10 Dollars and five minutes. What would you do?

Probably is a stupid post but i was thinking that buy a good flashlight with 100 $ and a lot of time to spend for catching the best offer is not a problem, but what can i do if i have 10 dollars to spend, five minutes to do it and i have to buy the best flashlight i can.
I think that the best idea is ask this thing to someone more expert than me. So this is the "quiz":

- You have about 10 dollars (let's say max 12 with shipping cost)

- Not so much time to spent searching on the web

- You want the best flashlight (in your opinion) respecting the first two condition.

What flashlight you will buy? Which dealer you choose?

(Ok, ok, maybe i'm already addicted to flashlight... Maybe mad... But i swear you, tomorrow i will quit...)

It's a great value at $10.75 USD

http://www.tmart.com/UltraFire-5W-500-Lumens-Stainless-Steel-C3-CREE-Q5-1Mode-LED-Flashlight-Torch_p95610.html

LOL! i immediately tought the same.

But i swear you, tomorrow i will quit...)

Honest? XD

10 dollari? Spendaccione! ;)

AA-S1

http://www.dealextreme.com/p/uniquefire-aa-s1-3w-osram-160-lumen-led-flashlight-1-aa-1-14500-24220

Hei Budgeteer are you kidding me?? But i appreciate you did it in Italian.. LOL!

I don't have to buy it but i'm curious to know what is the low-low-low budget choice of BLF people. I also want to see what is the first shop you go when you're searching this kind of product..

...Sipik SK68

http://www.manafont.com/product_info.php/sipik-sk68-floodtothrow-zooming-cree-q4-convex-lens-led-flashlight-black-1aa-p-5821

rzezniq beat me to it - Uniquefire AA-S1. $9.99 delivered and an excellent deal. There are occasional wonderful ones like the mispriced MRVs at $5 each - but shipping wasn't free.

The first 23 pages of this might give you some ideas.

http://www.dealextreme.com/c/flashlights-guns-mount-lasers-999?page=23&pagesize=52&pagesort=price

SIPIK SK68 Cree Q3-WC 120-Lumen Convex Lens LED Flashlight - Black (1*AA/1*14500)

UltraFire C3 Cree 1xAA 1x14500 Flashlight (with Holster)

Black Cat HM-01 HA-II OSRAM 100-Lumen LED Flashlight - Red (1*AAA)

Black Cat HM-01 HA-II OSRAM 100-Lumen LED Flashlight - Black (1*AAA)

Ultrafire WF-501B Philips Luxeon K2 White LED Flashlight (1*18650/2*CR123A)

This last one only if you want a very very cheap P60 compatible light and an ancient LED dropin.

The sipik 68 and the ss c1 1 mode for me. The osram S1-AA also.

Well actually Italian is the best language for stronzate del genere. ;) I love the flexibility of Italian language along with exusite dialects which requires subtitles.

Worth a look even for those who doesent understand Italian. For those who do it's a classic gem of the so called italian trash cinema which is almost a form of art.

Great example of italian trash cinema Budgeteer!
When you say SS C1 1 mode which one of the suggested flashlight you mean?

Thanks for the link, many of the flashlight are really interesting.. The problem is i don't have to buy another flashlight as i said before.

Another problem is that now i WANT another flashlight...

Welcome to debt slavery like the rest of us. Nice thing about budget lights is you own a lot more of them when you go bankrupt.

And since Italian appears to be de rigeur here

Benvenuti in schiavitù per debiti, come il resto di noi. Cosa bella di luci bilancio si èproprio molto di più di loro quando si va in bancarotta.

Courtesy of Google Translate so I have no idea whether that makes sense or not...

Do the Ultrafire C3 and/or Sipik SK68 have boost circuits, for single AA use? (In other words, decent output on a single AA alkaline or NiMH rechargeable?)

This thread is timely... shopping for a 'thank you' gift for a customer service rep who was friendly. Want it to be AA and be able to fit in a purse.

I noticed, there is a C3 'kit' which includes the single-AA C3 + an extension tube. Anyone know if that one's brighter on 2 AA batteries, or if it just runs longer?

Disappointed and kind of surprised Manafont would put "500 lumens" in the description of the single AA flashlight (even if it can take 14500's).

The C3 has a boost circuit. Basically runs longer rather than brighter on 2AA. But C3s are for the initiated. Think Ducati motorcycles.

They are great when they work - I own a dozen or so of them. But....

Yeah, 0/4 (C3 aluminium) worked out of the box.... go figure... they should sell copper spacer rings with them or loose the anodized threads. One of the most permanent lock-out features ever built... lol.

My recommendation:

TANK007 TK-703 HA-III Q3 (1*AAA/1*10440) for 10.96 $ from DX.

You gottit.......

There is a 'metallic finish' C3 on Manafont. Will that avoid the contact problems, due to the lack of anodization? Wait--Vectrex, you said yours was actually the straight aluminum (bare finish) version, or did you get an anodized version?

Thanks for the Tank007 tip. I'm assuming any of these Cree-equipped have boost circuits and are therefore decent with 1 alkaline battery, because I believe the Cree LED's would not light up at >1.6V, due to VoltageForward requirements?

Sipik SK68 for me as well. Great light, one that gets used multiple times a week.

I had 3 black C3 alu and 1 grey c3 also in alu (all anodized), in theory they are quiet good, but often have contact issues like all 4 of the ones I had. The stainless steel c3 version is a lot more reliable due to the lack of anodization. But my recommendation and as presents for non-flashaholics stay the TANK007 TK-703 as 1AAA (had 3 of them) and the Hugsby P31 1AA $14.31 (had/have 10+ ... still going strong) for output and reliability. I have given up to search the best light for under $ 11 in 1AA format ... not worth the hassle. The good old Romisen G2 for 11.99 is one of the best cheap 1AA throwers, but a little bulky. All these lights perform well on alkaline and NiMH batteries in my opinion.

I think this is a great question because it forces everyone to go off and search ebay and deal extreme again even though they just did it last week.. the under ten is tough but the extra 2 bucks helps a bit .

tank 703 ../ tank 701 .. easy answers great lights AAA same with akoray k 1o9 , 1o3 , 1o2// SmallSun ZY-C41 Cree Q3/ or the skyray a-s1 http://www.dealextreme.com/p/akoray-k-109-cree-q5-wc-5-mode-230-lumen-memory-led-flashlight-1-cr123a-1-16340-28545

http://www.dealextreme.com/p/smallsun-zy-c41-cree-q3-wc-3-mode-130-lumen-led-flashlight-1-aa-1-14500-26930

I would buy a cr123 light in an instant .. the discussion has been hashed and rehashed again and again about AA AAA and 18650's ...... But 10$ ?? bang for your buck it's a cr123 light there are lots of them pick one

I own this light and love it.

http://www.dealextreme.com/p/trustfire-tr-803-cree-q5-wc-230-lumen-led-flashlight-1-cr123a-13096

Here you can get his big brother with modes

http://www.manafont.com/product_info.php/trustfire-tr801-3mode-memory-led-flashlight-118650-p-5554

Also wanna spend less and have extra $$$ for a value meal.

http://www.dealextreme.com/p/richuang-p36-tir-optic-3w-80-lumen-led-flashlight-with-clip-black-1-123a-1-16340-44704

wow a dozen or so Ducatis? =P