OT: Flashlights

Do you remember when flashlights had switches in the correct location? You would pick up a flashlight and the switch would be right under your thumb ready to be slid or pushed to do your bidding. I needed a new light, double A, and all I could find were lights with switches that require two hands to use or cost $BIG BUCKS and were "tactical" ( do they make "tactical condoms !?). Does anyone make what I'm looking for and could you please tell me where to get it? Thanks...
Karl

Like a lot of products, flashlights have degraded in quality and design. I'm convinced they're designed by people who never have actually used one. Even the vaunted Maglite is a piece of shit, the ones that require you to turn the lens each time to turn it on.

But then....you are looking for cheap, which is what helps drive the lousy quality that's out there.

It's not a flashlight in strict terms, but this is my current favorite, they make a slightly larger version as well.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B084SWJJCZ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I've still got a couple of industrial duty twin D cell flashlights from years ago that I occasionally use but nowadays it seems like my phone gets used for a flashlight more than any of my real flashlights.

I also picked up a visor light that clips onto a baseball cap and use the crap out of it. LED and rechargeable lithium ion that you charge with a micro USB cord and it was under twenty bucks. Highly recommended.

Streamlight dually..

Or;
Energizer ENISHH21E $16.99 Orange LED Handheld Flashlight, Alkaline AA, 40lm | Zoro.com

Olight . i have 2 Baldr minis on pistols and several handheld flashlights . all usb rechargeable . i won't bother with
anything else.

S2R Baton II Best Outdoor Flashlight 1150 Lumens - Olight Store

not exactly inexpensive-but you get ONE and nothing else compares . in most flashlights - even the
Maglights and Brinkmans , the switches and battery terminals fail from galvanic corrosion. not so w/ olight.

on a Horror freight special $3 flashlight, 2-3 battery changes, and the switch is junked.

Are you okay with one that you can turn on with one hand but you have to push a button on the bottom with your thumb? I have a few of them and I would definitely describe them as one handed operation. My favorite is a Pelican 2380R. Can be focused and comes with a belt clip which can be easily remove if you don't want it. Also charges with a standard USB micro cable (like you use on a lot of devices) and holds a charge very well.

GregSY said:

Like a lot of products, flashlights have degraded in quality and design. I'm convinced they're designed by people who never have actually used one. Even the vaunted Maglite is a piece of shit, the ones that require you to turn the lens each time to turn it on.

But then....you are looking for cheap, which is what helps drive the lousy quality that's out there.

It's not a flashlight in strict terms, but this is my current favorite, they make a slightly larger version as well.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B084SWJJCZ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Click to expand...

I knew a guy who worked at Mag Instruments in the 1980's he said it was worse than boot camp. He said in the supervisor's office there were lights that came on if a machine was down which would get an instant visit. Every task had a strict time limit, exceeding the max got a lecture, too many of those and a write up. I lived pretty close to their plant and it seemed they often had help wanted ads in all the local papers, I wonder why?

This is my favorite. On/off with the tail switch. Comes with a usb rechargeable battery and it's wicked bright.

Fenix LD30 Flashlight - 1600 Lumens - Fenix Lighting


I have one of these also and highly recommend it.

Fenix HL60R USB Rechargeable Headlamp - Fenix Lighting



Sent from my Nokia 7.1 using Tapatalk

It might be time to let fond memories of the old flashlights with two or three D cells and a slide switch go?

A decent LED lamp with a one or two small 18650 Li ion batteries is a fraction of the size, far brighter, and lasts hours longer. Cheap ones can be had under $10. Decent ones around $20-25. And very good (and also very high margins) with some of the better Fenix, Olight etc. models. There are plenty of options for single handled operation from either near the bright end or at the end of the cap.

I probably have over 50 of them from "free" to $100 in cost -- we use various models of them on stands as stereo microscope lights and as LED replacements in higher power compound scopes. The cheapest Chinese ones are prone to failure. Around $20-25 and up you can start getting ones that have multiple modes, on-board chargers, even dimming -- and are brighter and last far longer than any of the old 2-3-4-5 cell Maglite's that used to be the gold standard.

Another plus is that good Li-ion batteries rarely spill their guts and destroy a flashlight. The exceptions are the many cheap Li-ion and counterfeit models coming out of China. I bought (and returned) one batch that turned out to be counterfeits with a tiny cheap watch battery inside. Maybe 1/40th the stated capacity. Other rechargeable ones lack protections and, combined with cheap chargers, pose a charging risk.

I suspect many of us had Maglites that sat a bit too long -- and ended up with cells essentially locked in a gooey mess inside the flashlight. Pretty sure there are still threads here on various heroic efforts to restore them and complaints about how all the AA, C, or D cells guaranteed not to leak still leak after a few years. Today, some Li ion batteries have a 20 year shelf life. At my age, I can put them in electronic instruments and consider them a "lifetime" replacement. And even 20 years from now, they're not likely to leak.

Perhaps the biggest problem in finding a good, cheap modern flashlight is how manufacturing has changed. With so much now built in China, the market is weighted to near-anonymous brands you've never heard of at the low priced end (some decent, some not) and over-priced (IMO) but better-known brands like Olight and Fenix marketed at the high end.

I have Streamlights and Surefires. Your comment of lack of quality doesn't apply there.

Sent via CNC 88HS

Streamlight Stinger, end of thread.

Watch out for the trick switch on many of the new cheaper ones, they are easy enough to turn on but you have to go through low beam, high beam, flashing white and sometimes flashing red before you can shut the damn thing off.

the over-priced ones have the 13-16 yr old children assembling them , not the 8-12 or 50-70 yr olds .
the rest are drafted into the CCP.

just sorta' kidding.....most of assembly is automated...for the sinatra.

I have one of these:

https://www.amazon.com/Carson-MiniB...s=flashlight+magnifier&qid=1619302791&sr=8-17

It has both a magnifier and an LED light. And it fits neatly in my pocket. Unfortunately the switch to turn the light on is the sliding cover so it is generally a two handed operation but can be done with one if need-be.

The light is not as bright as an old fashioned D cell flashlight, but it is surprising bright for a single LED and spreads out in a nice, wide circle so it can easily light my path on a dark night. And the magnifier is a good compromise between power and size: I do not have to hold it up against my eye as I must do with my Hastings triplet magnifiers.

I use it frequently and am on my second or third one now. It was particularly helpful to have it right there, in my pocket during several night time power outages.

Yes...another annoying design feature...the 'push 7 times before it's off'. One time On. One time Off. That's how it should be.

I gotta say, I looked at some of those links and while they might be good lights, they suffer from Black's Disease. That's right, like a billion other products, they seem to be black.

I don't know about you's guys, but I'm dead sick of black tools. They blend in to the landscape...the only color worse is dark gray.

I want a flashlight that I can spot across the room when it's under a pile of junk. Neon Yellow, Neon Orange. Whatever...but not black. No flashlight is any good if you can't find it to turn it on.

karl said:

Do you remember when flashlights had switches in the correct location? You would pick up a flashlight and the switch would be right under your thumb ready to be slid or pushed to do your bidding. I needed a new light, double A, and all I could find were lights with switches that require two hands to use or cost $BIG BUCKS and were "tactical" ( do they make "tactical condoms !?). Does anyone make what I'm looking for and could you please tell me where to get it? Thanks...
Karl

Click to expand...

A really good question. I take it for granted because I use the two hands if I need to. Smaller flashlights I still use my old mag light and I have used c and d cell. I have not tried the leds as I have not bothered to even need a replacement as mag lights are so good.

I have gotten other in fact many others which I thought would save me using the small mag light in the shop. Most all were nifty gifts at Father’s Day or Christmas. They held up good. There looks to be many choices today and I look forward to the recommendations from you fellows.

Ttng.....

My problem has mostly been to find a pocket carry flashlight that's small and will not turn itself on and run down.

What I now use is a cheap one-battery white led keychain light with a push-and-hold-to-light switch. I buy them by the half dozen, and discard when exhausted. Cannot buy replacement batteries cheaper.

GregSY said:

Yes...another annoying design feature...the 'push 7 times before it's off'. One time On. One time Off. That's how it should be. . . .

I don't know about you's guys, but I'm dead sick of black tools. They blend in to the landscape...the only color worse is dark gray.

I want a flashlight that I can spot across the room when it's under a pile of junk. Neon Yellow, Neon Orange. Whatever...but not black. No flashlight is any good if you can't find it to turn it on.

Click to expand...

Many of the models now have a way of going directly from on to off. Sometimes two controls. Often a long press. Do agree the long sequences are a pain - especially if used for a microscope source and ending with a strobe.

Easy enough to color code tools. I routinely use bright (red, orange, yellow, green . . .) heat shrink tubing to color code misc. adjustment tools for the machine they belong to. Flashlight barrels could have any highlight color you wanted. Would likely beat suppliers trying to keep track of a dozen colors and sending you the wrong one . . .

I splurged and got a 50,000 lumen LED flashlight. You need a license to get to full power, (almost). First time I tried it at night I pointed at some brush off in the distance. My white truck was close and blinded me almost. Senior citizen here, but can still figure out a flashlight. VCR? NOT!

GregSY said:

Yes...another annoying design feature...the 'push 7 times before it's off'. One time On. One time Off. That's how it should be.

I gotta say, I looked at some of those links and while they might be good lights, they suffer from Black's Disease. That's right, like a billion other products, they seem to be black.

I don't know about you's guys, but I'm dead sick of black tools. They blend in to the landscape...the only color worse is dark gray.

I want a flashlight that I can spot across the room when it's under a pile of junk. Neon Yellow, Neon Orange. Whatever...but not black. No flashlight is any good if you can't find it to turn it on.

Click to expand...

I've had a couple of these and really like them.
https://www.amazon.com/Streamlight-...amlight+propolymax&qid=1619310479&sr=8-2&th=1