How about flashlights for kids for Christmas?

konsole

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I floated this idea to a few family members and they at first thought it wasnt a good idea, but later in the conversation they started to get onboard with the idea a bit more. I think part of the reason for their initial disagreement was that their experience with flashlights is pretty much the same as most people, which is the $5 special in the checkout aisle. These flashlights would be for my 6 nieces and nephews, who are split between my 2 brothers, and they are all between the ages of about 5 and 10. I don't have kids myself so this is part of the reason I'm looking for others opinions. I have a couple of the 2AA Rayovac Indestructibles and if I was to get flashlights for these kids then I think these flashlights are a good choice. They use just 2 very common batteries, they are very bright, very simple operation, and they are very durable so they should hold up well against the kids abuse. Rechargeable flashlights would eliminate the need for batteries but will either be alot more expensive and or less durable to hold up against the kids abuse. I could get all 6 flashlights and a large pack of cheap heavy duty batteries for probably around $100.

I'm sure the kids would have fun with the flashlights running around the house with the lights off, or reading a book at night, or playing games outside at night with them. Theres also the ability to use the flashlights for important things like seeing around the house when the power is off, and taking the lights on occasional camping trips or sleepovers.

Not having kids myself, not knowing how my brothers feel about supplying the kids with more batteries as the batteries die. Admittedly there are a few concerns that make this maybe not a great idea, but a decent quality flashlight is something that a kid can have fun with and also use for important things for many years.

Would this be a good idea for Christmas presents for 6 nieces and nephews?
 

StarHalo

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Those flashlights are a bit overkill for kids, whereas the cheap batteries are guaranteed to leak if the flashlight is left on or forgotten; I'd switch it around and put less money into the flashlights and more into the batteries - Amazon has $15-for-2 packs of aluminum multi-mode lights that use 1xAA each, an Eneloop Power Pack case of batteries + charger will never leak and it doesn't matter how they use the lights, for $35. That's ~$80 for good flashlights and even better batteries for everyone.
 

HRace

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Hi konsole,

Your instinct is correct based on my experience! My kids use them for about everything you mentioned. They are in the age range you mention and each have an AAA light, single mode twisty (<15 lumens I believe). With that said, it's funny, they have started taking them to the bathroom and tail standing them for early morning use when they don't want to turn on the bathroom light (which isn't dimmable currently), ha. I like the low lumen output as there's very little risk as we teach them not to point them at other people's eyes. I've found that a mule light is way better for book reading, though they love to use their own lights to read by. They don't tend to hold them still while reading so anything with a tight beam gets hard to use as it's rarely held on the correct portion of the book (they hold the light, I read). Older kids, probably no problem. Hide and seek in the house with the lights out is a commonly played game. I think basically every use case you suggested will most likely happen. The lights are near indestructible and fun to use. I want to grab some of those recently released AAA sofrin lights with the Yuji emitters for my nieces and nephews this season actually. One idea I had was a set of rechargeable batteries with a charger that's bundled in. Seems cheap enough and if parent / child can use responsibly (not much risk with Nimh chemistry I think) then that may be a low cost solution to the battery concern. Good practice to keep them charged every now and then and if there's spares, they don't necessarily have to be without light if a backup battery is always charged and waiting. Good luck with your decision. Sounds like fun times ahead. It's definitely a useful gift that I think will be enjoyed. I agree, to a non flashlight enthusiast, the idea at first may seem odd. But talking it through, usually reveals a lot of fun that can be had.
 

parametrek

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2nding StarHalo's advice. A good charger and good NiMH will last a lifetime while saving piles of money.

Unfortunately I don't know of any really nice AA lights under $15 to meet the budget.
 

Burgess

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Interesting thread here.

lovecpf



Several years ago, I loaned my two
young great-nieces each a Mini-maglite
2xAA, which I'd converted to LED.

They were tent camping overnight,
in the "great outdoors".


By the VERY NEXT MORNING,
they had Lost both of my flashlights !
< sigh >

:eek:


Just a Heads-Up for ya' . . . .
 

konsole

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If the flashlights where for me I would definately go either NiMH or lithium primaries, but no matter how many toys they get that use batteries I still cant convince their parents to use rechargeable batteries. I can't imagine how much they have spent on disposable batteries over the years. Its possible I could show the kids or their parents how to use the rechargeable batteries and charger, but I dont have high hopes for that catching on.

The Rayovac Indestructibles I have are the 300 lumen (2 hour) on high and 70 lumen (12 hour) on low. I see them on Home Depots website for $15, but those are the "Energy Saver" low mode version with a rated 35 hours on low, which probably means their low mode is somewhere in the neighborhood of 20 lumens. The 300 high and 20 low may actually be a better version for kids so they get the really long runtime in low and then also have fun with the high mode. 6 of those would be $90 and then I can decide what do about batteries, but if Christmas gifts for 6 kids comes out to less then $150 then I dont think thats bad at all.

What do you feel is overkill with the Rayovac Indestructibles for kids? Too expensive? Too bright?
 
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konsole

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Actually I take that back about the ~20 lumens low with a 35 hour runtime. Home Depots site shows 35 hours, but everywhere else shows the 300/70 lumen & 2/12 hour numbers. So either Home Depot has the "energy saver" runtime shown incorrectly or maybe its possible their is a 35 hour runtime low version somewhere out there. The kids would certainly go through the batteries quick if they always used the high mode, but if they can be taught to use the low mode when possible then getting 12 hours on a set of batteries should make their parents happy that they dont have to constantly replace the batteries if we went with disposable batteries.
 

JLeephoto

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I've done the same with different keychain lights, glow sticks, etc. with my nieces and nephews for years. The little gifts are always a big hit for a day or two and then quickly forgotten until the camping trip or power outage. It's worthwhile fun, just try not to spend too much $$$.
 

StarHalo

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Kids really shouldn't have anything brighter than ~60 lumens; aside from the fact that they're definitely going to shine it in everyone's face, there's the issue of where the flashlight will be when it's left on (and it will be left on,) such as between the cushions of the couch or on a stack of papers - not where you want a power LED moving a few watts of heat..
 

konsole

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Thats a good point that they likely will have alot of fun with the flashlights for a few days and then that will probably quickly disappear, but that isnt any different then most toys that kids get as presents. What you say StarHalo is also good points about the light not being too bright because they will shine it in peoples eyes, and also about "losing" the flashlight while its left on which will go through batteries real quick.

I could try going with flashlights that are in the $10 range and have less then 100 lumens, but the primary reason I thought the Rayovac Indestructibles were a good choice was that they are very durable with their very thick aluminum walls and rubber ends which will cushion them when the kids drop the lights on hard surfaces.
 

AVService

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Olight has the tiny 1R eos on sale for under $15 right now and these might be an answer for you too?
They are 2 speed with a low and high at 130l but the key is the built in rechargeable battery that can be removed anyway!
There is a USB port under the light head and it would be about as fool proof as it could be for kids I imagine?
They are brighter than ideal for little kids probably but it is a practical idea to at least keep them in action with no removable batteries.

It is a pretty impressive little light.
 

InvisibleFrodo

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I don't see anyone mentioning the E01 or an old school incandescent solitaire. With small children I'm not only worried about them shinning it in someone else's eyes, I'm worried about them shinning it into their own eyes...
 

bykfixer

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In drug stores and grocery stores Rayovac and Energizer have lights for like $6 that don't put out lots of light, yet have long run times. Rayovac Essentials for example tout around 40 lumens for 19 hours on a single AA.

Old school lighting tools with a modern approach.
 

AVService

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I don't see anyone mentioning the E01 or an old school incandescent solitaire. With small children I'm not only worried about them shinning it in someone else's eyes, I'm worried about them shinning it into their own eyes...

This really does make sense to me after thinking it over a little.
 

Nebuchadnezzar

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Found myself thinking along similar lines, already got some budget lights for the Dads what light to get the kids?

Ended up getting an assorted set of chem lights. Six colors, single use so no worries about them getting lost, safe enough, won't blind anyone, and didn't break the bank. Got the 12hr Cyalume ones, there were more party oriented ones in a range of prices and form factors that might be another good option to consider.
 

thermal guy

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My stepson is getting a HDS 140 for Christmas. Every man should have at least one great light.
 

konsole

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My kids each have these: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01GD463NE/?tag=cpf0b6-20

USB rechargeable so no need to refresh batteries, water resistant, red light for reading at night and cheap. They have different colors to tell them apart and they love them.

Thats a good idea. I was thinking about headlamps, and internal rechargeable batteries helps the decision.

Do you find that these headlamps are fairly durable? I don't expect alot out of $15 headlamps, but I would want them to stand up to some abuse that the kids would give them. If the kids abuse the headlamps alot and they dont last more then a few months then unfortunately thats a lesson learned for them, but if I was to hold these headlamps in my hand I would want to be atleast mildly impressed with their build quality. One of the things I have noticed with cheaper headlamps is the detents that hold the light at certain angles feel very cheap and feel like they will wear out quickly so the light will soon not be able to be aimed anywhere else but down.
 
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