Could possibly look at the Olight offerings with the magnetic charger
Her most appreciated and used is a Fenix HL50, AA. Previous to that, she had an S2 and a good quality P60 type with protected Sanyos.
That was a few years ago. Today, I'd still go with a 1*AA headlamp but the high output handheld would be a Nitefox UT20.
Unno, I got 4-5 F1s, EDCed one for quite a while, got 2 UT20s and am still EDCing one. No problems at all.
Especially since skeeter season started, I’ve been using the ’20 full-tilt quite a bit.
I don’t trust Amazon reviews much anyway. Clearly, when looking at SK98s (18650) and you see reviews describing SK68s (AA/14500), or v/v, it’s apparent they mix’n’match reviews.
Any 5×5050 194-type “bulbs”, you’ll see described white, amber, red, CW, WW, different mfrs, you name it. Like, whut’s the point?
Not too long ago, I went through all my F1 boxes (unlabeled CW vs WW except for the barcode thingy on the bottom) to make sure what was what, and physically tried all of them again. No issues.
I was gonna gift a few, ’til I heard all the oohing and aahing for Tac-Lights. :person_facepalming:
Forget it…
Coupla more suggestions, just to throw out there…
Convoy S9 is kinda throttled down, so it won’t turn into a curling-iron if left on high. I think it has a charger, not sure.
The Folomovs except for the Camp D4 (guess which one I got…) have built-in charging and ostensibly can be used as a power-bank in a pinch.
The plain white Xiauomi (oh, Hell, somebody fix the spelling…) doodad is also throttled down like the S9, but has a rotary selector-head to “switch gears”.
Hi, MascaratumB,
I appreciate the information, and I agree that unless one knows the details he cannot know the need. Having lived in small towns and dark dirt roads I can appreciate the need for 1,000 lumens.
Regards, Jerry
For close-in, a nice cheap Boruit RJ02 with swapped 60° TIR lens would be perfect.
Then just worry about a thrower…
This was my choice since we are talking about only one light and usb rechargable .
a headlamp probably makes more sense than any other single light except maybe a keychain light.
i’d forget about swapping an optic and just add a decent strength magnet and sell it as a right angle flashlight with a headband option.only other thing i’d do is make sure it had a brand new INRor LMR cell in it .
The problem with the question is …Who’s mom are we talking about . I’m old so my mom is way more un-tech savvy then your average 20 year olds mom who is 38 , wearing hot pants and a tube-top,smoking a lucky strike while taking selfies on her phone .
Is she a single mom? 
Just kidding, happily married
Was also thinking, maybe something like a Utorch UT02 would be ideal for a mom. Most people are used to D cell Maglites, and may prefer that.
Really need to know what the use is. Purse use, shelf use, midnight bathroom use, scan a very large yard…
Really need to know what the use is. Purse use, shelf use, midnight bathroom use, scan a very large yard…
I agree… and need a dollar amount since all problems are easier to solve if you throw cash at them . if money is no issue than high end headlamps start to spring to mind like the more expensive Nitecores
I don’t feel 18650 lights are for non flasaholics.
gave my Mom the Nitecore EA45– she loves it!
Slender grip, and powerful enough; even with the readily available AA barteries.
But, yeah— for 18650– I think the UT20 is a good choice.
Maybe a good LiFePo cell and charger with it, to avoid any charging issues?
you can buy 18650 Protected Cells with built in chargers. By buying a pair, if the light goes dim, she can swap and charge.
https://www.amazon.com/Streamlight-18650-Rechargeable-Battery-Charger/dp/B07D4CXZQJ
that way the flashlight is not disabled for several hours, while acting as a charger
as to why you think mom needs 1000 lumens of 18650… well, I dont know your mom
I would be more likely to give her a Manker Lad, or Olight S1 Mini High CRI… but those are not the droids you think you are looking for
now, tell us
which lights are YOU considering giving your mom… before we all go nuts suggesting an endless stream of lights
and about Throw, thats for flashaholics and outdoors… imo irrelevant to Moms indoors
I agree with lightbringer on the UT20. I'm reviewing it and I found it to be a great light to use.
Nice easy UI.
USB charging
Some memory mode, so its good for occasional use.
Has an extra grip option, comes with case and clip.
Its cool white and has moonlight. Older people tend to like cool white more for some reason. The tint isn't bad at all for cool white.
Flowers in a flashlight box.
If the battery stays in the light and charges in the light, what’s the problem? It’s just like any other LiIon powered device which I’m sure she has plenty of (laptop / cell phone / etc.).
If getting a UT20, ditch the come-with clip and get the deep-carry clip from FT for <2bux each. Fits perfectly, same semigloss ano, looks like it was made for the light.
All lights seem to come with the saaaaame crappy cookie-cutter silver clip. Yecch. The lights ride way too high, stick out of your pocket like an antenna, stand a better chance of being squished out of your pocket when you sit down, etc. Only reason I’m EDCing it nowadays is because of the deep-carry clip.
Get a few of those clips for pretty much any 18650 light. You’ll thank me later.
I think that you are probably vamiliar with the explosion of Li-on batteries. Maybe not?
Jerry
So you dont trust your mom with cell phones, cordless tools, laptops, or the countless other Li-Ion powered devices that are scattered around the typical house?
Almost all Li-Ion failures are the result of negligence. A quality cell, with quality protection circuit, in a quality light that charges properly will be as safe or safer than a cellphone
+1
I use BLF A6 deep carry clips on most of my 18650 tube-lights
If you want to go smaller this is a better choice.
Comes with battery, cheaper, smaller and also has USB charging. Not sure too much about the other stuff but it does have ramping as well.
Cell phones do not use the same kind of LiIon as 18650 flashlights.
Many 18650 flashlights lack overdischarge protection, and many flashlight batteries are UNprotected
I would not give mom a flashlight with an UNprotected LiIon, unless the light itself had built in OverDischarge protection. The battery I recommended does have OverDischarge Protection built in.
Some flashlights wont even fit a Protected 18650, they only work with UNprotected. Zebralight is an example of a light that only accepts UNprotected cells. Fortunately Zebralighs do have Built IN OverDischarge protection. A Zebra wont work with a protected 18650, and a Zebra wont charge an 18650, you will need a separate charger. None of this is MOM friendly.
What causes LiIon 18650 cells to go BOOM! is OverDischarging, they then overheat during charging and can burn the house down unless an intelligent operator is supervising the process. Mom is not that intelligent, or she might be sleeping while the 18650 is charging (bad operator behavior).
I agree that giving mom an 18650 light verges on irresponsible gifting, there are a lot of details that need to be verified first.
For example, the MecArmy PT18 uses a PROTECTED 18650, that is included with the light. The light itself has a USB charging port. That means that during charging, the light is not useable.
Soooo
pick a light that accepts PROTECTED 18650, unless the light has built in OverDischarge PROTECTION. If you buy a light that does not have built in charging, then buy a Protected battery that has built in charging, so you dont have to rely on MOM to operate a LiIon Charger. And so Mom can use the light with a spare battery, while the other one is charging OUTSIDE the light.