Good little EDC flashlight?

knuckle Head · Nov 27, 2011

CommandoJoe said:
Here is my current EDC light:

http://www.kaidomain.com/product/details.S009931

Cheap, relatively small and SUPER bright on high mode (Although very short run time as it draws 3 amps on high - maybe 5 - 10 minutes, but I always carry a couple spare batteries), 2+ hours on medium, and 10+ hours on low. Strobe mode for the cyclists and SOS mode for emergency situations. Although if I was going to be out in the woods I would probably bring a light that uses 18650 batteries so I would have longer runtimes.
Everyone at work is amazed at how bright it is... Downside is that you have to invest in LiIon batteries (IMR type strongly recommended) and a charger - but you can still get all that for less than most surefire lights and it will be brighter as well.

For those that are not yet flashaholics, the Cree XML led chip is the best bang for the buck at the moment - there are a couple others that are brighter, but they use much more current are are more expensive (SST-50, SST-90). Until something better comes out that is the only type I will buy in the near future.

If I needed something smaller this would be my second choice (Was my EDC until the one above came out):
TANK007 TK-703 HA-III Cree Q3-WC 110-Lumen LED Flashlight - Black (1*AAA/1*10440) - Free Shipping - DealExtreme
Not nearly as bright but it can use AAA alkaline/NiMh or LiIon(Will give a little more brightness).

You can search either of the above websites for XML or XM-L and you will get quite a variety of very bright flashlights. They are both Hong Kong based, so shipping will normally be 2 - 3 weeks, but they are legit as I have made many orders from both. DX also has one similar to the car rechargeable light that someone else posted about earlier at 1/3 the cost:

Car Cigarette Lighter Socket Rechargeable 0.5W Mini LED Flashlight (Blue) - Free Shipping - DealExtreme

I clicked on the first link, looked at it, there is nothing on the battery type or anything stated, how does it use.

Please advise the battery type and if you have a link more data it would be nice, 1,000 lumens is crazy especially if it is a clear beam. I Like

MrNiceGuy · Nov 27, 2011

22many said:
I'm surprised nobody has mentioned joby flashlights. I have 2 of them and they are better than the sure fires that I have owned. Best part is, no more batteries. Recharge through any USB port and it all good.

I'm not surprised.
After reading your post, doing a google search, and looking through pages of gorilla pods on amazon, I have come to the conclusion that there is no such thing as a joby flashlight.

more info please.

CommandoJoe · Nov 27, 2011

Sorry, I was just coming off of night shift and forgot a few things... Kaidomain.com (commonly referred to as KD) leaves a lot to be desired in the product description area and user reviews - that's one reason why I order from DX (Dealextreme.com) much more often... In the description it gives the battery type - (1 * 16340) which is a cr123 sized rechargeable lithium ion battery, and as I said before I would strongly suggest an IMR type battery for this (and any) high current application. you can get them at <broken link removed>
My light has a very white beam vs yellow or blueish tint that some LED lights have.
What other info are you looking for? If we ever happen to be in the same area I'd be more than happy to show and tell...

Another thing with with most of the cheap Chinese flashlights at KD and DX are that their brightness ratings are usually over exaggerated by the manufacturer. So the light we are talking about is most likely in the 400 - 600 range lumen, as are most XML lights - but still very bright...

I also forgot to mention that many of these lights use a p60 dropin module - meaning that you can take the main light module and swap it to a different body. If you already have a surefire that takes 2 cr123 batteries you could take the dropin from my light and use it in a surefire body with an 18650 LiIon battery...
Example of a dropin:
<broken link removed>

DX also has a US warehouse with a few items for faster shipping, but unfortunately the cheapest XML light I've been eyeing is out of stock. But they do have some in the $20-$25 range.
DX Overseas Warehouse Stocking - Fast shipment - US Address Only - DealExtreme

SVT-ROY · Dec 28, 2011

I was asleep for this thread but it's not to old. And looking from the input I think the streamlight nano was missed. It's amazingly bright for its size. Cost 7.50 and batteries are Pennies. I carry the D-ring on my left belt loop. That's a Speer 9mm!