Fenix & Zebra Light - Personally bounced them from heights exceeding stated tolerances and they’re still ticking.
Maybe a potted ArmyTek or Surefire, but don’t really feel qualified in terms of
Familiarity with an array of build quality.
Definitely believe in redundancy!! I normally carry 2 (and sometimes 3) EDC
lights on my person at all times.
The “New York Reload” of flashlights.
I have a few Jetbeams that have taken quite a beating. My Zebralights haven’t really been tested by me yet. They don’t have years of abuse on them yet. I usually carry a Zebralight on me and a Jetbeam in my go bag that stays in the car when I am out and about. I don’t really carry around AA or 16340 lights. Runtimes keep them resigned to light duty “I lost something under the couch” type lights. I have a few potted C8’s that gets mounted on rifles once in a while. They have been through hell and back. Still ticking. Not exactly factory lights though. I mean I guess they once were. Not much factory left in them now. So I guess weapon lights withstanding I would grab my Jet’s and ZL’s if I needed something dependable.
Keeps me safe in my travels 
Fenix and Surefire.
+1
Makes sense. But it sure looked cool! lol 
I found sloppy assembly work in all flashlights that I have opened, including Nitecore, Jetbeam, Lumintop, Jaxman, Fireflies and more that I forgot.
Most durable is the light that I have overhauled myself: checking all parts and connections, fixing present and possible future flaws, and doing a proper assembly. I trust those fixed Convoys, Jaxmans, Thorfires, Sofirns and some brandless budget lights better than any A-brand that I have not opened to check.
The light will still past those tests and I’ve heard good things about Fenix though, just that a lot of brands will too. Didn’t mean to seem like I’m ripping them if that’s how it came across.
Zebralight for sure
I love my armytek lights, use a wizard daily.
Another vote for redundancy. Stock H03 in the go bag with cr123as, Q8 in the trunk, D1S in the glovebox, modded H03 in my EDC backpack, D4 in my EDC laptop bag, D4 always clipped in my pocket, and a C01 on my keychain. I won’t be without light haha
Zebralight or pflexpro. But if I cared about that aspect enough, I'd build and pot it myself.
IMO, I’d say a modded 1x 7135+6x7135 SST-20 Convoy S2+ potted with dual BeCu springs and a simple mechanical switch, and a 3500mAh cell, with lubed high quality O-rings, ULCp AR lens, and smooth reflector.
You would be getting an efficient light in general, no standby drain, good usable throw, very low moonlight for efficiency, very good durability.
An EDC for light IMO if you were able to find a good buck-boost driver for a Convoy S2+.
Jetbeam. Not the brightest or fanciest but definitely durable
Make your home or at least one room a Faraday cage.
I am realizing now that posting this on a budget light forum, I am getting what I asked for.
Now that’s a suggestion I can get behind. If you’re going in, go the whole nine yards.
Hope you’re happy 
uh, i usually have 20 or 30 other lights on deck or in the bullpen-at least at home
also in about 3 alternate locations - bedside, kitchen, downstairs
if in the car, 2 more
if on foot or bike, i have bike light, or bike light plus photon keychain light
one thing i might not do is depend on rechargeables that do not get used much
some of my car and home lights are either li primaries, or C cell, or AA, something like that
now you have to ask about b atteries — what batteries WOULD YOU TRUST YOUR LIFE TO
i have about 25 backups there too
wle
i;d probably say thorfire, i don;t have $100 lights like zebralights
the thorfires are good for their price
also i have a wuben t70 26650 that seems pretty solid
folomov
just saying some cheap ones that i think will last
unlike
dqg
manker
utorch
wle