Looking for decent flash light and head-lamp........

[brino]

I have been so frustrated by cheap flash lights and head lamps over the last week.

At work I was using a flash light (and an old hard drive platter as a mirror) to inspect some fans and my light kept blinking.
I would turn it off then on and it was okay for a bit, but then intermittent again.
I could bang it or lightly touch the switch and it was okay for another few minutes.

In the shop the other night I was using my head lamp for close-up spot lighting on a task. It too was intermittent.
I could bang it it was okay for a few minutes.
Then when I tried to turn it off I could not....it was stuck on.
I ended up throwing it on to the concrete floor where it did finally turn off as the AAA cells scattered off in various directions.

I need suggestions on some good flash lights and head lamps.

Are the Maglites still made well?
I see Lee Valley now has a number of Cree lights...has anyone tried those?
https://www.leevalley.com/en-ca/sho...lights-and-headlights/67596-cree-led-headlamp
https://www.leevalley.com/en-ca/sho...ghts-and-headlights/70631-suprabeam-headlamps
https://www.leevalley.com/en-ca/sho...eadlights/74771-suprabeam-q7defend-flashlight

What I would like to find is high-end ones with great switches and great battery terminals.
I would pay for gold plated contacts in the switch and battery area, but no one seems to claim/advertise that.

Rechargeable (USB or wall-wart) would be ideal.

Any suggestions?

Thanks,
Frustrated in the dark
-brino

 

[Nutfarmer]

I have been very happy with a Milwaukee light that uses the same 18 volt battery that the power tools take.

 

[mmcmdl]

I have drawers full of flashlights that have gone by the wayside . In here at work , I use a 5.11 flashlight , a Fuel head lamp for my hat and some pair of glasses that magnify and have lights on both sides . All that , and I'm mostly still in the dark .

The trouble with all the Maglites I have had over the years is they didn't get used much and the batteries corroded inside them . You can NOT get them out .

5.11 flashlight - Google Shopping

www.google.com

Fuel Industrial | Princeton Tec

princetontec.com

The flashlight gets used daily with no problems . The headlamp is occasionally used when needed and have had no issues.

 

[francist]

I still swear by my Maglight, I’ve had one in my pocket for 30 years and I think I’m only on #4.

As for headlamps, my long time work partner was big into ultra distance running. Like, 150-mile races. He always used Petzl (spelling?) headlamps from MEC, said he hadn’t found anything that topped them.

-frank

ps- every now and then when I’m sweeping the shop I find another little fragment from one of those cheap ones they sell for like $4.99. It met a similar fate as yours several years ago. You’re not alone!

 

[MikeInOr]

Flashlights have changed a lot since we were kids! First, C and D cells are obsolete. 18650 Lion batteries are a good place to start and the most common flashlight batteries these days. 18650 stands for 18mm dia x 650mm long. I would stay away from sealed flashlights, i.e. a flashlight without a replaceable battery. I have a few sub $10 18650 single and dual cell flashlights that have served me well for many years (over a decade).

I like the flashlights with a zoomable lens so you can make the projected light bigger to cover more area or smaller and more intense.

Flashlight now have "logic" controlled by the control board. The control board gives you low, high and sometimes medium light settings as well as flashing and SOS modes. The control board also controls the current from the battery to keep the battery from overheating. There are fancy control boards and basic ones... the basic one have always been more than sufficient enough for my tastes. The logic on the control board dictates how the modes are cycled, how it turns on and off and what mode it is in when it is turned on.

I would NOT recommend a 18650 flashlight which can be plugged into a recharger. This function makes a simple cheap reliable flashlight into either a simple cheap unreliable flashlight or an expensive reliable flashlight. Purchase a 18650 flashlight and a pair of 18650 batteries and a two cell Lion charger... about $15 for the package with cheap 18650 cells or ~$25 for the package with top quality 18650 cells.

I also recommend a 18650 headlight so you can use the same 18650 cells. My ~$15 headlight is plenty bright running on a single 18650 cell and isn't much brighter with a full compliment of 2 cells... it just lasts a lot longer. 18650 Lion batteries last a very long time especially when compared to alkaline or NiCad batteries.

Power: Every flashlight will have some rating in lumens to tell you how powerful the light will be. Under $25 all the Lumen ratings are bunk. A particular single 18650 cell flashlight with a Cree Xl-m led will be rated for 2000 lumens, the next with the same single cell and same Xl-m lamp will have a 10,000 lumens rating.... news flash: you won't be able to tell the different in the amount of light they put out. To get more actual light you really need more led lamps in the flashlight. $100 10,000 lumens 4 LED flashlights are great for self defense by blinding people but they really aren't that practical for actual everyday utility use. A single LED single 18650 cell flashlight makes a really nice handy, maneuverable, small flashlight with plenty of power. A dual 18650 cell single LED flashlight is great for a week long camping trip especially if you only use it on medium power (your fellow campers will also thank you for keeping it on low or medium power). Little single cell aluminum flashlights are pretty indestructible (even cheap $10 ones) and will last indefinitely when you replace the cells every 2 to 4 years. Headlamps are a lot more convenient for lot of uses (camping, working on anything that you need more than 1 hand, etc.) but not usually quite as rugged... but mine have been plenty rugged enough.

Here is a simple cheap ($5.95) flashlight that has served me really well for many years: https://www.walmart.com/ip/Ultrafir...MI__yzk8X_5QIVMR-tBh0FhAeNEAQYAyABEgKSN_D_BwE

You will need to buy some decent quality 18650 batteries and a charger in addition to the flashlight. You will find a lot of negative reviews on these
cheap", "junk" Ultrafire flashlights... they are mostly from flashlight snobs that try to justify spending multiple hundreds of dollars on a "high end" flashlight. My cheap junk Ultrafire is my most used flashlight and if I should ever loose it I won't be crying too hard, I will just buy another. Tip: Bundled 18650 batteries are usually the lowest end cells.

 

[dlane]

I’ve been carrying a Fenix LD20 for ten years now , it has four different light intensity levels and dose SOS signals and a strobe It is all aluminum and has gold plated battery contacts , has never given me any problems. It will clip onto my shot gun if need be . It was around $60.00 then , it is about 1” round and 7” long . There are lots of good law enforcement lights out there also.

 

[darkzero]

Did someone say flashlight?!?!

 

[mmcmdl]

Did someone say flashlight?!?!

What in the heck ? You're not hoarding them are ya ? Or are you making them ?

 

[darkzero]

What in the heck ? You're not hoarding them are ya ? Or are you making them ?

I used to be a flashlight modder. Started out as an enthusiast, then turned into a compulsive collector, then started modding for other people. Did it for like 10 yrs. I still have most of my lights but I don't use them anymore. Well I don't EDC a flashlight anymore, now a days I just use my Milwaukee lights.

 

[extropic]

I also have converted to 18650 rechargeable battery powered LED lights.
I suspect that a lot of people get batteries provided by their employers, but I have to buy my own and I'm fed up with it.
The first link is to my most recent flashlight purchase. Good sturdy construction and focusable. I prefer the two battery type for fit in my hand and duration of charge.

Flashlight

I like the linked headlight because it's all aluminum construction, the switch is easily accessed and the battery compartment is integral in the main unit (not a separate battery box). I have yet to need it longer than one battery charge lasts, but I have easy access to charged batteries.

Headlight

I use the linked charging monitor also. The description says it's a "charger" but it isn't. you have to plug it into a USB port/adapter It's a monitor that displays the voltage / level of charge and indicates when the battery is "FULL". I don't imagine that it's a piece of quality electronic test equipment, but I much prefer seeing the display rather than a red or green status light.

Charging Monitor

As for 18650 batteries: there are 'protected' types that are supposed to protect the battery from over charge / over current. Also there are 'unprotected' types. I do believe that most of the batteries vastly over state their milliamp capacity. I've bought 3 or 4 different lots, different ratings, from different sources and the differences in performance seem negligible to me. Perhaps someone that knows more about the technical details / pros and cons will pipe up.

Overall, I'm super satisfied with my swap to 18650 battery powered LED lights.