Need a new flashlight... recommendations please...

[383 240z]

Looking for a smallish flashlight. Hoping for it NOT to have any rubber on it as it will be used in a VERY oily environment. LED is preferred. Bright is required. Don't really care if it's rechargeable or not. I'm not wanting one of those 3-AAA powered ones you see at the checkout of TSC. I see a bunch of them on Amazon in the $20-$30 range. Anybody have one they love??? Keith

 

[kiatech]

I have a zebralight sc600 thats milled out of 1 piece of aluminum except for the tail cap to put the battery. Its been my edc/worklight for almost a year without a hiccup.

 

[Askme42]

Stream light http://www.amazon.com/dp/B002E1AUEY/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[thebigbadyeti]

Check out Fenix lights. I love them because the lens is glass and doesn't discolor over time. Very bright, and very reasonable prices.

 

[Jwych]

Streamlight Protac AA
Very bright fairly compact only rubber is the on/off switch

 

[d.mcfarland]

Stream light http://www.amazon.com/dp/B002E1AUEY/?tag=atomicindus08-20

Mine works well but isn't great for when you need both hands. Could always use your mouth...

 

[IUEC Medic]

Fenix PD 35. Uses either two cr123 or one rechargeable 18650 battery.

960 lumens. Waterproof.

I have personally had mine go through a washing machine unscathed.
Same light, I've used it inside of a tank/pump unit full of hydraulic elevator oil about shoulder deep, searching for a dropped pressure gauge.
Most recently, it took a fall from about 40 feet high onto a concrete pit floor. No problems, still use it every day.

 

[toufue_yang17]

Look no further, nitecore will satisfy your needs. Blindingly bright but it's got a couple different settings.

 

[Mr. T]

Streamlight Protac AA
Very bright fairly compact only rubber is the on/off switch

Use one for work. I have accidentally submerged it in hydraulic oil before. Still works great. It also has a clip that can keep it in your pocket or let's you attach it to the brim of a hat for hands free work.

 

[Mherriford]

Fenix, but I will say an ld12. Uses a AA battery, easy to find everywhere, (the battery that is) can be very dim or very bright depending on what you need. I have a ld12and it's predecessor the ld10 both great lights

http://www.fenixlighting.com/products/fenix-flashlights-ld12-led-flashlight.aspx

 

[383 240z]

I should also add that I would like it to only have an on/off switch. No use for high/med./low red dot laser nonsense. Also a penlight type I don't think will light up enough of an area. Thanks for the suggestions so far, I will look into all of them when I'm done with the video I'm editing. Keith

 

[franzdom]

 

[Farmall450]

I'm still a firm believe in the streamlight stylus pro myself.

 

[Askme42]

Mine works well but isn't great for when you need both hands. Could always use your mouth...

Lol before I finIshed reading I was like uh mouth.

 

[Askme42]

I should also add that I would like it to only have an on/off switch. No use for high/med./low red dot laser nonsense. Also a penlight type I don't think will light up enough of an area. Thanks for the suggestions so far, I will look into all of them when I'm done with the video I'm editing. Keith

My streamlight is brighter than a lot of other bigger lights I've had.

 

[theoldwizard1]

Streamlight ProPolymer 4AA. Reasonably priced. Waterproof. Not certain how slippery it would be in an oily environment.

 

[PETE14]

http://www.solarforce.hk

I use one from this company at work. It's pretty awesome. Mine does have 3 levels (Low. Med, High). Very well made, and priced accordingly.

 

[tank4114]

i use a fenix and i cant fault it and its been droped multiple times onto concrete
i have a stylus pro on order for a smaller top pocket light

 

[Jlbc212]

I have two Fenix lights. The first one I bought began to work intermittently after approx. a year of daily use. I liked the design of the light so I bought another. It crapped out after 6 months of use. A friend of mine gave me a new 4sevens flashlight. It crapped out in less than a week. I now carry a led flashlight I bought from SuperBright LEDs. It isn't as bright as the Fenix lights, but it's still working and it was half the price of the Fenix light.

 

[Wrenchinfool]

http://www.streamlight.com/product/class.aspx?cid=2 http://
Classic led used daily I am diesel mechanic so it tends to get dropped and abused

 

[Ainsley]

I keep a streamlight micro stream in my shirt pocket at work all day everyday and love it. I have many high end lights: surefire, jetbeam, zebralight, novatac, Felix, etc. but the micro stream sees the most use because it is always there.
If you're looking for something with multiple modes and higher output check out the other brands I just mentioned.

 

[tank4114]

I have two Fenix lights. The first one I bought began to work intermittently after approx. a year of daily use. I liked the design of the light so I bought another. It crapped out after 6 months of use. A friend of mine gave me a new 4sevens flashlight. It crapped out in less than a week. I now carry a led flashlight I bought from SuperBright LEDs. It isn't as bright as the Fenix lights, but it's still working and it was half the price of the Fenix light.

sorry to hear that what light was it, fenix have a warranty program too did you send yours back?

ive been using my fenix tk11 for probaly 3-4 years now its not as bright as some of there newer stuff and its only got 2 modes but its pretty rugged and takes a beating and like i said you cant fault it i use rechargle 1850 AW 2600mh batterys which last a long time

 

[383 240z]

Thanks for the info guys. I will be using this for inspecting my machines before I run them, I'll be looking into areas with little ambient light, everything is coated with cutting oil and grease, not much in there is reflective, just a few of the cam slides and shafts.
Askme42, I'll try to find a photo or video of the light beam they throw. Keith

 

[Nele]

Streamlite, nothing else

 

[corrie]

Pelican 3315
Might be a little big for you. 3AA batteries, led, 113 lumens and durable plastic case. Around $30 I think, mine is issued from work. A push button to turn it on and off.

 

[SantaAna12]

Please elaborate.

 

[90zcar]

I use a microstream as a small simple "all the time light" uses a simple aaa battery and lasts a while.

But for those times I really need some light and want to have it on awhile I use a streamlight strion. While ur at it get a flashlight holder






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[shockwave]

Stream light protac 2l 180 lumen stays in my pocket all day at the shop

 

[chris142]

What happened to lights with real batteries? Those tripple a's **** eggs.

 

[90zcar]

What happened to lights with real batteries? Those tripple a's **** eggs.

Are u kidding me? My little microstream goes forever on one of those little aaa's


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[chris142]

I always get 1 bad one in the bunch that drains all 3. They leak a lot too and its all brands not just the chinese ones

 

[IUEC Medic]

What happened to lights with real batteries? Those tripple a's **** eggs.

While I'm always promoting my fenix pd35 with a rechargeable 18650 battery, I always forget to mention my fenix ld01, single AAA that lives on my keychain, with a 72 lumen output.

I also carry a foursevens preon 2 penlight when I need something low profile. It uses two AAA batteries, and is almost identical in size to a regular sharpie. It has an output of 180 lumens. I normally run two energizer lithium AAA's and they far outlast alkalines. The thing is a beast. It actually burned my leg through my pocket once when I unknowingly turned it on.

For comparisons sake, a traditional 6-D cell maglight has an output of about 135 lumens.

 

[FullRaceMerc]

I have multiple flashlights, but since getting into LED headlights I don't use anything else. They always point where I am looking, leave my hands free, & don't get dropped. 3 AAA batts, flood or spot settings, some have red or strobe settings that I just switch past. If I use Energizer or Duracell I have good battery life.

It is one less thing to carry when crawling under a house or thru an attic. I prefer the ones with a removable headband so I can wash it. If my hands are greasy I don't have to touch the light until I clean up.

 

[d430]

A streamlight stinger C4 LED is what I use at work all day. Not too big but extremely bright. They now have the stinger C4 LED HL (high lumen) which is twice as bright. If compact size is more important, the streamlight strion or strion HL are are awesome too. The HL stinger is rated at 640 lumens on high. The strion HL is rated to 500 lumens.

 

[RedRabbit]

I love maglites. The new ones are bright and all metal.

 

[MattPersman]

I'm a huge believer in th steamlight stylus pro, it's not a million lumens but still gets the job done over many larger lights. Very tough, durable, lasts long on normal batteries.

 

[n8n]

Looking for a smallish flashlight. Hoping for it NOT to have any rubber on it as it will be used in a VERY oily environment. LED is preferred. Bright is required. Don't really care if it's rechargeable or not. I'm not wanting one of those 3-AAA powered ones you see at the checkout of TSC. I see a bunch of them on Amazon in the $20-$30 range. Anybody have one they love??? Keith

Define smallish, fits in pocket? Belt holster? Also, how many lumens and runtime are you looking for?

Candlepowerforums is a good resource once you can get a better idea of what you're looking for, or I could offer some suggestions based on my own experiences (although I'm far from an expert.) Also, do you have any objection to lithium or lithium-ion batteries, or are you trying to stick with alkaline/NiMH?

 

[kctyphoon]

Persoanlly I don't get the whole, "buy an expensive flashlight with the most inconvient size battery you can find". I have mag lights. Multiple sizes, but I carry whatever the brightest 2 AA or AAA sized one the sell in lowes or HD is. there are 2 models i if I remember.. But they are bright enough to do whatever you need, batterries are cheap and u can buy in bulk or buy replacements in any gas station on earth if need be - and I won't cry or get pissed if it gets lost, left behind, or destroyed.. mine lives in a backpack i carry to work in the winter, and an EDC/work range bag when it gets warmer.. ive never "wished" i had something different.. also - some of these other small / insane lumen model lights that people buy for work or emergencies, only last a few hours - so if completey defeats the purpose of "it'll be there when i need it" type thinking..

 

[90zcar]

Persoanlly I don't get the whole, "buy an expensive flashlight with the most inconvient size battery you can find". I have mag lights. Multiple sizes, but I carry whatever the brightest 2 AA or AAA sized one the sell in lowes or HD is. there are 2 models i if I remember.. But they are bright enough to do whatever you need, batterries are cheap and u can buy in bulk or buy replacements in any gas station on earth if need be - and I won't cry or get pissed if it gets lost, left behind, or destroyed.. mine lives in a backpack i carry to work in the winter, and an EDC/work range bag when it gets warmer.. ive never "wished" i had something different.. also - some of these other small / insane lumen model lights that people buy for work or emergencies, only last a few hours - so if completey defeats the purpose of "it'll be there when i need it" type thinking..

Good points indeed. It's all in what u use it for. I have a cheap mag lite in my car. But in my garage I have a microstream and a strion. I use my strion as a work light it has a rechargeble battery so I don't have to worry about buying batteries
Try doing this with a mag light for 3 hours and not worrying about anything



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[n8n]

Persoanlly I don't get the whole, "buy an expensive flashlight with the most inconvient size battery you can find". I have mag lights. Multiple sizes, but I carry whatever the brightest 2 AA or AAA sized one the sell in lowes or HD is. there are 2 models i if I remember.. But they are bright enough to do whatever you need, batterries are cheap and u can buy in bulk or buy replacements in any gas station on earth if need be - and I won't cry or get pissed if it gets lost, left behind, or destroyed.. mine lives in a backpack i carry to work in the winter, and an EDC/work range bag when it gets warmer.. ive never "wished" i had something different.. also - some of these other small / insane lumen model lights that people buy for work or emergencies, only last a few hours - so if completey defeats the purpose of "it'll be there when i need it" type thinking..

Meh, I just keep a couple spare RCR123As in my laptop bag... just like you'd keep a couple spare AA NiMHs... no problem.

In a holder of course - batteries shorting = no fun.