Favorite "Small" Flashlights

[AIRHEDS]

Hey, is that a flashlight in your pocket? Well, yes! It is!

Just sharing... I've got a bunch, but my absolute favorite EDC's are as follows:

Small/Low-Power:
- EagleTac D25A Clicky (one AA battery)

I also included the D25C (one CR123 battery) in the photo and keep it because I have CR123 batteries on-hand ... they last nearly indefinitely in the lights and hold their power ... but not as easy to find as AA batteries ... they produce more light and longer run times if memory serves correctly.

For my tool bag and vehicle:
- Foursevens QuarkPro QP2A-X (two AA batteries)

Tactical/2nd Ammendment Supporting Role:
- Foursevens QuarkPro QP2L-X (two CR123 batteries)

I have some others. I have also bought and returned many, many others after playing with them a bit. But these are my keepers. I also have a SureFire Executive E2E - and it doesn't come close to the QP2L-X in terms of power/light.

The D25A Clicky is my most heavily used "mini" light ... it's with me whenever/wherever I travel. On the road, it comes out to sit on top of my bed stand, atop the iPhone, and when set to "Extra Low" power, provides minimal light to find my way around unfamiliar motel/hotel/friends' bedrooms without blinding me/spouse at 3AM.

The QP2L-X is my "Tactical/2nd Ammendment Supporting Role" light. Consider its blinding 780 lumens. I keep it in "tactical mode" where upon power-on, is in Turbo mode, ready to switch between blinding and strobing/disorienting modes.
At night (with no streetlight or other ambient lighting), I can see someone hiding in the bushes of my neighbors house across the street (50-60 yards) and it lights a 25' area up incredibly well! It's beside one of my pistols ... at the ready, but hopefully never called-upon. This light isn't available any more and has been replaced with a newer/more powerful version that I'd love to get my hands on.

The QP2A-X is the "AA" Alkaline version of the above light. It is awesome for the toolbox, the truck and general use! It puts out 280 lumens on full-high. I never need to use it in high output.

All of the lights function the same way: with the bezel turned fully clockwise/tight, they're in tactical mode. Clicking the tailcap switch turns the light on in burst mode, and tapping the tailcap enables strobe mode. Turning the bezel counter-clockwise 1/4-turn brings up the full "menu": Clicking the tailcap switch turns the light on in extra-low mode, then tapping the tailcap rotates between Extra Low, Low, Med, High, Extra Low, Low, Med, High ... then after two cycles, adds strobe and SOS modes. This is the mode I use all of the lights in, except for the QP2L-X.

I didn't include it in the picture, but I also have two Petzl ZIPKA lights ... they provide task-lighting in low mode, and considerably more in high mode, and boast a very portable form factor with the integrated retractable zip-cable that holds it around your head. I gave one to Kat when I was outside and she loved it. Now I can't find it. Probably somewhere in the trailer ... will need to get to storage to get my grubby hands on it so I can retrieve the batteries.

What do you have and love??? I just visited the foursevens website and saw they came out with a newer light ... the QS2L-X and QS2A-X. The QS2L-X is a 900-lumen light! I've got flashlight envy ... and yes ... I'm happy to see you!

Take care,
Rich

[paiceman]

Sick puppy Dick. However, that out of the way I have:

4-Fenix P32
4-Fenix P35

And then I think an additional 4-Fenix P35 in the trailer and truck right now.

Plus a Fenix LD75C which is 4,200 Lumens.

My wife has a couple of Fenix P32's as well.

Enjoy

Bud

[Rich W]

Freebie Harbor Freight LEDs, the blue ones that have the magnet on the back and 2 lighting options; flashlight and floodlight.

I also have a Black & Decker rechargeable FL3WBD flood light, 12VDC, 1 watt, with 2 low and high options. This is lightweight, waterproof, floats with the beam up and provides excellent light, up to 192 lumens. It can last up to 10 hours they say. I've never tested that.

[AIRHEDS]

Originally Posted by paiceman

4-Fenix P32
4-Fenix P35
Fenix LD75C which is 4,200 Lumens.

So given you have a few Fenix lights, it would appear that you're happy with Fenix. Can you elaborate on what you like/dislike about the Fenix lights and what led you to Fenix over others? As I recall, when I was looking at them, they didn't have a tail-stand cap, so I ruled them out. They also had the turbo/mode button(s) on the side of the cylinder, which as I recall, didn't review too well. So I'd love to hear your thoughts.

I'm not finding the "4-" series so it's hard for me to know exactly what you have. I did just look-up the LD75C and it looks interesting. Not sure I really need that much power but it looks insane! Definitely looking for more info on the 32 and 35.

Now, for goodness sakes, Bud, please don't put that flashlight in your pocket!

@richw46, I was just at Harbor Freight on Monday and I picked-up an inexpensive ultrasonic cleaner and a couple of tool bags. I didn't even look at the flashlights, but thanks for sharing.

Thanks,
Rich

[Troutboy]

I love Fenix,

The two Fenix flashlights I have (these things are bright!):

A little one smaller than my thumb, easy in pocket at all times and bright:

http://www.fenix-store.com/fenix-rc09-led-flashlight/

My main go to when camping:

http://www.fenix-store.com/fenix-tk1...ed-flashlight/

I have had the bigger one for over 6-7 years, and it's been flawless, and the brightest light of its size than anyone else has shown me. The rechargeable batteries last forever. I have had it in all kinds of conditions, mountains, swamp, Alaska, NC, Tx, Alaska. Never let me down. Accessories for torch as well.

Light, sturdy, easy to use.

Neighbor has the eagletac, but I like the Fenix better, seems higher quality and better batteries (if you buy the rechargeable)

[paiceman]

Dick:

I like the compact size, the relative light weight, the re-chargeable batteries last a long time. The power button on the side is fine for my use. Plus, when I am working on something close in the dark I use the 32 and simply put the end in my mouth. My wife thinks I'm an idiot for doing so - "It's dirty, it's been dropped on the ground etc", but after nearly 50 years she has all but given up.

I like the strobe feature as well. Plus, one of the 35's has been run over by the rear end of our F350 and both trailer wheels and still works just fine. They also work no matter the temperature. I had one that did not work, called and after a discussion the customer service person said send it back with this number and we will replace it. They did.

Bud

[paiceman]

Dick:

I or my wife also has two Qyark PRO QP2A-X lights. They are ok, but only put out 280 Lumens, however, they do use two AA batteries instead of the ones I use in the Fenix lights I've gone to as they put out 980 Lumens in the compact size. I've found the Fenix LD actually too bright at times, we don't take it with us in the AS.

Bud

[AIRHEDS]

Bud and Troutboy, thanks for getting back and sharing your experiences!

Originally Posted by Troutboy

I love Fenix,
The two Fenix flashlights I have (these things are bright!):
A little one smaller than my thumb, easy in pocket at all times and bright:
http://www.fenix-store.com/fenix-rc09-led-flashlight/
My main go to when camping:
http://www.fenix-store.com/fenix-tk1...ed-flashlight/
...I like the Fenix better, seems higher quality and better batteries (if you buy the rechargeable)

Troutboy, me like! The RC09 does what my EagleTac's do not: reverse clip for hat brim mounting and magnetic mount. I'm wildly intrigued. And that TK15's looking pretty dang cool too. I'll start looking into adding Fenix to my line-up.

Thanks so much, guys!
- Rich

[StevieB]

I like my old "Zippo." Never an issue with charging or batteries, I just have to add a flint and some lighter fluid every now and then.

[subsea]

Pound for pound, in my opinion, Tasco Xr5 or XR6, sold at Sams for $20 for 3. Focusing lens to reach out or flood. Performs as good as $100 flashlights that I have handled, and you don't get emotional when you lose them or damage them.

[Caffeinated]

Four sevens Quark. I bought two of them, a couple of years back. Both are AA batteries, which I like because it's easy to buy a bulk pack at Costco. I gave one to my daughter to take to college. Great little light. Thinking about getting a four sevens mini Mark II and leaving it in the trailer, but, since I always have the Quark, I don't really need it.

Mike

[Wingeezer]

Interesting thread!

Like many people, I am a big fan of led lights both portable and for house hold use, but as for flashlights and headlamps etc up to this point I only have fairly low power ones.

One thing I have wondered about and would be interested in people's views would be the value of the more powerful ones for self defence. I know they are advertised for that but wonder about effectiveness. And if they are effective, what minimum lumen output would be at all useful for this? I see Fenix make one at 1000 lumens and obviously the more the better for this purpose I would guess!

Being from Canada we have no real means of self defence and that has always worried me a bit when travelling in the US as our license plates are a giveaway! We do often stop overnight at truck stops en route.

I do carry a small pepper spray in the trailer as well as a large can of wasp spray that I have been told is very effective and shoots a long way! I'm never sure about the wisdom of using these and if they might just make a bad situation worse.

Same with the tactical lights I suppose?! Maybe one is best advised to just to give them what they want and hope they go away peacefully??

I guess I'll never know what I would do until a situation arises - hopefully it never will -but I suppose it would depend on how threatened one feels!


Brian.

[malinois38]

The Streamlight Microstream gets my vote for best small flashlight. And I have been told many times that I have a flashlight fetish...and I'm frugal
At $16 and using ONE AAA battery you will be amazed at the battery life and amount of light produced.
I bought a dozen a few years ago to give as gifts and I still get rave reviews.

[streaminwild]

Look up ''Flashlight stun gun'' on Amazon. These are flashlights with a attitude. Treat these flashlights with respect, and use them as a last resort... like a gun. The zapping noise does scare animals away. Around $20.00. These flashlights are illegal in the following states, Hawaii, Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, and Wisconsin. Cities / Counties... Annapolis Md., Baltimore Md., Crawford County Id., Washington D.C., and Philadelphia Pa. Illegal in the country of Canada, so do not try to cross the boarder with these flashlights. Trying to keep everyone safe, and informed out there.

[AIRHEDS]

Just thought I'd share that I couldn't help myself ... I picked-up a fenix UC-35 rechargeable version of the fenix PD35 flashlight at REI (it was in-stock).

The pros: this light is capable of throwing from 14 lumens to an impressive 960 lumens ... side-by-side testing outside at night, it is definitely brighter than my FourSevens QuarkPro QP2L-X while also throwing a wider and more usable beam pattern, which should be good for an all-around light. It's a little heavier than most two-CR123 lights of the same size. But the really cool feature is that this light has a rechargeable mini-USB port on the side so you can charge the powerful 18650 Li-ion battery without removing it. That's pretty cool...

The cons: All of this said, I'm not sure if I'm ecstatic with it because it has a memory to remember the last mode it was in. So if you have it by your bedside for self-protection and need moonlight to get something in the middle of the night, you'll blind yourself unless you set it to moonlight before shutting it off. But then, if something "goes bump in the night" you're stuck with moonlight on power-up, plus four more presses of the switch to get to Turbo power (although strobe is available from any light output).

Compare/contrast to the FourSevens, which thought through the implementation of two different modes based on a twist of the bezel, there's no comparison. The FourSevens wins in this regard to useability. The FourSevens also has a tail cap that allows it to stand on the cap ... the fenix doesn't.

https://www.fenixlighting.com/produc...ix-flashlight/

I'm going to look into a FourSevens rechargeable equivalent ... not sure if they have one but I need to take a look. Fenix seems to have a larger share of the market ... perhaps because they've done a better job of marketing ... ? Take care, Rich

[Troutboy]

Great review thanks, I'll look st this, light, although my tk15 is still going strong, and maybe try a foursevens

[Mollysdad]

Remember the old Mini-Mag light that was the standard of the industry? With the dim "grain of wheat" bulb that blew at the worst times? I swore I'd never give that company another dime.
I found a LED light made by Coast (Chinese, I'm sure) for $20.
Same size, 5 LED's, runs 50 hours on one AA! I bought two or three, and installed Lithium AA's. I've never changed batteries!
Then, I discovered Lowe's sold a smaller LED light that used three AAA's for $1.79. Replacing the batteries cost more than the lights. How can even the Chinese make an anodized aluminum shell, a switch, and 3 LED's, and a lanyard, ship it half way around the world for $1.79??? I put one in the bedroom, the kitchen, and gave one away.
All have worked for years flawlessly.
BTW, Lithiums are silly expensive, but they never leak. I use them in everything except my wireless mouse since those get changed too often to justify the cost.

[DPRoberts]

After starting with Maglights and then going through several cheaper options, I've become a big fan of Thrunite flashlights.

I have a 1xAAA Ti twisty as my EDC. It's very bright for such a small light, and the batteries last forever. It still looks like new after several years on my keychain.

For pocket use (campgrounds and such) I have a 1xAA T10T. The great thing about this light is that it's both a clicky and a twisty, so you can use it however you want. It also comes with a traffic cone-shaped diffuser so you can use it as a candle. I find this combo perfect for campgrounds and restrooms (especially those campground ones that don't have electricity). It's available in regular aluminum as the T10, or in titanium as the T10T for the same price (about $23). I've given several as gifts and the people who received them really love them.

I also really like my 4xAA Thrunite TN4A. It's not pocket size, but it fits inside a toilet paper holder, so it's a lot smaller than many "full size" flashlights. I take it for walks along roads when I really need cars to see me. It's rather floody, but the new version with the XPL-HI is known for being a remarkably good thrower in the AA class.

If I had my druthers, at some point I'd get a Zebralight SC5 or SC52, but they're awfully expensive and I have several other lights that work nearly as well.

Speaking of which, I've had good luck with the "Duraloop" AAs I bought on clearance at Target a couple of years ago. I also have a few Amazon Basics high capacity AAs that have also been fine.

At some point I'll probably make the switch to 18650s and much brighter lights, but AAs are so easy to find I'm sure I'll stick with them for a long time. Sometimes I get slightly worried when I hear about 18650s catching fire or melting down, which gives me pause when I consider charging & using them in a small space like an Airstream. On the other hand, I'll be using lithium-powered laptops, phones, and other devices in there, and probably even lithium batteries for the trailer too, so worrying about lithium batteries for a flashlight at that point would probably be a bit silly.

[AIRHEDS]

Originally Posted by DPRoberts

Sometimes I get slightly worried when I hear about 18650s catching fire or melting down, which gives me pause when I consider charging & using them in a small space like an Airstream. On the other hand, I'll be using lithium-powered laptops, phones, and other devices in there, and probably even lithium batteries for the trailer too, so worrying about lithium batteries for a flashlight at that point would probably be a bit silly.

Sounds like we're going through the same progression. Fenix and FourSevens both warn of using brands of 18650 batteries other than their own given they've regulated the output ... they strongly caution against other batteries due to the risk of fire/explosion. I observed that Fenix doesn't include information about the size of charger to use when charging their batteries so I opted for the smallest micro-USB charger I could find ... a 700mAH charger for an old Blackberry phone ... my intent was to avoid a rapid change in voltage. I'm concerned enough that I set it on the kitchen island without anything else on it, just in case. If/when the time comes that we're camping with it, I will likely avoid charging it inside. That said, all of the "vape explosions" I've seen online concern me. Then, I think about my DeWalt batteries, MacBook Pro, iPhones, etc. and think there's no concern. I don't know what to do about keeping it or not ... pretty conflicted about it ...

[DPRoberts]

Originally Posted by AIRHEDS

Sounds like we're going through the same progression. Fenix and FourSevens both warn of using brands of 18650 batteries other than their own given they've regulated the output ... they strongly caution against other batteries due to the risk of fire/explosion. I observed that Fenix doesn't include information about the size of charger to use when charging their batteries so I opted for the smallest micro-USB charger I could find ... a 700mAH charger for an old Blackberry phone ... my intent was to avoid a rapid change in voltage. I'm concerned enough that I set it on the kitchen island without anything else on it, just in case. If/when the time comes that we're camping with it, I will likely avoid charging it inside. That said, all of the "vape explosions" I've seen online concern me. Then, I think about my DeWalt batteries, MacBook Pro, iPhones, etc. and think there's no concern. I don't know what to do about keeping it or not ... pretty conflicted about it ...

One thing I've often heard about lithium batteries is that they're a lot safer when they're wired directly,as the monitoring software apparently works a lot better then (especially if you have a good monitor, like in laptops or RV applications). I know many rechargeable 18650 batteries are protected, but they're still not wired directly, so that seems a little less safe.

Lastly - and most practically - if we're in an RV and we suddenly need to use several flashlights, it's probably because we've depleted the house batteries for some reason. In that situation we wouldn't be able to recharge 18650s anyway. At that point, it would be a lot easier to find AAs in any Wal-Mart, camp store, etc. So, for emergency use AAs still seem like a better bet.