What do you use a flashlight for the most?

[bykfixer]

Thanks for the participation. It's good to know what folks typically use their flashlight(s) for.

My dog scans the back yard to let me know if it's safe to come out and play with flashlights.

When I was in the countryside a few incan lumens was plenty for most applications. But when I moved to where the all night generator provides round the clock sunshine I needed more output to bust up the shadows being cast everywhere.

 

[3_gun]

My run times are racked up doing estate/garage/junk sales. Put over 3hrs of use on my E35v3 this weekend at sales I didn't think I'd need a light. My uses are racked up at home getting soup out of the cupboard, clothes from the closet & searching the gun safe a few seconds at a time, maybe 5 or more time a day. Part of the reason I like cheap'ish lights, you can leave one everywhere

 

[nollij]

Let's see… navigating around the house at night. Reading to my daughter before she goes to sleep in bed. Looking in the storage cabinets in the garage. Walking the dog at night. Checking under the bed. Looking inside small canisters to see if anything is left. Finding food/parts on the floor. Finding the pieces from ANOTHER glass my wife or daughter DROPPED ON THE FLOOR. Searching for ticks/fleas. Looking under a client's deck/porch for DOA's (I work in Animal Control). I use my lights everyday.

Whoops, forgot to add what I use!
Maratac Ti 2xAAA Inspection Light clipped to top of left pocket for many uses (especially inspecting the inside of small containers and other flashlights), Fenix HM61R on head for walking the dog and most nightly around the house use (love the red option but not the color tint on the white light), 4Sevens Quark Mk3 QK16L, also for walking the dog and around the house light but also used for the "find the part/glass/food on the floor". I keep a NiteCore P10 in a holster on my duty belt at work for looking under decks/basements for animals hiding/DOA. I keep my new Maratac Tri-Flood 14500 in my left front pocket (under my wallet) if I need a floody Hi-CRI light… just need to add a magnet to the clip to make it as useful as the Fenix HM61R. It doesn't have the red led but it's moonlight mode is MUCH lower than the HM61R's "eco" mode and the color tint is far superior IMO. It has a 2-way clip for hat brim use (I'm ALMOST always wearing a stiff-brimmed hat) and it's much lighter weight. Less battery density but for most of my use, the 14500 is plenty. I'm seriously considering replacing my HM61R with a Zebralight H604c but I can't decide if the H600fc or the H604c is better for me… but that belongs in another thread.

 

[ChrisGarrett]

I prefer to EDC 16340 lipstick lights exclusively and use them to see in darker places, around my family home, fixing stuff and the like at my place.

Minor stuff, where anything bigger is just a weight/volume penalty and not needed.

I'm at the family home in Los Angeles and I brought my ET D25C Ti. Clicky and Emisar D4V2 and after 6 days of carrying the ET, I haven't had to recharge the VapeCell 16340.

Chris

 

[parang]

A lot of frequent uses, when I think about it.

Going by duration, the Sofirn BLF LT1 as a nightlight must be my most used one. At the dimmest and warmest setting, it will last forever on a single charge.

Runner ups:

- for photography, Nichia EC65 Acebeams,

- Convoys as utility lights mounted on clamped articulated arms (goosenecks) for craft projects.

- Sofirn SC01 on my keychain to navigate a long garden path full of mole hills and any other EDC task.

- Acebeam TK16 kept by my bed, to shine a light through the glass door to see which one of my pets is outside.

- An Astrolux to flood the entire backyard.

 

[fuyume]

I usually use my flashlights for seeing when it is dark.

Fenix E12 for my EDC light. Mostly used in Low (5 lumen) mode for all sort of purposes, sometimes Med (30 lumen) mode.
Fenix HM23 for my camping headlamp, or whenever I need my hands free. Again, mostly used in Low (5 lumen) mode.
Fenix PD36 TAC for my bicycle headlamp (150 or 350 lumen Lo or Med modes, Duty setting)/personal protection light, or for whenever I need a really REALLY *BRIGHT* light (2000 lumen Hi mode, Tactical setting)
Cat Eye Auto Rapid 3 for my bicycle taillamp.
first-gen CMG Infinity Task light, green LED, for when I need to see something printed at night and don't want to ruin my night vision or be too noticeable.
Inova X1 for bedside light, for when I wake up in the middle of the night and need to get out of bed without tripping over anything. My former EDC light, which I always hated, but it still works, so until I find some unsuspecting rube upon which to foist it off, it's my bedside light.

I have a few other lights around, but these are the ones I still actually use.

 

[DaveTheDude]

I usually use my flashlights for seeing when it is dark.

Fenix E12 for my EDC light. Mostly used in Low (5 lumen) mode for all sort of purposes, sometimes Med (30 lumen) mode.
Fenix HM23 for my camping headlamp, or whenever I need my hands free. Again, mostly used in Low (5 lumen) mode.
Fenix PD36 TAC for my bicycle headlamp (150 or 350 lumen Lo or Med modes, Duty setting)/personal protection light, or for whenever I need a really REALLY *BRIGHT* light (2000 lumen Hi mode, Tactical setting)
Cat Eye Auto Rapid 3 for my bicycle taillamp.
first-gen CMG Infinity Task light, green LED, for when I need to see something printed at night and don't want to ruin my night vision or be too noticeable.
Inova X1 for bedside light, for when I wake up in the middle of the night and need to get out of bed without tripping over anything. My former EDC light, which I always hated, but it still works, so until I find some unsuspecting rube upon which to foist it off, it's my bedside light.

I have a few other lights around, but these are the ones I still actually use.

Outdoors: Night hiking (80% via headlamp, of which I have nine different varieties). General backpacking and woodland campsite use (20%, mostly via various 18650 lights; again, too many to list).

Indoors: Mostly 16340 pocket lights, which I prefer because of their light weight and small size; not bulky in my pockets but plenty capable for illuminating at distances out to 100 or 150 feet. I favor the FourSevens Quark Mini (Mark II and Mark III, mostly), and the EagTac D25C series. I also use several 18350 lights when I know I'll be using the light for an extended period of time, favoring my ArmyTek for it's high CRI emitter, and my JetBeam for it's size and performance.

Travel: It depends on the destination. Pre-Covid, when traveling to first world destinations I carried a16340 Quark Mini Mark II (copper, neutral tint), and an Olight HR1 headlamp. When visiting less developed destinations I favored AA lights. I only take what I can fit in my carry-on bags, so smaller sized lights make the most sense for me.

 

[Candlestick]

I'm seriously considering replacing my HM61R with a Zebralight H604c but I can't decide if the H600fc or the H604c is better for me… but that belongs in another thread.

I have the 603c and the 604c is on its way. its a great light, nothing beats pure flood for close up work and its bright enough to easily hike at night even on medium. I don't miss the throw because if I need to see far away I just pull out a flashlight.

I walk my dog at night with the H603c and its amazing how much it lights up. It also helps keep me from walking into tree branches and spider webs.

 

[Blades]

Work; I do inspections and the marketing videos/photos for a rental management company. I use my lights during inspections to show dust/dirt/smears/smudges and to illuminate dark rooms for marketing photos and the video.

 

[Hooked on Fenix]

Night hiking. Since the start of COVID, I got tired of the lockdowns, still wanted to keep my distance from people, and needed to get back in shape. You'd be amazed how many fewer people hike at night rather than during the day. On some hikes I rarely see a single person. I have three mountains to hike at night in or near my town, Black Mountain (15 mile hike), Mt. Woodson (3.6, 5.3 or 9.6, or 10 miles depending on route), and Iron Mountain (6 miles). Black Mountain requires a lot of light and runtime to make the hike so few go at night. The other two are more narrow and popular trails that don't require a Nitecore E4K or Tiny Monster TM06s to safely navigate.

 

[CHNeal]

The 3 most common uses for me are :

Eiger w/ 219B 5700k sees 90% of my use and of that its in mouth 2/3s of that which is how it got chosen over the HDS as my primary EDC.
Second most is on old McClicky yellow G2 which has pulled backyard duty with the pups for years for my entire family.
Third is the HDS-NLT which has been my primary nighttime trail walking light

Of these the HDS has been replaced just this week with a MD4 Hound Dog and the GC will be replaced late this week with MD3/M91B, The Eiger is forever and I have 8 spares to prove it.