Flashlights

[TheEvilZX2]

I did a search and don't see much discussion about flashlights, thought this might be a good place for talking about this.

I'm a self proclaimed flashlight nerd, just ask my wife. Growing up as a kid I always had Mag lights of various sizes and jumped on the LED conversations back when they started coming out. In previous years as a mechanic I was always on the lookout for great lights and went through many brands and models and approximately 8 years ago or so picked up the first Powertac flashlight I ever owned and the only brand I have purchased since.

I own many of their lights for various purposes, weapon mount lights, EDC, just to have around etc. These things just keep going up in lumen ratings and I can't stop buying them lol. My current EDC is their E9R which runs @2550 lumens on high and down to 0.64 lumens on firefly, all that fits in your pocket. These can be mounted to a weapon with their available kits that include pressure switches, and use an 18650 or 2x CR123a batteries.

I hope this doesn't come across as some type of advertisement, because I do not work for them but am a huge supporter of their products. All made in USA (North Carolina) and carry a lifetime warranty.

Anyhow they are having a spring sale and with coupon code "SPRING23" they are offering buy two get one free on the flashlights. Obviously I just bought three a new E9R and two Warrior flashlights.

The warrior is 4200 lumen wide beam with a 214 meter throw!


Anyone want to talk about flashlights?

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[mvee]

Their lights look very well designed.

Their website says they own a factory in China where they manufacture their products.

About Powertac Flashlights

www.powertac.com

 

[TheEvilZX2]

Well dang, I coulda swore they were USA manufactured, guess I was mistaken or things may have changed. They've still been good to me either way.

They used to visit the Nations Gun show @ the Dulles Expo and have swapped parts for me onsite. But I don't recall seeing them being there this last show

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[Garet Jax]

Seems like a lot to spend for a chinese made flashlight.

 

[ohen cepel]

Bummer about the chinese factory, I was interested for a bit.

I think Surefire and Maglite are still US made.

 

[alucard0822]

A lot of threads around here. For me, I like Surefire when it must work, Olight for most other things. Olight has gotten more expensive and gone down hill to a degree, and Chicom based. I do like the older lights I have from them, Warrior and S1R Baton are nice. Will have to check out the Powertac, not sure if they are actually made in USA or "USA assembled" aka Chinese stuff that is packaged in the US. Their lights look cool, might have to try one out.

 

[Squaregrouper]

The Coleman Battery Guard series are plenty bright and can be had for starting at $12.
.

 

[Bertfish]

Only buy American made fleshlights

 

[BFMIN]

I'm a big fan of the "Fenix" brand.
Yes they're Chinese. But one thing I've discovered about Chines products is that they fall (broadly) into 2 categories.
Cheap & shoddy.
Well made with good support, but more expensive.
I currently have a flashlight, a UC35N
A weapon-light, a PD35TAC.
A headlight, an older HP15 UE
A pair of lanterns/power banks CL30R
A keychain light (which really impressed me for such a tiny thing) an E03R
& a pair of 4 cell ARE-C2+ smart chargers for AAA, AA, C (only 2 at a time though) & 18650 which all my lights except the headlight use.
All the lights will charge via USB except the old HP15UE.
I've been very happy with them all, many of them over several years at this point.
Not all shown, sorry.

 

[bean93x]

I tend to stick with surefire x300u’s for my pistols and have really been digging my modlite 18650 PLHV2 and OKW handhelds. If I need just enough light for daily tasks, the streamlight micro stream and stylus rechargeables have been pretty phenomenal too.

 

[TheEvilZX2]

USA made or not, maglite doesn't have anything even remotely close to Powertac in the brightness department. As far as flashlights go, neither does Surefire, but they do have some specific weapon mount lights that are brighter than the one that's available from Powertac

I get it, definitely want USA made stuff as well. But paying more for less lumen output isn't what I'm into

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[308Scout]

I picked up a Panther Vision Flateye a couple of years ago. Great for the brightness that was available at the time and one of the most ergonomic lights that I've handled. As the name implies, they're flat and fit well in the pocket. They didn't have rechargeable units at the time I picked it up, but do now. May have to upgrade.

Flat LED Flashlights - FLATEYE™ - Panther Vision

Our high-lumen flat LED flashlight is the best flashlight on the market. Shop our collection of FLATEYE™ flashlights today!

www.panthervision.com

 

[smokey]

https://www.mdshooters.com/threads/choice-of-edc-light.202546/

I still have the eagtac dx30sr in my pocket. It's small, throws very well, but gives you the option of the flood light on the side.

 

[Bob A]

I've got a bunch of Surefires, which I really like. I'm partial to the narrow beam spotlight types rather than the ones that illuminate a broad area, but that's merely personal whim.
So it's mostly the "Backup" single-cell lights that I carry everywhere. I have a few others, with more dispersal.

I have to say that the one that's most handy around the house seems to be the "Fury Intellibeam" model. It supposedly puts out 1400 lumens at full power, which can be brought into play by clicking the tailcap button twice; a single click enables the intellibeam sensor to dim the light depending on how much light is reflected back at the sensor behind the lens. So you can see something up close and not be blinded, and see further out with greater output. I didn't like it at first, being a photon junkie, but it's been extremely useful.

My concession to Fenix was a purchase of their TK30, which is an incredible light, throwing a very bery narrow beam that can illuminate out to nearly three quarters of a mile(!) at its high setting. It uses some sort of laser technology, and would fry your eyeballs at close range. At the low setting you get out to three eighths of a mile. It has strobe capability as well. The controls are reasonable; activated by tailcap button, you can choose hi or low using a separate button, and the setting you choose is what the light will default to unless and until you change it. The strobe is not a default setting; you have to deliberately choose it after activating the flash, and it only runs on the high output circuit.

It's almost too much light for urban use - how often do you need to see something 3/4 of a mile away, without buildings etc getting in the way? But it's the nuts for spotting wildlife that appear outside the range of a regular flashlight.

Both the Fenix and the Intellibeam have rechargeable batteries, using charging cords similar to the ones for my cellphone. The others run CR123 disposables. Not cheap, but they last a while on the light, and ten years on the shelf.

Fenix makes an even more powerful model long-distance light, but it;s considerably larger and not suited for pocket carry, IMO.

You can see the sensor in the Intellibeam, center. The bluish one is the Fenix.

 

[INMY01TA]

I just bought a couple of Streamlight flashlights which I like a lot and I have a TLR1 on a rifle which I like as well.

 

[ohen cepel]

Just saw that Maglite has a new tactical style light out. $60 for 378 lumens.

MAG-TAC 2 TL BLACK PLAIN BEZEL

The MAG-TAC® 2 LED flashlight features two extreme-performance CR123 lithium batteries, a plain bezel, and a detachable pocket clip. This flashlight also has three modes through the tail-cap-switch-activated "QuickClick" mode selector: Momentary, Full, and Low Power. The most notable feature is...

maglite.com

US made also.

 

[Bountied]

Only buy American made fleshlights

Do they have a buy 2 get one free deal? Mine's getting worn out.

 

[Bountied]

Sadly I have 4 Surefire lights, they are pricey but worth it. Is Surefire not offering the defensive bevel anymore. I can't find the 6PX with the stabby bezel thing. The 6PX Defender is my favorite light.

 

[BIGMOZEKE]

Big Surefire fan here but have Fenix, Wuben and Nexx, but Surefire is by far the best quality and their electronic ramp down function when the battery gets low is a real bonus.

 

[Bob A]

Sadly I have 4 Surefire lights, they are pricey but worth it. Is Surefire not offering the defensive bevel anymore. I can't ficr12nd the 6PX with the stabby bezel thing. The 6PX Defender is my favorite light.

Surefire E2D Defender Ultra. 1000/5 lumens, strike bezel and tailpiece, tailpiece will allow for standing the light upright. 2 cr123 batteries. Comes in a tactical model as well, if you're not interested in haveing a low power setting.

E2D Defender

no-reply@surefire.com

www.surefire.com