount of use before they fade. And if you need a compact 2200 lumen flashlight that's compatible with all your other lighting equipment, you can load eight CR123a's at a time into these scorchers and have enough light to signal to passing airliners.

I prefer the CR123a batteries because they have more capacity than AAA's and AA's and because I have the option with most 2-battery CR123a flashlights of using the rechargeable 18650 substitutes (one 18650 = 2 CR123a). However, I use the 18650's rarely and absolutely do not rely on the 18650's as my only battery. They don't last anywhere near as long and if they run down and you don't have 110 volts and a charger, you're hosed. I carry spare CR123a's in little plastic clips that keep them save (Powerpax Storacell's from Amazon, about $5 for a clip that holds four CR123a's). The batteries I have now are all expiration dated about 20 years out. I can live with that. Buy bulk batteries from Amazon (the Surefire brand ones are inexpensive in boxes of a dozen and work really well.).

[choke]

I use a flashlight at work every day. I used to carry a Streamlight Stinger LED but a couple of years ago I switched to an Olight S30RII. Both are rechargeable and have multiple output settings.

The Streamlight is a nice flashlight though it is on the larger side. The beam is strong and bright and has a decent runtime. You can buy it in various forms, the most expensive comes with both AC and DC chargers so it can be recharged in a vehicle. It takes a proprietary battery though replacements are inexpensive.

The Olight is beam is almost as strong/bright as the Streamlight but is physically much smaller. The charger is USB based so it's easy to charge in a vehicle as well. It takes a proprietary 18650 battery although you can use CR123s if needed. It also has a magnetic end which can come in very handy....it can be held in place by sticking it on something metal.

If I had to pick one of the two it would be the Olight. The smaller form factor is a big reason in my choice.

The recommendation for a Petzl headlamp is also good. They are good quality and very nice to have when you need both hands free.

[PeregrineA1]

WRT battery life. I keep a Surefire with 2 CR123 batteries on my boat and the majority of the time it sits idle. The batteries are easily 2-3 years old. It works every time I need it. And every time I need it I tell myself to replace the batteries. Then I go fishing and forget all my troubles....and to change the batteries when I get home.

[jmoore]

I generally don't lose or break stuff like sunglasses. But I can't seem to keep a flashlight for more than a year or so before they vanish. I recently lost a Streamlight ProTac which I really liked. I think because all the small flashlights are black, they are easy to lose for me, esp at the ranch or when I'm hunting. They seem to vaporize in the field to never be found again.

So I just picked up a Pelican 3315 because it's a Pelican and it's bright yellow and it's not tiny. They also have a glow in the dark version. I prefer AA batteries because I can find replacements anywhere.

https://www.batteryjunction.com/peli...-0150-opt.html

A headlamp is a great idea.