/out/ tourist here, but it seems like an appropriate place to askWhat's a good, cheap flashlight?
Nightstick NSP-2422R$30I use this for work underneath houses and have absolutely beat the shit out of it some days. 2 years later and it still works like new. The neodymium magnets are a plus as you can snap it onto a metal surface and use it hands free - or clip it to your bag/shirt/walking stick.
>>2765726Good and cheap is like a lion in a cage with a gazelle
>>2765726Crank rechargable flashlights used to be a thing.They were too good, so Big Flashlight decided to ban them.
>>2765726What are you using it for? The only people I know who still use flashlights are mechanics, who use small ones that can look around in tight spaces, or security guards who use giant ones for bashing niggers with. Most people who want a light for /out/, and most other people too nowadays, use headlamps.
>>2765726I have maybe 7 of these floating around >one in every car>one in every floor >one in every bag Cheap chinesium 18650 battery flashlight
>>2765893>They were too goodproof you never used one of those fucking shit things, only thing worse were hand cranked radios
ive really been looking at the Arkfeld Pro>do i need a laser?no>do i need a UV light?no>do i already have a S2R?yeswould it be stupid to buy one, yes, undoubtedly, do i still kinda want it? yeah...
>>2765900>just leaving 18650s to bake in carsNot a fan of that strategy. Despite the lower output I only keep more stable chemistry cell lights in the cars. I like the energizer branded AAA headlamps since they start on red then go to low high white. I also find headlamps more useful than handheld for when I need something more than my phone light.
>>2765726https://www.amazon.com/EverBrite-Flashlight-Adjustable-Heavy-duty-Batteries/dp/B07L4MR986/I got this and a $80 Coast flashlight around the same time when I was looking for a good "big flashlight" (like around the size of an old maglite). Returned the Coast and kept this. It's less lumens by specs, but puts out a much more natural light that's easier to see. I like this type with a beam you can focus, to get a brighter but smaller light on something after spotting it.
>>2765900I have a bunch of these too. Very useful to keep around everywhere. Just irritating when they get stuck in a cycle of flashing strobe instead of a solid beam and you have to keep clicking the button. >>2765904They come with a 3xAAA adapter sleeve. At least some brands do.
>>2765904I don't keep them with batteries in, I always have a pair of 18650s on hand. I picked an emergency radio that uses them too just to streamline it all. But I agree dangerous to leave in the heat.
>>2765913If it's in a compartment and not direct sunlight it's fine anyway. I've kept a tire inflator with a li-ion battery in a bag my back seat for 2+ years.
>>2765902Let me guess, your first name is Nick and last name is Gurr.
>>2765920First name: A masculine title of Greek origin, means “man” or “manly.”Skip the middle namesLast name: Approximately 4,118 people bear this surname. let's just say, in the past, a bunch Swedes banged, found out Danish women are way hotter, they also banged, so, essentially I had, at birth a 50/50 chance of Larsen or something SwedishFlip a coin, make a guess
>>2765726>be me>type out thoughtful reply>realize most flashlights are rechargeable nowadays and my advice doesn't matterTime flies, boys.
>>2765903You mother fucker now I want one for absolutely no reason too
>>2766183It would fulfil no useful niche for me.>head lamp: check >flashlight: check>Lantern: both an electric and two fluid ones, checkDumb little laser pointer? No, and I'm not even sure what a UV light does? Is it the same a blacklight? Because if so, being able to expose my friends cum stains for a laugh might be entirely worth it
>>2766158>realize most flashlights are rechargeable nowadays and my advice doesn't matterI don't use a rechargeable flashlight because batteries can be swapped faster than a flashlight can be recharged and I don't want to sit down and wait an hour in the middle of the night for my flashlight to start working again.
>>2766197>I don't use a rechargeable flashlight because batteries can be swapped faster than a flashlight can be rechargedmight just be me, but generally i dont need my flashlight to be on, continuously for 32 hours
The Streamlight Stylus is excellent. It takes AAA batteries. It throws its beam a great distance. It is incredibly light. And best of all it can be had for around $20 US off Amazon.
>>2766211In the penlight format at the <$20 price, I really like the Olight i3T EOS. Single AAA and unlike the non-rechargable stylus, it has low/high modes.
>>2766205My pocket flashlight has ~1.5hr runtime, uses two AAA batteries, and is roughly the size of a Sharpie. My innawoods headlamps and map light use AAA batteries so I keep spare batteries around in case I need to top off any of my illumination devices while /out/. >>2766211I've been carrying the Stylus Pro for years now, I like it a lot.
>>2766197The batteries themselves are rechargeable. I have a Nitecore whos battery has a USB plug directly on it. You can swap battery while one is charging. Or just insert Battery
>>2765726Manker. They also sell headbands to make it into a headlamp.
>>2765903I was in that same boat last year. Pulled the trigger in Feb. Bought another one as a gift. Yes I know its chinkshit but they havent failed me yet. 99$ for Arkfeld Pro whereas USA made lights project max 80 lumins and cost 3x as much.
my two centsget a very small keychain flashlight to always have on your person. momentary switches are best so you don't drain the battery accidentally. this is so that you aren't stuck in the dark digging in your bag for a flashlight by feel, and also so that you don't have to dig it out in the first place for minor tasks. this light should be very small. this of course does not eliminate actual flashlights and headlamps, but it covers about half your needs
>>2766420When I "upgraded" to a modern flashlight, I went from a maglite my dad gave me in the late 90' to an Olight, not a shilling for the company or anything, but man, it felt like going straight from the stone age to fuck idunno crazy space tech
Get a Convoy S2+ or any Convoy flashlight that will suit your needs.
>>2767850based. Also has a bunch of modifications you can add on if you want to get autistic with it.
>>2765726I bought an expensive cloud defensive light and think I lost itAlways keep your light on a lanyard
>>2765894alright nigger recommend me some good headlamps disposable battery powered pref.
>>2765726I've got a 2-D cell Maglite that's 30 years old and other then replacing the batteries every few years, I've only replaced the bulb once.
>>2766476I agree. Thats how I felt when I got my first "serious" nitecore in 2013. My boss gave me so much shit for buying an 80$ flashlight. Said he could get 3 for 20 at costco. He was so shocked when I reminded him of our convo when I left 7 years later.
>>2769616Forgot to add, and my flashlight still worked. Brightest shit hes ever seen in his life.
>>2765726Maglite pro+ led Runs on 2 AA batteries and has a low and high setting which you activate by holding it either straight down or normal when you twist the head to turn it on. Leather holster is optional, they usually come with a cheap nylon one that also works but I like this one better. Also have this contraption by olight to use it on my bike.When I first got it over ten years ago it was just about the brightest flashlight I or anyone I knew had ever seen. Today there are brighter ones but they use weird batteries or are rechargeable only. I currently run usb c rechargeable batteries too as an experiment but I like that AA cells are so readily available, easy to carry and I can always swap them and recharge them later if I don’t have time or patience to wait. Some years ago I got another one because it thought my first one went bad but it turned out I had just neglected maintenance because I was a kid and the cheapo batteries I was using were defective, some petroleum jelly and better batteries and I was good to go, since then I kept the original one in my cars center console and the other one in my Uni bag. I still think it’s simply the most versatile for me, I’ve taken it to sleepovers, camping, explored old mines and buildings, climbed some mountains with it, and it’s also served me well on my bike commute in all kinds of weathers and temperatures on a daily basis without fail. It also survived some drops down a tiled staircase. Unlike many other flashlights that would corrode or whose switches would malfunction I’m pretty confident in the quality of this one having owned and used it for a long time. It also doesn’t look stupidly tactical for no reason and if you’re smart you can actually get it in bright colors so you can find it better in the dark.Best part is you don’t have to cycle through 4 fucking light modes every fucking time.
The lights recommended in this thread are far too expensive when you can get something like this and light a football field for like $8. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Maxesla-Zoomable-Flashlight-Powerful-Resistant/dp/B09GG1NR6C/What's the best CHEAP chinkshit?
>>2765726Good red light flashlight?
>>2765726>>2769716Prometheus Beta QRv2 Chroma
I'm thinking of getting an Olight Warrior 3s. I know they're overpriced, but it seems like they do a cleaner fit of my needs than any of the other inexpensive options out there, and ngl I'm a sucker for the magnetic charging.I'll let you guys know if I made this mistake later.
>>2768398Enjoy your 80 lumen paperweight. With 3D or bigger you can at least use them for self defense. 2D seems worse than useless.
>>2770023I ended up pulling the trigger on that Warrior 3S, my previous flashlight experience being with a 3x D cell Maglite.It was probably overpriced, but I like it. It's smaller than I thought it would be, which is not necessarily a bad thing for pocketability.The charger is nice.
Black Diamond headlamp, 250 lumens. Streamlight stylus backup, everyday light. Cheap and effective. Been doing this stuff since the eighties. If it’s really cold out, put your lights and phone in your sleeping bag.
>>2765726Sofirn sc33$45 from their official website All other answers in this thread are wrong
>>2765726Although it is far from cheap (it's $70), I currently use a P200LR. It's very nearly perfect, with it being too floody for my tastes (the hotspot is 10+ degrees, causing the brightness to fall off too quickly). Being able to select a brightness by twisting the head is very useful.I wish Eagtac would put the featureset of the T25C2 into a D-series form-factor and add USB-C recharging, it would literally be flashlight perfection.
Other ways to see in the dark, especially if you are killing pigs, the flashlights scare them and give away your position.
>>2770928I like Sofirn lights. Pretty good bang for your buck. I have problems with the battery's performing in anything below freezing though. Not ideal in Alaska.
>>2765726for what purpose? lots of variables. headlamps are a better choice for a lot of things. rovyvon makes great keychain sized lights, i every day carry one on my keys. there's many great quality options in the 20-40 dollar range. Convoy, Sofirn and Wurkkoslook are good budget options. Higher priced but higher quality check out fenix nitecore and stream light. if you plan to use it any amount i'd adopt the 18650 system and buy a couple batteries and charger. it will pay for itself very quickly.
>>2769711I have a couple of those generic ones you posted floating around. They run off 3x AAA but mine came with a sleeve for each to run 18650s in them if you want. Buy a clearance power tool battery and get a handful of LG or Samsung cells for cheap.Also a few years back I got some $5 little lipstick sized power banks from Walmart that were a single 20650 cell inside and those cells fit perfect.
>>2768398Are the LED conversion kits for these classic Maglites any good?
>>2772674I'd recommend the LED conversions of classic Maglites over the actual LED Maglites. Try Malkoff for the conversion parts.
>>2765726Any fucking nightstick that can work for 4 hours straight, bought in a dollar store. If you can read fine print with it, it's good enough.If you think you need anything better - you're preparing for a larp.If you think you need anything lasting longer - you should find entirely different light source.
All these Olight fags.Don't come crying when it blows up in your face.
anyone have a comfy warm glow smallish lantern recommendation?
>>2773057I have a black diamond moji R+ that I enjoy when camping.
>>2765900I have one of those from some random chink company. Looks exactly like the one in your pic, but different branding.Cheapest flashlight I own, and I have since ~2014 or so. Still works well despite heavy use and getting treated like shit.
>>2774595>but different brandingI see this often. It's frustrating, because it makes product reviews hard to find. I have a pic related FiTorch ER16. But I also have a fully identical one that carries a Ledwise-branding. Both are good, because, well, they're the same thing. But when I tried to find reviews for the Ledwise-branded one, no luck, because Google had no idea what I was asking. The FiTorch brand name immediately brought up several very helpful reviews.
>>2765726Torch*
>>2774911Unless you're suggesting that OP resort to primitive lighting solutions I will remind you that the language of this website is American English.
>>2774843This is a common problem for pretty much every item on Amazon. You have one or two manufacturers making the same products for like 12 or 13 different 6-letter rangomly-generated brand names.
>>2765903First OLight torch I bought was the Arkfeld Pro, fell out of my shirt pocket from ~175cm onto a ceramic tiled kitchen floor.Other than some minor damage to one corner it's as though it never happened, still functions perfectly.Have since bought two Baton 3 Pro's with a spare battery for each & the 2000 Lumen front bike light.All solid.
>>2766196"Blacklight" means UltraViolet, yes.
>>2765737>Good and cheap is like a lion in a cage with a gazelleNot always true. If you can get Powerbuilt tools from an automotive shop where you live, they have an LED torch that's better than ledlenser for a fraction of the price. Like NZ$15. It's genuinely good.
>>2765726Good, cheap is an oxymoron.
A lot of mentions of the arkfeld pro, but noone talking about its proprietary magnetic chargerThe only alternative I've found (and ordered yesterday) is the trustfire mini x3, very similar plus a side "flood"light with high criThe one light I can attest to is my MH12S, and would trust most of nitecore's range, it's bright, solid built, and the charge on the 21700 lasts
Convoy S2>1800 lumens>$15>Can be found on aliexp with free international shipping.
I unironically would love olight more if they don't put special snowflake battery on everything
>>2765903i love this little bastard and carry it every day. the only thing worth mentioning is they can sometimes have quirks that are unique to each model. the friend who told me about them has never had issues for like a year now. one friend, the selector tab is a little rougher than mine, and then mine, the laser isnt as bright as the others. its like some weird inside the lens kind of thing, idk it still works fine. the light is great, im sure there are better options but im not a flaslight person so i think it works well. maybe im just a peasant i dont know. the UV light is fucking hilarious to use in random places, and the laser is good. battery life is great, would recommend
>>2778582my niggaI love mine, carried it for 2 years with no complaints. Maybe except having to retighten the internals every time it gets flickery. got the high-cri sst20 version in a warmer tint, I like being able to see true color for medfag stuff, sacrificed a fair bit of efficiency and brightness for it though
>>2765726I need a simple on and off red light one that can fit in my pocket. Preferably one where I can adjust the brightness so I can go from just needing a little bit of light to read a list of license plates while not giving my position away. To turning up the brightness to walk thru a park.
>>2778888I also need a butane lighter or something better to light a smoke in the dark without giving my position away. Whats a lighter that gives off the least amount of light?
Not really the right place, but can anyone recommend me some good NODs? I want something high quality, durable and very effective. Battery life can be limited, I don't care about that.
>>2778729I don't actually own one, but know that its got a good reputation. I prefer right angled lights that can be used as headlamps. Like the sofirn sp40, or hs42.
>>2778889Realistically, you have 2 choices. Use a pic related butane torch, and adjust the flame low. Or, use a plasma lighter. But, if the idea is to stay hidden like a ninja, you do realize that the cigarette you're smoking could reveal you just the same. From the smell, and by the smoldering tip.
>>2779661>the cigarette you're smoking could reveal you just the samehttps://files.catbox.moe/wrgebw.mp4
>>2778889There are electric lighters with a little toaster like heating element
Thoughts on the NU20 Classic? Why do people prefer it over the NU25? The NU25 has more output and a larger battery for only 7g more weight.
>>2779910the nu25 is a great headtorch. Had mine for a while now and it's served me well on multiple thru hikes, running, and just pottering about doing chores and jobs.
>>2779941On paper the specs for the NU25 do seem better.Have you seen the NU27? It has a 600 lumen output and a wide beam. However I don't like how yellow it is.
>>2779910Get a propper headlight like a Skilhunt H150, or an Acebeam H16You can use them with the included 14500 rechargeable battery, or AA batteries. They can also be taken off the headstrap and used as a normal flashlight. They are a way better buy overall. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=87aezeCh9F8
>>2765903>>2766237>>2766476>>2770023>>2773019>>2776042>>2778583not very old i know but it still checks out
>>2781396aftermarket battery that exploded, yeah you baited me.
I have a bunch of quality 18650s from a failed tool battery repair, shill me a good nonproprietary replaceable light for them. Highest candela. Tactical edc format. Not chinesium trash.
>>2781487Just get some chinesium lights and put the good cells in.The thing is most 18650 lights are rechargeable. And they take awhile to run through good cells, so you can always recharge them after some use while they’re still in the light. It’s not like “I have a 5 year supply of AAs, what lights use those?”I like the tacticool zooming lights that were sold under some as seen on TV Bell & Howell Taclite brand but are all over Amazon like 2 for $10. They come with 3x AAAs inside, but the 2pk I got came with little plastic sleeves for 18650s. Leave em all over the place with quality Samsung or LG 18650s, they’re brighter with the lithium cells than the 3x AAA holder, and they’re great to loan out to people and grab whenever you need the nearest light.
>>2781487>>2781497Picrel shows the cheap taclight and the 3xAAA carrier they come with. Lots of these lights want button top 18650s, so I leave like 1cm of nickel tab on the cell from the power tool battery and bend it over and they fit pretty well.The issue you may run into, lots of 18650s that come in flashlights with the button top could potentially have a little protection circuit in the cell itself. I have a Coast light like that. I’ve been curious about running plain 18650s in there and it’s not clear whether the light has low voltage cutoff circuitry in it or you need to make sure you shut the light off manually before the battery gets too low. Lithium cells will get fucked if you run them too low.
>>2781498Thanks anon. I'm fine with spending money though. I want that far throw 30k candela goodness. I don't trust cheap junk to not burn my house down.
How much of a meme are Zebralights? Need a new headlamp and these seem to fit my criteria pretty well
>>2781395>Heavier>No red lightIt's not a better buy and I already have a headlamp like this that uses 18650 batteries.
>>2781395Hey that guy reviewed the HS42 from Sofirn. Finally a good channel that properly reviews flashlights, instead of ranting for 10 minutes for Youtube ad revenue.
>>2781826Best 18650 headlamp?I'm so sick of my blackddiamond AAA headlamp, thing has like 20min battery life.
>>2781769Never owned a Zebralight. Their UI's have always seemed uneccesarrily retarded to me. Their headband's are shit allso. It's the kind of headband that you'd get on a $30 Sofirn.For me it's the Fenix HM65R ShadowMaster.Or if I wanted a tube style light like the Zebralight, it would be the Fenix HM61R V2.0.
Try a headlamp instead.
Clip lights have been my go-to for years, pic related is about 18 grams per light
>>2781898Nitecore HC68 or Skillhunt H200.https://zeroair.org/2022/03/21/nitecore-hc68-headlamp-review/https://zeroair.org/2024/06/07/skilhunt-h200-18650-charging-headlamp-review/
>>2781982I like that Fenix finally made a version of the HM65 with a red light, but not at the cost the the flood light. I'd rather get the HM75R which has both.
>>2782544TyI'm also thinking the fenix one that also looks like a normal 90* flashlight. Magnetic end is v helpful for work too.Not had the best experience with fenix before. Armytek is great but lacks the reach, just floodlight.
been using this bad larry for a few years.it's not very bright but I hiked up the grand canyon at night with it so I guess it's bright enough.it's nice that it always defaults to red no matter what and available at every px.
>>2775206>>>2774911>Unless you're suggesting that OP resort to primitive lighting solutions I will remind you that the language of this website is American English or however the burgers are flipped.
Kneel
>>2782557I'd recommend getting a light with a colour temperature of 4500k. This colour is most similar to sunlight, so whatever you illuminate will have colours. Cooler lights that are 6500K make everything too bluish/greenish.
>>2782832I have one; it's quite good. Probably the best 2xAA light you can get.
>>2782908The best 2AA/AA in terms of battery life on the market for sureI also like that they actually include the dropoff charts unlike many other companies, and this particular model has really good dropoffs (particularly the 150 lumen mode, really good all-rounder), which are only on the high and very high settings at that
>>2782911Yeah, I don't like how Acebeam, Nitecore, Olight, etc. consistently try to deceive people when they say that their 2xAA flashlight can do 500 lumens, yet when you look at a runtime graph that an independent reviewer has tested, it turns out that, yes, it does do 500 lumens, but only for 2 minutes before it steps down to a lower output than what the Fenix can do consistently over time. That's why I really like Fenix, because they don't deliberately try to deceive you with their run-times. Not only that, but, like you say, they provide a runtime graph of their own, which is accurate.So for me, I don't buy Acebeam, Nitecore, Olight, Sofirn, or any of the others. Non of them are honest like Fenix is.
>>2782874I'll remember thanks
>>2766196if all you want to get is a small but relatively powerful UV light, you could get a Nitecore Tiki UV instead. costs way less than that olight, and has a similarly powerful 1000mW UV LED plus two little neutral white sidelights (they shine through the transparent plastic body). It weighs basically nothing and is only the size of a AA battery. I always have one on my keychain. It doesn't have the longest battery life (iirc the integrated battery has a similar capacity as a AAA), but it's not like you need to constantly blast UV for hours on end. for occasional use it's great especially since it can also act as a regular keychain flashlight
>>2765726Depends what "cheap" is to you. The Streamlight ProTac is the cheapest thing I'd buy, not super bright compared to the rechargeable Chinesium brands but it's a durable reliable light that runs on either a single AA or a single CR123 and costs $45. I replaced mine for everyday use with a rechargeable Fenix that cost twice as much and is four times the brightness but I keep the Streamlight in my truck because I know that it's gonna be there and gonna work in a pinch and that I can easily get batteries for it anywhere if I have to.
>>2781898>I'm so sick of my blackddiamond AAA headlamp, thing has like 20min battery life.Yeah and their stated lumen outputs are sketchy. On brand new batteries my "450" lumen BD storm looks barely brighter than a sofirn headlamp on medium at 150 lumens.
I really like theese nite ize battery glow sticks, I just think they are neat, wish they were rechargeable, bit for the size, price and weight I am willing to swap batteries Just a really handy thing to have
>Consooming: The thread
>>2783565want to see in the dark? your a CONSOOOOOMER!!! (bad apparently)
>>2783477Yeah. I don't believe AAA can put out sufficient amps. I think a 18650 with decent diode gets 1200lm for very short intervals, then usually drop to 500-750, for typical lights.AAA amp draw is probably also a third of 18650, so 3-400 turbo and a 200lm "high" mode is a reasonable expectation.My BD is pretty low output at highest setting, compared to my armytek 18650 on medium (rip).Also I'm annoyed that I know exactly where that armytek is laying in the dirt but have no way to tell anyone local. Free flashlight, just walk over to my old campsite...
>>2765726I don't know your use case, but for most outdoor type applications a simple rechargable head lamp will suffice. Even the cheap ones are pretty good nowadays, I bought a 15€ one from Decathlon a year and a half ago and it still works.
>>2783566That's right, real /out/CHADS make a torch out of a stick, stolen rags and gasoline for their lighting needs
>>2783679>localWhich locality?
>>2765726
>>2783736Tahoe City
>>2769711>>2771950>>2781498you think the fact that the led doesn't have a reflector in the back causes it to loose light?>light a football fieldi don't think so
>https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=0HE-XEjuJecProject Farm just did a flashlight comparison>but mixes 18650 with 21700 modelsFenix Coast and Nitecore seemed to win.
>>2765903My Arkfeld pro survived a fall from the second floor onto the hard pavement outside, it struck the front corner, I was sure it would be deadFucker was still on, everything works, not a scratch on the glassI used it all the time, the laser is just plain cool and it's a quality 5mw which means it won't blind you or someone else by accidentUV is kinda cool to find stains, oils, and having funThe light is great, and the battery lasts a really long time, I mainly use it around the mid-level of light when walking outsideVisited Denmark a few weeks ago, took it with me on a whim and ended up using it in every museum and castle as well as walking through the park at night
>>2765726The Sofirn SC31 Pro is a pretty good choice. It's rechargeable via USB-C and has a lockout mode. 2000 lumens on turbo. Uses a 18650 lithium battery. $43 on Amazon.
>>2784471Pic related.
>>2765726Last time I went kayak camping the only flashlight I brought was a Maglite Solitaire single AAA battery LED flashlight. It's as bright as you'll ever need. Supposedly lasts for 1 hour on 1 AAA. I don't hike at night. Only thing I need it for is to take a piss or something like that. I bring an extra battery just in case. But I really think a lot of people overestimate just how much flashlight they need. I went on a 100 mile hike a decade ago, brought a flashlight that on the dim setting could go for like 3 days straight or something. I used it for a grand total of maybe 10 minutes for the whole hike.
>>2765903>Long time Olight fanboy after seeing their pistol light take a 9mm and still work>Weird desire for a UV light>Also like lasers because lasers>Pull the trigger on a limited edition Arkfeld with a green laser and warm white light>Like a month later the Arkfeld Pro comes out and it's everything I wantedI swear to god those fucks watch and wait for me to spend money on something then release the better version I would have bought instantly immediately after. They did the same thing when I bought a Baldr and then released the Baldr S.
>>2779910NU25 had no dim mode. Automatic fail. The only problem with the "classic" is it's black, because Millennials don't like to stand out or have practical gear like a fucking headlamp you can find in the fucking dark
>>2784712That's dumb as shit.
>>2784712>>2787027Cheerful and frivolous 1980s and 1990s colors aren't "practical" from the perspective of the War on Terror generation. https://www.ausa.org/articles/millennials-understanding-generation-and-military
>>2787091It goes deeper than being mindfucked by 9/11. Black makes you blend in. It's a conformist generation raised by helicopter moms who expect you to taddle tale
Any chinkshit with the LED and parameters you want.Overpaying for brand name QC and warranty is a meme, if your flashlight fails in the middle of the woods at night, do you care if the manufacturer will send you a new one once you're back home?
>>2787178...yes? why would i buy crap? seems retarded poorfag cope
>>2787178>QC is a memeI settled on the brand name light I carry because I got tired of no-name garbage failing me. >The reason that the rich were so rich, Vimes reasoned, was because they managed to spend less money. Take boots, for example. ... A really good pair of leather boots cost fifty dollars. But an affordable pair of boots, which were sort of OK for a season or two and then leaked like hell when the cardboard gave out, cost about ten dollars. ... But the thing was that good boots lasted for years and years. A man who could afford fifty dollars had a pair of boots that'd still be keeping his feet dry in ten years' time, while a poor man who could only afford cheap boots would have spent a hundred dollars on boots in the same time and would still have wet feet.
>>2765903I bought one. My other light was wearing a hole in my work pants' pockets and this one has not done that and i can play with a cool laser. would buy again
I lost my LedLenser MH10 a while ago and decided I wanted a good headlamp again. Red light is a must for me so this was pretty perfectIt weighs nothing compared to my LedLenser, sure its probably got a bit shorter run time, but I have powerbanks for that nowadaysExcited to get some nights on it asap
Flashlights for this feel?
>>2787469I don't own one and I haven't seen it in person but based on pictures and reviews you probably want some variety of LEP flashlight.
>>2787469i was at a bar once, probably 10 years ago, playing pool, pretty hammered with a friend, and this guy joins us, plays a few rounds, asks us if we want to see his flashlight because he is some kind of enthusiast, sure why not.go out to the road, keep in mind this is the middle of fucking nowhere, pitch black dark, he hits the switch BOOM DAYLIGHT to this day i have no idea what this illumination wizard had in his pocket
>>2787382>>2765903I want one because I actually have a need for the UV light, but I’m not enough of a collector to spend $100 on a flashlight. I’m more about the $15 Amazon chinese lights and then sticking an LG 18650 in the thing because the batteries are always the weak point of cheap lights.Prime Days had some decent deals though. I think one of the older Arkfields, the one with either the laser or UV, but not all 3, went on sale for fairly cheap, but still like $60-$70 on a little pocket flashlight when I have 10 other lights laying around that work fine… I passed.
>>2787707Those Tac-lights that were everywhere 5 years ago plus the cell from a $5 Walmart power bank are a match made in heaven.
>>2778190after a lot of pain in the ass because the courier company lost my package, took them a month to finally decide that was really the case, and then the company not recieving the compansation back because the logistics somewhere in the middle said fuck you, I was sent a free replacement of said trustfire mini x3, so I am very thankful to their staff for thatAnyhow, it arrived today and it seems solidside light doesn't light much wider than the front one, but the color is definitely much nicerdidn't go out to test the laser, it doesn't appear to have a super amazing lens (I can see some "spill" on a side) but it's good enoughAs for the UV, it's the first I've used, but it seems good. Better than a friend's boruit v20, going by memoryPlease wait for the timeror verify your email address before making a post.
hey bro's i have an old convoy s2+ that was sitting around in a drawer that i'm trying to revive.it originally was lighting up, but very dim barely perceptible. i found an ancient post on a flashlight forum that said put an extra oring behind the lens as a spacer between it and the pill and it worked. now it shines full brightness when i put a fresh 18650 in it but it starts ramping down instantly.my batteries are pretty old and they're vape batteries not flashlight spec ones. do i just have a case of shitty battery or could there potentially be a different cause? what are the best 18650s for flashlights these days?
>>2779910>The NU25 has more output and a larger battery for only 7g more weight.>Why do people prefer it over the NU25?because to backpackers things like the max output don't matter at all, even a single bit. all you care about if you're backpacking is if your dim setting is bright enough and has good enough of a spread for you to hike with then how long the battery lasts on that dim mode. you hardly ever use the medium or high setting on your light only really if you hear a spooky noise or an animal. its a very low priority tech spec at least for the purpose people buy nu20/25s for.low setting sucks dick on the nu25v2. too bright and battery hungry basically a medium mode on most lights. the old one was good.
At one point I got really into these chinesium LED flashlights. This is an old photo of my collection. I used to buy and sell them on BLF before they banned me for suggesting that some chink off brand companies were ripping off other chink off brand companies, lol.A few key takeaways:-The majority of the chink brands that sound like mash-ups of other chink brands are cheap shit. If the brand sounds like Thrunite, Reylight, Nitecore, Thrucore, Thrunite, Reynite, Acebeam, Acecore, Thrubeam, Astrolux, Coreastro, Astrocore, etc. then it's most likely not built with very durable circuitry and might simply "go out" one day. -The majority of chink shit flashlights aren't designed very well in the first place. The UI's on most of these are unimaginably complex and unintuitive. Chinks who are too clever for their own good want to jam 137 distinct modes and configuration menus into a UI that only has one button to control it.-The majority of these are meant to be neat gadgets, and nothing further. Waterproofing and battery life are not main considerations in the design, and indeed many of them are designed to burn through their batteries at the fastest rate possible to produce such a bright beam you can literally ignite thin tissue paper on fire with it. -Also, beware of safety-limited features, like low battery brightness step-downs. Acebeams are among the worse offenders. Instead of just losing the ability to use the brighter modes, the flashlight literally blinks during use when the battery is down to about 50%. These are marketed as "high end" chink flashlights, but the actual product is unusable and a joke. 1/2
My Nitecore NU32 has very good capacity and it's still light enough to run with, discontinued but the NU33 looks like its direct upgrade. Just 4 brightness levels and a red light, nothing fancy>>2783408I love this little thing, it disappears in your pocket (too well even, it ended up in my washing machine a few times) but it can still output much more light than my phone and it's easy to hold in your mouth. My main gripe is that even the new versions still have micro-USB
>>27891692/2-The majority of the time, these companies are heavily astroturfed in online social media spaces. A few, characteristic, strategies they use are the owner of the company having an English name and, inexplicably, two or three other members of the forum are ardent supporters of that brand. "You need to check out an AstroSUNY. Jake will take care of you." *this when "Jake's" real name is something like Jilin Xiao. They all use this sort of strategy, though, even the good ones.-Sometimes they make it big and get an REI promotion, which is what happened to get Fenix, Olight and Nitecore into brick and mortar stores in the US. I personally do not think any of these brands are any better quality than any random chink flashlight you'll find on aliexpress.-The only two brands I've really come back to are Emisar and Convoy. Convoy is inexpensive but not "cheap." I've never had one crap out on me, although I also don't expect much from them. The UI is pretty basic, although for some reason, they contain a strobe mode, like a lot of chink lights. I bought about a dozen S2+'s and T2's and use them as "battery holders" that I keep in junk drawers and by doors around my house. That way, if I just need a flashlight when stepping outside, there's always one handy. Emisar is a high end flashlight brand that I use for EDC (D4K), although I don't use it for camping, since I'm not totally convinced of the waterproofing. Even so, I do trust the brand to hold up basically forever, and never crap out randomly.I will say that, for camping, you literally don't need any of this fancy pocket torch bullshit. You mainly just need something that you can use to help you see around camp. Get the cheapest Black Diamond headlamp, and the thing will last all season before you need to change the battery. The only time you might want something brighter is if you want to hike at night. Bring a chinesium pocket torch and a few spare batteries for night hiking, if you want to do that.
>>2789169>jam 137 distinct modes and configuration menus into a UI that only has one button to control it.I know exactly what you mean. I was looking at the 21700 Zebralight's just yesterday because my Fenix PD32 V2's button is crapping out. But the UI seems utterly proposterous. So that's a no.My go-to has always been Fenix. But I'm getting tired of their relative lack of QC given the price; LED's are rarely centred, manufacturing defects; you can buy 3 of the exact same model and each one will be different, e.g. Some will have clicky buttons, some will be mushy buttons.Do you recommend any other brands other than the ones you've mentioned? We do a lot of mine exploration, so I need something reliable.I'll have a look at Emisar.
>>2789177you can turn off the strobe mode and sos mode on convoy lights. turn the light on then half press to select low. wait 10 seconds the light will cut out briefly half press the button again. now your light just has low/med/high with no sos or strobe mode. same process to reverse it.
>>2789192as long as the million useless functions are tucked away behind weird button combinations that you will never perform accidentally I don't see the issue with them, I have a chinesium flashlight that uses pic related but since I only use the smooth ramp up/down, turbo and moonlight modes I can just ignore 90% of this graph and it doesn't affect me one bit
>>2789192>Do you recommend any other brands other than the ones you've mentioned?Well for backpacking and camping, I would recommend any of the American brands, like Petzl or Black Diamond, since those are designed for camping, and not for burning through batteries to approximate a white laser beam. Emisar is great for EDC, and most of them are going to be fine for camping, but you need to make sure you aren't using them on turbo too often, or the battery won't last. And most of them will be perfectly waterproof with well greased o-rings and precise machining, but there are a couple models, like the DT8, that I just don't trust. >>2789193Most of mine have the older style UI that predates the configuration menu.
