Hi folks!…New here, but I have been hiding in the shadows for quite some time! My interest in flashlights goes back to the time of the big, chrome plated lanterns(’60’s!). Yeah…I’m that old!
My question: If you could have a secondary feature for/on your flashlight what would it be?
Feel free to “Think Outside The Box”!
flamethrower
Atmospheric water generator.
.22 Pistol 
nun chuck lanyard. mini digital camera.
Uh…
LOL, y’all really know how to show the new folks a good time.
Welcome to the fun forum, I.C.
I tend to not like multipurpose items like Swiss Army Knives and Leatherman Tools because the more features they have the less capable they are at doing any one thing. Adding more features also tends to make things more bulky and and hard to carry. Who wants to pack around a SwissChamp with fish scaler and that round hook thingy just so you’ll have a knife to cut some tape or string.
Serious answer: USB power bank/charger.
Onboard charging is super convenient for devices that see regular use. Imagine a smartphone, laptop or tablet that had to charge its battery in an external charger. There are a few options that combine flashlight and power bank. Most of them are junk. Powertac has some very nice looking options, but they’re well over $100 for what’s otherwise a pretty average 18650 EDC light. Powertac has a budget model as well, but it lacks a pocket clip and has relatively low output (340lm).
I’m probably going to have to build something myself using an ML-102 board and common flashlight parts.
the Lumintop EDC21 is USB - chargeable AND powerbank
Anything Bluetooth.
Things I’d add to a flashlight:
Magnet, window breaker, compass, power port, igniter. Just no articulating parts!
I’m on my 2nd Champion (old version) in 35 years and (for me) it’s a very useful EDC. All but the fish scaler have been indispensable but the scaler is also a small ruler so I’m glad it’s there. Sure, there are more capable individual tools but they’re not always handy and that’s what makes it so useful. I do agree that the newer Swiss Champion does have extra stuff I’ll probably never use and other models are just plain gimmicky.
Serious laser (like 1W)
Serious stun gun (there are stun guns with a mediocre light and lights with mediocre stun capabilities, but something with powerful light output and powerful shocking capability in a small package would be pretty awesome!
TV remote
Tweezers
Lock pick
My favorite high A lights are already dual purpose at least daily: light/hand warmer/protection device/animal deterrent and one worked as a heat gun (BLF box tape removal worked perfectly with my souped up J18).
WOW!…So many great ideas…tech/practical and those primal ideas!…oh yeah!
More
USB output would be great, with a high efficiency boost driver.
A survival pouch built into it would be nice, make the light 30% longer with a compartment you can put stuff in
Or would it be more space efficient if you widened it and had a hinged semi-circle (cross section) door. For example a 4 aa light that is the size of an 8aa… Idk. Just thinking out loud
I have wondered how much easier it is to drop a light thats pop can sized, such as a nitecore EA4 vs a Convoy M1 or S2
I hadn’t seen that one before. That’s… not bad. Could use a lower low. I’d like to see somebody run one through a charger doctor and verify that it uses the correct algorithm and cut-off point for Li-ion batteries.