New Maglites seem pretty good. Modern emitters and easy to find batteries, but I’ve heard problems with the Minimag and unreliable switching after you drop it.
Pelican and Streamlight are also US made, and their smaller lights are cheaper.
Bumping this.
Any changes in this area since 2012?
Is it mostly instagram-y custom makers if one wants a non-Chinese flashlight?
Maglights should be considered budget and they are (afaik) made in the US? I like mine.
I guess it would depend on if there is a new definition of “Budget” since 2012 and if the pre-owned market is an option
If you can find one, Peak Eigers are a very nice option that could probably be found in basic form for under $50. Designed, manufactured and assembled in the US (AZ).
Not the copper one but perhaps the aluminum.
Probably $50 for a single-AAA flashlight isn’t on most people’s lists for “budget”. I usually think of budget as $20-$30 for 18650 lights, but that’s just me. It’s all relative and opinion-based. To some, buying every new Imalent as they come out is well within budget!
The Frelux Synergy is pretty reasonably priced for what it is
Maglite is still the go to for USA budget lights. It’s hard to beat the AAA Solitaire for $10, the 2 AAA Mini Mag LED for around $15 and the 2 or 3C ML25 for under $20.
I take a Sofirn C01S for $10 any day over a Solitaire, is there any feature better about the Solitaire?
I don’t know, I don’t have the sofirn, didn’t know they were a USA made light.
They are not, sorry to confuse the discussion, I was responding to the “hard to beat” remark.
I have my LED solitaire on my keys since it came out and I use it every day and never had a major problem with it, it just does it job with no fuss. I like that is simple with a single mode that’s bright enough for what I use it for without being too bright. If I some how lose it or manage to break it, I like that I can stop by Home Depot and get another one for $10.
While I would not buy the linked light, I would happily pay $50 for a high quality, well designed, USA made light. That would be a bargain really. There’s a reason Chinese lights are $10, and it ain’t pretty.
If US (or any other western country) based companies could export flashlights at conditions asian countries can, prices could be significantly lower due to a broader audience. Unfortunately, you cannot sent a flashlight around the word for a dollar. Not very attractive to get a US flashlight imported into Europe considering paying shipping and taxes.
Could you elaborate? I really do not have a clue.
(btw, looking forward to your further legislation 
)
It’s quite simple, really:
- The cost of living, labor costs and effective costs in generally in China are all exponentially cheaper than 1st world labor. Limitless labor pool. Lack of labor laws or enforcement thereof.
- The cost of shipping from China to “western” countries is absurdly cheap for a number of reasons.
- Material costs are generally minimized by picking the cheapest parts possible (To be fair, western companies do this exact same thing too.)
China is, ironically, an example of laissez-faire capitalism.
You are absolutely right.
But the question is, does the place where the light is made make any difference? Does the place of origin automatically make a light better or worse ?
No it doesn’t.
It could if there are regulations (the good kind) and standards making it so… I find that the typical customer in the US has a high standard for products/services. In China, I think the prevailing mood of “chabuduo” can limit how good the final product is on occasion. There are obviously exceptions, and plenty of companies in the US have the same “good enough/close enough” attitude, but I think you generally find less of that here than in China.
US designed and Chinese made iPhones are very popular, and are an example of what many consider to be a quality product made in China. “American cheese” is an example of a poorly made product in the US
Yokiamy, not necessarily as simple as that… especially when speaking in generalities. Can a high quality flashlight be made anywhere in the world, probably so. Are high quality flashlights made everywhere? No. Competition for low price demands most be made cheap, the highest quality products are typically also quite expensive and only sell to a cult like following. Way of things. I myself have made several from scratch using high grade materials… final price is always pretty ridiculous as compared to readily available lights due to the cost of materials alone. My EDC quad probably can’t be made here in the States under a couple hundred if not more. Would I buy it? Nope, but as a one off made by me for me I did spend the coin… Not exactly sure (some things you don’t really want to know) but I probably have about $150 in it without looking at labor.
For these kinds of reasons as well as shipping/export prices, sometimes it just isn’t viable to make things here. Or in many other places for that matter…
f0xx, I happen to LOVE Tillamook cheese made in Oregon, thank you very much!
That’s cheddar, not “American”, i.e. Kraft singles, barely a cut above Velveeta.