Hey all, so I really don’t know much about all this and while the idea of reading through a bunch of stuff here is nice, it’s not how I learn, at all. I’m a “dive in head first with hands on experience” type of learner; Kinesthetic, tactile, dog ate the instructions type. I won’t read, it’s literally like the visual equivalent of nails on a chalkboard to me. I get bored immediately and want to spoon my brains out through my already emptied eyelets.
So, can you recommend a few good flashlights that I can try, to kind of get my foot in the door, and get a taste for things as I learn about them on my own?
Hoping to stay under $50 each and prefer easy access power sources, like AA or AAA, not against rechargeable. Philosophy of use for each will be:
1. Beside light
(For use indoors, but I want it bright, like light the entire apartment bright, distance not at all important.) 2. Backpack/BOB light
(Outdoor use, guessing I’ll want something with a longer reach here and, of course, super bright.) 3. Backup home light
(Like the bedside light but kept in the kitchen or by an exit door, maybe something with a larger reach than beside.)
Thanks to any and all whom are willing to aid, and put up with me.
Awesome, thank you so much for being willing to read through all that mess and offer my some recommendations/suggestions. I’ll be looking into those post haste.
A word of caution on a bedside light. When you wake up in the middle of the night your eyes are completely adjusted to the dark. Turning on a 2000 lumen monster in your bedroom is going to hurt, it will make you shut your eyes until you turn off the flashlight, then when you turn off the flashlight all you are going to see is wall of white and now you can’t see in the dark. So, just a suggestion. Whatever light you get for the bedside make sure it has a good low, low mode. One that starts in low every time or if you want, at least have mode memory so you can turn it off on low before you go to bed would be ideal.
Whatever lights you choose for your demands just find the features, beam, tint, and brightness that you like and stick to the brands you hear mentioned around here. Good batteries are a must as well. Spend just as much time shopping for batteries as you do the lights they will go into. A lot of guys recommend the the BLF A6 for a good all around light, plenty bright, good mix of throw and flood. It’s a great start for less than $20, grab a few 30Q batteries for it and a decent charger. Liitokala Lii-100 is good for starters or jump right in to a good 4 bay smart charger for $20 to $30 or so. It will last you a long time.
Welcome to the addiction and dust off the credit card.
That’s very good advice. I actually kind of assumed any light I bought would have multiple modes. I also made the assumption that they all start in low mode. Just based on my very limited experience so far. But yes, I’ll watch for that.
As for batteries, I’m so overwhelmed by all this. That’s why I was hoping to stick with AA and AAA stuff for now. Hence the beginner part. Lol
But, I did notice that some of these lights do make recommendations for batteries best used with their product, so I have good places to start there now also.
Whew, who knew a friggin’ flashlight could get so complicated… And COOL!!!
toddcshoe makes some good points. Think about what you MIGHT want to do, and consider batteries and charger, if you haven’t already.
To a certain extent, if you “lean” towards smaller lights, you’ll have one set of requirements. If you’re interested in blasters, you’ll have another set.
I chose a Gyrfalcon All 44 for a charger. Does 100mah for smaller cells, 1A for larger. Those are all safe levels, and I’m not in a hurry. You’re needs may be different.
They don’t get a lot of love around here, but I’ve had good experience with Efest. They are re-badges, but if you pay attention to specs, they are top tier.
I do like small lights for in home use, but I’m guessing a blaster is a larger light with longer range maybe? If so I do want some of those also, maybe 3-5.
Since it is going to be your first time jumping in head first, I would say get 2-3 S2+ Convoy lights. If you want one a little more floody talk to MTN electronics and get him to drop a triple emitter in to it. The reason I say this is that it is one light that has one battery type, and the UI will be the same across the three. If you want a longer range thrower I would agree with one of the suggestions of a C8 Convoy.
All of the listed with the exception of the Modded by MTN S2+ from MTN electronics should be under the $30 USD. You then have money for Cells and a charger.
Welcome to this party train, Box. Get used to there being no brakes! lol
So, folks have given you great advice for torches, and yeah, I think the A# battery format bubble has been popped - plain and simple, even AAs are not potent enough to deliver monstrous power, let alone AAAs. Li-ions, carefully selected, is the way to go for power (my advice is, get a digital multimeter); AA and AAA should be picked for matters of battery availability and smaller dimensions, including weight.
Also, “blaster” means a high-powered light, be it a lumen shotgun like the BLF Q8 or a candela sniper like the GT
So are there some simple recommendations you guys can make that are maybe general rules of thumb for a beginner, as far as batteries are concerned?
Say, for instance, “X & Y brands are generally very solid quality, reasonably priced and low maintenance, where as Z brand you should definitely avoid at all costs.” Or styles instead of brands… Etc
And can I use rechargeable options in flashlights that say they take AA or AAA?
Don’t take too seriously the reviews on Amazon. The F1 is a fine light that will last you a long time. Their customer service is top notch too. Listen to the advice being given. Don’t read too much into Amazon reviews. Use the search function of BLF to search for reviews of lights you are looking at. Use those reviews, not Amazons. Amazons are mostly full of people who haven’t the slightest idea what a LED or a LiIon battery is. They think lights are broke because they refuse to read the manual and remove the plastic tab when a battery comes installed in the light already. You will end up buying the TACLIGHT 9000 if you read Amazon reviews.
