Brinkman Light Question

[THE_LONGBOW]

I was given a Brinkman flashlight a couple of years ago. It takes CR123 batteries. I like the amount of light it puts out. I would like to get a back up light that is equivalent (brightness) to the Brinkman.  One thing though I am kind of limited to how I can spend right now.
 Any one have any suggestions.

[Tofty]

Amazon says that the Brinkmann Armor Max CR123 LED Flashlight (is this the one you have?)......
http://www.amazon.com/Brinkmann-809-1025-2-Armor-Polymer-Flashlight/dp/B0046O9MEQ
.......produces just over 100 lumens which is low for a 6V LED torch but should give a good run-time on the sometimes hard to find batteries.
Does yours have modes? In the comments bit some people have said that the older model didn't have any.

If the flashlight in the link really comes with 2 energizer CR123s i'd go for another one of those.
You'd struggle to get something cheaper that you knew you liked with the right output.

Otherwise you could look around Deal Extreme or Kai Domain but in my opinion they offer far too much a selection if that's possible and it's hard to know what's quality and what's rubbish as the price doesn't always reflect this.

[Gareth]

I'm thinking the Fenix E11 puts out almost exactly the same level of light, though it's running on a single AA cell not CR123s.  Amazon US has them up for $26 just now, but well worth shopping around.

N_N_R gives her thoughts in this thread: http://forum.multitool.org/index.php/topic,36839.0.html

[THE_LONGBOW]

 Tofty yes mine is a single mode. So it must be a older one. So it must be a 100 lumens light. I would be willing to try another type that is 100 lumens or more if it were a good deal.
 Gareth there are so many choices and I am not well informed on lights so it is hard to chose. I have looked at some of the Fenix but I did not know how many lumens my light was so I could not make a decision as to what to get.
The Fenix E11 looks like it might be a good choice for  a replacement to mine. I do like the idea of a AAA battery instead of the CR123s for about the same amount of light.

[enki_ck]

What's your budget? There are quite a few excellent flashlights out there and knowing your preference in batteries, modes if any, pocketclip or holster, twist for on or button operated clicky ,... could help us advise you better. Most of these companies offer free worldwide shipping so getting them isn't a problem.

[Gareth]

I know what you mean about there being so many choices out there.  It's hard to know where to start if you've not got at least a passing knowledge of what's on offer.  I keep half an eye on the flashlight scene and I'll be the first to admit there are LOTS out there that I don't know about.

Things to think about;

budget
battery type and number (one AA, two CR123s...)
brightness or long run time priority
how you are going to carry it (pocket, keyring, bag etc)
Switch type
simple modes or all singing and dancing disco modes

If you can get an idea what are your priorities on that list you will be a long way to finding a light that suits you.

[THE_LONGBOW]

OK here are some parameters for my light that I would like

Around $30 US dollars
100 + Lumen (the more for the price the better)
AA or AAA preferred but not opposed to CR123
I like a reliable end button switch and one mode is fine.
Occasional carry in pocket, mainly in my carry all bag
Short use but when I need it I like a lot of light for a good distance.

[enki_ck]

Hm, a thrower at about $30 with a tail cap. That will be a tough one. Most of them have a more floodier beam.

The Klarus P1A might be an option for a bit more $$ but it's not a pure thrower. Although with this amount of light "some" throw is present.   http://www.ebay.com/itm/280746944928

There's another similar Klarus but I can't think of the model and google isn't helping.

JETBeam BA10 - haven't tried that one but people seem to like them. http://www.ebay.com/itm/190837249744

ThruNite had some models around that price but they don't seem to carry them anymore, and the updated versions are a bit pricier.

The Fenix E11 I believe is much too floody for your needs.

I'll try to add others if I remember any.

[Gareth]

I've not tired one, but I think the Nitcore MT1A should fit your budget and needs.  Nice throwing light form what I've read.

[THE_LONGBOW]

Thanks every one for your input. I like the choices you gave me. It amazes me that I can get more lumen with way less battery. I will try to pick one and let you know what I think.
 I live on 10 acres and can see about 200 feet from my deck to the edge of the timber. When the dog barks at some thing I need a light I can grab and see what she is barking at. I do have a larger spot light but most of the time a small light is fine.

Does lumen have any thing to do with the distance a light shines? If not how can a person tell how far a light will shine?

[enki_ck]

No, lumen is just a unit of measure for the amount of light you get. I think candela is the through unit, but you don't see that one listed in the specs.

The texture of the reflector attributes to how the beam will look/work. If it has an orange peel makes for a more disperse beam that covers a larger area, and smooth reflector has a narrower beam but it can light up objects further away. I'm not sure about all the terminology though. I'm sure one of our resident flashoholichs will be around to explain it better.    

[Gareth]

Lots of things go into making a light into either a throw or spill beam.  As enki says the surface of the reflector plays a part as does the diameter and depth, also the shape/size of the LED itself I believe. 

Some useful reading on ANSI standards (edit for better link): http://www.led-resource.com/ansi-fl1-standard/

If you can find the ANSI FL-1 data on a particular light (and not every makers uses them by a long shot) then you have some useful comparison data. 

So the ANSI data for the Nitecore I suggested can be seen here:

[THE_LONGBOW]

Thanks for "enlightening" me. I think I have a better grasp of what I will get. I am leaning toward the Nitecore MT1A.

[Gareth]

I've got myself looking at that Nitecore now.   I really don't need another 1xAA light so I am going to resist the temptation.   Let us know what you decide on and how you get along with it.

[enki_ck]

Looks like a good choice for a flashlight with more throw.

I just checked the review by selfbuilt on cpf (recommended read) and it seems like a decent light. Two modes with one of them programmable and other one turbo. I wish the second mode would also be programmable but it's not such big of a deal. Also worth noting is that if you run it in the turbo mode for more than 3 minutes it will automatically switch to a lower mode to prevent overheating.
 
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?346163-Nitecore-MT1C-(1xCR123A-RCR)-MT1A-(1xAA)-MT2A-(2xAA)-XP-G-Review-RUNTIME-BEAMSHOTS&p=4046911&viewfull=1#post4046911

[enki_ck]

I've got myself looking at that Nitecore now.   I really don't need another 1xAA light so I am going to resist the temptation.   Let us know what you decide on and how you get along with it.

I'm in the same boat. Som many flashlights I want. But so many living in boxes and drawers already I just can't justify buying another.  Maybe just one more headlamp and that's it.

[Gareth]

Thing is, that Nitecore does things just about differently enough to make it not "exactly the same as the last one" (to quote my wife).  Now, whether or not she would agree with me is something else altogether.