Posted: 7/23/2008 7:55:40 PM EDT
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I currently own a Surefire Nitrolon G2 flashlight. I figure it's been a pretty good balance between cost and performance. With 60 lumens its damned bright for such a small light. I do have one complaint: Battery life sucks, and the damned batteries are expensive. I continually look for new products. With the recent development in LED technology I figured it is only a matter of time before someone comes up with a lower cost LED alternative that equals the Surfire G2 I have. I was in Walmart, of all places, and seen some new flashlights (they were resetting the sporting goods department). A new flashlight followed me home. I unpacked it, fired it up and compared it side by side with my Surefire (and fresh batteries). The new light is advertised at 115 lumens (vs 60 for the surefire), and a batt life of 5 hours. I do not know about battery life yet, but the batteries are regular AA, much cheaper than N123's... The new light is definitely brighter and whiter than the surefire. Very high quality light too, with even dispersal and a nice bright center. Light disperal and focus is equal to or better than my surefire. It looks like it has a similar vapor deposit reflector cone too. The new light is also pretty well constructed, with a machined aluminum body and a quality feel. The new light cost $28. The package also indicates Cree LEDS. The surprising part: The new light is a Coleman Max, of all damned things. Made in China unfortunately. We'll see about long term durability but right now this new light looks like one helluva buy for under $30. |
Go here Grasshopper, and you will be enlightened.  Be careful though! BLD* is just as addictive as BRD *Bright light disease |
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I recently bought the coleman from walmart that uses 3 AAA batteries. It offers one red, one blue, or one very bright white led. I forget its output but the white led is pretty impressive with a much shorter run time compared to the other 2 led options. I have some rechargable AAA batteries that came with the AA rechargables I got so I wanted to get something to mess around with the AAA batteries for a bit. I am planning to stick my surefire g2 on my fal I guess. With a different tailcap that would offer a better way to turn it on and off while on the rifle the short run time won't be much a big deal. I hope I am happy with my made in china coleman. But one thing I will say about both surefire lights I own, they handle constant use very very well and have never caused me to wonder if they will work after being dropped or something else I accidently did to them. |
Major point here. Bright as all get out is cool, but if the battery won't last for more than 1 or 2 hours, it's not that useful for a survival light. I just ordered the L0D Q4 and L1D Premium. 2 lights easily carried in your pocket, and can run on AAA and AA.
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DealExtreme has a Cree R2 Drop-In LED that is rated over 200 lumens for only $12.40 I've got one in my rifle light 
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frozenny, surefire now offers the nitrolon g2 in LED. they advertise 80 lumens and a battery life of 12 hours. priced @$65. i saw the coleman lights at wally world and wondered how well they worked thanks for the report. sam's had two LED lights rated at 115 lumens for $30 w/ 20 hours advertised battery life. i picked some up and they work well, but the light spreads out too much for me. it's good to about 150' then spreads too much to be usable. works well under that range though. battery life will likely hit the 20 hour mark w/ some minor loss of brightness. |
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I was looking at flashlights at my walmart tonight and they are still redoing some of that area. The one I bought with 3 AAA batteries has the cree led and 115 output with the clear led. It lists a shorter runtime on it, still 5 to 7 hours somewhere I think. The blue or red has a 50 hour runtime. The coleman led with 2 AA batteries had only a 7 hour runtime and 5 leds in it I think. It did not list longer run times for less leds so I am not sure if it has that option or not. It also did not say cree anywhere on the package that I could find so I did not want to buy it. Seemed like a low run time as well. There were some other coleman AAA flashlights but the one I mentioned above seems to be the most expensive at 29 and some change. There were some other flashlights as well and by no means do I know what will work best for everyone. I still keep wanting a maglight solitare due to size but I don't think I have ever bought one. I think for something to keep in the vehicle these coleman AAA flashlights with 115 lumen output or the lower output options are nice. It is a bit big for carry unless specifically taking it hiking or wearing a jacket or something. |
In this day and age of LED lights, the Maglight solitaire sucks. Little runtime for little output. I've owned a number over the years, and they were pretty neat for the time. I still have one that looks shiny new. Do yourself a favor and look at a Fenix AAA light. Fenix AAA There are others out there, go to Candlepower Forums like juslearning mentioned. Tons of reviews for every little detail on lights. I probably sound like a Fenix fanboy now, but I like the simple switch interface on the Fenix and they are very efficient (long runtime). I also trust them, my light has taken a number of hard knocks and is still working great. |
And that is why I still like the size but don't own one. I will be checking out the other forums and what not and I figure with everyone saying how good fenix is then it must be decent. But I do love to see things in person before buying them. I guess if maglight had an led solitare I would have bought one, but instead I will be buying from someone else. |
The little L0D is on my key chain. It will flat out put a 4 D cell maglite to shame on high for brightness, and put one to shame for life on low. I have not seen anything that matches it for size. What a great little light. You will not be dissapointed. I am looking for an excuse to make another order to fenix for a couple more L1D's and another L0D. Great lights to have in every drawer, pocket, and every vehicle. |
Read CandlePower forums there is a lot of good info there. The Fenix lights are well made and seem to be quite durable. Mine fell 8' onto a tile over concrete floor among other times and it still works well. Problem is you won't see many of the high quality LED lights in the store. If it helps, I also have a few Mini Mag LED 2xAA lights. I also have the L1D CE/L2D 1xAA/2xAA (spare body). The Fenix is a much better light with longer runtime. L1D CE / L2D CE review and runtimes The lights are more expensive, but don't forget batteries. A 12-pack of the Lithium AA's cost me $20 at Sam's club. That's about 380 hours with the L1D CE, or 500 with the L2D CE. Now I must really look like a fanboy, it's probably because I'm eagerly awaiting my new lights in the mail.
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Alright, I will learn about the baby fenix lights and probably order something in the coming weeks. With all the changes in the sporting goods flashlight section I found some stuff finally on clearance at a reasonable price. I got a brinkman 2AA led light with batteries and icky loose holster for 7 bucks and tax. Mostly I kind of wanted something cheap to use at work now and then instead of always using my surefire. Actually I will loan out the $7 light to people who ask nicely. I also got myself a maglight led, it is the 2 D cell light and its endcap holds what looks like the old standard lightbulb but I did not take the top of the flashlight apart to see what they did to make it an led. I am guessing the old bulb would drop in but not sure and don't care. For $17 dollars and tax I got a nice sized light that is hard for people to misplace. Now to some extent I look at flashlights in 2 ways. The really nice ones are used for my use and to some extent that is self defense since blinding someone slows things down when you are not sure what someone wants in a dark parking lot at odd hours. The cheap ones are for family and friends or extras to leave in the vehicle and what not. I have some older batteries that have a bit of a charge still left, but until led lights got cost effective I just kept the old batteries around for no real reason. The maglight was mostly bought to use up some half used D cell batteries I have around here. Other than finding a nice tiny fenix with a cree led and one battery needed I am done on flashlights for a long while. But lately I have noticed I use flahlights a lot and I really notice if I am not dressed for work and carrying my normal flashlight in its holder. I now have flashlights to chew up half used batteries I have sitting around and can set up the vehicle and bags with better lights and not always be stealing them. |
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I'm not a big flashlight whore, although I do have quite a few mostly inexpensive lights. After reading this thread, I picked up a Coleman Max (one of the most expensive lights I've ever bought) last night at Wal-Mart. Fuuuuck! That thing is bright! Thanks Frozenny. a-bare |
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I never really got the flashlight bug. The two I have are old. I use a Maglite Rechargeble that is rated at 30K candlepower. I don't know how many lumens that is, but it will light you up at 100+ yards. The other is a Stramlight Stinger, another rechargable light. This one is rated 125 Lumens, ( and they say 15K candlepower). Both have wall chargers, as well as car chargers. I have never felt the need for a better light than these. |
www.malkoffdevices.com/shop2/index-main_page-index-cPath-1_2.html You won't regret getting one of these. Malkoff Devices products are awesome! |
Once you get ahold of a light like the Fenix P2D CE and it out performs the Maglite Rechargable and is the size of your thumb. You will also find out how the low setting will get most of you work done and run for 3 or 4 times longer than that maglite. I have a stinger with in reach of me right now. It is a great light. It will never last as long or be as bright as my P2D. The other difference is the quality of the light. I hate lights with artifacts in them. I like smooth, white light. Drink the koolaid! It tastes good!
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I just received my Fenix L0D Q4 today. Wow!!! Unbelievable how much light this thing puts out for 1 AAA. Me likey. 
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I need to get a couple of those. I have a pair of Chicom R2s and they are insanely bright. Since page two is mine here is a picture of an Cree R2 in action:   Thers the light on my 458 SOCOM SBR. I changed the mount to a DD. That was just what I had laying around at the time. 
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