What flashlight?

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Axis II

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I'm looking for a smaller but super bright light for CCW carry. I currently have a Fenix like 300 lumen I cannot find at the moment so I would like a backup. I like super bright lights or ones with 3-4 modes for brightness cause I use them a lot for hunting and hiking. Keep it under $75 please.

What's your suggestion?
 
I've been using a Streamlight Protac 1L1AA as a EDC light for the past ten months. Small and light enough that I never think about it being there. Plenty of output and runtime. You can use either one CR123 lithium or one AA alkaline battery. List price is $45.00 but easily found at $35-$36 on line.
 
I like Fenix and Nitecore for the money.

Shouldn’t be hard to find models with multiple modes...which is a pain for me because I trot to only buy single mode lights and I rarely find any. It needs to do the same thing every time I click it on. Nothing like hitting a strobe on accident when I’m just trying to look somewhere.
 
https://www.rei.com/product/124310/f...xoCrHoQAvD_BwE

I bought this RC05SE last week and I'm really happy with it. It's only 300 lumens but so far that's been adequate for what I use it for. I primarily use it at work and I'm confident that it's bright enough to check the fence line in the dark or identify a threat.

I also like the fact that it's rechargeable or it can run on a AA battery which cuts down the cost to use it and I like the fact that it's small enough to carry in my pocket.
 
Zebralight with the neutral tint is a great light. In your price range too. Lots of briteness settings. I use the less than 1 lumen “moonlight” setting more often than any other. It will run for a couple months on that setting.

I use eneloop AA in mine but lithium AA is an option too. Just avoids alkaline batteries at all costs! They always leak.

I probably have a dozen or more nice flashlights but my all time favorite is the Surefire 6p. I know it doesn’t fit your criteria but you should at least consider it. They are on Amazon for $65 shipped. It’s new old stock from 20 years ago with an incandescent bulb. It is the best flashlight I have ever purchased! Nothing can beat it for ruggedness or modularity. When the incandescent burns out for you upgrade it to a Malkoff led dropin. I think my drop in is the 80 lumen warm tint. It replicates incandescent but will run 10-20 hours and is indestructible. I can’t reccomend the Surefire 6p highly enough!

Dan
 
ohihunter2014 said:
I'm looking for a smaller but super bright light for CCW carry. I currently have a Fenix like 300 lumen I cannot find at the moment so I would like a backup. I like super bright lights or ones with 3-4 modes for brightness cause I use them a lot for hunting and hiking. Keep it under $75 please.

What's your suggestion?
Click to expand...

Walmart usually has good selection of quality Chinese-made flashlights. One brand is called Bushnell, I think. You can also upgrade them old pliers with plier multitool for $10. Their steel isn't hand-bendable like it used to be. They have nice lockback knives for $3.97.
 
Unless you're trying to blind someone, or need to light up something 100 yards away 300 lumens is more than needed. I have one of these in each vehicle and often carry one in my pocket. It is a lot smaller than anything else I've seen, the photo doesn't really show how small it is. About 50 lumens IIRC.

https://www.amazon.com/Maglite-Soli...D=31Y5pq%2BAReL&preST=_SY300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch

And if you really need or want almost 300 Lumens these are stll a good choice. They are a little longer than newer designs, but are very slim. I find this easier to carry than the fatter versions. Plus it does come with a sheath if you want to use it.

One other note. I have some other lights that are ADVERTISED as having more lumens than these. But to my eye these are brighter. The little single AAA light with an advertised 50 lumens is brighter than some others I have that are advertised at 150 lumens.
 
I like multi power for hunting so it’s not so bright but bright enough to light something up if need be. I also use the fenix at work instead of lugging around a larger light
 
I think folks put way too much emphasis on flashlights with the term "tactical" in their name or advertisement. It must say "tactical" or look "tactical", in order to be used in a tactical situation. Fact is, about all that the word "tactical" does is raise the price of a cheap China made flashlight. About a year ago, I walked into my local Walmart and they had their 9LED, three AAA, Ozark Trail flashlights on sale for $1 a piece(price included the batteries). Always needing a flashlight in the car/truck/bike/house /cabin, I bought three, thinking they were just cheap disposables(since replacing the batteries cost more than the original with the batteries). About a week later I went back and bought ten more. I have one in my Turkey vest and my Deer Hunting Daypack.....they are more than enough. I also have one on both nightstands, they are certainly all I need for emergency and SD within the confines of my house. They have only an on/off switch, do not strobe and do not have a flashing red light on the back. I have some others that do that. they were about $5. They also will not reach out for 2 miles, but they will blind someone in the dark at a range of ten feet.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Ozark-Tr...66001f5-f62b32ae-cc1c6fda6808c550&athena=true
 
jmr40 said:
Unless you're trying to blind someone, or need to light up something 100 yards away 300 lumens is more than needed.
Click to expand...

I carry a 1000 lumen Fenix UC35 at work with the specific intent of blinding someone should it become necessary. Off the clock I carry a Fenix RC05 (300 lumen) partially because of the advantage I get from bright beaming a potential threat. Not that I walk around and just randomly light people up which would be very provocative but if you've done something that makes me see you as a threat I'll flash your eyes to throw you off. I'll apologize immediately and profusely afterwards and swear up and down that wasn't my intent but you're still blind and I still have time to assess and move.
 
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From a defensive standpoint there are some disdvantages of super bright lights. They can white out a target making it difficult to discern details such as a weapon. They will also proportionately take away your natural night vision.
 
RPZ said:
From a defensive standpoint there are some disdvantages of super bright lights. They can white out a target making it difficult to discern details such as a weapon. They will also proportionately take away your natural night vision.
Click to expand...


I've never seen a target "whited out" by a hand held flashlight
 
Trunk Monkey said:
I carry a 1000 lumen Fenix UC35 at work with the specific intent of blinding someone should it become necessary. Of the clock I carry a Fenix RC05 (300 lumen) partially because of the advantage I get from bright beaming a potential threat. Not that I walk around and just randomly light people up which would be very provocative but if you've done something that makes me see you as a threat I'll flash your eyes to throw you off. I'll apologize immediately and profusely afterwards and swear up and down that wasn't my intent but you're still blind and I still have time to assess and move.
Click to expand...

Iffin as a civilian, you've had to "apologize immediately and profusely afterwards and swear up and down that wasn't my intent' more than once, you've walked around and randomly lit people up. Do that to me without reason, and I'll consider it as an unprovoked attack and will respond accordingly. Odds are you won't be capable of apologizing afterward. You need to realize that using a blinding flashlight is a tactic used by BGs too.
 
While one needs high quality light to be mounted on a weapon especally on one with substantial recoil buying expensive flashlights for recreational use is foolish. About $30 to $50 should be plenty enough.
 
Wisco said:
I like Fenix and Nitecore for the money.

Shouldn’t be hard to find models with multiple modes...which is a pain for me because I trot to only buy single mode lights and I rarely find any. It needs to do the same thing every time I click it on. Nothing like hitting a strobe on accident when I’m just trying to look somewhere.
Click to expand...

You just need to find the multi-mode models with memory. Then the light will come on at the same level where you last used it.
 
Double Naught Spy said:
You just need to find the multi-mode models with memory. Then the light will come on at the same level where you last used it.
Click to expand...
Fenix UC 35 and RC05 both have memory. They're also rechargeable so I would bet the least with the UC35 I've saved the price of the flashlight by not having to buy batteries in the three years that I've owned it. I'll get there with the RC 05 but I've only had it about 6 months
 
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