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Flashlight

Old rooster said:
Thats a shame.I emailed them awhile back to make sure they were still made here and not China and they seemed nice.
I'll remember your experience.
I still have not made a purchase and could go towards Fenix also so not sure right now.C S makes a deal
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Fenix makes good lights, I actually purchased my first one before they were distributed in the US and had it shipped from Canada. I have owned several and gifted several over the years and we use them at work as well. If you want one light to do it all, the different illumination modes on Fenix lights is handy. You can have a low level for admin tasks and really bright when checking for eye shines in mountain lion country. I have found the modes almost too easy to switch since the buttons are near the bezel or next to the activation button on the tail cap. I feel like I am always turning the light on, then pressing the mode button to get back to whatever illumination level I had it on before because it had been bumped or inadvertently pressed. With my other lights that just have one brightness setting, I just turn them on and they are good to go. In these instances, I realize I don't miss the Fenix's modes. I have a headlamp for navigation and handy work, so I want a flashlight that puts out as much light as far as possible while working outdoors so the two complement each other.

I think if you are looking at good value for your money, Streamlight is better quality than Fenix, and their illumination levels are more "set and forget" because the programming is done through the tail switch. Surefire is better quality than both, and their Stiletto for example has a lot of the features of a Fenix with the good build quality you expect from SF for a little over $100. I bought my dad a Stiletto to replace the Fenix I had bought him when it finally died from the battery leaking and internal corrosion. It has been a couple years and so far so good. Where people fault Surefire and have started to migrate to these newer companies (Modlite, Cloud Defensive, etc) is that they offer heads that project a more focused beam and hot spot as opposed to Surefire's wider flood. I have a Surefire M600DF on my LMT and it puts out ton of lumens, but I am not able to identify targets at distance because it just doesn't have the reach for outdoors use. There is nothing wrong with it, it just was not designed for that, and most Surefires perform similarly because they are designed for room clearing without blinding yourself on a white wall.

There are a lot of great options out there, and it is easy to pick apart the different brands and products, but I think the LED and battery technology is quite good now with most of the brands people have mentioned here. It really comes down to how much you personally want to spend and what features you are looking for.
 
I own a Gen 1 Destroyer for many years and lots of rescues (OW Lifeguard) and pulled the trigger on the Gen 2 a few days ago.

www.powertac.com

Destroyer-X10K-G2- 9,500 Lumen Search & Rescue Light

Key Features:The pinnacle of portable search & rescue lightsInternal cooling fan and superior heat dissipation Long runtimePerfect balance of throw &...
www.powertac.com www.powertac.com

You haven't seen anything like this Gen 2
 
To me, unless you buy garbage, new trumps "best."

Rather than the "One Best Light," I'd go with a solid new one each year, over the one that is or was "Best" ten years ago.

No corrosion, gaskets are new, bulb or LED is new.

You already know this about batteries. Would you rather have the best, or new?
 
It's not a sexy option, but the good old 2-AA mag light is hard to beat for reliable. I have beat the heck out of these and they always light up.

I went to a single AAA streamlight a couple years ago, works well, is bright and with a AAA headlamp I can carry less spare batteries that will work in either.
 
My EDC is a Thrunite W1 (693 Max Lumen- 90 minutes at 215L - 68mmx24mm) or a TS1 (1212 Max Lumens- 80minutes at 407L- 70mmx26mm ). Both have a nice blend of flood vs throw. They are rock solid dependable.
 
For hunting or any real work outside in the dark it has to be a headlamp, and I'm glad to hear recommendations for those because I have a cheap one.

For everything else a Streamlight 2LX has been perfect for me. Low/High settings are just right, 18650 batteries are king, and (most importantly) its just the right size that I don't mind carrying it everywhere

Tried a Fenix PD35TAC once. It was nice and bright but awful for edc. You can't tailstand the light, the button to change brightness is more annoying than useful, and the design of the carry clip keeps it so high in the pocket that every time I sat down my belt would switch the light on without me knowing. IMO Fenix is the worst bang-for-buck out there.
 
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We black bear hunt, and oftentimes black bear hunting will turn into a night time sport. We carry a Streamlight ProTac headlamp, a Protac HL and a Streamlight "Micro Stream" with us at all times. The headlamp stays crumpled up in a cargo pocket and it doesn't take up too much room at all, and it primarily is used if we are looking for a bear, the Protac HL is a great light that we use for just about everything around camp or anything hunting in general. Then there's the Streamlight Micro Stream. This little light is a small flashlight that uses one "AAA" battery that fits in your pocket. I find it a great light to use when coming out of a stand and back to the truck because it illuminates enough to light up the trail, yet does not light up the entire woods like Times Square. The Protac HL is another light that never is out of reach. It is carried in a sheath on our belt so no matter what we are not without a good light if it is needed. And the ProTac headlamp really lights up the woods and is a "great companion" when trying to locate a bear in the brush. The good part about the headlamp and the the Pro Tac HL is that they use the same "123" batteries. We always carry a spare set of batteries with us. We tape them together with a good length of duct tape (duct tape reserve) and they are no larger than a 12 gauge shotgun shell. I believe in the three light system that we use as we always have a good light system when we're out after dark. That little Streamlight Micro Stream is really handy for those middle of the night stops we sometimes have to make and around camp in general. This light also has a clip that will allow it to be clipped to the brim of your hat. I am not a fan of USB charged flashlights because if the battery does go flat and one is in the woods there are not too many USB ports out there to charge the light.
 
For butchering an elk or walking in the woods, 200 lumens is plenty. For chasing bear or spotting a mountain lions trrying to sneak up on you while butchering a deer or trying to bushwhack trail and prevent yourself from cliffing out, a spotlight is better. Either way, it has to be a headlamp. Do you butcher with one hand or hold the flashlight your mouth while butchering? Headlamps rule, and I always have a spare. The key is a switch that doesn't turn the light on in your pack. I was walking back in the dark on an aoudad hunt and my buddy had 3 big flashlights, and none of them worked. I've had several UK mini dive lights, but they eventually corroded and quit working. I use the lime green Everyready headlamp. I use the red light when walking in the dark across elk meadows. Many believe elk can't see color.
 

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