Tactical Flashlight: Is Maglite still the 'choice'?

[Bill Mattocks]

I carried a 4 C cell Maglite when I was in LE, that was the ticket at the time. Also had the halogen bulb conversion.

However, that was a long time ago. Due to recent skunk attacks on my dogs in the backyard, I find that I have to patrol during the hours of darkness before letting them out, or they'll get into the skunk and I know well the result. So we bought a couple el cheapo LED flashlights, which work well enough, but they eat expensive AAA batteries like crazy.

So my first thought was to pick up a couple Maglites that use C or D cells, which can do the job as well as serve as last-resort self-defense.

But I realize my knowledge is dated. Anything else out there now that I should consider? Looking for something not too expensive (around $20-$30), preferably LED, long battery life, and perhaps with the ability to be swung around like a truncheon if the need arises.

 

[Carol]

Xue Sheng and I have a long running joke about me and my broken maglites.

Personally, I prefer my Surefire....but after being a shift worker for nearly 5 years, I've come to appreciate the importance of having a very good light with you after midnight

It is pricier than the maglite, but it also produces a much better light in a smaller package.

http://www.americadelivered.com/wp/2008/01/12/cranes-brushstroke-animal-notes/

 

[yorkshirelad]

Maglites? Oh yes, I think they're next to the Betamax VCRs in the Smithsonian.

 

[Brian R. VanCise]

Like Carol I prefer my Pentagon light! (it is a small light that burns bright like the surfire)

 

[Bill Mattocks]

Like Carol I prefer my Pentagon light! (it is a small light that burns bright like the surfire)

Not quite something you can smack someone upside the punkin haid with though, eh?

 

[CanuckMA]

A few things to consider. Light intensity is one, but the ability to use it as a baseball bat is another.

And then there is battery life. D cells are just going to last longer than AA or AAA.

 

[Carol]

Not quite something you can smack someone upside the punkin haid with though, eh?

Sure it is. The crenelated strike bezel on my E2D is designed to break automotive glass. And other hard, senseless objects.

 

[Bruno@MT]

So we bought a couple el cheapo LED flashlights, which work well enough, but they eat expensive AAA batteries like crazy.

Use rechargeables?
The kind used for photo flashes should last a good time on each charging.

 

[Brian R. VanCise]

Not quite something you can smack someone upside the punkin haid with though, eh?

Actually it is a great striking implement in your fist. Very damaging. Better even than that is that it can work easily with other tools in the dominant hand. ie. handgun or knife.

These models are where LEO's, Military, etc. have all moved to because they do not weight as much, take up as much space and have the option to be used with firearms, etc.

 

[Omar B]

I carry a hard plastic flashlight with 2 AA batteries. It's not one of those fancy new LEDs, it's got a regular old bulb in there, but it works fine for me. Any flashlight is better than non at all.

 

[Hudson69]

Fenix TA21 Level 225 Lumen Tactical LED Flashlight

Here is a handy little light, modeled after similar surefire lights they are pretty tough. I have one in a mount on my Patrol AR-15 and another on my belt. I have the tripple setting model so the higher the output the shorter the battery life. I like the crenallated bezel because it turns the little light into some type of defensive weapon. The clip allows you to stick it in your pocket and keep it out of the way for easy access later.

They do use the more expensive CR-123 batteries but mine last for six months to a year. A year on the rifle and about six months on the belt.

I still keep a 4 D cell maglight in my patrol bag though for searching open areas/fields/emergency back-up though.

 

[Bill Mattocks]

I appreciate it guys, and I understand the allure of a smaller flashlight. I want a bigger one, like the old Maglites. Just trying to see if there is anything out there that is better than the Maglite and *about the same size*. If not, I'll just buy a couple Maglites.

 

[Omar B]

I get it man. My sister got me one of those small ones where you push on the bottom and it lights up, it uses 3 AAA set next to each other inside the thing so it's really tiny, doesn't even fill my hand. I can't get into that at all. Sure it's an LED and lights up better than my free one from work that uses 2 AAs, but that one has some size which I like.

 

[Carol]

I appreciate it guys, and I understand the allure of a smaller flashlight. I want a bigger one, like the old Maglites. Just trying to see if there is anything out there that is better than the Maglite and *about the same size*. If not, I'll just buy a couple Maglites.

In that case, the Maglite is prolly you're best bet.

Check out the three-D-cell mag with the LED kit...its a damn good value, and a handy size for playing impromptu rounds of whack-a-mole

http://www.amazon.com/Mag-Lite-ST3D...ref=sr_1_1?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1284660494&sr=1-1

 

[Grenadier]

If you like Mag Lite's that much (as I do), then why not stick with a 4 D cell Mag Lite, and get the LED conversion kit? TerraLux has conversion kits that work very well:

http://www.batteryjunction.com/maledre.html

Of course, how much candlepower you want, depends on how much you want to spend...

 

[Brian R. VanCise]

Hey Bill,

You have to go with what you want of course. Me I prefer the smaller pentagon light with my firearm. However, I also own several maglite's from back in the day. One is really special because it was a gift!

 

[bribrius]

we have a couple mag lites. And a couple reg. flashlights. And a couple of the little double a battery lights. My kid has one of the ones that you shake or something and i guess supposedly it never dies because it doesnt have a real battery.

but to be honest we lose power a couple times a year. sometimes for over a week. And we run off a generator for a partial circuit so dont light the entire house. We also have a camp that, depending on time of year. May or may not have electricity. so candles are a big thing to us and i dont like paying for batterys or the reg. battery chargers or reg. rechargeables. we have three reg. battery chargers and i dont like dealing with any of them. I just find them inconvenient and you still buying rechargable batterys. In my point of view buying batterys is just a waste of money. Just dont like any of that.

so i use a tool light that is rechargable. we have a couple of them. one hour quick charge. I can plug it right into the generator too charge... Also have a spot light. it can plug into the generator but also plug into the car cigarette lighter and run with a adaptor. I like the tool lights the best. And they never actually die because you have multiple batterys so just swap it out with a new battery and they charge within a hour anyway. Not to mention the same battery that powers the lite you can use in the drill, saw, whatever else. And put it with the tool generator i never run out of light, since i can run it for whatever i need and just have a battery charging at the same time..

I realize this isn't a tactical light exactly. But take the opinion from someone that walks through the dark in the middle of winter while running off a generator. If i am out fueling the generator or clearing snow at two a.m. you will probably see a tool light in my hand or i will have it on nearby providing light..

like this... http://www.milwaukeetool.com/ProductDetail.aspx?ProductId=49-24-0185&CategoryName=Related+Items

i have another as well that opens up into a flood light.

spot light is similiar to this one http://www.savingsahead.com/P/524/coleman_powermate_rechargeable_spotlights_pml8800.html