I'm posting this here as I didn't see another tech forum for this topic and honestly I get the best replies here.

I want to get a powerful, simple to use and dependable flashlight for my girlfriend to use when she let's her dog out at night.

Lately she's been hearing noise from the woods behind her house at night when see let's out her dog (a two year border collie mix, no protective streak I've ever seen). She second guesses herself at times but she thinks she's hearing someone call the dog and/or whistling. She lives in a typical suburban neighborhood, so sound could be travelling from other parts of the neighborhood.

From her back door, she has open space/yard about 20 yards to the woodline and probably 50-60 yards wide going into the neighbor's yard. The woods are county owned and go about 40-40 yards to the back of another yard on the other side. The county came in last week and dropped several dead trees, clearing out some of the thickness and removing a good deal of cover. But there are still about 3 clumps of large diameter logs that create some dead space. I've cleared out some very old kids play things back there that provided cover right near her back door, like a big plastic castle.

I'm not really up on the latest flashlight tech, brands, etc. I have a fenix FD35 that I love, but I want something simple for her:

- Single output (I don't want her to have to cycle at all, she'll overthink it when I go through things with her)
- More flood than throw. I'd rather she be able to identify something quickly across a wide area. and the entire distance through her yard and the woods is less than 100 yards
- Prefer momentary and constant on, but not necessary.
- tailcap button vs. side button is not important
- cost isn't important, I'd rather she have a good dependable light
- no battery preference, but I already have a lot of CR 123s and AAs/AAAs, Rechargeable is ok
- Amazon Prime so I can get it super fast would be great but not essential

I can't be there during the week and she's getting more nervous because of a surge in crime in the city she lives in- 2 shootings/murders last week within 15 min drive from her house (most likely gang related) and an armed robbery/sexual assault right near some bars we've frequented. Most nights at home it's her, two young boys and a nanny. Working on getting ehr to the range. She has no problems with guns, just unfamiliar and generally nervous about higns she's not familiar with.

Thanks in advance for any and all replies.

Get her a Walmart hypertough 300 lumen rechargeable, got several of them I use around the house, in my truck and atv, they take a beating and last a bit, they shine well enough to see approx 100yards

had ones battery give up last year but got well over 5 years of consistent service out of it, not bad for $10 light,

figure they're probably a bit more now

This is not a defensive flashlight in my mind.. I EDC this and am in love with the warm "2700k" tint. been banged around in my pocket and dropped on concrete/etc for 8 months straight.

Double tap the button for turbo.  balanced throw vs flood. Pretty bright for a little light and I'm able to look around at the farm but not great to look for people hiding beyond 100yards.

wurkkos Pocket LED Flashlight, High 90CRI Ultra Bright Max 1300 Lumen Mini Flashlight

HI CRI "Color Rendition Index" is a must in my book. I hate the washed out blue tinted LEDs

The coyote streamlight microstream USB recharegable has two levels, but defaults to max mode with a single press of the tail switch.

It's a very simple light to use and and it's quite bright. It's what I gave my wife for similar purposes.

I like a light which leaves my hands free, This Fenix 60 would be my choice. the one I have, the HL55 is discontinued, but I can light up a deer or coyote at 60 yards with it.

for a hand held... SureFire 6P with a Malkoff Devices brass module for a 6P

Thanks for all the replies. I checked out all of them.

I totally forgot about the Surefire 6P or even the G2X. They have single output versions up to 600 lumens. Kinda leaning that way.

Check out the Streamlight Polytac. It can be programmed to just be high/off.




They are pretty tough lights and can survive being mounted on rifles if need be. Pretty good deal for $45 and seems brighter than my Surefire G2x.

The Streamlight Protac would be ideal. Rechargeable battery with the ability to use CR123 batteries. Very bright.

https://www.amazon.com/Streamlight-88063-Professional-Flashlight-Rechargeable/dp/B07BQD8192

Off topic but have you considered something like these "Night Vision" devices?
It gives the option of recording so there is clear evidence if someone is skulking around out there.

Amazon night vision

I don't have any flashlight recommendations, but have you thought about getting one that has a strobe capability? They can disorient a person long enough to make a get-a-way if needed.

My favorite that fits your description would be a basic polytac in color yellow so it's easy to find.  It does have three modes but bright is first.


https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002P44SDY?tag=arfcom00-20

Interesting idea. I want both NV and thermal and had been planning on getting thermal first since entry cost is much lower. This has got me thinking I should accelerate that planned purchase.

But $100 NV might be a decent stop gap. Any experience with this or similar?

I really like the idea of yellow making it easier to grab quickly. And I'm probably making too much of single output- as long as the high output comes first.

I have been reading reviews and watching what I can find on them for a few weeks now.  I have found them down as low as $60 and just dicded to give up and not bother because I have enough cheap junk laying around.  I don't know if they are actually cheap junk but thats how i conviced myself not to waste a 100 bill.

I am a huge Nitecore fanboy.

My wife is not technical at all, but she has gotten a taste for More Power! where flashlights are concerned. She's a good benchmark, i.e. if she likes the light it can't be too complicated to use and it's got to be bright!

We have a drawer full of flashlights for walking the dog but she automatically and always reaches for the Nitecore TM9K TAC. It's pricey, but it is crazy bright. If my wife can handle the button-ology of it, so can your GF. Just set it to max. brightness for her.

Sometimes the wife will grab the Nitecore HC35 head-worn flashlight. It's got a little more button-ology in that you might have to press the button a few times for max., but she figured it out pretty quick. You can also easily use this as a handheld unit.

I roll for doggie last-outs with NVGs, so I'm more into infrared lights

Another good choice is the Nitecore MT10C. It's more of an EDC light. Tiny and super-bright.

Those are my reco's.

Coleman battery guard


https://www.amazon.com/dp/B079P5NDD5/ref=emc_b_5_t



https://www.amazon.com/dp/B078YV52QH/ref=emc_b_5_t

I bought two of these on Feb 1st:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08MQPC5DY?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details

They have been great.  I already had 18650 rechargeables, but now having used them I would spring for batteries and a charger if I hadn't been set up with them.  Great lights, easy to use.  The holster it comes with is great, too.

Bought them because another arfcommer suggested them.

https://www.amazon.com/Streamlight-68750-Flashlight-Downward-Batteries/dp/B016P919RC

You want flood? I'll give you flood.

Sofirn SP36

One tap for the last level used. You can preset it for her and leave it there.

Two taps for 5000 lumens. The light gets hot quick, but it's BRIGHT.

Lots of good options. I would recommend something that takes Li-Ion 18650 or even the larger 21700 lights. Whatever you choose, I would make sure it takes a Li-Ion battery, get her a good charger and a couple extra batteries she can rotate.



ROCK6

Surefire G2X

OP, the Malkoffs are for upgrading old style incandescent 6P/C2 6volt lights. I have plenty of old SF lights, some (G2 nitrolons) with M61LL, all the way up to 1100 lumen M91 modules in various 9volt light bodies.

I like and use the lights with Malkoff's M361 most often, being selectable to 20 lumens, 100 lumens, or 500 lumens by pressing the stock tailcap once, twice or three times. Leave it on at a desired setting for more that couple of seconds, turn it off, and it'll come back to the same light setting the  next time. It/they give a good flood and fill pattern, at a good distance. As a bonus, it only needs a single 16650 rechargeable battery to run on.

In the house and going down the stairs this morning at 2:15AM (our 13 year old man greyhound is asking to go out much earlier than he used to), I'll just have the light at 20 lumens, so I'm not blinding myself. Once I get the pack out the basement patio door, I bump the switch a couple of times and I've got enough light to really see what is going on at the edges of the backyard and fenceline at 50-ish yards.

This is the one I was going to recommend. I have a SP36Pro and it's awesome! The whole family loves it and I've purchased several more for gifts after being so impressed with mine. Everyone I've given them to has been impressed.

I've been carrying one for a decade. Tough as nails and still goin' strong.

There have been plenty of good suggestions, but i will add one more.  We live on some land and have a 14 year old deaf and mostly blind dog. She wont go outside at night without us.  She can smell the yotes and foxes.  Even the rabbits scare her at this point.

Streamlight Waypoint Dualie

We keep one at every door.  Only down side is the C batteries, but one set of batteries lasted us over a year on the one we use daily.

I use one of these to light the further reaches of the property.

Olight Javelot mini

Eneloop or Amazon Basic rechargeables with AA to C adaptors

It may be possible to retrofit existing flashlights and lanterns with more modern LED emitters.  Even though the LED emitters are less prone to breakage, usually emit more light, and draw less power than their incan counterparts, the cost of such emitters seems to preclude their use in all but the best-made older lights.  It is often more cost effective to buy a newer light made for such an LED emitter--but not always.

Malkoff gives a lifetime warranty on his LED modules.

Fun Lego fact: I have an old SF M500 on one of my HD carbines, running on two 16340 batteries and one dummy CR123, behind a M61SHO (450 lumens). It works! And if I want more, I can easily swap in the 1100 lumen M91 (and one more battery) that I have in a M3 Combat light right now.

Pretty sure I have a similar setup with some older (originally Incan) SureFire lights I got for a song.  I was initially thinking of other types of lights, such as some AA, C, and D cell lights, and had forgotten about installing modern LED emitters into the SF lights.  From what I can tell, the upgraded old SF lights work at least as well as they did before.

I'd agree that putting out 10x the original light output is working at least as well. Malkoff's M361 LMH LED also lets you bump the OEM switch to select output levels from 20, 100, or 500 lumens.

I've also been dabbling in a new combination of upgrades for Maglites.

This LED has worked well with the 4 D cell Maglite I gave to my Mom: LiteXpress LXB525 2Mode LED Upgrade Modules 525 or 55 Lumens only for 3-7 C/D-Cell Maglite Flashlights, * (dont use for 2 cell Maglite) for $19.98 https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08L2JZM1F/ref=ox_sc_saved_title_10?smid=A66D1IE524P93&;psc=1

* it requires a minimum of 4.5vdc to operate

I am curious to see if it'll also work with a single 18650 (up to 26650) rechargeable, as there are people selling 3D printed adapter inserts to upgrade a 2 D cell flashlight: example of EBay battery adapter

When I bought some LED emitters (way back when) the emitters were not nearly so advanced as they have apparently become. Time, and technology has passed me by.  I'll need to look into this new (to me) technology and thank you for bringing it to my attention.

My USGI  2xAA "Pilot's Flashlight"  https://thumbs.worthpoint.com/qVXjve2OZapprMcJFDCBVzMEiFc=/250x0/worthopedia/images/images1/1/0517/31/1_7859d5b27b4f2026f6866b2e03ec9ad8.jpg  is probably better off without a high-light emitter, but some other already-owned and decent but ancient lights originally fitted with Incan bulbs are likely to benefit from better, modern LED emitters.

As I said, it's up to the user do determine whether retrofitting LED emitters is worth the expense.  

I have a useful USGI hand-held lamp with an LED emitter bought long ago.  It has never had the degree of light emission I had hoped for.  Your suggestions for a more modern LED emitter are most welcome. @GunnyG

I can say for sure that my 3xD cell Maglite with an LED emitter bought long ago does certainly throws some useful light.

I appreciate rechargeable batts and have a few types as well as highly recommended charging units.

Congrats on modifying/updating your "legacy" devices and making best use of them.  A penny saved is a penny earned.

Saved? I wish . . .

For the record, I did buy a NIW 2D Blue anodized incan Maglite very recently, but in my defense it was only 5.99 at Goodwill. . . Definitely didn't need to buy another one.

On the other hand, I have granddaughters, and those weak LEDs from NiteIze, powered by some rechargeable AAs in AA to D converters are some fine playtoys.

It's all good, GunnyG.  We are all learning stuff and that's always good!

Rechargeable usb-c type,  bright...

I still have an old 4 x D-Cell Maglite that's over 30 years old. I also picked up three 4 x C-Cell Maglites over the past 20 years ago (I just remember a sale for them). I've since upgraded all four with LED lights and I use NiMH D and C cell batteries. I just rotate and charge the batteries annually.

The LEDs are much more robust and while the output won't knock you socks off, they're still hefty enough to simply knock you out

ROCK6

Feyachi FL-11 1200 lumens Weapons light.

These are absolutely reliable, I've got 16 of them in service.

Comes with 2 18-650 batteries, charger, end cap button on/off switch AND second end cap with momentary/on off switch.

These are blindingly bright and cast an excellent field of light. I'm a self admitted "flashlight whore" and I use these lights as weapons lights mounted on my ARs and as general purpose flashlights around the farm.
They are small enough to drop into a pocket, O ring sealed, rechargeable battery, and have  a sharp serrated bezel that would put a hurt on someone if hit with it.

Trust me, if you buy one, you'll buy a few more.

https://www.amazon.com/Feyachi-Flashlight-Picatinny-Rechargeable-Batteries/dp/B07VGH8286

SUREFIRE.

Tractor supply used to sell a rebranded version of this. Good for airsoft or larping. It had a reverse clicky which isnt good since you cant do momentary 1/2 press activation. The tape switch is fragile and breaks just by looking at it. Non-existant replacement parts