Need a new EDC light. What do you carry and why should I buy it?

[SgtToadette 59]

Hey folks.

 

I misplaced my last EDC light and I've been looking to replace it. I was carrying a Foursevens Turbo AA² which I was thrilled with. It was durable as hell and threw out 280 lumens using two AA batteries. They say variety is the spice of life, but I'm having a hard time finding anything that can touch the FourSevens.

 

I was looking at the Preon series, but I see a lot of reports of accidental activation because of a light button spring. Generally speaking, I don't want anything that puts out less than 180 lumens and a slim bezel (approximately the diameter of the body) is required since is will be carried in a pocket. Common batteries (AA and AAA) are preferred, but lights running on 123s I can consider.

 

I'm curious what you guys carry around and what your experiences are. I know a ton of people swear by Streamlight, but I've had bad experiences with the brand and their outputs always seemed to lag behind the competition (along with SureFire).

 

Let me know what you carry and why I should buy it!

[intercooler 41]

why don't ask OBAMA what light you should have  

 

 

JK....Surefire is just about the best light I ever saw and I could not be happier with mine

[checko 180]

How much are you looking to spend?

 

Im getting this:

http://www.bravocompanyusa.com/SureFire-P2X-Fury-Tactical-Single-Output-LED-p/sf-p2x-a-bk-eag-click.htm

[spanky 1]

I ran through a bunch of cheap lights before treating myself to the Surefire Fury (dual output model). 15 lumens on low, 500 on high. Runs on CR123's, $108 at LA Police Gear. Truth be told, they have released a 15/320 output since then that I would have done if it was out when I was shopping. That one is $60-70.

[spanky 1]

How much are you looking to spend?

 

Im getting this:

http://www.bravocompanyusa.com/SureFire-P2X-Fury-Tactical-Single-Output-LED-p/sf-p2x-a-bk-eag-click.htm

I didn't click your link before I posted. It's a great light.

[High Exposure 5,661]

I am Surefire guy. At work my EDC is a Surefire X300U (I have one of these on each of my social guns) on my pistol, a fual Output Surefire Fury on my duty belt and a Surefire EAG Fury (the light Checko linked to above) on my rifle - I actually have a Surefire light, either Scout M600B or a Fury on every one of my long guns. I also really like the new E1B Backup that is rated at 500lumens, but don't have one yet.

 

That being said, both off and on duty I carry a FourSevens Quark QT2L-X dual output - set to High and Moonlight - with a deep pocket clip in my left front trouser pocket (EDC knife in the front right pocket). I have carried some generation of this light for years and have been unable to break them. As the QT2L line gets upgraded to the newest gen, the older lights QT2Ls get stashed around the house in drawers, my wife's purse, toolboxes, range bags and go bags. These lights are awesomely bright, low cost/high value, and last forever. I also like the 2 AA version but the two 123 version is slightly smaller, has a longer run time and higher lumen output.

 

While i consider myself a "Surefire guy" I really like these lights. If Surefire isn't careful, they are going to price themselves right out of the "tactical" light market.

 

As far as Streamlight, I have had nothing but bad luck with their products and will not buy them or recommend them to anyone.

[Malice4you 627]

I've gotten to be a big Olight fan, with an M21, M20, M10, T20, S10, i3, and I'm probably forgetting some others.

 

My former EDC was the T20, and I just replaced it with an M10 Maverick.  The T20 is an incredibly thin light considering it is 2x CR123/ 1x 17670 compatible.  The M10 is a single CR123 light.  My T20 is a few years old, but still outputs a peak of somewhere over 220 lumens, and has 5 output levels.  Batteries last a long time in it, despite heavy use.  The M10 outputs 350, 80, or 5 lumens, and I use it often at 80 and 350, and I'm still on my first battery.  I got it September 23rd.

 

 

 

If you get a CR123 light, make sure it can use RCR123s (rechargeable).  Most LED lights these days should be able to use them, but they are a higher voltage (3.7v normally, but as much as 4.2v when freshly charged) than a standard non-rechargable (3v).  They WILL BURN OUT the incandescent bulb in any non-LED flashlight (or damage other electronics not designed for higher voltages, i.e. cameras).  You can get kits including a cheap charger and 2-4 batteries, or a smart charger separate (I have a NiteCore i4 charger, and a few cheap kit chargers.)

 

Rechargeable batteries work well and I have been using them for 5 years.  You might also look into protected cells, which have a controller that cuts the battery if it gets to too low a voltage, which damages the battery.  Downside is, it cuts the battery output if the voltage drops too low, so you can't use the light.  You can also get non-protected cells, which will act like a normal battery, but you need to keep aware of the voltage (when the light starts getting dimmer, recharge the battery).  I have both types, but 90% of mine are protected.  The price savings make it worth any 'hassle' (and there is rarely a hassle anyway) to me.  I proactively recharge/change out the battery on my EDC light every 2-4 weeks, depending on how often it is used.

 

Some 2x CR123 lights also can use a single double-length "17670" or even "18650" battery, which are higher mAh than individual CR123s.  If the light is designed for the battery, they will last 2-4 times longer than a 123.  I'd suggest further research on these if you go this route, as not all lights will fit or work with these, especially 18650s.

 

Good luck, hope this helps.

[MikeL417 33]

I'm cheap and love a pen shaped light. I carry the 5.11 ATAC PLx and it satisfies all my needs.

Mike

[Duppie 73]

I'm cheap and love a pen shaped light. I carry the 5.11 ATAC PLx and it satisfies all my needs.

Mike

I'm cheaper and bought now 8 of the CREE 300 lumen mini torches for $3.65 shipped advertized on Slickguns. Have them all over the place and haven't had one fail yet.

[Contrvlr 17]

As far as Streamlight, I have had nothing but bad luck with their products and will not buy them or recommend them to anyone.

Never carried one but found a Stinger kit on a table at a yard sale 13 years ago, paid $50 for it and finally had to replace the battery  ( $18 ) this past Dec., makes for a great house light, imo.

[RecessedFilter 222]

5.11 plx. It doesn't feel like your carrying a flashlight on you but it puts out decent light.

[JrzyGuy30 0]

Some of you might say this is garbage - but this thing definitely throws 250+ lumen. Extremely bright and nice for an inexpensive light carry flashlight I think: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CYBX74E/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i02?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[jerseygti337 0]

Check out led lenser, super bright and run on aa or aaa batteries none of that cr123 crap.

http://ledlenser.com

[jrfly3006 42]

Check out led lenser, super bright and run on aa or aaa batteries none of that cr123 crap.

http://ledlenser.com

Completely agree..under $50..got mine at Lowes..carry it everday at work and hasnt skipped a beat..

[Mach16lt 0]

I'm really happy with my Fenix PD-32

[StriderTB 10]

I have a Surefire E2D and C3 Centurion, but the incan bulbs lag behind current LED tech.  I picked up a cheap drop in LED replacement for the C3 that pumps out 500-600 lumens, but I can't imagine it's very reliable for a cheap chinese module.  The light I probably use the most around the house is my Maglite XL50, but I hate that the cap and button drains the batteries even if you're not using it.  I keep it with the cap halfway unscrewed and just tighten it when I need to use it.

[fishnut 2,358]

I've gotten to be a big Olight fan, with an M21, M20, M10, T20, S10, i3, and I'm probably forgetting some others.

 

My former EDC was the T20, and I just replaced it with an M10 Maverick.  The T20 is an incredibly thin light considering it is 2x CR123/ 1x 17670 compatible.  The M10 is a single CR123 light.  My T20 is a few years old, but still outputs a peak of somewhere over 220 lumens, and has 5 output levels.  Batteries last a long time in it, despite heavy use.  The M10 outputs 350, 80, or 5 lumens, and I use it often at 80 and 350, and I'm still on my first battery.  I got it September 23rd.

 

 

 

If you get a CR123 light, make sure it can use RCR123s (rechargeable).  Most LED lights these days should be able to use them, but they are a higher voltage (3.7v normally, but as much as 4.2v when freshly charged) than a standard non-rechargable (3v).  They WILL BURN OUT the incandescent bulb in any non-LED flashlight (or damage other electronics not designed for higher voltages, i.e. cameras).  You can get kits including a cheap charger and 2-4 batteries, or a smart charger separate (I have a NiteCore i4 charger, and a few cheap kit chargers.)

 

Rechargeable batteries work well and I have been using them for 5 years.  You might also look into protected cells, which have a controller that cuts the battery if it gets to too low a voltage, which damages the battery.  Downside is, it cuts the battery output if the voltage drops too low, so you can't use the light.  You can also get non-protected cells, which will act like a normal battery, but you need to keep aware of the voltage (when the light starts getting dimmer, recharge the battery).  I have both types, but 90% of mine are protected.  The price savings make it worth any 'hassle' (and there is rarely a hassle anyway) to me.  I proactively recharge/change out the battery on my EDC light every 2-4 weeks, depending on how often it is used.

 

Some 2x CR123 lights also can use a single double-length "17670" or even "18650" battery, which are higher mAh than individual CR123s.  If the light is designed for the battery, they will last 2-4 times longer than a 123.  I'd suggest further research on these if you go this route, as not all lights will fit or work with these, especially 18650s.

 

Good luck, hope this helps.

+1 for Olight I have been carrying the M20 Warrior Premium for 4 or 5 years now. Used it almost everyday at work doing HVAC. This light has stood up to some serious abuse and works every time. At one time it I ever dropped it in a puddle that froze solid overnight and when I found it and chipped it out of the ice it worked just fine.

[SgtToadette 59]

Thanks for the responses everyone.

 

I think I've narrowed it down to a couple choices.

 

First up is the FourSevens Quark Pro QP2L-X. I had such a good experience with my last FourSevens that I'd like to try out some more of their line. The QP2L-X has a 780 lumen output for one minute, then reverts to 390. I like the Pro interface because I value easily adjustable light outputs over the simplicity of the Tactical interface.

 

Next up is the Fenix PD35, throwing out 850 lumens. I don't have as much confidence in Fenix as I do FourSevens, but they seem more than ample for light use in an EDC role.

 

Last up is the FourSevens Quark Pro QP2A-X. This is basically the light I had before. I see no other manufacturer that can throw out as much light with two AAs as this light. It's what I had before and I know it served me well.

 

I ruled against SureFire for two reasons. The first being that I didn't find the output to be very good considering the competition above, and the second being the form-factor of the light I would consider (the P2X Fury) seems uncomfortable for daily carry and seems to be more of a duty/weapon light.

 

Olight seemed like a quality brand, but I ruled against it for pretty much the same reasons as Surefire.

[Malice4you 627]

A lot of places measure light output from off the led chip itself. Good manufacturers measure light output out the front (of the light). I'm not sure what you're doing where you need 600+ lumens for an edc light - very rarely do i feel the need to use that setting on my m21 - but a pocketable AA powered light with 600+ lumens is imo a compromised light, reflector likely will be too small and i dunno if AAs will drive these high lumen lights well/long.

 

 

I have owned some cheap led lights from China, even edc one for a few years with 100% reliability, but all my generic flashlights are now stashed places so i can just grab one if i can't get to my edc or its in other pants or whatever.

 

 

And for what its worth, as i sit here with no power, i have olight flashlights on me...

[SgtToadette 59]

A lot of places measure light output from off the led chip itself. Good manufacturers measure light output out the front (of the light). I'm not sure what you're doing where you need 600+ lumens for an edc light - very rarely do i feel the need to use that setting on my m21 - but a pocketable AA powered light with 600+ lumens is imo a compromised light, reflector likely will be too small and i dunno if AAs will drive these high lumen lights well/long.

 

 

I have owned some cheap led lights from China, even edc one for a few years with 100% reliability, but all my generic flashlights are now stashed places so i can just grab one if i can't get to my edc or its in other pants or whatever.

 

 

And for what its worth, as i sit here with no power, i have olight flashlights on me...

 

I should have clarified that the Quark Pro QP2L-X and the PD35 are two-cell 123 lights and only the Quark Pro QP2A-X is a two-cell AA light. All are multi-mode lights that don't require me to use the full output if I don't want to. I don't see the sense in limiting myself when I have control over what output I can have. A 780 lumen EDC light can be useful in certain situations and I'd rather have the option than not.

 

If I recall, Olight is a produced across the Pacific, as are FourSevens and Fenix. All are quality lights, on par with SureFire.

[johnott 5]

Photon Micro-Light II,  (4.5 Lumens)  around $14. I wouldn't call it a "tactical" light, but for EDC I find it very adequate and easy to carry.

 

http://www.photonlight.com/led-flashlights/photon-micro-light-ii-pro-led-keychain-flashlight/

 

 

 

[DirtyDigz 1,811]

I'm cheaper and bought now 8 of the CREE 300 lumen mini torches for $3.65 shipped advertized on Slickguns. Have them all over the place and haven't had one fail yet.

 

This.  So cheap that if a light fails (I've got ~10 of them, none have hiccuped at all) you can do a "New York Reload".

[Norseman 2]

IMHO Surefire and Fenix reign supreme. But my cheap EDC is a Chinese made Solarforce. I hate to potentially take any business away from US-based companies but I bought 2 of these, some CR123's and a couple of xcree bulbs (or something like that - their salespeople recommended which 2 bulbs to try) and I'm completely happy with them for 2 years running now.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk - now Free

[vladtepes 1,060]

i have like 5 surefire G series variants... LED or old school ones with LED heads... they work fine for everything I have needed.. 

[SgtToadette 59]

What's the deal with SureFire?

 

Maybe it's because I'm rather new to the flashlight scene (only really been buying "tactical" lights for about 3 years), but when I look at their lineup I see nothing that makes me go "wow, that's impressive." What I see is a bunch of anemic lights riding on SureFire's reputation for reliability. SureFire was probably the cream of the crop back when incandescents were the top tech, but I see a lot of other, newer companies like FourSevens and Fenix that have a broader line of products that are brighter and built just as well.

 

The P2X Fury was a step in the right direction, but 500 lumens is pretty average for flagship lights among top manufacturers. Then I look at the price tag, and I'm just turned away completely. I'm more than willing to dump $100+ on a light if I think I'm getting a good value, but the specs on the SureFire don't seem to suggest the MSRP is proper.

[vladtepes 1,060]

What's the deal with SureFire?

 

Maybe it's because I'm rather new to the flashlight scene (only really been buying "tactical" lights for about 3 years), but when I look at their lineup I see nothing that makes me go "wow, that's impressive." What I see is a bunch of anemic lights riding on SureFire's reputation for reliability. SureFire was probably the cream of the crop back when incandescents were the top tech, but I see a lot of other, newer companies like FourSevens and Fenix that have a broader line of products that are brighter and built just as well.

 

The P2X Fury was a step in the right direction, but 500 lumens is pretty average for flagship lights among top manufacturers. Then I look at the price tag, and I'm just turned away completely. I'm more than willing to dump $100+ on a light if I think I'm getting a good value, but the specs on the SureFire don't seem to suggest the MSRP is proper.

 

 

i get that some people require 5,000 lumens to operate.... I am simply not in that position... 

i require a light that is reliable... has readily available batteries... is lightweight... and is bright enough to aid in my vision at night...

 

while I totally understand the notion of getting more for the same amount of money... I never really understood the need to have a flashlight that produces 7,000,000 lumens... 

 

what is it for me? I have had several dozen surefire lights.... they are bright enough for me and work all the time after being abused.. if for some reason my need for more light changes then sure I will investigate other options... but for now 200 lumens is more than adequate for anything I would do in the dark... 

[raz-0 1,259]

A lot of places measure light output from off the led chip itself. Good manufacturers measure light output out the front (of the light). I'm not sure what you're doing where you need 600+ lumens for an edc light - very rarely do i feel the need to use that setting on my m21 - but a pocketable AA powered light with 600+ lumens is imo a compromised light, reflector likely will be too small and i dunno if AAs will drive these high lumen lights well/long.

 

 

I have owned some cheap led lights from China, even edc one for a few years with 100% reliability, but all my generic flashlights are now stashed places so i can just grab one if i can't get to my edc or its in other pants or whatever.

 

 

And for what its worth, as i sit here with no power, i have olight flashlights on me...

 

Four sevens designs their circuits well. That's the reason for the burst mode. It's limited to avoid thermal issues while permitting them to not get slammed in the marketing wars. The latest emitters are insanely efficient. 4sevens lists all their lights by OTF ansi lumens, in fact that were part of the group of flashlight makers that pushed for there to be an ANSI standard. 

 

As for the surefire die hards, I got my first one in 1996. EDC from then until 2003. Tried a bunch of lights, and have been EDCing a 4sevens quark QP2L (or at least that is what it would be called now) from the second batch they ever shipped out in 2009. IMO surefire is absurdly overpriced, especially for anything that might be vaguely considered EDC pocket carry. They also neglected UI and features for too long making absurdly priced lights that do absurd things and beating vendors to death over MAP rather than letting vendors protect their market position with reasonable prices. While they do still offer something desirable in weapon light, everything pocket-able is not a stand out on price, features, UI, etc. 

[matt1751 2]

Didn't see anyone mention Streamlight. Have had many of fhere lights over the years and find myself using a Strion LED rechargeable for everyday use while working. For pocket carry I use the ProTac 1L and also keep one of them in all my vehicles for emergencies.

[High Exposure 5,661]

Four sevens designs their circuits well. That's the reason for the burst mode. It's limited to avoid thermal issues while permitting them to not get slammed in the marketing wars. The latest emitters are insanely efficient. 4sevens lists all their lights by OTF ansi lumens, in fact that were part of the group of flashlight makers that pushed for there to be an ANSI standard. 

 

As for the surefire die hards, I got my first one in 1996. EDC from then until 2003. Tried a bunch of lights, and have been EDCing a 4sevens quark QP2L (or at least that is what it would be called now) from the second batch they ever shipped out in 2009. IMO surefire is absurdly overpriced, especially for anything that might be vaguely considered EDC pocket carry. They also neglected UI and features for too long making absurdly priced lights that do absurd things and beating vendors to death over MAP rather than letting vendors protect their market position with reasonable prices. While they do still offer something desirable in weapon light, everything pocket-able is not a stand out on price, features, UI, etc.

 

I am really digging the FourSevens lights. If they made an X300U or TLR-1 type light I would buy it.

 

Like I said above, I am a "Surefire guy" but they are pricing themselves out of my budget, and wasting time on stupid gimmicks like that wrist light instead of building lights the community wants at a price they want to pay.

[SgtToadette 59]

I should clarify that I'm not a lumen junkie (okay...maybe a little). I think 200 lumens is more than adequate for a home defense weapon light. But for an EDC light I say the more the merrier. If I can get more bang for the buck why not?

 

I guess it is splitting hairs because even 120 lumen light is going to blow away your average dickhead's grocery store D-cell.

 

But I digress. I was leaning towards the Fenix PD35, but I'm wrestling with the FourSevens light. This is a real first world problem...