I have a few of those cheap multi 5mm led lights that are about 3” diameter, use AAA cells and have a hook and magnet on the back. They provide enough light to see if a belts snapped, change a tire, read a book/map.
Unfortunately, I drive a daihatsu fourtrak (rocky for our American cousins) this thing believes breaking down is for other people, my Suzuki sj410 off roader has similar ideas and my transit work van carries all my work tools so light options are various.
The cheap little lights have been brilliant, one even got stuck to a bulkhead as an emergency got to light if I was stuck as two in a vehicle that refuses to die is overkill.
I have a 6D Maglite with a junk Terralux LED bulb. A 501A with a Solarforce low voltage XPG powered by CR123a and a headband for it. A Match Mini mag with a single mode XRE powerd by 2 AAs and an 3 mode X2000 with extra batteries for everything except the 6D Maglite.
The 6D is a dual purpose light weapon. The 501A with the headlamp is a work light it’s also nice for in the cab use stuff on low. The Mini mag is a back up work light. The X2000 is a strobe light zoomed out facing oncoming traffic and for zooming into crevasses in the engine compartment.
In the trunk of my son’s car is a 2D Mag with 6 Eneloops and a Terralux TLE-310, glove compartment is a Terralux Lightstar 220 with Lithium primarys.
In the trunk of my wife’s car is a 3D Mag with a mag-charger battery and a Terralux TLE-300M, glove compartment is a Terralux Lightstar 300 with Lithium primarys.
In the back of my car is a 3D Mag with a mag-charger battery and Terralux TLE-310, glove compartment is an L2P with the U/F XM-L, center console has an iTP R01 (nice because I can charge it off the USB port in my car), a Match-mod mini-Mag, cut down to single 14500 size with a 3 mode XM-L in a holster with a leatherman and an eGear Focus control 100 headlamp.
Right now there’s also a couple of Sipik SK68s in the car but those just ended up there, not really dedicated to the car.
Fenix LD20 with Eneloops in my center console. All the modes I could possibly want. And I always have a Fenix E01 and Streamlight Nano on my keychain. E01 gets the most use due to easily replaceable AAA batteries. Don’t feel like buying button batts for a few extra lumens. I just keep it as the 3rd line of defense.
I have at least 1 light when I’m commando, usually 2, sometimes 3 if I’m CCW. That’s just EDC. For overnight ANYWHERE the light or battery count goes up.
I know where it is if it’s in my pocket!
I was recently given a in-expensive head lamp from a friend of my wife, it should go into one of the cars though.
In my truck i keep a maglite XL100 cause it has excellent battery life (5 hours on high) and 103 lumen’s,
Also keep my 4sevens turbo X and my high cri quark 123 with extra batteries for each in my truck
5 hours of 103 lumen output with 3 AAA’s is physically impossible, as 100 lumens require ~300mA to the LED (= 2 hours on alkalines, 3 hours on very good NiMH’s).
Hmm, this thread got me thinking. Some good points here about having strobe mode in the vehicle designated flashlight. Maybe the first really good use for it…? To get attention around a lot of other lights (on a road in traffic etc).
I have three that are always there, others if there on there way too or from work for charging.
Quark tac cr123x2 r5 coolwhite, Quark AAx2 hi cri, and my Fenix LD20 Q5. They are all good lights, but there not my go too lights, so vehicle duty it is.
For the cabin I have my Sipik 68, the Dewalt AA flashlight, a Uniquefire AA Q5 and my remaining unmodded mags
I blew a radiator hose at the end of an offramp in a snowstorm, and I felt MUCH better having the strobe function at the time. The cop who showed up as I was completing the temp repair commented on how visible it was.
This will be living in the landcruiser glove box, loaded with an imr 26650 and with the 4aaa carrier loaded with rechargeables, good light, lots of cell flexibility for an emergency.
I’ll add a c8 in a headstrap as a work light, I use one in the van and its just too useful not to have one.
If I also throw the 26650-18650 sleeve in, and a case with a spare 18650, I’ll be pretty much covered for anything with these two.
I’m also thinking of adding an edc to my keychain lanyard, since this is never much more than a room away. Just need to decide what to carry….
I always have my EDC (DQG AA) with me. Other than that, I'm usually not that far away from cities.. I think it's a different thing for you guys in the larger countries where cities are more apart.
But if I know that I have to go on a long ride, I grab the nearest 18650 light.
I carry a Maglite LED 3D flashlight in my glovebox.
I bought quite a few of these when they were on special in Sydney.
I gave some to my family and sold others to my friends at the same price that I paid for them.
It is a very spotty thrower but it is BIG and HEAVY and takes only 3 x D size alkalines which I replace every 12 months so as to not get caught out by an Alkaline battery leak.
I think it serves as a good protection and detterent device as well when possible trouble is looming around you.
I could carry my even heavier Fenix TK70 in the car but that is too expensive and I love it so much and it gets used on my nightly walks that I would not leave it in my car.
