Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
To simply answer the question, this is Texas, you can't have a gun everywhere, so I have alternate weapons and one of them is a baton flashlight....for a reason.
Let us not quibble over the why of it, just that a baton flashlight is required car safety equipment......and move on from there.
I have the same one you have for the same reason. But, I also have on light weight one that can fit in a pocket.
My favorite flashlight is a 10,000 lumen monster powered by 12 cree LEDs which are each individually rated at 1200 lumens. It's powered by four rechargeable 18650 lithium ion batteries. It's housing is an aluminum alloy. It's light enough it won't burden one too much, but it does have enough heft that it could probably break a window or a skull with it's "tactical attack head" but it's main defensive capability is that if shined into somebody's eyes in the dark, it will temporarily blind them. And I don't mean your typical "blinded by the light", it would cause physical discomfort like trying to stare into the sun. The beam turns photochromic eyeglass lenses dark. I accidentally aimed this light on the side of our house at night when I was too close and just the light reflecting off the house made me see a yellow spot for several minutes. I couldn't imagine being subjected directly to the beam. Of course it has multiple lighting modes and if the "on" button is held down it goes into strobe mode which is more blinding and confusing to somebody than just getting blasted with light. I'd post a link to it, but they don't make this model anymore, but you can probably find something similar at the usual places.
For smaller flashlight needs there are a million good choices but I like the ones that also have a plasma lighter built into them. They can start a fire regardless of how windy and rainy it is so long as you have something dry to ignite. Many of those models have a compass built into the end of them.
They also make high power flashlights that can jump start a car, but I don't have any experience with them, but I'm not talking about the car jump starters that also have a flashlight on them (most do these days).
Last edited by terracore; 11-22-2023 at 01:48 PM..
Great topic. I have a flashlight fetish and have tried a bunch of them at all price points. My go-to is the pocket size "Cree" brand. Under ten bucks, takes one AA battery, very bright light. I have at least a dozen of these scattered in different places...home, work, vehicles, bugout. I use rechargeable Eneloop batteries, they are long lasting. Sometimes I'll come across a flashlight I forgot about, and it'll light up even after a year+ sitting out in a cold vehicle.
Got a couple of those. Good lights, but I also have some that clip on a hat brim or headlamps for hands free use because you need to have both hands to work on a vehicle in the dark instead of hold a flashlight with one.
A headlamp is great because it's always pointing where you're looking.
Maybe for you but they aren't for everyone else. I've kept a simple shake-light or hand crank flashlight in my cars for at least 15 years. They're compact, easy to carry and use. Their "batteries" haven't gone dead yet .
My hand crank flashlight did actually die. I'd had it in my glove box for quite a few years. It stores a little bit of charge, so there's either a capacitor or a small rechargeable battery in there.
---
Edit:
Quote:
A mechanically powered flashlight is a flashlight that is powered by electricity generated by the muscle power of the user, so it does not need replacement of batteries, or recharging from an electrical source. There are several types which use different operating mechanisms. They use different motions to generate the required power; such as squeezing a handle, winding a crank, or shaking the flashlight itself. These flashlights can also be distinguished by the technique used to store the energy: a spring,[1] a flywheel, a battery or a capacitor.
Got a couple of those. Good lights, but I also have some that clip on a hat brim or headlamps for hands free use because you need to have both hands to work on a vehicle in the dark instead of hold a flashlight with one.
A headlamp is great because it's always pointing where you're looking.
Headlamps are great too. Those Cree flashlights come with a clip so you could potentially clip it on a hat brim or on a pocket. I use the clips to attach them to my backpack/handbag so I'm not fishing around for a flashlight lost deep in the bag.
My favorite flashlight is a 10,000 lumen monster powered by 12 cree LEDs which are each individually rated at 1200 lumens. It's powered by four rechargeable 18650 lithium ion batteries. It's housing is an aluminum alloy. It's light enough it won't burden one too much, but it does have enough heft that it could probably break a window or a skull with it's "tactical attack head" but it's main defensive capability is that if shined into somebody's eyes in the dark, it will temporarily blind them. And I don't mean your typical "blinded by the light", it would cause physical discomfort like trying to stare into the sun. The beam turns photochromic eyeglass lenses dark. I accidentally aimed this light on the side of our house at night when I was too close and just the light reflecting off the house made me see a yellow spot for several minutes. I couldn't imagine being subjected directly to the beam. Of course it has multiple lighting modes and if the "on" button is held down it goes into strobe mode which is more blinding and confusing to somebody than just getting blasted with light. I'd post a link to it, but they don't make this model anymore, but you can probably find something similar at the usual places.
For smaller flashlight needs there are a million good choices but I like the ones that also have a plasma lighter built into them. They can start a fire regardless of how windy and rainy it is so long as you have something dry to ignite. Many of those models have a compass built into the end of them.
They also make high power flashlights that can jump start a car, but I don't have any experience with them, but I'm not talking about the car jump starters that also have a flashlight on them (most do these days).
Would you tell us the brand names or some other way to look them up?
Headlamps are great too. Those Cree flashlights come with a clip so you could potentially clip it on a hat brim or on a pocket. I use the clips to attach them to my backpack/handbag so I'm not fishing around for a flashlight lost deep in the bag.
Most flashlights are made for distance, and for a headlamp you need a lot of spread out light.
I got one of those "Tac Light" flashlights, not long ago, and found, too, that the "low" power setting isn't different enough from the high power setting.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Wile E. Coyote
Would you tell us the brand names or some other way to look them up?
I concur, but with a caveat: many models of flashlights change every year, so, while the brand names would give a helpful starting place, we have to realize it is just a starting point.
My opinion, the ideal flashlight would have two modes, one for a couple hundred lumens (I call that "stun setting" since it can do wonders on perps or animals, at close range) and a low power stetting (preferably less than 50 lumens) that will run all night. Strobe settings and even intermediate settings just complicate things. A lens holder and set of (different colors, and maybe a diffusing lens) filter lenses, like the old green army flashlight would be a plus.
My opinion, the ideal headlamp would have a fairly bright, white, wide angle light (possibly high and low power settings), and a small red light setting. Could include blue, if you think you might track a bleeding deer with it, but a blue lens for the flashlight above would be better (in my opinion).
Someone on this site recommended: MPOWERD Luci Outdoor 2.0 & I love it! I purchased a couple more flashlights for Christmas presents. Yeah, a home or a car emergency car makes a great Christmas present!
Oh boy. This thread rekindled my flashlight fetish. I haven't bought any new ones for years, but I'm thinking I need some much brighter lights for distance visibility and to stun predators.
I'll patiently wait until after the holiday shopping frenzy for some new year clearance sales.
Oh boy. This thread rekindled my flashlight fetish. I haven't bought any new ones for years, but I'm thinking I need some much brighter lights for distance visibility and to stun predators.
I'll patiently wait until after the holiday shopping frenzy for some new year clearance sales.
Please share when you do...
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
.
