/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