Need: Nice Light w/primary batteries

Looking for a flashlight for my father (70+ y.o.). Requirements:

  • He wants a nice, powerful light.
  • He doesn’t want to mess with rechargeables so I’m looking at primaries only.
  • The light will be for emergencies, not frequent use, so I’m leaning towards lithium for the longer “shelf” life and they don’t leak like alkaline batteries. Willing to pay the higher price for lithiums because of the infrequent use.

I was thinking a nice 2x CR123A would meet his needs. But after looking around I’m not finding any Budget 2x CR123A lights.

Any suggestions?

https://www.google.com/search?num=50&q=cr123a+flashlight&oq=cr123a+flashlight&gs_l=serp.3..0j0i7i30l9.30909.30909.0.31333.1.1.0.0.0.0.102.102.0j1.1.0....0...1c.1.64.serp..0.1.102._cT9LQHobzU

Lots of lights out there, but for budget, probably something like a solarforce in that format would be a good option.

Solarforce

I think most of their under $30 models take both primary and rechargeable.

You could always use Nimh batteries they are rechargeable but they are more set and forget? Plus you can use alkalines in the light also if need be. Lots of high powered 4 AA batteries flashlights on the market they put out around 1000 lumen.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00WFNF6O0/ref=s9_acsd_hps_bw_c_x_4

http://www.solarforceflashlight-sales.com/product_detail.php?t=LF&s=26&id=851

These will run off 2 X CR123s

Not sure what your Budget is, but I’ve used these before & found them to be well made with a beautiful, white light:

ProTac® 2AA

Loaded with AA Lithiums, this should please him, and you can set the Ten-Tap UI Program for him & it’s then pretty hard to reprogram accidentally. It’s a little long for me, but that makes it easier to handle.

The 1AA version would make a good EDC, but if he’s using it as a “house flashlight”, not-so-much.

No shill here. I own & sometimes carry the ProTac 2*CR123 version, but it eats batteries that are just too spendy for me, so it mostly lives in a drawer.

EDIT: I need to add, their Customer Service is awesome. I was embarrassed to send mine back in for a new lens, as it was “well worn” (“just about shot out”, IMO — the lens was broken by dropping it, again, on some gravel). What they sent back looks like it came out of a display case. I did have to pay my postage, IIRC, but it was worth it.

I bought the LumiTact flashlight G700.Came with 2 batteries. 1 in it and 1 extra. The 1 in it is dead. The dinky charger containing the 2nd battery with the little light on red, isn’t working. I stuck both batteries in the charger, neither work? Who do I call, or email, to get working batteries? Or can I buy different batteries that will fit light, and work? Help direct me, to any one or place, but God.

This is a cool site. Except when creating an account, it didn’t ask for a password. I had to go to a site included in an email from you, but even after creating a password, there was no “submit” button, just save or preview. Whatsup with that? Creating an account, to post me question, was beyond my intellect, I assume! Finally posted my Q, hoping for an easy answer.
What’s with the dinky charger that came with the flashlight? Was that a joke, or a tip off? Thanks peeps……
Threes the “save” “preview” buttons again below.
I’ll choose save…

Welcome to BLF.
I hope you didn’t pay a lot.
That light has been an on going joke here, lots of better choices.
G700 thread

Emphatic yes on that. We’re in earthquake country; I try to make sure all the older-than-me folks on the block have at least one emergency flashlight with lithium primaries in it, and when we have the occasional earthquake planning meeting (who works out of town and has kids here in school, where is the gas shutoff for each house, how do you save drinking water to get by, etc. etc) I give them away as door prizes.

The extra nasty thing about alkalines in LED lights is, the alkaline cell can be well along leaking its guts out and corroding away the inside of the light and the damn thing still lights up acceptably well so you don’t suspect a problem.

The old incandescent bulbs got so yellow as voltage dropped that people would open up their flashlights occasionally and sometimes catch the leak before it became a real mess.

But over the years I’ve seen a handful of AA and 2AA LED flashlights that lit up well enough (for emergency purposes), but when I opened them up —-eeeewwww.

Especially for the emergency light — don’t alkaline.

How about the Solarstorm SC01 for ~ $15 US.

Here’s a BLF review link: Review - SolarStorm SC01 AA flashlight

I give them as gifts.

Thanks Old-Lumens - I've never really looked at Solarforce. I will spend some time on their site.

Thanks, but he doesn't want to mess with any rechargeables. If I was closer I'd probably buy Eneloops and charge them for him.

Yep. They are in hurricane country. When the power goes out you don't know for how long. I am buying them a stash of Lithium primaries and a little plastic box to store the batteries.

I do like the looks of this Streamlight ProTac 2AA. It is going on the short list. Thanks for the suggestion.

That Thorfire VG10 looks good too.

I might get them one CR123A light and then a couple of AA/AAA lights. Also like the ThorFire PF04/PF03.

Thanks! The side button would be a plus for my dad. More what he is used to.

if 1xCR123 works, then the xtar 500 is available for $11 (and free shipping) on ebay - http://www.ebay.com/itm/XTAR-EDC-flashlight-XM-L-T6-500-Lumens-2-mode-CR123A-16340-LED-Mini-flashlight-/301948886399?hash=item464d8e5d7f:g:6nMAAOSwBLlU8gD-

Mr.Scott,

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