# Best flashlight



## masterelectrician2112

If a thread on this has already been posted, I couldn't find it. What is the best flashlight for backstage purposes that is at the most $80?


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## MarshallPope

I have two that I use regularly. One is a standard black Mini-Maglite. The main reason I like it is because of the holster. (And, admit it, it is a sexy little flashlight.) My new favorite is this little off-brand light with a ring of ultra-bright white LEDS around a VERY bright red LED. Separate buttons for each color, about 4" long, matte black aluminum... I like it.


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## ruinexplorer

Depends on what you need. The mini Mag-lite is by far one of the best all purpose on hand flashlights. There are many accessories for it: to make it a headlamp, the bite grip, a stand, and on and on. 

For an actual headlamp, my favorit is the Petzl Zipka.

If you need to see to the grid, at absolute minimum I'd recommend Streamlight Scorpion. This isn't as good for a general purpose flashlight since it will eat through the batteries very quickly and they're not cheap either.


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## zuixro

I don't own this flashlight, but I plan on buying it in the near future:
Quark AA²

Someone on another forum recommended it to me when I asked for backstage flashlight suggestions. 200lm from 2AA batteries (for some reference, a 4DCell Maglite puts out 122lm on fresh batteries, and this one won't dim). The single AA version is supposed to be good too.

Right now I use a black Minimag with a NiteIze LED upgrade and tail clicky. It does just fine for what I do now.

The Leatherman Serac 2 is supposed to be really good too:
Amazon.com: Leatherman 831062 Serac 2-LED Flashlight: Home Improvement
$35 on Amazon, with free shipping. 35lm on 1AAA. That's probably the next flashlight I will buy. It's very small and will fit in the little pockets on the side of my Leatherman Sheath.

Flashlights are a bit of a hobby of mine...

Edit: I also have a Petzl Tikka Plus headlamp(now replaced by the Tikka Plus 2) which is probably the best thing I've used. Try hanging a S-4 in the dark while holding the flashlight. Can't be done.


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## ship

Again depends on what you need.



Mini-MagLight for the most part backstage especially if with lens kit would work fine. LED option of it not persay as good by way of CRI. Head lamps (have two,) 14.4v DeWalt Flashligt, LED flashlight, LED goose neck flashlight etc. amongst other lamps I have but the mini MagLight for me is the mainstay. Got three of them... urr two of them in someone having swiped one from me recently at work. Gee.. guess what I paid for and provided to you (someone unknown as opposed to the owner's secretary that also never returned her MagLight) wasn't important enough to return - ever.... You are welcome but at least work (I'm the buyer and provider) will buy me a new one as long as I make more of an effort to track my loaned out tools in the future..


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## masterelectrician2112

Thanks for the suggestions everyone. A few more details: I am not really looking for anything like the streamlight scorpion or any type of headlamp at this point. I really just want a nice bright flashlight that I can use when I work backstage, for hang and focus, etc. A holster would be nice too. And preferably a holster that doesn't cost $20! Does anyone think that this might fit my needs?DealExtreme: $51.88 Fenix P3D CE Premium Q5 Cree LED Flashlight (Black/2*CR123A)


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## Anvilx

I have been eying these two lights off of Deal Extreme:
DealExtreme: $16.26 UltraFire WF-502B Cree R2-WC 5-Mode Memory 250-Lumen LED Flashlight with Clip (1*18650/2*CR123A)
DealExtreme: $16.70 Ultrafire C1 Q5-WC 230-Lumen LED Flashlight with Clip (2*CR123A/1*18650)


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## erosing

How many lumens are you looking for?

Do you want it to be LED. 

Do you have a size preference? 

What are you looking to spend?


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## Sony

Honestly the new Mini-Maglite LED is the best all around General Use flashlight out there and can be found for under $50 at pretty much any hardware store with included holster. I got mine for $34 at Home Depot and it is way brighter than the standard incandescent mini-mag.


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## mstaylor

I always go with the old standby MiniMag. You buy them anywhere, get replacement parts if needed, make a stand light from it,comes with a holster and it's cheap. If I lose it it's no big deal.


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## masterelectrician2112

Anvilx, I really like those! Those are nice! Sony, I also like the mini-maglite led. too! And the price is definitely affordable on both of those.
I really cannot gauge the lumens I want, but I want a fairly bright flashlight. I do want it to be led and not too heavy as it would be used during hang, focus, strike, etc. I am lowering my price maximum to $50, though. I think I can get a flashlight that fits my needs for that kind of price.


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## erosing

Do you want an adjustable or fixed beam? 

Do you want to be able to see up to the grid or just good general visiblity, ie. Nothing that will blind anyone?


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## masterelectrician2112

I don't really wanna blind many  people. But seriously I don't need a flashlight that is powerful enough to see into the grid. A focusing beam would be a nice luxury but is not a requirement. Thanks to everyone for their posts so far. Happy New Year!


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## erosing

I would suggest the following then, from personal expierience, the Streamlight Stylus Pro, and the LED Mini Maglite.

Both are good. The Stylus Pro is much lighter and more similar to a pen than the LED Maglight; I find it to be a brighter than the LED Maglite, however it does come with a case, nor should you need one though due to that it has a pocket clip. It does not have a focusable beam either. The LED maglite as you know is focusable and comes with a case usually. I have had to replace batteries in my LED maglite 2-3 times since I bought it and I've never replaced them in the Stylus Pro. The main reason I carry the Stylus Pro over the maglite is because I like the buttcap having a momentary and on/off switch, but as I mentioned I find it brighter too. 

I recently bought the Surefire L1 and I must say that from the little time I've had with it, it is an excellent light, however a little out of your new budget I believe. 

I've bought from the Fenix line before and I found them to be okay, but I'd rather spend a little more money and get the Streamlight or Surefire, for some reason my Fenixes ate through batteries in about half the time they were supposed to.

All in all, I'll tell you that the only flashlight I've ever bought in multiples are the Streamlight Stylus Pros.


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## Studio

Sony said:


> Honestly the new Mini-Maglite LED is the best all around General Use flashlight out there and can be found for under $50 at pretty much any hardware store with included holster. I got mine for $34 at Home Depot and it is way brighter than the standard incandescent mini-mag.



I just got one for ~$10 at home depot. Gotta love christmas sales.


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## shiben

I have both a mini-mag and a Surefire 6P or something like that. The surefire will hit the cyc easily from the back of a fairly large auditorium with fresh batteries, 80 lumens focused to hit the target in as concentrated a beam as possible, along with a larger area for general lighting (its a tactical flashlight, shine this at a mugger at night and they can actually go down), great for seeing where you want to go but they cost a lot of coin. Mini-Mag with a blue gel is what i carry backstage during runs, great for that type of work.


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## firewater88

For about $20 you can get a Streamlight Microstream. It's 3.5" long, Up to 20 lumens output for up to 1.5 hrs runtime, Super-bright 1/2 watt, 30,000 hour high flux LED and uses a single AAA battery. It has a clip for a pocket, or it's small enough to stick in pocket and not be a problem. It is very bright for a single LED light. I also have a (2) AAA version in the drawer for backup. When needed I have a rechargeable Stinger in the office that we got as part of the Homeland Security act. (we are a public school).
I always carry this light. It lights up everything I need backstage and then some.


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## jonliles

Sony said:


> Honestly the new Mini-Maglite LED is the best all around General Use flashlight out there and can be found for under $50 at pretty much any hardware store with included holster. I got mine for $34 at Home Depot and it is way brighter than the standard incandescent mini-mag.



+1, though mine was a Birthday present 3 years back.


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## howlingwolf487

masterelectrician2112 said:


> If a thread on this has already been posted, I couldn't find it. What is the best flashlight for backstage purposes that is at the most $80?



I regularly use a MiniMagLED when I'm working backstage or out on a gig. I keep a Coast 7736 in my kit for seeing up into the rafters, grid, etc. when I need to. Plus, I can point to things with it. It takes 3 AAA batteries (NiMH only) and has been great thus far. I bought mine at Home Depot for about $40; my MiniMagLED was a Walmart purchase and I already had a blue lens for it.


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## avkid

I also have a Coast 7736, which is a huge improvement over my previous Inova Radiant AA.

I just wish the holster was more rugged, it seems like it won't last a year.


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## MNicolai

I use a Surefire G2 LED. It's a very bright flashlight. The batteries are a little pricier if you get them from Surefire, but you can get them from other suppliers online for about a $1/battery.

It's a sturdy flashlight. Not that I would go ahead and try, but I think if I accidentally dropped it from a grid, it would still work fine. I remember when I first got it, I went outside on a foggy night and it cut clear through the fog to the other side of the neighborhood. It probably isn't the best flashlight for someone who is constantly just a few feet offstage during performances, but for people who are constantly doing a lot of work in the dark for focusing lights and setting gear up, it's a great flashlight.

This would be the type of flashlight you'd reach for if your theatre lost power and you had to escort patrons out of the theatre in the dark. I wouldn't use any other flashlight and I think this flashlight will still work just as well as it does in 15 years from now.

For all of those reasons, it's also the flashlight that all of our local emergency services use. Most people I know who have a heavy-duty, high-quality flashlight, also carry a MiniMag on them as well.

I gave up on MiniMags a few years ago though. I had an incandescent Mini and an LED as well, and after a few months of regular use both ceased to function at all. At the rate I was buying them, it made sense to spend a little more and go with the Surefire G2 and know it would last for several years.


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## masterelectrician2112

Thanks guys. Keep the awesome suggestions coming! Everything that you all have suggested looks great!


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## GreyWyvern

I use my 7 year old Maglite with the LED retrofit and a blue lens. Works great and have never had a problem with it. At first I replaced the clear lens with the blue one, but found that it is more convienent to be able to remove the blue lens (by keeping the clear in the Maglite and the blue in the holder) so I can have white light when I need it.


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## fx120

I carry a Fenix P2D C5 in my pocket daily. Runs off a single CR123 that with daily use will last about a month or more. The best thing about it is the low-output mode which is only about 9lm, but is enough to navigate backstage without making myself obvious. Tap the power switch again and the middle output mode is enough light for pretty much any task, or if you hit it again it switches to 90lm mode at which point you can illuminate things from quite a distance. And of course if you're crazy, twist the body and put it in turbo mode and you've got 125lm out of a 3" long light. 

It is by far the best 50 bucks I have ever spent. 

I also have a TK11 from them that uses rechargeable 18650 lithium batteries, and outputs 225lm on it's highest mode. 

I've owned Surefire lights and while they're nice high quality lights, I can't honestly say that they're any better built than the Fenix lights or any more dependable. I've dropped my TK11 from the top of a 12' ladder, picked it up and other than a little cosmetic damage it still functions perfectly.


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## dcollins

Fenix is really the way to go. I have one of their units (3XAAA I think, or was is 3XAA?) sitting in my mail at school waiting for me to get back.

I was wrong - 2XAA variable intensity from 12-180 lumens. Cost me $50. Not bad at all.


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## gafftapegreenia

I had been hardcore Mini-Mag for several years. Probably have about 5 still kicking around. I've tried every version. The incan. eats batteries, the LED drop in's are dim and the LED models die after a few drops. A few months ago I purchased a Leatherman Serac s3. I love that light. 3 intensity settings and disappears in the pocket. It's so wonderful to see to the grid. A powerful flashlight is a beautiful thing.

+1 on the Fenix brand. I have a Fenix E01 on my key chain and it beats the pants off the Mag Solitaire.


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## masterelectrician2112

I do like the Fenix P2D. Thanks for that suggestion.


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## mnfreelancer

I was using an Innova 3W LED that took 2 CR123 batteries and loved that light, other than the cost of batteries and the steep fall-off curve of bright vs. usable light. I'd put fresh batteries in it for a show and by the end of the strike it would have gone from blinding grid-illuminating light to "usable light" still suitable for looking in cases / loading trucks but not much else. I eventually convinced the company to start buying the batteries for me since I used that light exclusively for work but even that was a hassle, another part number to keep in stock and the added cost factor.

I bought myself a Streamlight Strion LED for Christmas . For about $120 including 2 chargers (one car, one home) it is by far the best light I have ever owned. Only slightly larger than the Innova it fits in the pouch I wear daily and has a Litium Ion battery that doesn't develop a memory from being charged every night despite not being fully discharged. Also if the battery ever does go, I can get a replacement (or a spare) for around $25. The LED module is warranted for life against shock/defect. And let me tell you, the thing is BLINDING. It weighs in at 160 lumens and will light up even the tallest grids. Runs for about an hour and a half at that full brightness and also has lower brightness modes that are very useful for run conditions. For me, it was well worth the significant investment.


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## fx120

mnfreelancer said:


> I was using an Innova 3W LED that took 2 CR123 batteries and loved that light, other than the cost of batteries and the steep fall-off curve of bright vs. usable light. I'd put fresh batteries in it for a show and by the end of the strike it would have gone from blinding grid-illuminating light to "usable light" still suitable for looking in cases / loading trucks but not much else. I eventually convinced the company to start buying the batteries for me since I used that light exclusively for work but even that was a hassle, another part number to keep in stock and the added cost factor.



For anyone in need of CR123 batteries, I just order 50 or so at a time from BatteryStation.com, but even their individual unit pricing is very reasonable. 

CR123A Batteries CR123 Batteries CR123A Battery CR123 Battery


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## MNicolai

fx120 said:


> For anyone in need of CR123 batteries, I just order 50 or so at a time from BatteryStation.com, but even their individual unit pricing is very reasonable.
> 
> CR123A Batteries CR123 Batteries CR123A Battery CR123 Battery



I've been getting mine from BatteryJunction.com. The more money you want to save, the more you should buy at a time to spread out the cost of shipping. I buy about 20 at a time (at $0.98/ea) and at the rate I use my Surefire G2, I go through about 2 batteries every 4-6 months. So one bulk purchase will last me anywhere from 2.5-3 years.


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## shiben

Light for Life Flashlight UC3.400 | Flashlights | 5.11 Tactical

discuss.


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## MarshallPope

shiben said:


> Light for Life Flashlight UC3.400 | Flashlights | 5.11 Tactical
> 
> discuss.




I want one.

That is all.


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## NickVon

Product: S&W Galaxy 28 LED Flashlight

I've had this for almost a year now and love it. two seperate buttons for White and Blue/Red

A little big around if you have a small mouth and use your mouth to hold flashlights.


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## zuixro

I got a Leatherman Serac2 in the mail a few days ago. So far I love it. It's small and very bright. Tail clicky button. 2 levels of brightness. It defaults to the lower one which is nice for backstage work. It has a 10 year warranty through Leatherman, so if it breaks for any reason other than outright abuse, the will replace it. I highly recommend it


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## LeadHead

I have a Spider Fire C-R8 from DealExtreme. DealExtreme: $30.23 SpiderFire C-R8 Cree R2 2-Mode 240-Lumen LED Flashlight with Assault Crown (1*18650/2*CR123A)

Its essentially a Chinese knock off of some more expensive flashlight brands, but for the $30 it cost you really cannot beat it. All anodized aluminum, glass lens, metal reflector, o-rings sealing the lens and end cap, two brightness levels, somewhat silly stainless steel "assault crown" for the extra "B/A Factor". It does have a Genuine Cree R2 LED though, and it takes rechargeable lithium-ions. Its single 2-3 watt Cree LED puts out easily 3 times the light if not more then my buddy's 14 LED harborfreight flashlight.

The only issues with it is that it is a tad large to carry around in your pocket all the time, but if you have fairly loose fit jeans, or just jeans with big pockets then its not too much of an issue. The other issue is that if you use internally protected lithium ion cells/batteries, the flashlight will be putting out near full brightness then essentially just turn off.


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## masterelectrician2112

Thanks for ressurecting this thread. I have a question about the maglite led. What are your personal experiences with this flashlight? I have heard mixed opinions and have had the regular maglite with the led conversion reccomended instead. Could you 'shed some light on this' (sorry, couldn't resist! ) I am looking to compare as many different good flashlights as possible before I make my decision. So keep the suggestions coming!


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## avkid

I did a review of the 1st generation Maglite LED.
PSW Sound Reinforcement Forums: The Basement => They do exist!!!!!

I have yet to get my hands on the 2nd generation units.


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## masterelectrician2112

Looks pretty good!! I'll keep that one on the list.


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## chris325

gafftapegreenia said:


> +1 on the Fenix brand. I have a Fenix E01 on my key chain and it beats the pants off the Mag Solitaire.



I've got a Solitare and it works really well for situations where I'm looking for something in the dark backstage, but in all reality is not that powerful. However, it's cheap. How much does the Fenix cost?


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## gafftapegreenia

chris325 said:


> I've got a Solitare and it works really well for situations where I'm looking for something in the dark backstage, but in all reality is not that powerful. However, it's cheap. How much does the Fenix cost?



About $12 on amazon.


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## chris325

Ooh. I gotta get myself one of those!


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## gafftaper

My local Costco yesterday had a two pack of 1 Watt CREE LED's for about $30. 3 AAA batteries. Two brightness levels, 160 lumens on high! I'm debating going back to get a pair. It's not on Costco's website so I'm guessing it's a one time deal that will be gone soon. Heck it may not even be in every store.


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## masterelectrician2112

Chris, I am looking with something for a little more punch,  but that's a good low budget option. Gafftaper, I might go to Costco tomorrow. They might have it. I'll look at it. Thanks for the suggestions.


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## GrayeKnight

I'm not exactly sure of the manufacturer of my flashlight, but it has a pretty bright white LED as well as red and blue (dimmer) LED's that i use during the show if necessary.


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## Syphilis

The Phoenix. Hands down. It might be more than 80, though, but it is worth it. I can light up my entire 700 seat theatre with one, or I can tune the power down to read cues during a show.


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## shiben

Syphilis said:


> The Phoenix. Hands down. It might be more than 80, though, but it is worth it. I can light up my entire 700 seat theatre with one, or I can tune the power down to read cues during a show.


 
If we are comparing sizes, i can knock a grown man blind with mine, and then turn his face to pulp with the strike bezels, but whos counting...


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## doctrjohn

shiben said:


> If we are comparing sizes, i can knock a grown man blind with mine, and then turn his face to pulp with the strike bezels, but whos counting...


Ah... Something like a Phoebus Combat Flashlight?

Best,
John


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## mbandgeek

I have a Fenix tk11 with the Cree R2 Led, It's Bright and it's small. Small enough to lose though.. Which mine is Currently MIA.

I also have a Black AA Mini-mag with a homebrew LED conversion.

For a headlamp I have a Petzl Tikka. Its a high quality basic headlamp that doesn't have all the bells and whistles.


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## shiben

doctrjohn said:


> Ah... Something like a Phoebus Combat Flashlight?
> 
> Best,
> John



Surefire E2D LED Defender Flashlight - E2DL-BK for personal use, walking around and the like
Surefire 6P® LED Defender® in my tool belt. This one never goes anywhere not hooked into the tools. I like surefire products quite a bit and trust them for a lot of things. A bit shy on the battery life, however, although it makes sense because the lights are really quite bright.

I also have a mini-mag LED and a full size Mag light with like 3? or so d cells. Both of the Mags have blue gels mounted directly to the glass. These both live at work.


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## masterelectrician2112

Hey guys. So I was cleaning my room yesterday and I noticed that I have some Dick's Sporting Goods gift cards that hadn't been spent. I was at Dick's the other day and I looked at their selection of flashlights in the camping section. They had the regular and led mini mags, but then when I got home I looked at their website and found this. I liked it when I looked at it, but do you think that this one could be used for my purposes?


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## bishopthomas

That looks very similar to the Fenix TK10 that I have. Fenix's homepages It's the brightest flashlight I've ever seen. I lit up bleachers in a football stadium from the opposite side once, with lumens to spare. An amazing flash light.


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## gafftaper

gafftaper said:


> My local Costco yesterday had a two pack of 1 Watt CREE LED's for about $30. 3 AAA batteries. Two brightness levels, 160 lumens on high! I'm debating going back to get a pair. It's not on Costco's website so I'm guessing it's a one time deal that will be gone soon. Heck it may not even be in every store.



Went back to Costco and picked up a pair of these. They are OUTSTANDING. Two for $30. Just got the latest coupons in the mail and during one week this month they are going to be running a special of two for $20 (no coupon needed). On low it's about as bright as my AA Mag LED. On high it Kicks some serious Butt. Pretty good construction. Only negative I've found is it has a Strobe mode. Which makes if fun for mini-raves but kind of dangerous to potentially go off during a show. Check it out.


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## masterelectrician2112

I think I am gonna go with the flashlight I saw at dicks. If it doesn't work like I think it will I will just return it. I am going with this flahlight because I don't have much money besides dicks giftcards. Thank you all for your suggestions.


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## bdkdesigns

I am impressed with the Costco flashlight as well! I need to go back and pick up another set apparently because they were only half the price that both of you paid. They were listed as $20 at my Costco with a $5 instant rebate. They sound like the exact same ones, 160 lumens with three modes: Half Power, Full Power, and Strobe. Mine are branded as TechLite Lumen Master. Another feature that I love about it is that it is focusable to an extent. Easily worth the price even if they don't last a long time.


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## erosing

Has anyone tried out/bought the LED Maglite XL100 yet? I saw it the other day at Home Depot for about $40 and I must say it looked interesting.


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## gafftaper

Well Costco is back at it with the TechLite Flashlights. This time it's a 3 pack for $20 WITH Duracel AAA's! It's got a CREE XPE LED source. 150 lumens. It doesn't say how many watts, but it's significantly brighter and whiter than the one I posted above last year. Not on the Costco website, so it's apparently a one time purchase. I see only three things that could be considered negatives. Can't put a gel in it, but it's so bright that would be silly anyway. Short battery life. It has a 1 hour life on high and 4 hours on low. And it has a strobe function which is not so great back stage. It has a four click cycle: low, high, STROBE, off. If you use it back stage you have to pay attention and cover it if you don't want to start a Rave. I carry both my old AA Mag with gel in the lens for work in the dark and this for serious fire power. 

Combine it with one of these Night Ize holsters and you are set! The great thing about that holster is it clips on and rotates. You can actually turn the flashlight on and rotate it into position to work hands free from your hip. I love mine!


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## derekleffew

Is it this one?


or this?


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## avkid

Once you go Surefire, you never go back.


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## zmb

I love my Maglite LED XL100. Nice and bright outdoors or when needed in the theater but dims down via motion. Also has a strobe, nite lite (dims down when motion less, full bright if moved), signal (twist to turn on and off), and SOS. All settings are controlled by what position the flashlight is in when the power button is held down.

5 hours and 15 minutes on full, 201 hours on low, weather proof, and 1 meter shock resistance. Uses 3 AAA batteries.

Probably can find it at more places but I got mine at Home Depot.


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## 65535

I love the Surefire U2 I have (well i have 2, but one is sitting around with a popped front window), the E1e is a great clip in the pocket light, I am pretty fond of the HDS System lights, I have a Novatac, which is a similar design that was being made while HDS was taking a break.

My advice though, 4Sevens - 4Sevens.Com, David will do you right, excellent customer service.
Check out his own brand and Fenix, both great lights, mind the battery type they take though. CR123's are pricey for the average user, if you are willing to invest in them, they are a great choice.


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## avkid

CR123A batteries are affordable if you buy in bulk or from the right supplier.
Titanium Innovations CR123A 3V Lithium Photo Battery 1400mah


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## gafftaper

I think those are both the same flashlight Derek, but the second one is what the package looks like at costco.

Only negative so far (other than the size of your picture) is that it's only got an hour battery life on high power. But that's true for most high power flashlights so, no big deal. But unlike the CR123's they put in Surefires it runs AAA's so they are dirt cheap to replace. Just pick up a pack of AAA's while you are at Costco.


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## metti

So I am looking to upgrade from my standard minimag to something more powerful and generally awesome. My issue is that I have a Setwear pouch that holds my minimag, SOG multitools, a pen/sharpie, and the Ipod Touch I use as an RFU perfectly and I really love it and don't want to have to find a new pouch or store my light in a separate holster. As such, I am looking for the best light I can get that will fit in a minimag sized space (not as tight as the stock minimag holster but relatively snug). Cost isn't really that important although I think that less than $100ish would be a good goal.


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## derekleffew

While certainly not as "generally awesome" as other alternatives, have you eliminated from consideration the LED conversion kits for your existing MiniMag? I'm perfectly content with the ones I've gotten from WallyWorld, Fry's, and other places for $9.99.




FWIW, there's a school of thought that goes something like... those who feel they MUST have the brightest flashlight, highest-voltage drill/driver, latest iPhone, etc., must be "lacking" in other areas, and are thus "compensating"...


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## gafftapegreenia

Derek, I was sad, Nite-Ize stopped making the blue LED drop in.


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## metti

derekleffew said:


> FWIW, there's a school of thought that goes something like... those who feel they MUST have the brightest flashlight, highest-voltage drill/driver, latest iPhone, etc., must be "lacking" in other areas, and are thus "compensating"...


 
You caught me...I'm compensating for not being able to afford the Chamsys MQ200Pro I so dearly want. I just keep thinking, if I can blind people maybe they won't notice that I have to boot up my laptop to run a show. This plan has yet to work out. Also, I don't even have a drill since mine was recently stolen and it wasn't very nice to begin with soooo...yeah! I do have an iPhone 4 though. Maybe I am compensating...

Seriously though, I will consider going that route. Would I be better off getting an LED mag or getting a conversion kit for my existing one?


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## ruinexplorer

I have heard from co-workers that they prefer the ready built LED mini-mag to the conversion kit versions.


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## porkchop

Since the topic seems to have carried over to the world of LED lights I'll throw in a new competitor that is pretty prevalent over the pond, the LED Lenser P7. They are a bit pricey, I got mine for 50 pounds in a package that included a key chain flashlight as well, but they take AAA batteries which is a big plus in my mind. The light itself is REALLY bright (I regularly use it to get a better look at stuff 40 feet in the air and it stands out even with the houselights on), and it's the only LED flashlight I've looked at where you can focus the beam. I beat the crap out of the thing and it just keeps working. The only drawback I've found so far is that you have to keep it out of your mouth, went through one end cap really fast that way.


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## gafftapegreenia

ruinexplorer said:


> I have heard from co-workers that they prefer the ready built LED mini-mag to the conversion kit versions.


 

It's a trade off, the factory built ones focus better/have a tighter beam. The LED drop-ins, however, are more durable. I've killed three of the factory versions just from a few drops. 

My favorite is the Nite-Ize 1 Watt LED drop in, however it costs more than a mini-mag! 1 Watt LED Upgrade II | Nite Ize

The 3-diode cluster drop ins don't allow for the pencil beam, and are around $5, which is fine if you just need work light and not see-up-to-the-grid light.


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## avkid

I had a Coast LED light for about a year.
Then one day it got left on for about 6 hours and became permanently dim no matter what I did or what kind batteries I put in.


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## metti

Has anyone tried the Inova X2. Measurements look like a close enough match for a Mini Mag.


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## gafftaper

I've purchased two of the original Mag LED flashlights in the extra long AA size. I was initially very happy but with them but grew very disappointed in the long run and have thrown both out at this point. There was a problem with corrosion building up in the contacts, which make it impossible to turn on over time. The factory says clean the contacts with a pencil eraser but this has been next to useless. I purchased one when they first came out and the second a year or so later hoping the problem was isolated to just me or had been fixed. 

That said my $10 LED conversion from Target has always worked great. It's not super bright but a very nice upgrade over the original system. There are also websites that sell fancy upgrade kits for Mag AA's. I purchased the official Mag LED upgrades for my big 3-D cell Mag lights and they are REALLY nice. 

There's a new Mag LED design in the XL 100. There is now an actual button switch instead of a twist on/off hopefully that means they have fixed the problem that plagued the early design. The new Mag XL has a low "night lite" mode which could potentially be handy backstage. Anybody have one of these yet?


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## avkid

Caig DeOxit will clean it, and dielectric grease will prevent corrosion.


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## zmb

gafftaper said:


> There's a new Mag LED design in the XL 100. There is now an actual button switch instead of a twist on/off hopefully that means they have fixed the problem that plagued the early design. The new Mag XL has a low "night lite" mode which could potentially be handy backstage. Anybody have one of these yet?


 
I have one of the XL 100's. The nite lite function acutally puts the flashlight on super low when stationary and when moved, will go to full bright. There is a regular dimmer that retains level between on/off cycles until changed and I keep it at low level when backstage.

My school lost power last week and when hoarded in the gym under emergency lights (4x 2 lamps), it was easily the brightest light.


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## chausman

My cell phone screen has a bright screen! It is useful when I forget things like flashlights or where light switches are.


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## cpf

I find the best flashlight is the one you have when the power goes out or when you're neck deep in an under-floor wiring cabinet and realize they used sharpie to label the grey cables. Did you know iPods have quite bright backlights? 

If I have a choice, a Petzl headlamp (currently I have a Tikka+, looking to upgrade to the one with the retractable strap) works best for my needs: great battery life, both head-mounted and handheld use, 3 different dimming levels, swappable front filter, and best of all when you go to turn it off it goes _right_ off, compared to cheap flashlights that will make you cycle through every other mode the flashlight has before arriving at "off." To be honest, I really never notice that it's not in traditional flashlight form-factor, and I've figured out a way to strap it to my wrist to boot.


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## nd925a

I still like my old Maglite with the incandecent bulb in it. It focuses great and it was free because it was just laying around my dad's house  I do have the handy belt thing for it, but I have had to sew that back together a few times.


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## ruinexplorer

cpf, I agree that the Petzl Zipka (the one with the retracting band, cheaper model than the one I posted earlier) is one of the best headlamps ever made. If I have to be climbing under the stage, I wear it on my head to give me the best vision. If I am hanging from my harness, I have it attached to the harness for a broader wash when work lights are out. Finally, I can wear it on my wrist when I have to get my hands in where the light would be blocked if I were wearing it closer to my body. This is in addition to a handheld that I also carry.


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## gafftaper

This is not the "best flashlight" but it's definitely up there on the list of best cheap flashlight. I just picked up this little guy on Amazon for $3.60 including free shipping. 

It takes one AA battery and kicks out a lot of light. It has a zoom, the tight zoom is oddly shaped (square just like the LED chip), all the way wide angle is REALLY wide and pretty much useless. They say it's a CREE Q5 LED with a max output of 300 lumens. It's definitely not 300 lumens with the AA battery but they say it also can take a 14500 3.6v Battery, which I'm guessing is brighter but expensive. Some reviews complain of short battery life. But who cares! I'm getting something in the neighborhood of 150-200 lumens off a 20 cent Costco AA battery on a light that costs under $4! Small enough to easily keep in your pocket. Sturdy belt clip. My kids have dropped it a couple times now and it still works time. I'm going to buy a couple more to leave in the car, around the house, in the office etc... Only negative it's drop shipped from China so it took a month to get it.


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## techieman33

gafftaper said:


> This is not the "best flashlight" but it's definitely up there on the list of best cheap flashlight. I just picked up this little guy on Amazon for $3.60 including free shipping.
> 
> It takes one AA battery and kicks out a lot of light. It has a zoom, the tight zoom is oddly shaped (square just like the LED chip), all the way wide angle is REALLY wide and pretty much useless. They say it's a CREE Q5 LED with a max output of 300 lumens. It's definitely not 300 lumens with the AA battery but they say it also can take a 14500 3.6v Battery, which I'm guessing is brighter but expensive. Some reviews complain of short battery life. But who cares! I'm getting something in the neighborhood of 150-200 lumens off a 20 cent Costco AA battery on a light that costs under $4! Small enough to easily keep in your pocket. Sturdy belt clip. My kids have dropped it a couple times now and it still works time. I'm going to buy a couple more to leave in the car, around the house, in the office etc... Only negative it's drop shipped from China so it took a month to get it.



These were in another flashlight thread about a year ago. I've bought 5 or 6 of them and given a couple to friends. 2 of them have failed with gentle use, and others have stood up to pretty hard use. There seems to be no quality control, but you can't expect much for the $5 they cost at the time. I bought a pair of the higher output batteries since they are rechargeable, and the flashlight is quite a bit brighter. The downside is you end up spending another $20 to get them. There is no improvement in battery life though. Another thing to consider is you can't leave them on very long, after a couple of minutes they start to get warm, and by ten minutes they start to become uncomfortable to hold.


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## gafftaper

Reading the reviews on Amazon there seem to be dozens of people selling these things and they are all slightly different. Some have an on/off switch while others have a high, medium, strobe switch. There also are a wide variety of quality control experiences. I purchased this exact light and it seems pretty well built and it's a straight on/off switch. It's far from the "best flashlight" out there, but I would say it's definitely the best flashlight you can get for under $10, if not $15-$20.


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## StradivariusBone

gafftaper said:


> Reading the reviews on Amazon there seem to be dozens of people selling these things and they are all slightly different. Some have an on/off switch while others have a high, medium, strobe switch. There also are a wide variety of quality control experiences. I purchased this exact light and it seems pretty well built and it's a straight on/off switch. It's far from the "best flashlight" out there, but I would say it's definitely the best flashlight you can get for under $10, if not $15-$20.



I'd have to agree. I got one a few weeks back when I got tired of using my Harbor Freight one. Mine has a zooming lens on it that can focus the beam down and I can shine useful light about 150'. Does chew through AA's though. If it breaks, I'm out less than $5 and it's already worked well enough past that margin.


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## telmnstr

Ultrafire XML-T6. They're sub $20 on feeBay. One of mine has some sort of dirty contact issue, but when it's less than $20 for a charger, 2 batteries and the light who cares. I buy extra ones and when I leave one behind I don't sweat it. It's very bright, and has 3 brightness levels. Main complaint is that it starts out in the strobe mode, then goes SOS flash pattern, then goes dim levels. I'd guess there is a microcontroller embedded.

In no way is it the best flashlight, but it's cheap and good!


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## gafftapegreenia

So while I still keep an LED flashlight on my person, I've become a big fan of the flashlights that work with the batteries from the cordless tool line of your choosing. Its really great to have an incandescent, portable work light that can be recharged.


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## camo894

not sure this is the correct forum but since you guys are always so helpful I was wondering if you all could give me some flashlight recommendations for general tech purposes i want a small compact flashlight or one that fits in a pouch sleeve like the one on the side of this pouch (http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000CP0SSC/?tag=controlbooth-20)

thanks in advance and sorry if this wasn't the correct forum

ps: maybe one such as this? http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00002N6SN/?tag=controlbooth-20


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## gafftaper

In my search for the best reasonably priced flashlight which uses standard batteries, I have a new entry. I picked up the Mini Maglite Pro LED Model# IP2PLPH. It's a two AA battery light with the good old Mag twist on/off and zoom feature. But here's the weird part if you search for that model you will find this flashlight. Which is the same thing but only 226 lumens. The one I got at Lowes is 272 lumens and cost $25 with the same model number. It appears that back in early summer Mag upgraded the output on the IP2PLPH from 226 lumens to 272 lumens. However, they still haven't updated the website and most sellers (including Amazon) still seem to stock the lower power version. This website sells both versions of the light. Also, watch out for the two level version of the Mag LED. It looks exactly the same but has a max output of only 77 lumens. That model has a funky high/low switch based on which direction you are tipping the flashlight while you turn it on. 

So anyway, I'm really impressed with 272 lumen version of the Mag IP2PLPH and give it a big two thumbs up. 2 1/2 hour battery life on two AA batteries (and we've all got tubs of half used AA's at work to keep it going for ever). It's got a nice tight zoom with a nice white color temperature. Best of all it looks, works, and feels exactly like the good old mini mag we all fell in love with back in the day before surefire came along. When it comes to maximum bang for the buck in 2014, this is the light. 

Here's a picture from Candlepowerforums showing a shootout between the older 226 lumen version on the left vs the new 272 lumen version on the right.


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## chausman

gafftaper said:


> In my search for the best reasonably priced flashlight which uses standard batteries, I have a new entry. I picked up the Mini Maglite Pro LED Model# IP2PLPH. It's a two AA battery light with the good old Mag twist on/off and zoom feature. But here's the weird part if you search for that model you will find this flashlight. Which is the same thing but only 226 lumens. The one I got at Lowes is 272 lumens and cost $25 with the same model number. It appears that back in early summer Mag upgraded the output on the IP2PLPH from 226 lumens to 272 lumens. However, they still haven't updated the website and most sellers (including Amazon) still seem to stock the lower power version. This website sells both versions of the light. Also, watch out for the two level version of the Mag LED. It looks exactly the same but has a max output of only 77 lumens. That model has a funky high/low switch based on which direction you are tipping the flashlight while you turn it on.
> 
> So anyway, I'm really impressed with 272 lumen version of the Mag IP2PLPH and give it a big two thumbs up. 2 1/2 hour battery life on two AA batteries (and we've all got tubs of half used AA's at work to keep it going for ever). It's got a nice tight zoom with a nice white color temperature. Best of all it looks, works, and feels exactly like the good old mini mag we all fell in love with back in the day before surefire came along. When it comes to maximum bang for the buck in 2014, this is the light.
> 
> Here's a picture from Candlepowerforums showing a shootout between the older 226 lumen version on the left vs the new 272 lumen version on the right.



I have (had) one of the new ones and they're awesome. To the point that at times it was too bright and you couldn't point it directly at something you're working on because of the reflection.


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