Looking for a light for a 60+ year old woman

[ShadyatBest]

Hello everyone. I recently gave an olight keychain light to wifes, sisters, mother in law and now she has asked me about a good household flashlight. She is cheap and if it was up to her she would head to the dollar store and buy a plastic 2 D cell garbage light and then use some rayovac lead batteries in it and we all know that it will most likely never work. On the flip side, I am sure that a 2 D cell maglight with an led would work just fine but I feel like Maglite has been left in the dust over the past ten years when it come to light technology.
I think that I am looking for something that is led and that takes c/d batteries, no more than 2 cell. I see that home depot usually has Coast brand lights that might fit the bill but I don't feel that they are quality but let me know if they are. I want a light that can be thrown into a drawer and forgot about for 2 years and will work when she needs it. I don't think that something that takes 18650 or some other "Special" battery will be desirable nor a rechargeable light. I want extremely low maintenance. High Lumen, Long throw, and color "K" are not super important. Its just needs to be reliable, enough light to to navigate a dark house, light up a 30x50 backyard, etc. Something that you all would be okay with being your moms only flashlight.

What do you think?

Btw, the Names Shady, Shady at Best.

 

[chip100t]

If you want something that will work after two years sat in a drawer you would be better with lithium batteries. I don't think you can get lithium c or d batteries.

Someone will be along who knows more than me.

 

[kerneldrop]

My eyes skipped right over light and thought you were looking for a 60+ woman. I said heck yea. Then saw light when I re read.

 

[hsa]

If you favor C or D batteries then: get a pack of energizer AA lithiums and put them in AA to C adapters and put those in a Maglite ML25 LT and give it to her with the two extra batteries that came in the pack.
The only risk you will run is that she will have a better flashlight than you.

 

[desert.snake]

Pelican 2010 (LED) or 2000 (Incan) SabreLite, 3*C battery. They have a 2010PL version, its head glows in the dark. I gave it to my father, very durable and turns on by turning the head.

 

[bykfixer]

To me, the more important choice is the battery. I'm personally not afraid of alkines but I do not reccomend them to others.

If it were my mom's only flashlight it would be a blue body classic version LED Maglite 2D. Not ML50 or 300 but the classic version with a mechanical switch. Simple on/off with a twist to focus front end. Throws like a much brighter light with several hours of runtime on a pair of D cells.
I would supply an 8 pack of leak-free ultimate lithiums and a pair of aa to D adapters.

I would also buy her a couple of those 2 for $6 twin pack of 1D flashlights made by Eveready or Rayovac and stick them in her coat closet for emergency use during extended power outs. Because that's where my parents stored their flashlight batteries.

And for good measure I would buy her an incan 2D Maglite and replace the bulb with a Nite Ize LED module, again fueled by ultimate lithiums in adapters. Probably a silver body to easily find in low light.

My mom (rip) would not care about tints and cri and all that stuff when the power shuts off.

And as a bonus I would supply her a 1x aaa flashlight for her night stand. Probably a blue Fenix E01v2 with a supply of ultimate lithiums.

My mom had a 4C Maglite……

 

[DaveTheDude]

Have you considered one of the CountyComm 1xC or 1xD lights? C and D cells leak at much lower frequency than the notorious AA cells (at least anecdotally), and the ease of use factor is undeniable. If you're still worried about leakage, it's easy enough to store the C or D cell outside of and adjacent to the flashlight.

You might also consider the following:

Nitecore EA41 1020 Lumens LED Flashlight - Uses 4xAA (LED is a CREE XM-L2 U2)

Toss in four AA lithium primary cells, and place four more nearby as backup cells and your mom should be set. As a bonus, the light is on sale from the Nitecore Store as of the date I posted this.

Just a thought...

 

[ShadyatBest]

Thanks for the replies. Thanks to Bykfixer, chip, hsa, D. Snake, and dave. I will most likely do something that one of you suggest.
Dave, I like that nitecore. I might get it for myself. As for her, I think that she will walk around with it on high and burn through the batteries and then hate it because it drains the batteries too fast. I think it has too many option and too high of lumens for her. Not that there can ever really be too many lumens.
I think I have an old incan Maglite lying around. I will be stoked if its 2 cell. I will upgrade the bulb and put in some of them lithium's with adapters if I do have one. That can be her starter light and I will look into getting some backups for coat pockets, purses, etc.

Since we are here, who knows anything about Remington 700's? I am looking at a 308 in either an adl or sps tactical. Should i buy the adl and use the saved money on an upgraded stock and magazine mod?

 

[Bicycleflyer]

Don't over think this,

My experience with women and flashlights is this… they only want two modes OFF and ON. It needs to sit in the junk drawer for two years and work every time it's used. Mag lite and streamlight make lights that fit the bill.

Keep it simple

 

[knucklegary]

Agree with Byk & flyer and especially with old ladies you need to KISS

There's a lot of Rem 700 platforms, have you checked out Snipershide forum?

 

[Poppy]

Personally, I wouldn't bother with the cost of getting AA - D adapters, and a six pack of lithium AAs due to the fear of a D cell alkaleek. Years ago, when my long lost 3D mag turned up, it had duracells that were 4 years past their good until date in it and they were still good. I think Rayovac is advertising ten year leak free guarantee.

If you are thinking of a two year time frame, I wouldn't sweat it at all.

I do like bykfixer's suggestion to get a couple of the 1D cell lights as additional sources of light should there be a power outage. My wife picked up a 2D rayovac a few years back, IIRC it was a 3 LED design, with three focusing lenses kinda like a carclo lens. It had good run-times and was very functional, simply on off.

She bought it in the grocery store. It was plastic. Big enough to not be easily lost, and small enough to fit in a kitchen junk drawer.

Something that I often suggest is to get an auto on emergency power failure light. They can be had at Lowes, Home Depot or Walmart for about $10. Just plug it into an outlet, and it is always on charge. They can be used as a low wattage flashlight, but most importantly, if the power fails, they will come on and allow one to navigate the house while looking for the flashlight in the junk drawer, or lantern that is stored in the closet.

 

[bykfixer]

I forgot about those Poppy. A couple years back I bought some (iirc) energizer plug in lights that turn on in power failure if you set it to and when you unplug it from the socket and fold up the plugs it became a handheld flashlight to carry around.
I gave them away.

Now I did kinda take offense to calling a 60 year old lady "an old lady", but that's coming from someone just two years from being 60.
Yikes!!

 

[Poppy]

LOL... Age is in the eyes of the beholder. I remember when 29 year olds were starting to show a little crow's feet at the corners of the eyes. YUCK, now... 50 year olds are hot, and some 60's aren't bad either.

Yeah, those auto on power failure lights aren't truly appreciated until the power goes out.
This one is in the kitchen and it will light the kitchen, dining room, and family room. Some light will spill into the living room, but there is another in there (different style, but it doesn't matter.)

 

[Hooked on Fenix]

I'd forget anything large for someone elderly. Get something small with an easy user interface, one or two settings. Definitely one that takes lithiums. For cheap, Energizer has a 1 123A light that's about 300 lumens you can find for $10 or less at Lowe's.

 

[ShadyatBest]

Awesome. Thanks for the replies. I agree, 2 modes, on and off. I have an old olight 2-aa cell light that I will give her and I will use the suggestions to find a second light. I also like those plug in power outage lights.
Shes not a decrepit old lady. Shoot, she might be 70, she has a 49 year old kid. 20 years ago she was surely a milf. Ditsy blonde though for sure. I can see the olight getting stuck in the lock mode and her not being able to figure out how to unlock it.
I bought a 24 pack of the energizer ul's for myself. I think that they were $1.40 each. Anyone know where to get them for less? Do they go on sale? Are fakes something to worry about with the energizers?

 

[knucklegary]

I knew a few ditsy blondes, heck I married one!

👍👍 For ditsy old (dyed blonde) gals!!

 

[CHNeal]

My wife is 60 ( yep I like the young ones!). This is her light. She uses it everyday and gets very upset if someone uses it and doesn't put it back where it goes. She also isn't a fan of the H/L ring because " lights should only do On and Off."

 

[Poppy]

Energizer warranty's no leaks for two years after the battery is depleted.
With a ten year shelf life.

What is Energizer’s No Leak Guarantee?

 

[bykfixer]

But but but…I thought every alkaline battery ever made has already leaked or is going to.

I have a few Maglite products with US made alkaline cells inside and have had no issues for a few years now.

 

[knucklegary]

Alkileaks made in USA.. Hunh? I didn't know there is such a thing nowadays