# Brightest Light For Search and Rescue



## luckyinkentucky (Apr 24, 2008)

I just got a promotion today, and one of the things I am required to carry with me at all times is a "flashlight with a minimum of 4 watt LED power". Now, I'm no light techy, nor do I know a whole lot about them, but I'm assuming I need a bigger light than the 4 Watt LED flashlights I am carrying with Luxeon K2 LEDs in them. I realize they are rated at 4 watts, but I am needing something that will help me out further instead of just getting me by.

Could some of you who have had experience with them give me some suggestions, and point me in the right direction? I need a light that is handheld, light enough to carry for a few miles, and be able to "turn dark into daylight" so to speak. I would prefer a bright flood with a brighter spot beam. Am I making any sense? 

Another thing .... I would like to stay within a reasonable price range. I don't want to have to pay $300 for a light.


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## Snow (Apr 24, 2008)

Does it need to be LED? With your very lax requirements, there are dozens of lights that would work. How much would you like to spend? What other parameters does the light need to meet?

Some thoughts:

Fenix P3D Q5
Fenix TK10
Lumapower something or other
Tiablo (I'm not familiar with their lights, but they have some throwers I know)
Maglite RoP
Surefire E2L


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## Lighthouse one (Apr 24, 2008)

We have several great dealers on site...
http://www.batteryjunction.com/
and
http://www.fenix-store.com/
and
http://www.pts-flashlights.com/default.aspx
just to name a few. Lots of great selections that will fill your needs.
You can also add the dereelight products to you list to check. Go to our marketplace and see the dealer and manufacture sects.


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## RWT1405 (Apr 24, 2008)

I can tell you what I carry at work, a SF 6P with a Malkoff M60 (230 lmns for approx. 1 1/2 hrs.) & a SF G2 with a Malkoff M60LL (80 lmns for approx. 8 hrs.). I would also recommend the Fenix TK10, I've been "playing" with that since I got it and think it has some "potential". My .02 FWIW


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## luckyinkentucky (Apr 24, 2008)

I really just want the most light I can get for the money.  I know that is kind of vague, but brighter is Better ..... brightest is Best! I'd love to have the brightest on the market in the pre - $300 range. Does that help?


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## Lighthouse one (Apr 24, 2008)

There is not just one brightest on the market...the performance level keeps changing almost monthly. Here is one of the best for now- that uses 3 battery types.
http://www.batteryjunction.com/specialedition-mrv.html
there are others with similar specs. nearly 1000' spot range...get an HID if you need more.


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## angelofwar (Apr 24, 2008)

I'm assuming you probably didn't want to buy a bunch of parts and "build" a light...for something "small", powerful, well made, and professional (and under a $100), try one of Inova's X or T Series...or wait until they come out with the K series. Or wait until SF comes out with a true 9-volt LED for the G-3. The Inova's tend to have better flood than most of the lights I own...just some ideas.


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## Crenshaw (Apr 24, 2008)

hmmm, i dont think anything stock gets much brighter then the tk10/t1 from fenix. For that price, i might suggest getting a dedicated thrower, such as a Dereelight, or Tiablo, AND a tk10, because its a good overall lgiht with alot of spill so YOU dont end up falling in the ditch too.

another thing that would probably work is potentially the surefire UB2 (400lumens!), but the beam pattern remains to be seen.

if you can move out of LED area...HID is probably closer to what you want..

Crenshaw


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## LukeA (Apr 24, 2008)

Crenshaw said:


> hmmm, i dont think anything stock gets much brighter then the tk10/t1 from fenix. For that price, i might suggest getting a dedicated thrower, such as a Dereelight, or Tiablo, AND a tk10, because its a good overall lgiht with alot of spill so YOU dont end up falling in the ditch too.
> 
> another thing that would probably work is potentially the surefire UB2 (400lumens!), but the beam pattern remains to be seen.
> 
> ...



but out of the price range...


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## greenLED (Apr 24, 2008)

luckyinkentucky said:


> ...one of the things I am required to carry with me at all times is a "flashlight with a minimum of 4 watt LED power".


I dunno, but whoever came up with such requirement had no clue how flashlight brightness is measured. My guess is they have a particular model/make in mind. Is there a supervisor or office admin you can ask exactly what they mean by "4 Watt LED power"?


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## thegeek (Apr 24, 2008)

Personally I would go with a light that will take a P60 module. You can get something plenty bright for well under your $300 dollar tag, and be able to upgrade it simply, easily, and for the most part, inexpensively. I would recommend a Surefire C2 as I have no experience with the other P60 hosts. It is probably not the brightest you can get with your $300 budget, but the ability to continually upgrade as each new wave of LEDs comes out more than offsets that IMHO.


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## Fusion_m8 (Apr 24, 2008)

If you don't want to spend $300 on a flashlight, then the brightest option you have is the Ultrafire WF-500 running on 2x AW protected 18650s. Its brighter than a Surefire M6 running on the standard MN20 250Lumen LOLA. This WF-500 standard setup gives about 60mins runtime.

The WF-500 is about the same size as my Surefire M3T but heavier due to its overengineered construction. The quality of the light, while not up to Surefire standards, is better than most Chinese made lights and would withstand a good beating.

For even more output, I have dropped a Lumens Factory HO-R5 lamp into my WF-500, and the output is darn close to the MN21 500Lumen HOLA. The runtime of the WF-500 on AW 18650s is reduced to about 30-40mins.

You can have the WF-500, AW 18650s & LF HO-R5 delivered to your door for less than $75.00 I don't know of any other light that offers you that kind of performance for $75.00 without custom parts & heavy modding.

There are even LED modules, a single CREE or hybrid if you want longer runtime with reduced output.


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## GPB (Apr 24, 2008)

How about a light with Cree LED's, over 500 Lumens, and a 2.5 hour runtime.....for....here's the best part...its only $45.00 !!!

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=8187724

I don't have any first hand experience with this light, but other than being a little cumbersome, the specs on it look interesting.


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## Fusion_m8 (Apr 24, 2008)

OMG! How much does it weigh???



GPB said:


> How about a light with Cree LED's, over 500 Lumens, and a 2.5 hour runtime.....for....here's the best part...its only $45.00 !!!
> 
> http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=8187724
> 
> I don't have any first hand experience with this light, but other than being a little cumbersome, the specs on it look interesting.


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## GPB (Apr 24, 2008)

The shipping weight is 4.9 pounds, but that would include the rechargers, packaging etc.....you'd probably only have to carry 4.7 pounds around with you. Seriously though.....its heavy, but it looks like you could attach a shoulder strap to it.


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## mdocod (Apr 24, 2008)

ignore the 4W requirement, assuming the requirement is based on an old LuxIII emitters efficiency (which it probably is) what they really mean is that you should have at least a ~SOLID ~75 torch lumens to work with. With modern LED efficiencies, this can be achieved with 1W... but screw that, you want MORE than that!! (I would, if it were me). 

I would look seriously at the LumaPower MRV with 18650 extender (from batteryjunction), or a WolfEyes M90 with Cree R2 emitter (from pts-flashlights). These options will run on a pair of 18650 cells, it's not exactly a pocketable size light (best size comparison is in the ballpark of a 2C mag), but they have long runtime and solid throwing power and plenty of spill light. These run around the 4W range, but are very high efficiency, probably 2-3 times the output of the "4W" light that they are using as a baseline requirement. 

If your budget has room to move, you might consider an AE PowerLight
http://www.pts-flashlights.com/products/productList.aspx?uid=38-39
they're designed for S&R and are basically like having a car headlight in your hands. They are a little larger than the LED options, but at 1000+ lumens, they are sure to impress your buds


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## gilly (Apr 25, 2008)

How about run time?? That is no doubt as important (or nearly so) as the brightness. Yes, a HID would be brightest - but for a very short period!


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## craig333 (Apr 25, 2008)

For search and rescue it depends on terrain and distance. Sticking with a vehicle I'd use my POB HID. Gotta walk a little more I'm carrying my Borealis and my 3C with a malkoff drop in backed up with my P3D.

If I was rich I'd use on of the real hand held HID's. I like the small lights as much as anyone for most uses, but search and rescue its time for the big lights.


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## Chrontius (Apr 25, 2008)

http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.12271

The Seoul Semiconductor P7 is something like 16 watts of retinaburn. This is one powerful light, though you'll have to pick up lithium ion batteries and charger separately, and lithium ion cells are still a bit touchy, generally. There's a couple of companies making safer cells - Emoli makes a C-sized one that's inherently safe - but that SSC light is pretty awesome.

Alternately, you could make a ROP. These are a cheap and easy mod, but if you want something without the pain in the ***, here's what I recommend based on my recent experience: get a pair of Emoli cells ($16/ea) from the buy/sell/trade board, a 3C Maglite, and a Pelican 3584 bulb set. FlashlightLens.com sells borofloat lenses pre-cut, and Fivemega and some other machinists here make high-temperature reflectors. If you're willing to cheap out, I got mine on KaiDomain.com, but waited weeks and weeks for shipping from Hong Kong. You'll still need a lithium charger; those start at $15 for cheapsies. You can get away for less than a hundred bucks there, everything included, and there's tons of support available if you want to build your own. The recipe there is certainly not the only one out there, and there's still improvement to the design going on, but it's what I would have done if I knew when I placed my orders what I knew now.

Alternately, a Surefire 6p or clone to carry the latest LED upgrade module is a bit steep, but the modules can be had ranging from awful cheap to awful nice (and expensive!). If you're going to stay on the cutting edge, this is the cheapest way to stay there over several years. The genuine Surefire is 3x more expensive than the clone, but has a real chance to last you several _decades_. Surefire's build quality and warranty support are _legendary_ around here, and I now speak from experience

If you just want one light to do the job right now, the Fenix TK-10 is adjustable between bright and searing, pretty easy to use, and less than $80. (To contrast, my Surefire 6p with a Malkoff M60 was together $110, and while I got a good deal, it's not yet 'complete' - I want a tacticool grip ring for general use, and maybe a glow-ring or two for kicks and style.)

In conclusion, I don't think there's any way you'll regret buying the Fenix or the Surefire. There's definite room to grow if you're feeling adventurous, however.


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## yellow (Apr 25, 2008)

thats easy.

1st off You might have an Inova T-Model.
Quite ok, if You dont count that 1.5-2 times current draw on expensive CR123 batteries
2nd: the one who gave that "Watts" requirement has no clue on lights at all, possibly once has purchased some cheap direct drive crap on E-Bay.

You budget is great!

Given Your imho most important requirements (lightweight, easy to carry), there is no other decent quality production light, than a Fenix L2D Q5,
Fenix P3D Q5, when You like to stick with the CR123s You are used to (+ runs on rechargeable CR123a Li-Ions also).

No other light beats that performance under the size requirement (and I personally hate useless tactical lights, that offer nothing but sharp edges to hurt oneself when light is pocketed).
No cheap insert for a SF 6P beats the Fenix package.

If You purchase the latest Inova T1/T2 (with that "great" new K2), You get a bright single stage light, that eats 1.5-2 times the power of the Fenix - for no output gain.
Except for this, they are great, and good priced.

If You really want to go special, purchase a SF 6P (or similar sized light), mod it with an 18650 Li-Ion cell (or get a model that has a body for them), build Yourself / have built a MASSIVE heatsink for a Cree, get a Flupic driver and a Sandwich Shoppe reflector and mount all this inside the aluminium light
(because its heastinking, most lights lack).
*means in short: build You own Cree "pill" and have it press mounted to the body*

I have such a light with a Cree "P4" bin atm, and it still outshines anything "newer" I come along.


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## MikeSalt (Apr 25, 2008)

Ok, search and rescue generally involves looking for something or someone that may not have the common decency to put up a marker of contrasting colour. Am I right? If so, it becomes essential to have a light that renders colours fully, so that you may spot whatever you are looking for. This is the weakness of the LED light, and to some extent High Intensity Discharge lights too. For "night -time into day", you require a decent incandescent light.

I would rule out hotwire lights. Search and rescue is a life or death job, so you want lights that have been tried, tested and certified.

This is what I can come up with. It is made by Pelican USA, is rechargeable, runs for 90 minutes, comes with a lifetime warranty and produces 600 guaranteed torch lumens.
Pelican Big D NiMH







Price is in the region of about $120-150 USD.

Once you have found whoever you are looking for, an LED light is acceptable for close-up work (e.g. First Aid). Many decent lights have been suggested for this. Just ignore that silly "4-watt" requirement. It is a nonsense variable in today's world of ultra-efficient emitters.


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## FILIPPO (Apr 25, 2008)

I think that for search and rescue operations incan lights do a better job that LED because of color rendition...(or I missed something?)

for this reason I'd suggest one of black bear flashight


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## MikeSalt (Apr 25, 2008)

I'll second Filippo too. Black Bear lights are actually Maglite hotwires, but professionally done. If you do not fancy my Pelican suggestion, then here is a quick summary of the BBFs

*Borealis 1050* (equivalent to the Mag 85)
3D Maglite host
1050 lumens
45 minutes runtime (roughly)
For critical applications, _ONLY PURCHASE MODEL THREE_

*Bear Cub 720* (equivalent to Roar of the Pelican (ROP) albeit with bi-pin bulb)
2D Maglite host
720 lumens
20 minutes runtime (roughly)


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## Alan (Apr 25, 2008)

I'd recommend Wolf-eyes Storm. It meets all your requirement - flood (wall of light); bright hot spot (brighter spot than most single Cree Q5 including Fenix T1); long runtime; multi-mode (you don't need full brightness at all time); small. In fact, its medium mode is brighter than most single Cree Q5 light yet runs hours.

I agree that high power incan. light could be as good or better in terms of brightness. However, it requires big and heavy battery, not good to carry for many miles; short runtime even with big battery; fragile if drop while it's on; seldom to have multi-mode thus wasting its precious battery juice when full brightness is not required.

However, Storm costs around $300.

Alan


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## forrest (Apr 25, 2008)

Also have to consider the "unexpected" burn out of incandescent bulbs, wouldn't want to have a bulb burnout while searching, that,s why an led light might be better as far as dependability (very unlikely to burn out) not to mention that you can get a very bright led light as mentioned in some of the above posts, good luck!


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## Alan (Apr 25, 2008)

forrest said:


> Also have to consider the "unexpected" burn out of incandescent bulbs, wouldn't want to have a bulb burnout while searching



You become being searched very soon

Alan


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## warlord (Apr 25, 2008)

If you're doing SAR a handheld searchlight would be ideal to keep in your vehicle. Also, you're pretty much guaranteed to have a good amount of light in anything that's being sold as a 'search light'. 

So, I would focus on 2 features that it needs to have in order to be practical for SAR, Long runtime and a shoulder strap. And of course you should still have a practical EDC as a backup.

So, what kind of SAR team are you on?


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## yellow (Apr 25, 2008)

wonder what kind of "search" ppl do, that recommend those bulky lights that are too large and heavy to even carry them around with a vehicle? Or ROPs with under 1 h runtime and batt packs, where just one pack weights more and is larger than a number of cells, that have a 200 lumen led light give light for a day on full power.

Look at the lights such ppl actually use, then compare with a good led light - no comparison

... as to color rendering: sure, white leds (good ones) have brown, red, green look different than incan, but they also show these colors and one gets used to that within minutes. Better to have a light that gives red not in the "right" painting color chart but gives red after some hours of search, than having a way bigger light (in pack) that gives no more light at all


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## Brigadier (Apr 25, 2008)

This last weekend I was up in the Cascade Mountains with a bunch of kids on a retreat. I took a few flashlights to see how they worked in a really dark area with lots of trees. I had my Fenix P3D, Task Force 2C Cree, and SureFire G2 with a P60 drop in, and a 3D Mag w/ a Mag LED drop in.

I assume you want something that is easy to carry on you - whether with a pocket clip or a belt sheath. So the 3D Mag is disqualified. But it would be a good one to keep in the vehicle[where mine lives].

For strictly throw, the Task Force won, but it's lack of side spill would make it tougher to navigate thru woods. BTW, we had a foot of snow on the ground so return from the spill was amplified a bit.

Of the three beltable flashlights, my first choice would be the SureFire with the P60 Q5 drop in. 

http://www.lighthound.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=3513

For the size, it really turned night into day, and it easily lit up trees 200-300 yards away, yet had lots of useable side spill. I would update this to my 9P with the drop in that I left at home for a longer run time[180 regulated minutes]. A good belt sheath would make it carryable. As a back up, I would choose the P3D for it's multiple levels. Mine sports a pocket clip from a Rayovac 3W light for easier carry. But the Fenix belt sheath is adequate. As a bonus, these 2 flashlights use the SAME batteries.

BTW, I would never go out on SAR with only one light. I would have 3 on me.


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## Juggernaut (Apr 25, 2008)

Thick I accidentally found your perfect light!::twothumbs:twothumbs


As soon as I read "turn dark into daylight" I thought of Big beam’s motto “Turns night into day”. Then I though about how silly it would be to use one of their ancient lights out in the world today, and it got me thinking:thinking:….. Their *Model 166 Personal Lantern *wouldn’t really be a bad idea! It would be roughly smaller and lighter then Pelican Big D, or other hand held spotlight and with a 6W Par36 4547 GE replacement bulb you would have the exact light you want “I would prefer a bright flood with a brighter spot beam” the light should have very good throw with 180 degree flood that will easily illuminate every thing in your immediate area. Next even though it is incandescent it uses sealed beam bulbs that will last 10 times longer then normal RP based bulbs. Lastly unlike most of the mentioned LED/HID light that may last at most 1.5 hours, The Model 166 with a Alkaline Energizer 529 6 volt battery “they use the full “F” cells” you should get between 12 and 17 hr. of run time using the 4547 bulb. Not to mention Big Beam lights have a full life time replacement warranty. 
http://www.exitsignage.com/Scripts/prodView.asp?idProduct=18 The light $21
http://www.servicelighting.com/catalog_product.cfm?prod=GL24788 The bulb $28
http://www.amazon.com/Energizer-OUTLET-529-529-6-Volt-Battery/dp/B00004YK38 The best battery for it $8.72
:thumbsup::thumbsup:


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## craig333 (Apr 25, 2008)

I disagree about a maglite being hard to carry. I have one these http://cgi.ebay.com/Maglite-Torch-H...goryZ395QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
works very well.

My big light may very well not have the run time I need but since I'm carry probably three for four lights thats not a problem. What is a problem is a light with an eight hour run time that doesn't let me see what I'm looking for.


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## Stereodude (Apr 25, 2008)

I'm ashamed of all my fellow members who have posted so far. There are 31 posts and not one person has told him to screw the budget and get a Polarion. 

What is this forum coming to?


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## juancho (Apr 25, 2008)

MikeSalt said:


> I'll second Filippo too. Black Bear lights are actually Maglite hotwires, but professionally done. If you do not fancy my Pelican suggestion, then here is a quick summary of the BBFs
> 
> *Borealis 1050* (equivalent to the Mag 85)
> 3D Maglite host
> ...


 
Hi Mike,
Actually the run time of the Borealis 1050 lumens is 50 minutes
and the Black Bear 720 lumens run time is 40 minutes
The one that is called the Bear Cub is 220 lumens for 90 minutes

Thanks
Juan C.


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## Outdoors Fanatic (Apr 25, 2008)

Stereodude said:


> I'm ashamed of all my fellow members who have posted so far. There are 31 posts and not one person has told him to screw the budget and get a Polarion.
> 
> What is this forum coming to?


*+1!*

Either that or a Beast.


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## jayhackett03 (Apr 25, 2008)

greenLED said:


> I dunno, but whoever came up with such requirement had no clue how flashlight brightness is measured. My guess is they have a particular model/make in mind. Is there a supervisor or office admin you can ask exactly what they mean by "4 Watt LED power"?


 
Finally someone noticed this! 

yeah, ask them why they have a requirement on the amount of drain on the battery.

you could get 4 watts with quite a few 5mm LED's, but it would be a horrible search light, unless you had to search for a long time


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## Juggernaut (Apr 25, 2008)

jayhackett03 said:


> Finally someone noticed this!
> 
> yeah, ask them why they have a requirement on the amount of drain on the battery.
> 
> you could get 4 watts with quite a few 5mm LED's, but it would be a horrible search light, unless you had to search for a long time


 
Ah well if all he wants is a light with the most watts why not show up with one of these http://www.overstock.com/Home-Garden/Euro-Pro-1200-Watt-6-Slice-Convection-Toaster-Oven/2912115/product.html This bad boy sucks up 1200 watts that’s right 1200! All you have to do is lug around a car battery with a converter and you should get at lest 15min of perfect 0.1 lumen orange glow out of it! And because the coils don’t have glass bulbs you never have to worry about them blowing, thus giving you the reliability of a LED. Lastly it only coast $50!! Find me another 1200 watt light that coast so little. \
That’s my two cents


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## craig333 (Apr 25, 2008)

Juggernaut said:


> Ah well if all he wants is a light with the most watts why not show up with one of these http://www.overstock.com/Home-Garden/Euro-Pro-1200-Watt-6-Slice-Convection-Toaster-Oven/2912115/product.html This bad boy sucks up 1200 watts that’s right 1200! All you have to do is lug around a car battery with a converter and you should get at lest 15min of perfect 0.1 lumen orange glow out of it! And because the coils don’t have glass bulbs you never have to worry about them blowing, thus giving you the reliability of a LED. Lastly it only coast $50!! Find me another 1200 watt light that coast so little. \
> That’s my two cents


 
Well you'd have nice spill but not much throw. :candle:


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## Burgess (Apr 25, 2008)

. . . . *I am required to carry with me at all times is a "flashlight with a minimum of 4 watt LED power"*


Allow me to repeat the most important words here:


" carry with me at all times "


Some of these suggestions *simply overlook* this requirement.

:sigh:
_


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## jayhackett03 (Apr 25, 2008)

Burgess said:


> . . . . *I am required to carry with me at all times is a "flashlight with a minimum of 4 watt LED power"*
> 
> 
> Allow me to repeat the most important words here:
> ...


 
its no big deal to EDC a Tank Light, right?


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## Burgess (Apr 25, 2008)

It's the *two Sears DieHard 12-volt Batteries *that's the problem.


_


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## Chrontius (Apr 25, 2008)

Eh, I've got four or five 7Ah SLA batteries wired together for that. Much easier to carry than car batteries.


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## warlord (Apr 26, 2008)

Burgess said:


> . . . . *I am required to carry with me at all times is a "flashlight with a minimum of 4 watt LED power"*



Aw geez, lighten up!:laughing:

Just a quick FYI, if you're involved in SAR you either keep your gear in your car or in a jump bag. You don't walk to search areas and you'd look like a complete tool carrying around everything you need to conduct a search (on top of it being impractical/impossible). Heck, I have to go home to get my GSD and my gear so to me reading "carry with me at all times" means to have readily availible.

If they want to be literal about the whole thing I'd show them my EDC but still keep my actual search light with my search gear.


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## jufam44 (Apr 26, 2008)

How about the up-and-coming Surefire UA2? Under 300, spot-to-flood, and a solid 200 lumens? If that doesn't fit the bill, What about a Surefire L6 with a deep reflector? Tons of throw, pretty darn bright (something like 140 actual lumens), and affordable. Or perhaps a SF 9AN? Two level incan, so great color rendition, and rechargeable which is always a Plus.

-Max


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## GPB (Apr 26, 2008)

what do your co-workers carry ?


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## CRESCENDOPOWER (Apr 27, 2008)

Surefire C3


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## Chronos (Apr 27, 2008)

I'd recommend looking at the Amondotech N30 HID from BatteryJunction.com. 3000 or so lumens, 4200K bulb for wonderful color rendition (really helps when out in the bush on SAR tasks), around 1 hour runtime (and you can carry a spare battery or two), low light-level LEDs for up close floodlight... all for around $150 shipped.


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## rala (Apr 27, 2008)

don't forget a nice floody headlamp.


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## MikeSalt (Apr 28, 2008)

rala said:


> don't forget a nice floody headlamp.



rala's hit the nail on the head (or rather strapped a torch to your forehead). Whilst you will need a powerful handheld light of some description, once you get close, nothing beats a good headlamp.


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## g36pilot (Apr 28, 2008)

Like Mike Salt, Burgess, and others mentioned EDC is the info request. A bright carry-able light worn at all times. My interpretation is this is for short term duration and back up to the primary. An actual "search" light should be a larger, long duration, high thrower transported in a vehicle or gear bag when not needed because it's too large for EDC. A bright EDC will do fine w/close to medium ranges while awaiting additional SAR personnel & better equipment. 



General suggestions:
A 2 or 3 cell CR123 form factor is good for belt carry EDC (standardize batts w/department)
Incandescent for color rendition, although the right LED be adequate. A tiny glimpse of target color may save a life.
Carry a second light (may be smaller/less powerful). You or a partner may experience a failure.
Thanks for serving!


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## Gnufsh (Apr 28, 2008)

What kind of SAR are you doing? If you are doing 48 hours self-sufficient in the back country, a headlamp is essential (heck, depending on the moon you will need it just to hike) and weight of any hand light is essential because of the weight of other gear you are already carrying. If you are looking for a car off the side of the road, a HID hand light or large rechargeable incan work great (my seoul P4 modded Survivor LED also is not too shabby). A TIC will work wonders for this as well.


USAR is a whole different ballgame that I don't have much experience with, not living in a county that has a very urban area and all...


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## g36pilot (Apr 28, 2008)

Good points about headlamps & HID equivalent. When the OP mentioned EDC type carry I assumed a dedicated SAR light wasn't his primary concern.

A SAR team member should have dedicated callout gear prepped & stowed for easy access & rapid response. This lighting requirement(s) will be different from personal EDC.

As LuckyinKentucky is attempting here, equipment needs to be tailored to the mission and environment.


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## pec50 (Apr 28, 2008)

I have done SAR related activities in very rural mountainous areas adjoining the US/Mexico border. Given this geography, I have found a headlamp invaluable; I use a PT EOS. These can be easily modded with a cree/seoul. And, I use a Magcharger with an extra battery pack for the distance needs. I tried a few mods to the Magcharger, but have reverted to the stock lamp and a sling whereby I can hang the light from my shoulder. The size of the Magcharger has proved beneficial in fending off vegetation and other unexpected "critters". The major negative of a metal flashlight is that they tend to get uncomfortable to handle in cold weather without gloves. Probably a good idea is to check with some of the more experienced on the SAR team to get an idea of what works for them given your area, climate, and discipline.


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## Brigadier (Apr 28, 2008)

This looks promising:

http://www.tadgear.com/x-treme gear/flashlights main/surefire_g3l_kit.htm :thumbsup:


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## Gunner12 (Apr 30, 2008)

First off, ignore the "watt" ratings, a Current gen LED at 4 watt would be at least twice as bright as a last gen one at 4 watt.

I'm guessing you need a really tough light, so most HIDs in the $300 price range are out.

The Dereelight DBS might be a good LED spotter, along with a Zebralight H50 or H30 for close range headlamp and another one for midrange(the Fenix T10, 6P + LED drop-in, or similar might work, or maybe something smaller). 8% off coupon at Fenix Store is "CPF8".

:welcome:


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## Mark620 (Apr 30, 2008)

rala said:


> don't forget a nice floody headlamp.



Princeton Tech Apex

or 

Stenlight


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## fxstsb (Apr 30, 2008)

Brigadier said:


> This looks promising:
> 
> http://www.tadgear.com/x-treme gear/flashlights main/surefire_g3l_kit.htm :thumbsup:



Holster is cool. I don't see it separate.


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## precisionworks (Apr 30, 2008)

> I'd love to have the brightest on the market in the pre - $300 range.


Incans rule at the higher lumen levels. I listed a Surefire M4 on the Marketplace - it uses four CR123 batteries, and gives you the choice of 250 lumens or 350 lumens. 




> " carry with me at all times "


Weight (with batteries) & size are important considerations for what you do. Again, the M4 shines (pun intended). The 1" diameter battery tube makes it easy to carry, weight is only 14 ounces, length is 9", and it's under your $300 budget.


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## Mark620 (Apr 30, 2008)

After thinking, briefly on this, I believe they want him to carry a good EDC light.

Is there a reimbursement involved?


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## precisionworks (Apr 30, 2008)

That's a good question. You would think that either he'll be reimbursed, or that he can claim it for tax purposes as a mandatory business expense (like uniforms).


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## nerdgineer (Apr 30, 2008)

My DX Projection Cree is really bright and solidly built, for $31. It puts a usable spot on a tree a measured 140 yards from my house. Plastic reflector also reduces weight if you're carrying. 

A lot of interesting choices on the DX page. I understand the Romisen lights have a good reputation among the under $30 lights.


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## MichaelW (May 1, 2008)

Inova T5, or K-series (if you can wait)


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## boosterboy (May 1, 2008)

Hmm, for SAR work, I would probably carry 2 lights.

A long throwing Incandescent for distance spotting, or an LED thrower with extremely warm tint, like the new Inova T series, you can widen the inner battery tube and shove 17670s into it. Color rendition is nicer when you're spotting things in the distance.


And then a floody LED light for close up work, like a Novatac or the new Inova T1. Maybe even a floody headlamp to free up your hands, like the zebralights H50s or H30s.


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## Stereodude (May 1, 2008)

We're all doing a lot of posting for someone who hasn't come back to check in on his thread since he started it or given any clarification. :sigh:


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## FILIPPO (May 1, 2008)

Stereodude said:


> We're all doing a lot of posting for someone who hasn't come back to check in on his thread since he started it or given any clarification. :sigh:


 



finally someone noticed that...

at least there are some good suggestions..


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## Burgess (May 1, 2008)

Let's face it . . . .


We all just LOVE talkin' (and reading) about flashlights !

:wave:
_


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## Double_A (May 1, 2008)

Stereodude said:


> We're all doing a lot of posting for someone who hasn't come back to check in on his thread since he started it or given any clarification. :sigh:



YEP!

Personally I might doubt the whole veracity of the original post without any supporting or follow-up information by the original poster.

To me this speaks of the average ego-based newbie who's post typically goes like this 

"I want to biggest bad flashlight I can find for under $75, I want something that will kick-but on everyone else's flashlight and will burn out their retinas. B-T-W, I have a legitimate reason for this as I'm a _ _ _ _ _"

They go on to further state that their ideal flashlight is a 500 lumen light that will run a minimum of 6-10 hrs on two alkaline AA batteries.

Now having said that, is there any reason for NOT wanting to have a kick-but flashlight that will kick but on everyone else's flashlight and will burn out their retinas....nope NOT at all! 

Just come out and say so, "I want bragging rights on all my co-workers help me out here!" Come on man, most of us are American's here. Boast is what we do! The Canadian's and Europeans here understand!

P.S. Hold out for the Surefire UB2 Invictous, 400 lumens of eye blasting light in a 2-lithium 123 cell light. Built by one of the finest American companies around. Providing lights almost exclusively to SWAT Teams and Military Special Forces, HURRAH! That is the light to hold out for!


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## fxstsb (May 4, 2008)

Stereodude said:


> We're all doing a lot of posting for someone who hasn't come back to check in on his thread since he started it or given any clarification. :sigh:



Educate me, how do you know this? Thanks


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## Gunner12 (May 4, 2008)

By clicking on the online name of that person and looking at last activity above "add ... to you ignore list".

But that only works when that person logs on. What if he checked without logging on?


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## Stereodude (May 4, 2008)

fxstsb said:


> Educate me, how do you know this? Thanks


Have you seen any additional posts by the OP in this thread?


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