I thought Maglites were the best.

sir_guy123

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Oct 27, 2011
Messages
26
What can I say; I live in England and from what I've seen Maglites are the standard high end torch in brick and mortar retailers. I was thinking of getting an xl but when I started doing some research I was surprised to find that Maglites are actually regarded as 'a bit crap'.

So, what do I want? I like my solitaire because I've always got it on me, it doesn't get in the way and it's focusable, but it's not the brightest of torches (by a long way).
It's probably best to fill in the Flashlight Recommendation Checklist:


1) How would you prefer to purchase the light?

I'll probably be buying from eBay or the like; I'd prefer the torch to come from England so that the inland robbingyou don't seize it until I've paid them for it again!



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

Less than £20 (about $40?).


3) Format:

__*__I want a flashlight.
____I want a headlamp.
____I want a lantern.
____I want a dive light.
____I want a portable spotlight.


4) Flashlight-specific format/size:

__*__Keychain size.
__*__Every day carry small (2-4 inches).
__*__Every day carry medium (4-7 inches).
____Holster carry.
____Big enough to need its own travel caseJ.
____I don't care.
____I don't know.
____N/A


5) Emitter/Light source:

____LED (known for efficiency, longevity, and compactness)
____Incandescent (known for superior color rendition)
____HID (known for max output, but often at the expense of size)
__*__I don't know.


6) Manufacturer:

__*__I want to buy a light from a traditional mass producing manufacturer that is ready to go out of the box.
____I would consider getting a light that is pieced together (for example a "host" or flashlight body from one manufacturer, and a "drop-in" emitter from another source). Under the right circumstances, this path can provide more options to the consumer to meet specific needs, and can often be easily upgradeable as technology improves.


7) What battery type do you want to use?

Something that's easily purchasable, rechargeable and doesn't cost more than you'd expect to pay for a torch battery.

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 impossible).

__*__I want to navigate a dark room or read a map (0-10 lumens).
__*__I want to walk around an unlit rural area (50-150 lumens).
__*__I want to illuminate my entire backyard or a campsite (150-300 lumens).
____I want to illuminate an entire field, the neighbor's front yard several houses down, impress my friends and neighbors, etc. (300-700 lumens).
____I want ridiculous amounts of lumens (800+ lumens).


9) Throw vs. Flood: At what distance will you be most likely to use this light? Select all that apply.

__*__Less than 1 yard/meter (reading, other close work)
__*__Less than 5 yards/meters (looking for something inside a dark shed/garage/basement)
__*__5-20 yards/meters (check out a noise in the backyard)
__*__30-50 yards/meters (I have a big backyard)
____50-150 yards/meters (I live in a very rural area/farm with wide open spaces)
____150+ yards (I want maximum throw possible)


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

____Up to 30 minutes (I want the brightest [and potentially smallest] light for brief periods)
____30-60 minutes (I have plenty of batteries just ready to be changed)
__*__90-120 minutes (Runtime is moderately important, but still not critical)
____3 hours + (I critically need this light to run on max for extended periods in between battery changes/charges).


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

____Not Important (A "night-stand" light).
____Slightly Important (Walks around the neighborhood).
__*__Very Important (Camping, Backpacking, Car Glove-box).
____Critical (Police, Fire, Search & Rescue, Caving, Survival).
____I don't care.
____I don't know.


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

____I want a forward clicky (Helpful for momentary activation and signaling).
____I want a reverse clicky (For use with multi-mode/level lights).
____I want a momentary switch (Predominantly for use with signaling and short bursts of momentary light only).
____I want a twisty switch (Tighten the head/tailcap to activate, and the light will stay on until the head/tailcap is loosened).
____I want a body mounted switch (near the head, like on a Maglite).
____I want a tail mounted switch (found on the majority of today's high end lights).
__*__I don't care.
____I don't know.
____Other, please specify____________________.


13) User Interface (UI) and mode selection. Select all that apply.

____A simple on-off with only one output level is fine for me.
__*__I want 2 light levels. (Brighter/short runtime and Dimmer/long runtime.)
__*__I want multiple light levels. (Some lights have 5-16 light levels.)
____I want a programmable light.
____I want a selector ring.
____I want a strobe mode. (Blinks to show location.)
____I want SOS mode.
____I want a beacon mode.
____I don't care.
____I don't know.


14)Material/Finish/Coating

____Plastic/composite body (this may limit your choices significantly).
__*__Anodized Aluminum – either type II or III (Hard Anodized) (Aluminum, specifically HA, is the most common material/finish for today's flashlights).
____Stainless steel (durable, but much heavier than aluminum)
____Titanium (durable and nearly as lightweight as aluminum, but can be moderately to significantly more expensive).
____I don't care.
____I don't know.
____Other, please specify____________.


15) Special Needs/extras: Is there anything else you want or need that hasn't been mentioned? Select any below.

____Red filter (for preserving night vision).
____Other filter colors (Amber, Green, Blue, _________).
____Dedicated R/G/B secondary LEDs.
____"Hybrid" light (bright incandescent combined with long running LEDs)
____Pocket/belt clip
____Holster
____Wrist/Neck Lanyard
____Crenulated bezel
____Non-sparking Intrinsically Safe (IS) for use in explosive environments




After doing research I was thinking about a romisen? to be honest i've been trying to make my mind up for days and keep changing it.

Thanks.
 

Kestrel

Flashaholic
Joined
Oct 31, 2007
Messages
7,355
Location
Willamette Valley, OR
Welcome to CPF, sir guy.
You might want to edit your thread title (via the 'edit -> 'advanced edit' buttons) to something like 'replacing a maglite - new flashlight recommendation needed' to better reflect the intent of your thread? Otherwise this sort of invites a pro/con maglite discussion :shrug:
Best regards,
 

cummins4x4

Enlightened
Joined
Mar 10, 2011
Messages
320
Location
Near Lethbridge Alberta
Up until about a year ago I thought the Magcharger was the ultimate light (or torch as you Brits say). I checked out a few threads on CanadianGunNutz regarding LED torches and was away to a new hobby/addiction. I bought a few knockoffs and some cheapo Li-ion batteries which made me realize like most gear you get what you pay for. Just bought my first hi-end, Olight SR51, Pila charger and AW2900 batteries. Cool stuff and very practical for a rural dweller that prides himself on being able to deal with any situation. Next purchase? Looking at a new Surefire or maybe building my own.
 

jabe1

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Apr 25, 2008
Messages
3,093
Location
Cleveland,Oh
Take a look at the new Thrunite Ti. AAA, 2 mode, and inexpensive.
If you're used to a solitaire, it's all uphill from here on in!

Welcome to CPF!
 

FlashKat

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Mar 18, 2006
Messages
2,364
Location
Anaheim, CA.
I heard TacLight.co.uk is a good place to buy in the UK. I have a Klarus Mi10 aluminum on my keychain, and it has been great.
 

Burgess

Flashaholic
Joined
Apr 10, 2006
Messages
6,545
Location
USA
Hello SirGuy --

Welcome to CandlePowerForums !

:welcome:


Must admit --

Before i found this website, I also felt my MagLites were the best there is !


:wave:
 

Slider817

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Oct 27, 2011
Messages
20
Hello,

For a Keychain light the $sevens Preon 1 or Larger Preon 2 are excellent choices, amazing light output and they use AAA batteries. Water resistent, and pretty tough in my experience for the form factor
 

tx101

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
May 17, 2008
Messages
2,357
Location
London UK
I thought Maglites were the best

They are if you want to do some DIY modding :D

BTW you dont mention what kind of batteries you intend to use for the torch.
The output + runtime depend very much on the type of battery you use for the torch
Alkaline, rechargeable NiMH, lithium, or rechargeable li-ions ?

The rechargeable options will cost extra £££
 
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JacobJones

Enlightened
Joined
Jul 9, 2011
Messages
623
Location
England
Romisen are a pretty good choice, they're one of the better quality budget brands. No UK sellers have them though, but I have bought them from an American place several times and customs have never hit me with a ridiculous fee, i think items need to be over a certain value before they do.

But like the person above said it would help us if we knew what batteries you want to use
 

AFKAN

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Jul 21, 2011
Messages
39
Location
UK
Ooooh another Brit :wave:

I originally thought that Maglites were cool :rolleyes:

I've got a Solitaire that I can only describe as "shocking" I'm sure the room gets darker when you turn it on :lol:

If I were you I'd maybe think about doubling your budget. You can't really get anything half decent (that wouldn't be laughed at on here) for less than twenty quid :(

Have a mooch through link removed (I've got nothing to do with them other than I bought my two Jetbeams from them :D
 
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davecroft

Enlightened
Joined
Aug 23, 2011
Messages
384
Yet another Brit here! Welcome to CPF and hold onto your wallet.

A couple of things -

1. the Thrunite AAA is in testing mode at the moment and there are only a limited number available from Illumination Supply in US. Not available in UK yet. Looks promising though, but if you want one you may have to wait a few months. If you want relatively decent runtime and a good amount of light I would look at AA lights rather than AAA, there are some AA lights around which are not much bigger than AAA ones.

2. You can get some nice little single AA lights for around £20 - £25 especially if you buy from Hong Kong. I would suggest you look at the Xeno E03, Fenix LD15, Fenix E11 and Olight i2. For a little more you can get a 2 x AA light which will give you longer runtime and more output.

3. You pay a lot less if you buy from Hong Kong than a UK dealer but delivery will take 10 days minimum and you may have to pay import tax - but I never have had to so far. Personally I'd risk it for a fairly inexpensive light but if spending more you might want to go with the relative security of buying from UK. You can save as much as 30% buying from Hong Kong and there are some good dealers there - let me know if you want further information, but to give you some idea my Fenix E11 cost £17.28 including delivery. The price in UK is about £24 plus delivery. My Fenix LD15 cost £28.50 from Hong Kong, UK price is £37.

4. Be aware that using a UK based dealer doesn't always guarantee a trouble free purchase! But returning a faulty torch to China will take longer and cost more obviously. If you want a decent UK dealer I can recommend Ledfire Torches myself. They are good with returns / refunds and also refund your return postage if the goods are faulty, which not all dealers are happy to do. If you do buy from them don't forget the CPF discount code which gives you about 8% discount.

Hope this helps. Let us know what you decide!
 

Moriarty

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Oct 24, 2011
Messages
24
I have refurbished all my AA Mini Maglites and converted my C and D cell Maglites with Terralux LED units.

I have some modern AA Mini Maglites and the latest electronic switches are a pain in the neck.

There is a US site (Going Gear) which is very good for searching for flashlights by criteria and for video reviews.

Purchasing in the UK, I have used the Torchsite and Flashaholics - both have been very good.
 

Tsportmat

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Jul 28, 2011
Messages
53
Location
England
I was originally going to buy a Maglite 3D LED, until I found out about better torches...

For that budget, you can get a Xeno E03 off a popular auction site (thinking of one myself)... That gives a decent everyday output off an AA cell (eneloop of course), then if you want a LOT of light, put in a lithium 14500 and you'll get close to 500 lumens.

For £15 you can get a TerraLux Minimag upgrade as stated above (if you own a Mini Mag it would be in budget), it gives a reasonable output (more than a big stock LED Maglite I think). I have upgraded my old purple Maglite to keep in the car, as I couldn't stand to see it disused. I've also added a 3/4" acrylic sphere as a lens, to make it into a nice thrower.
 

sir_guy123

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Oct 27, 2011
Messages
26
They are if you want to do some DIY modding :D

BTW you dont mention what kind of batteries you intend to use for the torch.
The output + runtime depend very much on the type of battery you use for the torch
Alkaline, rechargeable NiMH, lithium, or rechargeable li-ions ?

The rechargeable options will cost extra £££


Something that's easily purchasable, rechargeable and doesn't cost more than you'd expect to pay for a torch battery.
I don't really understand the question; surely you chose the torch/flashlight first then get the batteries to suit it. if the torch/flashlight runs on xyz batteries then that's what i'll use, if it runs on standard AA's or the like then i'll probably use NiMH. (thats what's in my solitaire at the moment)
 

sir_guy123

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Oct 27, 2011
Messages
26
the xeno e03 looks awesome

just watching some video reviews, 'a bit floody' and 'gets hot on the 490Lu setting'
 
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Tsportmat

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Joined
Jul 28, 2011
Messages
53
Location
England
the xeno e03 looks awesome

Lithiums are great batteries for torches, the problem is, you can't keep them charged, and you have to monitor them carefully, also they're relatively expensive. That is why it's handy to be able to pop an eneloop in there.

I bought a fenix TK12, which runs on 18650s. It's a great torch, but I soon found that I also needed an AA torch for everyday/emergency use, which I why I bought a Zebralight SC51w to supplement it. So that's a warning, if you buy a torch which exclusively uses lithiums, it may cost you more in the long run (unless you're looking for an excuse to buy more torches :welcome:...)
 

tx101

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
May 17, 2008
Messages
2,357
Location
London UK
A rechargeable li-ion battery will be able to drive the LED at a higher current (therefore brighter) than an alkaline.
A rechargeable NiMH battery will also be able to deliver a high current but you need more batts therefore making the
torch physically bigger.

For your budget, have a look at the lights sold by Shiningbeam
 

sir_guy123

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Joined
Oct 27, 2011
Messages
26
this is where i'm at at the moment

namebatterymax Lumensmodesprice (£)
preon1AAA70OTF731.95 ledfire
Klarus M10AAA80329.95 taclight
fenix E11105216 ebay
olight i275317 ebay
Xeno E03AA or 14500lots of sites seem to differ on this3 no memory18 ebay


shiningbeam I-mini Cree XP-G R5AA2601 infinate adjustment$38.75 (£24) postage?












thinking.gif


I really like the look of the Xeno E03 but lots of websites differ on what the max Lumens are, are there different versions? and if so which one do i want?
also if i were to use the Li-ion battery would i need a specific charger, and how much are they likely to be?

I've just discovered PWM, do most torches use it? i think i'm going to hate it, i hate the cars that have it on their rear lights
rant.gif
 
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AutoTech

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Sep 4, 2011
Messages
263
Location
Kent, UK
Price variation on the xeno is due to different led's. They are still for sale with the xp-g r5 led's, the more expensive ones have an xm-l led.

I have one of the newer xm-l led equipped e03's and it's a nice little light for the money.

On ebay they are available with a 14500 battery (rechargeable 3.7v equiv of the normally 1.5v AA) and a charger for £30 delivered, bargain! You'll be amazed at the output of this little light on a 14500.

Only thing I'm not keen on is there's not a really low mode on the light but it does have a great floody beam. Depends what outputs you want, for me I like to have a real low available as I keep my main use light on my bed side cabinet and last thing you want at 4am is a blinding light.
 
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