Solid light for a daughter starting in college

Folks:

My daughter starts college in the fall. She's staying on campus for her first year. I already have a nice sized carrying mace device for her. Would like her to also have, in her room and she is out in the evening, a small but solid light for emergency and other safety reasons. I prefer an AA device for her, since I don't want to burden her with charging, etc; however, if a jump to a 18650 config. is really substantial in opening up options, I'll consider making sure she has a charged battery, as she will come home to visit a few times a month.

What would all of you buy for your daughter (pretend you have one, if you don't).

Thx

TKH

Olight S1A or Nitecore MT20A

I'm thinking paramount to that would be that she actually brings the light, which might rule out a lot of 18650 lights.

In addition to the ones mentioned, Mi7 might be interesting. There's color options, it's a strong light, has good lockout, looks good, offers direct to low, and in general is a good EDC light.

Talk to her though. Even a Fenix UC01 on a keychain is better than a light left at home.

I have a daughter. Not college age yet but I just gave her a Malkoff MDC HA 1AA Cool White. Great reliable light. This one takes alkaline, lithium, and NIMH.

115 lumens is very respectable and it's beefy enough if she has to smash a face with it.

Arguably off topic, but since mace was mentioned...

I'd recommend strongly against it, in no small part based on talks with self-defence educators.

Many reasons, starting with it not being effective. It's just typically not grabbed from a purse in an assault type situation, things just go down too fast. It's also easy to overreact if she carries it down a dark alley. Should she ever use it, there's a high risk of facing assault charges on her own, and she could suddenly be the one someone has to defend themselves from, basically authorizing them to use whatever level of violence they feel required. Given that whomever might have just been maced, that includes deadly force.

Bottom line is that unless she has Navy Seal level of training, it's more likely to get her into trouble, than out of it.

Self-defence classes on the other hand, can go a LONG way, even just a few sessions. Self-defence usually doesn't progress as slowly as martial arts can.

Or just at home. Five minutes of training with you, would probably do more good than mace actually. Knowing (and having trained at) giving firm commands, how to break free if someone holds her, and soft spots to go for (eyes, throat, slam ears from the side, hit nose going upward, kick groin) etc. I'm sure she already knows to not get pass-out drunk etc.

Most attackers will actually back off given strong verbal notice alone. And that's far less likely to land her facing an assault charge.

I have a daughter as well, a few years younger, but I share your concern and worry. I hope you take this in the constructive manner it's intended, and not as trying to put you down.

Very sensible words there.
I was also going to recommend a Malkoff MDC.
I know you said AA cells, but if you got the MDC that takes CR123 cells it'll be smaller and more likely to go out with her.
You can buy her a bumper pack of cells and keep her topped up.
I would suggest Malkoff MDC HA SHO 1CR123 which would give her 250 lumens for nearly an hour on one cell. It's single output, so no messing with modes. If she's anything like Mrs Yeti all she wants is for it to light up and switch off.
I would not send my girl out with anything less than Malkoff quality.
P

Sticking to flashlights used for lighting purposes here, please ... yes I'd look at Malkoff and perhaps Peak

If you really want to make sure she carries it all the time, get a keychain light. Since the only ones I have experience with are the Nitecore Tube and Tip, I will recommend wither one. The Tip CRI v2 would be ideal. Bright enough to be useful outdoors, yet with lower levels for the dorm. Since she probably already has other devices that are USB charged, one more would not be a burden.

Another option would be a Lumintop Tool. Small enough for a keychain, yet puts out a respectable amount of light on high when needed.

Recommendation: With any keychain light, put the light on its own ring, then fasten that ring to the keychain. That will give enough flexibility that the light can be aimed at a lock to assist in getting the key in easily.

peter yetman said:

Very sensible words there.
I was also going to recommend a Malkoff MDC.
I know you said AA cells, but if you got the MDC that takes CR123 cells it'll be smaller and more likely to go out with her.
You can buy her a bumper pack of cells and keep her topped up.
I would suggest Malkoff MDC HA SHO 1CR123 which would give her 250 lumens for nearly an hour on one cell. It's single output, so no messing with modes. If she's anything like Mrs Yeti all she wants is for it to light up and switch off.
I would not send my girl out with anything less than Malkoff quality.
P

Click to expand...

My next Malkoff will be the SHO 1x123. It's currently sold out. Here's a pic of my AA with a SS bezel.

My daughter starts college next year and already carries her Malkoff MD2 everywhere.

Thanks for everyone's input. I'm leaning towards the Nitecore MT10A, due to power, size and feature set and ability to run AA or LiIO battery as well.

Timothybil said:

If you really want to make sure she carries it all the time, get a keychain light. Since the only ones I have experience with are the Nitecore Tube and Tip, I will recommend wither one. The Tip CRI v2 would be ideal. Bright enough to be useful outdoors, yet with lower levels for the dorm. Since she probably already has other devices that are USB charged, one more would not be a burden.

Another option would be a Lumintop Tool. Small enough for a keychain, yet puts out a respectable amount of light on high when needed.

Recommendation: With any keychain light, put the light on its own ring, then fasten that ring to the keychain. That will give enough flexibility that the light can be aimed at a lock to assist in getting the key in easily.

Click to expand...

Key chain light is good idea even if you go with another light as well. Personally I like the old Photon II as it is unlikely to turn on accidentally but the more versatile Freedom may work better for some people. Both lights add very little bulk to a key ring and the lithium cells will last a long time. IME the average person has little interest in maintaining a rechargeable EDC light unless it is required for their job.Once a photon is put on a key ring it will likely stay there giving your daughter an "always there" option in addition to the Nitecore or whatever other light you choose.

The Nitecore Tip & the Tube each of which she can recharge through the computer she'll be using every day to do her work on.

She could put the tube on a lanyard that she could wear in the dorm late at night and failing that I would go for the Eagletac D25A.

When my daughter started college two years ago, I gave her my Eagletac D25A with an Energizer Ultimate Lithium. But when she learned how to appreciate flashlights on her second year, she requested for a light with longer runtime and I bought her a Zebralight SC62w and its still with her until now. I did add a Nitecore TIP last January.

I have a few suggestions for consideration.
Three different lights that have built in micro usb charging that I like are:
Any college age person, will be comfortable charging his/her cell phone, and would therefore be able to charge a usb light.
1. A plug into an outlet, auto-on emergency, power failure light, should be in every apartment. They are only about $10 in walmart or the home depot.
2. Manker Quinlan U11 It's a small usb rechargeable 18650 light with a true moonlight, that is great for not disturbing room mates. Even though it is small for an 18650, it will likely be left at the dorm, unless she carries a hand bag.
3. A key chain light is likely to be with her at all times.
3a. CooYoo Quantum in SS is a great little light. The one that I carry on my keys, and is usb rechargeable.
3b. the Manker PAL is also a great little light, perhaps even better than the cooyoo. I personally don't carry it though because it is as large as a key fob. Yet, if I carried a hand-bag I might, because, it would make the keys easier to find.

Kinda late to the party, but have you considered a slim power bank with a built in flashlight? Like the Noco Xgrid, but there are others which are cheaper. No need to have the phone die out either, right?

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00H36XX6C/?tag=cpf0b6-20

I bought a Surefire Sidekick for my cousin when she went to school. I thought it a good choice because it was small enough to live on her keys in purse/bag so it would always be with her, featured USB recharging, and had an UI that was simple and easy to use. She's had it for more than a year now and from what i can tell she's found it useful. When i asked how she like it she said it gets daily use walking home at night (she goes to school in northern Minnesota so it gets dark fast), her school has large wooded grounds and she stated it also got used for hiking and trail walking. She like that she could reverse the UI from H-M-L too L-M-H however, she did mention she wished there was an option to have it turn on in medium since thats the mode she finds most useful.