Flashlight for a friend on a farm

[Bravo30]

I want to gift a flashlight to a female friend of mine who owns farm acreage down in West Virginia. She's not mechanically inclined at all and has a good bit of land and animals to look after. I'm thinking single 21700 with a very simple UI and only a few modes (100 lines, 500lumens, 1000 lumens then turbo) needs to be waterproof and durable for farm use. The type of light when you hear something outside you grab it and light the field up but also usable brightness
Levels for normal farm work etc



1) How would you prefer to purchase the light?

__X__This will be mail-order or Online (location doesn't matter).


2) Budget: An easy question, but you may change your mind after answering the rest!

_X___Up to $300 with charger etc



3) Format:


__X__I want a flashlight (hand held/self contained).



4) Size:


__X__MEDIUM - Holster/belt ring carry. (>7inches)



5) Emitter/Light source:

_X___LED (known for efficiency, longevity, and compactness)



6) Manufacturer:

__X__I want to buy a light from a large/traditional manufacturer that is ready to go out of the box.



7) What power source do you want to use?


___X__I intend to use Rechargeable cells based on less common formats (18500 or 18650 Li-Ion, RCR123, et-al).


7a) If you have selected a rechargeable option

__X__I want a light that has a recharging adapter (your typical "wall wart")
_X___I want a light that snaps into a cradle (usually mounted on a wall)
___X__I want a separate/stand-alone charger (this involves removing the batteries to charge)
_X___USB type C charging built in


8) How much genuine out the front (OTF) light do you want/need? Sometimes you can have too much light (trying to read up close up with a 100 lumen light is not a happy experience).

_X___I want search and rescue type illumination (800+ lumens).

__X__SPECIAL NOTE: Burst/Turbo mode Category - There are several lights that will run at a super bright maximum for a very limited period (usually 5-10 minutes) and then will "step-down" to a lower level for thermal control. Check here if this is acceptable.


9) Flood vs Throw: Flood covers an area, Throw reaches out to a distance.


__X__Wide Throw: I want a beam with a noticeable hot-center for distance throw and a significant amount of "side-spill". Good for rough trail hiking, search and rescue, and general distance work.


9a) Distance: How far away will you typically need to see with this light (check all that apply)

__X__50-150 yards/meters (I live in a very rural area/farm with wide open spaces)


10) Runtime: Not over-inflated manufacturer runtime claims, but usable brightness measured from first activation to 50% with new batteries (Measured on maximum continuous output).


__X__30-60 minutes (I have plenty of batteries just ready to be changed)






11) Durability/Usage: Generally the old phrase "you get what you pay for" is very accurate for flashlights.



__X__Very Important (Camping, Backpacking, Car Glove-box).
___X_Critical (Police, Fire, Search & Rescue, Caving, Survival).


12) Switch Size, Type, and location (choose all that apply):

_X___Any size switch will do.

__X__I want a momentary switch (Predominantly for use with signaling and short bursts of momentary light only).
__X__I want a twisty switch (Tighten the head/tailcap to activate, and the light will stay on until the head/tailcap is loosened).
__X__I want a body mounted switch (near the head, like on a Maglite).



13) User Interface (UI) and mode selection.
_X___I want multiple light levels. (Some lights have 5-16 light levels.)



14)Material/Finish/Coating


__X__Anodized Aluminum – either type II or III (Hard Anodized) (Aluminum, specifically HA, is the most common material/finish for today's higher end flashlights).


15) Water resistance

__X__IPX8 (Submersible to greater than 1 meter for 4 hours)

16) Storage conditions
__X__In house (temperature/climate controlled environment)
__X__Emergency kit (long standby periods)

 

[xxo]

Maglite ML50LX running 21700's in an adapter.

 

[thermal guy]

just get him a malkoff hound dog. It's a 2X 18650 but that's all he'll need. Check it out.

 

[turbodog]

I was

just get him a malkoff hound dog. It's a 2X 18650 but that's all he'll need. Check it out.

I was going to write the same thing. I've still got family on a farm. they have less_than_zero interest in multiple button modes, but are ok with a twist head.

The 2x18650 or 4x123 is a good format.

Hound dog has enough throw to spot a calving heifer at 100+ yards hiding in the bushes.

The narrow battery compartment allows back pocket carry w/o being a nuisance and is long enough to not fall out easily.

 

[Hooked on Fenix]

If you want a simple user interface, the Fenix PD40R v.2 with a rotary switch may work well. The lumen spacing (100, 500, 1000, turbo) is closest to how Klarus spaces their settings. However, they tend to use proprietary batteries for 21700 lights. There is nothing wrong with their 18650 lights though which have the same lumen spacing (and some are less complicated).

 

[bykfixer]

I'd say something that can also run off primary batteries too. Often bad weather knocks out power in that part of America so recharging a flashlight battery might not be high on the list of priorities.

My initial thought was the Maglite ML150 but it doesn't do primary batteries in a pinch. The Malkoff product mentioned in posts 3 and 4 does. Stupid simple hi/lo with the twist of the head. Spend the cost savings on batteries.

 

[thermal guy]

gene got into making lights do to him needing a better light on his farm. Enough said😁

 

[KITROBASKIN]

How good is she about keeping track of things? Does she lose stuff regularly? Consider getting her a decent flashlight first then get back with her to see what she would like differently.

Everything needed one price. The owner of Lumencraft is known here; good reputation. This is a great price:

CLEAEANCE: Lumencraft FL1 LED Flashlight - USB Rechargeable with 18650 Battery - 600 Lumen

Buy Now. A high brightness USB rechargeable flashlight. Comes with everything you need including the protected 18650 battery and USB-C charging cable. 600 lumens of sustainable power and a simple High/Low user interface.

lumencraft.com

It is also available on Amazon.

 

[alpg88]

this question is getting harder and harder to answer due to sea of flashlights that are almost the same.
Farm means .lots of dirt, mud, animal waste..., lights fall down, get grabbed by dirty hands/gloves, i'd look for lights that are not only water resistant but can be submerged and hosed down. look for highest IP ratings. Flood will be more used than throw, so i'd look for floody beam 2000-3000lm , i realize she wont need that much most of the time, she'll be using it in lower modes, but to reach 100-150m flood needs that many lumens. A narrow pencil beam with little spill will not be as useful as floody even beam up close, or indoors, like in a barn.

 

[turbodog]

this question is getting harder and harder to answer due to sea of flashlights that are almost the same.
Farm means .lots of dirt, mud, animal waste..., lights fall down, get grabbed by dirty hands/gloves, i'd look for lights that are not only water resistant but can be submerged and hosed down. look for highest IP ratings. Flood will be more used than throw, so i'd look for floody beam 2000-3000lm , i realize she wont need that much most of the time, she'll be using it in lower modes, but to reach 100-150m flood needs that many lumens. A narrow pencil beam with little spill will not be as useful as floody even beam up close, or indoors, like in a barn.

Good farmer doesn't need a light in the barn... knows where everything is. Can tell what they bumped into by the sound it makes.

 

[Poppy]

It sounds like a floody beam with a large hot spot is what she is looking for. In that respect I like lights with a large die emitter, or triples.

My first thought was a Thrunite TN30 with its magnetic ring output selector. But it is a large soda can body. It pretty much is a hand held carry or holster carry light.

Then I thought... what about a Fenix TK35? Certainly one of its varients could work well. It came/comes with different emitters, so depending upon ones needs, one could get a different beam profile. I see now that the TK35UE v2 has a triple emitter set up.
At 8:28 of this review video, there are beam shots.


With its relatively small reflector, and pocketable size, and low cost, she may like something like the convoy S2+ with a large die emitter, like the XML2, or SST40. It is also low cost.

Perhaps the Emisar D4 has a version that is applicable? Again its a smaller light, and available in triple and quad emitter styles.

Finally, perhaps her duties require two hands. Perhaps a floody headlamp that has the option to throw enough lumens to have the reach/throw needed when that extra reach is desired. My goto headlamp is now the Sofirn D25L

I'm liking my Sofirn D25L rechargeable headlamp.

I bought a Sofirn D25L 5 months ago. I've only used it a few times, but I am liking it enough, that I just ordered another one, just in case they stop production, and they become unobtainable. 18650, 5000 K, 90 CRI, (5 I think) user selectable outputs, and a nice wide field of view, are some of...

www.candlepowerforums.com

 

[ledbetter]

I think some of us are forgetting that the light is for a female not into flashlights. And in my experience, women, even if they are somewhat mechanical, like it super simple. On/off. The Maglite and Malkoff suggestions are the best choices, American, and super durable.

 

[lightfooted]

Yeah I'm gonna also recommend the Malkoff light suggestion as well.

 

[turbodog]

I think some of us are forgetting that the light is for a female not into flashlights. And in my experience, women, even if they are somewhat mechanical, like it super simple. On/off. The Maglite and Malkoff suggestions are the best choices, American, and super durable.

And if it's cold... something that works easily w/ gloves.

I grew up farming beef cattle. Lights, when used, were almost always looking for a cow that was 'down'.... usually delivering a calf at night. You were out at night because you _had_ to be, not as a normal part of work.

 

[bykfixer]

I think some of us are forgetting that the light is for a female not into flashlights. And in my experience, women, even if they are somewhat mechanical, like it super simple. On/off. The Maglite and Malkoff suggestions are the best choices, American, and super durable.

Not into flashlight applies to the fellows too.

 

[alpg88]

I think some of us are forgetting that the light is for a female not into flashlights. And in my experience, women, even if they are somewhat mechanical, like it super simple. On/off. The Maglite and Malkoff suggestions are the best choices, American, and super durable.

If a woman runs and works on a farm, i would not worry about her mechanical knowledge and ability to use flashlight. She is most likely more capable than 70% of men that live in a city.

 

[ledbetter]

If a woman runs and works on a farm, i would not worry about her mechanical knowledge and ability to use flashlight. She is most likely more capable than 70% of men that live in a city.

Maybe, but OP states "she's not mechanically inclined at all" so I still think Maglite or Malkoff is a good option. When in doubt, KISS.

 

[alpg88]

New maglites are no longer that simple, old models or old ones upgrades to leds sure, new ones not so much, have you tried xl50 or xl100?

 

[Dave_H]

How good is she about keeping track of things? Does she lose stuff regularly? Consider getting her a decent flashlight first then get back with her to see what she would like differently.

Everything needed one price. The owner of Lumencraft is known here; good reputation. This is a great price:

CLEAEANCE: Lumencraft FL1 LED Flashlight - USB Rechargeable with 18650 Battery - 600 Lumen

Buy Now. A high brightness USB rechargeable flashlight. Comes with everything you need including the protected 18650 battery and USB-C charging cable. 600 lumens of sustainable power and a simple High/Low user interface.

lumencraft.com

It is also available on Amazon.

Removeable 18650 and USB chargeable, looks pretty good.

Dave

 

[knucklegary]

New maglites are no longer that simple, old models or old ones upgrades to leds sure, new ones not so much, have you tried xl50 or xl100?

ML25lt.. KiSS, plus can run new Li-ion rechargeable