Over the years I’ve sent” must buy “notices to friends and family members . Generally insane good deals or lights they ought not to miss out on .
I’m thinking that ChibiM’s best light of the year threads offer great places to recommend lights to others .
What lights do you typically recommend to normal people ?
I say that the most important single light one can own is a headlamp so I’m recommending the Boruit Ehl0628. /D10
Next probably a cheap beater keychain light like a Rovyvon clone .
A thrower - Convoy C8+
An edc - Wurkos TS10
.
.
.
Usually Zak’s arbitrary list is a good place to start for recommendations.
It’s updated every 3 months or so, and is based on what people have been talking about and saying positive things about the most during that time. (the post linked above is current at the moment but won’t be in a few months, so if you’re from the future, be sure to check in the sidebar for the latest version)
I struggle recommending lights for “normal” people.
Various issues:
Most of these are less of a problem in more expensive lights, but then cost becomes an issue…
Headlamp - Skilhunt; handheld - some Convoys.
L☻L @ reddit
What lights do you typically recommend to normal people ?
Sofirn HS10 headlamp, w built in charging, tailmagnet, and ramping UI, comes w High CRI, including 2700K
Sofirn SC21 Pro, has built in charging, tailmagnet, illuminated button, High CRI.
Sofirn makes a nice line of well made inexpensive lights, same goes for Convoy. Many of the Sofirns have Anduril software.
The Sofirn HS20 is a favorite headlamp, with dual independent switches controlling dual emitters it meets most needs quite well… LH351D under a TIR for flood/close-up work, an SFT40 in a reflector for more distant work.
Or both at the same time.
What Jon said.
I gifted a HS10 as normal work EDC yesterday.
For the last few years it’s been the wurkkos fc11. It doesn’t get hot. It works with ANY C cable and it comes with a cable for those people that are on iphones and don’t have anything that’s type C. I always recommend that they get 2700k or 4000k, NOT 5000k. It’s small enough to fit in any pocket if they’re stepping out at night. It will easily reach the wood line in most people’s backyards even through a window. The beam is not too throwy and not too floody. Click on, click off, press and hold to ramp up and down, shortcut to lowest mode or turbo from off IF they want it. It’s pretty simple with a few extra features if they want to use them. I like it a lot because it’s a Goldilocks light. I have a few of them for myself and a supply to give them out on occasion. The button is a little hard to find in the dark so I tell people to put the clip in line with the switch as a reference. The wife keeps one on the bedside table and it’s her go to for whatever flashlight needs she has. I don’t use them a whole lot because I’m not looking for middle of the road Goldilocks , I’m looking out at the edges.
Edit. It is readily available on Amazon in the lower cct.
I usually recommend Sofirn/Wurkkos/Convoy to anyone looking for a recommendation. 
I have the same Sofirn HS20, and it’s my favorite headlamp as well. 
Gravelmonkey covered it pretty well above.
I generally recommend (and have given as gifts) lights that can use regular, alkaline batteries. Two AA lights are usually a good bet for size and power. I try to set them up with nimh cells but most people still see flashlights the same way they see a screwdriver.
These days many lights are available with lion batteries that can be left in permanently and charged with a USB or similar (and included) cable right through the body. Those should be good for Millenials and younger. I gave away a CR123 light some time ago and I’m sure it’s still sitting in the unopened box. “Normal” people just won’t mess with things like we will. If someone new to the game becomes curious about their options and wants to learn, I first send them to the Fenix website since they’re pretty decent at explaining things.
Only lights I suggest to friends and family any more are single mode lights. I seem to have a large amount of friends and family that can’t figure anything out other than on and off. I’ve tried, oh how I’ve tried. I explain and explain, I even draw out little cheat cheats. Doesn’t matter, they still can’t figure out how to get from low to high. No way I could ever recommend any kind of ramping UI.
It can’t be a super bright light either. They don’t care much about self preservation so it wouldn’t occur to them to shut the light down before they cook their hand right off to the nub.
I might be able to get them to recharge it but most likely they would lose the cable or find the whole process of recharging to be witchcraft.
They are better off just using what they have always had sitting in the drawer. Or maybe one of those cheap zoomie lights they advertise on TV, TacLight or something like that.
I’m having the same conundrum.
I want to buy my girlfriend who is a photographer a ~ 4 x 519A flashlight.
The convoy S21D would be a safe bet with an easy ui, but it’s reported to overheat a lot.
The Emisar D4K, maybe with boost, would be better but I know Anduril UI even in simple mode will be too confusing and the power underwhelming.
Acebeam E70 mini? It is 3x519A, but still. Should work well as a gift, with packaging and everything.
As for this…
My typical recommendation is convoy T3. Because “flashlight for normal people” does not have to be amazing in any way, it has to be simple reliable and generally mediocre. Which T3 is.
Why would the power be underwhelming? I believe it’s around 2000 lumens.
Convoy S2 Plus . The 4 mode driver is easy to use. The S2 can come in pretty colours.
For people that can’t deal with 18650s or rechargables , T4 or a Lumintop that can run on disposable AA batteries from Costco.
The best thing is to help him/her to find the right flashlight that really fit his/her needs !
Everyone has his/her own way to count things… so we don’t really know what is good, bad, bright, cheap, expensive… etc… for someone else… !
I think the T3/T4 are solid options.
You can configure for them. Has a very nice beam with 219B/519A. It will take AA. More advanced friends can use 14500, play with the modes themselves. Still beats learning Anduril.
maybe the little flat cyansky type lights , M1R maybe it is
there is another one, can;t think
but
small
cheap
no cells to worry about
just need usb to charge
wle
