Please recommend a good non WML flashlight...

[alamo5000]

Surefire edcl1 or 2 are my current favorites. Slim, and with a gas pedal tailcap where you slightly press for low and press a little harder for 500 or 1200 lumens (1 cell vs 2 cell). Has a pocket clip, and works with the thyrm loop if you like those.

That sounds like a good contender. I like that kind of simple functionality. Is it like a click switch or more like a pressure switch? All that 'click twice real fast to change to this mode or that' meh... but if it's just additional pressure that would be awesome.

I will look at the specs. I wonder if it has a twist to always on thing too? That's not absolutely needed (the twist) but it could be kind of nice I guess. I will have to think about it a little.

I googled 'thyrum loop' and I guess that's just a finger loop... I am not sure about that just yet, but I am glad you mentioned it.

Elzetta.

Never heard of them (never heard of a lot of stuff) but I will check out their lights for sure.

My EDC is for carrying every day, all day. For the past two years it's been a Surefire Titan Plus.

Fits nicely and unnoticed in the watch pocket of blue jeans.

I'm a AAA devote.

If you're considering something as large as a 2 x CR123, I keep in my truck a Malkoff MD2.

with Gene's bezel switch

that's the story with larger lights; they are awesome but seldom EDC outside of professional needs.


The two that are used the most are the Titan Plus (smallest) because it's always in my pocket when I need it. The other is a Streamlight Stinger DS HPL (biggest) because it's always hanging on the wall fully charged by the back door when I need it for going outside at night. Location location location. All my other bang-zoom 'tactical' flashlights remain busy self-discharging.

I will check out the Titan Plus for sure.

I am sort of beach bummish in my attire. I go relaxed if ever given the opportunity. That said I've had so many suit and tie with a coat jobs... but in my day to day stuff I naturally dress for the seasons (of Texas). In summer if you ever see me NOT in shorts it means either someone died or is getting married. Shorts sandals and light weight wicking shirts are my main summer attire. It was 105 degrees and humid here today. Summer is just starting.

In winter I will wear jeans usually and shorts on nice days. But honestly when it's colder I have many more carry options because of simply more clothes. That said comfort is king, well right behind reliability. I am of the school that if you wear a gun or holster or anything that hurts, pokes, rubs, jabs, etc it will deter you from carrying.

I am not a devotee of anything yet but I am not against the CR123A batteries. That said I have two lights that run those now so might has well have a third one and keep it standard. This is definitely a consideration. I could buy say 8 rechargeable batteries so I always have spares for each gun without having to keep buying batteries.

The best light is the one you have with you at the time. I used to have a giant D cell sucking Maglite in my truck and it barely ever got used and to be honest it wasn't even very bright. Currently my most used flashlight is a tiny little key ring light that is on my key chain for the very reasons you mentioned. I have it therefore I use it.

PS. I have no idea who Gene is or what a bezel switch is.

I'm a huge Surefire Fan, but... EDC, and on my uniform daily as a maplight/backuplight is a Malkoff MDC HA

Hard Anodized Black MDC (Malkoff Daily Carry) 115 Lumen, 1AA Flashlight. Modes are LowLow-Low-High. Perfect when I need barely any illumination to look at something without blinding me, and it runs on cheaper AA batteries. It's not a 1000 lumen retina melter... but it does what I need it to do.

LOL! Retina melter! HAAA!!

You do bring up very important stuff I hadn't thought about. Having and using a low power setting will probably be very handy. If I am riding in the passenger's seat and somebody drops something under the seat emitting a 1,200 lumen blinder while cruising down the freeway might not be good. I imagine it would get pretty hot too. Being able to give somebody a sunburn is not really the idea.

After I read your comment I took my new 300X outside and whatever lumens that is is about right for the high end. It throws light really well, just like the Arisaka light. That's plenty. My idea is on the high end to be able to scan or scope out a parking lot or light up a car or something to avoid a problem rather than try to find one. Also if I need to scan the tree line or any other number of things like that it's more than enough.

The specs said the pistol light I have now is 600 lumens and it has a pretty broad spill so I think that's about the top end of what I would want depending on a few other things. I think that at least gives me a ballpark idea of what to compare. Run time is also an important factor.

Chronology of handlights: Maglite 6D back in the day, Fenix TK16L 1x 18650R, Indeo Lumipower 1x CR123. The Lumi is 500 lumens but super small, the TK is 1k lumens and strong enough for pretty much anything. Not pictured is a Pelican Super Saberlite 3x C I keep on my scene bag.

As for right now I am leaning towards a single CR123 battery light if for nothing else to have all my light batteries be standard. Like I was saying... I used to have a big maglite that I didn't like or use. If I needed to beat someone into submission maybe but barring that... a small but powerful (enough) light is the ticket.

Another thing I didn't mention is that I live in hurricane territory. Living in the country during storms the power goes out CONSTANTLY. This light I am talking about getting will become part of my EDC but also part of my emergency preparedness kit. And by emergency preparedness I mean I can grab the light and make it to the bathroom during a blackout without kicking a coffee table. It's very practical to have one good small light that I keep up with rather than 20 dollar store cheap crappy ones with dead batteries that no one can seem to find when they are needed.

OLight SR1 Turbo S Version - 900 lumens - tailcap USB rechargeable - or 1 CR123A - tiny - belt clip, or remove it and drop it in your pocket ... mine shown below

That might be a good option for sure. I am going to put it on my list of things to be compared. The rechargeable batteries though, yeah, I am definitely going to go that route.

I liked the Olight. The magnetic tail cap was pretty handy in a mechanical room or in a pump vault. Unfortunately they suffer from not liking water. When mine got wet it crackled and popped like bacon cooking for 30 seconds and never lit again.

I gave the replacement to my Father in law and it’s worked well for him in a less demanding role.

Oooooh!!! Good point! VERY good point!

I wonder how these lights all do in wet/damp/rainy (and by raining I mean flood) situations? When it rains 18 inches in a day at your house this does become an issue. A certain level of water resistance is a very good idea and worth paying extra money for IMO.

I just picked up a new EDC light from Zebralight. I've used their headlamps for many years. The user interface is a bit more complicated than others, but easy enough once you get used to it. You could also program it to be super simple with just 1 mode if you like that option.

I've bought probably 30 flashlights since the LED revolution began

The pocket clip is great and affords unobtrusive, painless carry. The amount of light you can get from a pocket light nowadays is truly astounding.

All of these are super pocket-friendly, durable, waterproof and damn near unbreakable. I have been using them a lot for many years. My Zebralight headlamp has been on countless camping trips and long-distance mountain bike rides. It's survived rain, snow, extended submersion, lots of drops from 3-4 feet onto concrete and asphalt, you name it. Never a problem.

I'm not super concerned with the "tint" of the light, but I have noticed these newer lights are far more pleasing to the eye. The Zebralight in particular has a very "incandescent" warm tint unlike many of the older LED lights that have a really green or blue cast.

I quit worrying some time ago about "tactical" this and that, momentary vs not, super blinding weapon-wannabe nonsense that is so common in this community. I use the light all the time for trivial shit, and if I absolutely had to try and blind an attacker, there is a light on my gun for that.

Hope this helps!

If I ever need to go coal mining I will remember your post! LOL!

You are right though... the improvements in lights has been great! It's just like other stuff I see... I go "I need a flashlight" and now there is all kinds of cool options to account for.

My tactical light will probably help me find the toilet during a blackout. Pretty ninja isn't it? Overall though it will be a practical investment.

I've also never heard of zebra lights. I will look them over as well and make a comparison.

As far as the 'tint' goes, I don't know what the 'tint' is for the Surefire I have or the Arisaka. Maybe somebody can clue me in. I don't want an irritating colored light. The idea is for me to see what I'm doing.

My keychain light is by far my most used light, but I will need to replace it pretty soon too because it's getting worn out. For a $4 key chain it has more than paid for itself. I am constantly using it because it's THERE. That's what kind of role I want a 'bigger' light to have as well. Basically when I need a light I want the damn thing in my pocket, and preferably it will be comfortable.

All the comments are definitely helping. This is great. Getting tons of ideas. A little pen light might not be the best for me because I'm not trying to read people's driver's licenses at night or generally reading documents and I don't know if it's capable of throwing light 75 or 100 yards like I want.

On the flip side I hope I don't need to subdue anyone so this concept of blinding a suspect--- I will leave that to the PoPo for the most part. There might be a rare exception to that but not much. If it gets down to that bad they should probably fear the muzzle of the gun more than the light.

I definitely have a lot to think about to narrow the choices down.

I also want to replace my keychain light too. (It's a throw away kind---but I've been using it for several years already)