I’m searching for a budget light than uses standard AA or AAA bats with a super long burn time. I want to use it as a marker light (continuous low power) or beacon light (very slow pulse) while camping outdoors. It would be something used to leave on all night at the camp site as a light to locate the tent in dark, and maybe a low power task light in a pinch. Something that can replace the single use disposable chemical lights. I’d like it to be weatherproof and durable. Anything from a flashlight, lantern, keychain headlamp or lightstick format could work. (But I don’t want to be using any sos mode for this)
Two options I know of:
the glo-toob AAA as $20 option that is reported to run about 4 to 15 hours depending on the mode.
The Princeton Tec Eco Flare looks like a $13 option with a runtime from 3 to 200 hours depending on the mode.
Police Light or some variation of it. They are very cheap, low light output (somewhere in 1-10lm range) and very long runtime (days). They are not water tight but I believe will survive a rain or a drop into water.
I would suggest whatever light with low mode and a diffuser. An AAA battery can provide 10 lm for 8 hours or so. More runtime will require a lower low or an AA battery. Most recommended AAA lights include Olight i3, Thrunite Ti, Fenix E01, E05. $3 non-cree lights might do the job as well if they are dim enough.
If it's just one or two nights, get those cheap keychain coin lights. Since low output is okay with you, I think one of those keychain lights might last 30 hours. I typically use them for 12 hours before I retire them to kiddie play toys, and they still continue to work for a long time.
Get a 3D light, swap a Qlite driver and you can have either a great moonlight mode or a terrific beacon (2 flashes every 4 seconds) that will run til the cows come home.
Why you take cows camping is none of our business.
