My favorite lights and why

[Grant Lamontagne]

I readily admit that I am not a flashlight guy.  I like flashlights, and I have my fair share, but I barely know a lumen from a Lumina!  And I sure as heck don't know the difference between lumens, lux and candlepower!  I know several of you are likely to try and explain it to me, as you always do when I say things like that, but the reality is I don't know because I really don't give a rat's ass.  I look at it this way- if I turn on a flashlight and the room gets less dark, then I'm good with it.  Especially if I don't have to press the button thirteen and a half times then flip it upside down to get the brightness I want.

So, from a laymen's standpoint, here are the lights I like, and why I like them.  I may post pics of them later, but I'm too lazy to snap some pics right now!  These are in no particular order.



Gerber Infinity Ultra- I love this little light.  It's pretty well perfect for 90% of what I need a light for.  It'll brighten up a small area nicely, like under the hood of a car, in a trunk, in the closet or anywhere else that you need to see without searing out your retinas.  I also find it invaluable at the bar I work at, as I can easily check ID's with it, since it's not so bright that shining it on a white piece of plastic in a dark room causes pain.  It runs on one AA battery, which I like, has a solid aluminum body with an almost indestructible HAII coating, a pocket clip and a twist on tail cap with a momentary on feature, which I use most.  It's not the brightest light out there, and not much use for any distance type lighting needs, but I think it's great.  In fact, I liked it so much, I snagged a CMG Infinity, which was the original, before Gerber bought the design.  Naturally CMG must be better, right?  WRONG.  The CMG is poo- get a Gerber.  Oh yeah, and for $15 or so, you really can't go wrong!



Leatherman Serac S2- This is another nice little light.  It has a clicky tail switch that controls it's two brightness modes, pocket clip and lanyard ring.  It's brighter than the Infinity in both modes (I think- I haven't put them head to head) and is reasonably affordable as well.  It's powered by a single AAA battery and also has a tough coating although I'm not sure what exactly it is.  It's a nice light, but I'd like to see it in an AA version with a thicker body.  It's a little bulky for a AAA light as it's longer than an Arc light and somewhat more awkward than a Mag Solitaire.  Plus I find the AAA size too slim for regular use, and the S2 is too big for a keychain IMHO.  Nice light though, and worth getting before they are gone- the Serac line has been discontinued.



Photon Proton- I thought this was a great light when I first got one at last year's SHOT Show.  It does have a lot of functions and just one button, so is a little more complex than I usually like, but it's still simple enough to still be useful.  It features an adjustable brightness white LED, and adjustable red LED, strobe modes in white and red and a momentary on feature, but you have to "program" it to do that.  Programming this light means you have to tap out a complicated Morse code on the button until it does what you want, and I hate that, so I don't use it, and I stick to the standard functions.  It's got some pretty decent throw, and when my boss borrowed it, he refused to return it until such time as I bought him a new one.  Considering it's powered by a single AA battery, it's quite powerful, and my boss was the only one able to see the entire cargo hold on a ship- imagine a steel box the size of a football field and you can imagine why a good light is important!  The new models are supposed to be somewhat brighter- I think they are listed around 100 lumens but I'm not sure what the old one was to compare.  All I know is the old one was nice, and the newer ones are nicer.  The Proton also comes with a pocket clip and small split ring on the tail.  I've gotten used to the button being slightly behind the head, but I'd initially wanted a tail switch on this one.  I've learned to live with it as is, and now I don't notice it.



Extreme Beam S.A.R.5- The only CR123 light in my collection that I really like is the SAR5 from Extreme Beam Tactical.  I have a few different CR123 lights but I'm not fond of them for a variety of reasons- the most important being availability of batteries.  Finding a CR123 battery outside of a specialty or electronics store is virtually impossible.  I imagine it's getting very dark in Haiti right now in the camps set up by tactical guys with CR123 lights that have all run down, while the guys with AA and AAA lights are finding powered goldmines under almost every chunk of rubble.  The SAR5 is acceptable though, as it only "eats" one battery at a time, and yet is sold with two rechargeable CR123's and a charger.  You'd be hard pressed to kill one battery before the other is charged.  Still, if it dies and I have no power, it's still useless, but at least I'm not special ordering a bunch of batteries online and stockpiling them.  The SAR5 has a pocket clip, although it is kind of flimsy- Extreme Beam is aware of this and this has been fixed in the new version, which is also significantly brighter.  This I find amazing, as the SAR5 is bright enough to signal the Space Station, and I try not to use it near airports as I'd hate to have a 747 land on my head.  It doesn't have any settings- it's either on or off via the tailswitch, and there's no doubting it's on when it's on.  At an MSRP of around $120 it seems pricey, but given the rechargeable batteries and charger that are included, I think it's more reasonable than a lot of other lights at that price point.



Streamlight Nano- For under $10, I doubt you are going to get a better light.  I'd looked at this thing many times on EDCDepot and always figured I'd add it to my next order, since at $7 it wasn't worth the shipping to get it by itself!  It's powered by three watch batteries, and is pretty darned bright.  No one I show it to is ready for the extreme brightness, which is visible even in the daytime!  Plus, it weighs almost nothing, so when you hang it on your keys you won't remember it's there until you need it.



ToolLogic Magnetic Trac Lite- Tim has a few of these listed on EDCSource right now.  I'd suggest snapping one up:

http://www.edcsource.com/auction_details.php?auction_search=1&auction_id=101838&option=basic_search&src_auction_id=&keywords_search=&buyout_price=&reserve_price=&quantity=&enable_swap=&list_in=&results_view=&country=&zip_code=&username=&basic_search=logic

One of the biggest problems with a light is using it when you need your hands for something else.  This light, also powered by a few watch batteries is about the size of a Mag Solitaire, and yet pull out from it's "sheath" (metal carrying tube that connects to your keys) and the magnetic swivel base can be stuck on any metal surface and pointed in almost any direction.  It's not going to win any brightness awards, but if you are at the side of the road changing a tire or mucking about under the hood, or even tinkering inside a computer case, it'll pay for itself in frustration the first time you use it.  And, if you remember your father making you hold the flashlight while he worked under the sink when you were a kid, you'll realize how much this light will save you in therapy bills later on- for you and your own kids!

That's about all I can think of at the moment.  I have a few others that I use from time to time, but those are really the front runners that see the most use. 

Def

[donvito]

Heh I got 3 out of 6 of those lights (fools seldom differ??? ) Somehow I knew that the Gerber Infinity will be on the list.

[Grant Lamontagne]

Which three? 

The Infinity is a great light, and I often buy them as gifts for other people, as they really are worth a lot more than you pay for them.  I have more expensive lights that aren't nearly as solid as that one.

I should also give an honorable mention to my 2xCR123 Streamlight TwinTask.  I like it- it's a good size, excellent brightness, and it's also a very solid light.  What I don't like, and can't get around is the alternating modes- click it on and get the LED's, click it off, then click it on again to get the incandescent light.  Unless you remember which mode it was in the last time you used it though, you have no idea which mode is coming on when you press the button.  I also have a 3xAA TwinTask, and it is set up the same way.  If it had a second switch to select which mode, or some way of differentiating the modes, either one click LED, two clicks incandescent, or press and hold to switch modes, I would love this light.  The way it's set up though is just a colossal pain in the arse, which is too bad, as it is a really great, well built light.



I think the new ones are built with little rotary switches, but I'm not that sure really.  They might have just killed off this line too...

Def

[donvito]

Which three?  

Infinity, Serac S2, and the Nano

[Mike, Lord of the Spammers!]

You just cannot go wrong with an Infinity

A superb torch imo

[NutSAK]

I'll back up everyone on the Infinity!

[Zed]

is the gerber infinity similar to there tempo, as i love my little tempo and use it more than any other torch i have,

paul

[zepla]

Here  are my 2 favs and why:

All I have are a LOD-CE and a LD10 both from Fenix. The LD10 is in my bag and is a great powerful light runs on a single AA. It get used from time to time but nothing compared with the LOD. I cannot think of a better light that suit my needs than the LOD (because there is none or my lack of flashlight knowledge, you pick  ).

I use it on a daily basis as it fits nicely in my wave sheat. It has some different modes as well but I never bother to use them. Just turn it on and it goes in medium level, I think. Which is 9 out of 10 times good enough for me. And I always have a more powerful mode at hand in case I need it (if I can find it after going through the 500 modes  ) or just get the LD10  And turn it off when I'm done with it. It has a twist switch I do not like as much as a push button but I got used to it and there is little chance to turn it on by accidant. A plus, just as the LD10, it runs on regular batteries. Which are easy to find as Def mentioned is his very nice write-up.

I was tempted to get the new LOD because the simpler UI but it seems I only just use the standard mode it is in when turned on anyway and problebly will do the same with the new model, so that seems not worth the investment to me. And the extra lumens were tempting on the new model as well, but I think I would never notice it. So I'll stick with what I have  Besides all that, my guess is that both my Fenix's are still better (combination of quality, price, runtime, lumens, size, etc.) than lots of lights out there today and for many years to come. So I cannot see why to replace them whitin the next year(s) at least.

[John]

Paul the only thing they've in common is the LED the tempo is a AAA light and has 3.5 hours run time the infinity on the other hand is a AA light and boasts 100 hours run time on one battery 

FWIW the gerber infinity coupled with five lithium AA's will give 3 weeks of continuous light,used sparingly it could give years of usable light 

[Zed]

Paul the only thing they've in common is the LED the tempo is a AAA light and has 3.5 hours run time the infinity on the other hand is a AA light and boasts 100 hours run time on one battery 

FWIW the gerber infinity coupled with five lithium AA's will give 3 weeks of continuous light,used sparingly it could give years of usable light 

   cheers john 

[Mike, Lord of the Spammers!]

Paul the only thing they've in common is the LED the tempo is a AAA light and has 3.5 hours run time the infinity on the other hand is a AA light and boasts 100 hours run time on one battery 

FWIW the gerber infinity coupled with five lithium AA's will give 3 weeks of continuous light,used sparingly it could give years of usable light 

   cheers john 

And I've used one as a compact cycle light too, and although it doesn't light up much of the road in front, it's better than nothing, and is robust enough for the job

[Gareth]

My favourite light has to be the Fenix L0D (or any of the more recent versions).  Small enough to sit happily on a keyring, bright enough to light up pretty much anything you're likely to need it for.  The multiple light levels mean that you can set it for low (7.5 lumen) for close up work and high (75 lumen) for when you need to see your surroundings, the medium (21 lumen) setting is fine as a go to level.   Even better mine is a very nice shade of red.

[NutSAK]

Paul the only thing they've in common is the LED the tempo is a AAA light and has 3.5 hours run time the infinity on the other hand is a AA light and boasts 100 hours run time on one battery 

FWIW the gerber infinity coupled with five lithium AA's will give 3 weeks of continuous light,used sparingly it could give years of usable light 

It should be noted that, according to my unscientific "runtime test", and comments from others, it appears that the GUI runs considerably SHORTER on AA lith than on AA alkaline.  I'm not sure why, but it seems to be the regulation.  The GUI is noticeably brighter with lith, so I would assume it's pulling more from the lith due to higher voltage and lower internal resistance. (?)

Of course, you wouldn't want to keep leaky alkalines in it for years...

[Grant Lamontagne]

I'm sure it's got more to do with the inverse power manifolds drawing too much flux from the dilithium matrix.  If you don't regulate the plasma flow you could be looking at a total failure of the entire tri-linear interface, and from what I understand that fits firmly in the "BAD THINGS" category....

Def

[zepla]

But shouldn't a solid Flux Capacitor handle that problem 

[Grant Lamontagne]

Only if you want to travel back in time. 

Def

[space cowboy]

Gerber Infinity is  the bees knees! Try the Ultra M out as it has only a slightly narrower beam & has a lens glass to keep the lint out.

[Zack]

My favorite is actually Gadget Guys favorite light.  His Ra Clicky Tactical.  Thing is crazy bright and built like a tank...I know he regrets trading this one away.

[Mike, Lord of the Spammers!]

Gerber Infinity is  the bees knees! Try the Ultra M out as it has only a slightly narrower beam & has a lens glass to keep the lint out.

Are they still available

[Vladimir]

My favorite is my trusty Surefire 6P Led;
Than Fenix E01 and Photon Micro II

[nuphoria]

I've been wondering about Gerbers - nice to see they are considered to be worth buying.

My current lights are the LD20 for when I really need to see it across the field, a Zebralight H501 on my Pygmy so I can light up whats in front of me and an ITP A3EOS on the keys for every day use. I have no complaints about any of these as yet really. The only niggle is that LD20 is older and doesn't have the clip - I have put the one which came with the Zebralight on it and that works pretty well. I still have the headband for it too which I keep in my walking jacket pocket so I can use it without my bag.

I like lights a lot really, and would love to get a big 700 lumen type thing just for fun! Who doesn't love the idea of sunshine in their pocket eh?

[space cowboy]

Gerber Infinity is  the bees knees! Try the Ultra M out as it has only a slightly narrower beam & has a lens glass to keep the lint out.

Are they still available

As far as I know they are in current production. The Gerber Ultra M seems slightly heavier construction than the Gerber Infinity IMO.

[Grant Lamontagne]

I've been wondering about Gerbers - nice to see they are considered to be worth buying.

My current lights are the LD20 for when I really need to see it across the field, a Zebralight H501 on my Pygmy so I can light up whats in front of me and an ITP A3EOS on the keys for every day use. I have no complaints about any of these as yet really. The only niggle is that LD20 is older and doesn't have the clip - I have put the one which came with the Zebralight on it and that works pretty well. I still have the headband for it too which I keep in my walking jacket pocket so I can use it without my bag.

I like lights a lot really, and would love to get a big 700 lumen type thing just for fun! Who doesn't love the idea of sunshine in their pocket eh?

The Infinity Ultra is a great little light and well worth getting.  Many of the newer lights are designed by a chap named Ben Nyssen, whom I have traded a number of emails with, and met at SHOT twice.  He does an excellent job on some of the newer lights and I really am impressed by some of the cool stuff he has come up with.

Unfortunately, I don't know much about lights and can't regurgitate specs or much else as I really didn't understand much of it at the time.  Playing with them however, was a lot of fun!

Def

[DaveK]

I just spent 45 minutes replying to this thread, then dropped a torch on my keyboard. I'm not sure which key it landed on, but it closed my browser 

Ah well, let's try again!

I'm glad that I'm not the only one that doesn't give a stuff about the technical ins and outs of lights, and it sounds like my criteria are about the same as yours Def! Maybe I should pay more attention to understanding though, as my "trial and error" method of selecting lights has landed me with all of these (in fact there's more around):



Of these though, only the following get anything approaching regular use:



So, with no technical jibber jabber whatsoever, here's what I use 'em for and why:

Fenix TK12



I've not had this one long, but I had to have it to experience all these wonderful modes and such. In practice, I only use two modes (the medium mostly and high if I need it) but this has become my goto, putting the rubbish out, chasing the rabbit round the garden - around the house light. It's a great light and I'm pleased with the choice I made.

Blackhawk / Night Ops Ally PL-3



Since the TK12 arrived, this one now lives in my work laptop bag, and sees most use looking for things dropped under desks! I still love it as a light though, and find it's a good one to lend to the missus or kids as it's only got two modes, on and off. Much easier than trying to explain how to "drive" the TK12 if they need one.

Leatherman Serac S3



Another simple to operate light, that lives in the side pocket on my Fatboy Versipack. It therefore goes pretty much everywhere I do when not at work and sees a fair bit of use. Definitely one of my favourites.

Leatherman Serac S1



This is my backup light and lives in my EDC Organiser. That means that it goes wherever I do at work or play. This light was the first nail in the coffin for my Fenix E01, as I prefer clicky switches to twisty!

Maratac AAA - Polished Stainless



I adore this light, and I pocket clip it wherever I'm going. It's already helped me find my car after work during these winter nights enough times to justify the cost of getting it from County Comm to me. Possibly my best investment of 2010 so far

LED Lenser - Cigarette Lighter charging light



This thing was a great buy. It was pretty cheap as I recall, and as it lives permanently in the cigarette lighter socket in my car, it's always available for finding things that roll under seats etc. It's also useful for kids trying to read in the back of the car, missus doing her nails etc on occasion too! I'd definitely recommend this type of light to people - incredibly practical Looking at this photo, it needs a bit of a clean I think!

Leatherman Monarch 200



With seemingly the same performance, more compact size and weight, this looks like being the final nail in the E01's coffin. I only received it from Sazabi a few days ago, and so far I'm liking it a lot It will almost certainly be going on my keyring.

Mighty Lite Mini



The lantern function on this light is brilliant. Together with the plastic hanging loop and ability to perform as a half decent flashlight, it seems like the ideal tent light to me. Seems very bright for the 0.5w it states on the side and is more compact than many of the alternatives I've seen before.

So, there you go. I think I have my light "needs" about all sorted out now, so can't see me buying another in the near future. I might pick up a Serac S2 if a good deal comes along, but I'm not going out of my way to find one, as I think I have all my bases covered with the above

[Mike, Lord of the Spammers!]

Nice summary Dave

[Zed]

thats a nice collection you have there dave, 

paul

[Styerman]

I agree with you on the Nano and the S2 . The others I'm not familiar with . For single cell duty lites , I just don't trust Chinese product . The build quality just isn't there yet , they are OK in a back up capacity , or as keychain lites , but not as the main show . And before you ask , I have not been Demonically posessed by ALP .

Chris

[Grant Lamontagne]

As far as I know, the LED's themselves and I would guess the majority of the electronics are likely to be sourced from China, even if they are assembled in the US and stuck in a US machined body.  Get yourself a Fenix and you'll see the quality is indeed there.

Def

[Mike, Lord of the Spammers!]

And before you ask , I have not been Demonically posessed by ALP .

Chris

[Benner]

My favourites are the Surefire A2 as it gives me LED's for inside and incan for outside and being colourblind this is quite important, and an ARC-P which is just a robust, solid light.