[Penarin]

Cool stuff in here
 
I try to get underground at least once a month so I'm always trying to keep up with cool stuff in the flashlight world.
 
My collection-
 
Petzl Duo 14.  The halogen bulb on the side is rather worthless, but the main LED array is amazing.  Puts out a nice, even flood.  Three regulated brightness levels.  Waterproof.  Takes 4AAs. 
Fenix HP10.  This thing is insanely bright on the highest setting.  Puts out more of a spot compared to the flood on the Petzl light.  Waterproof.  Takes 4AAs.  I think it's been replaced by the HP11. 
 
Princeton Tec Impact XL.  65 lumens, 50 hours runtime on 4AAs.  Waterproof.
Princeton Tec Attitude.  30 lumens, 150 hours runtime on 4AAAs.  Waterproof.
 
I also have a not so fancy Utilitech 9 LED flashlight.  75 lumens, 10 hours, 3AAAs.  Seems to be well built for $15.
 
Eneloops are my favorite rechargeables.  Specs for the AAs-  2000mAH, precharged, low self discharge, and they can be recharged 1500 times.  I used them in all my caving lights, our digital camera, Wii remotes, my son's RC car, and so on.

 

[yliu]

Quote:

Eneloops are my favorite rechargeables.  Specs for the AAs-  2000mAH, precharged, low self discharge, and they can be recharged 1500 times.  I used them in all my caving lights, our digital camera, Wii remotes, my son's RC car, and so on.

 
Eneloops are very high quality batteries, but are very expensive. I like to use Varta Ready2Go LSD rechargeables. for a 8 Eneloops I can get 12 VARTAs:0
 
You should check out some brands like JetBeam, Olight, Fenix etc. 
 
I have a JetBeam PA40, which is my main general use outdoor light. Runs on 4xAA just like the Princeton Tec Impact XL, except with over 400 lumens!!! 

 

[Audio-Omega]

I'm going to get Surefire Fury next.  

 

[Chris_Himself]

Quote:

I'm going to get Surefire Fury next.  

 
Yeah Surefure is usually outdated but these new 2012 ones are great!

 

[Audio-Omega]

My first good torch was a Surefire incandescent.  They fell back against the newer brands in the last few years.  Surefire torches would be more competitive if they were cheaper.  

 

[Chris_Himself]

Quote:

My first good torch was a Surefire incandescent.  They fell back against the newer brands in the last few years.  Surefire torches would be more competitive if they were cheaper.  

 
American labor just isn't what it used to be cost wise. Back in the 90's of course, but these days they want $200 for a decent flashlight that gets trumped by the chinese stuff. You're buying the brand and the no-nonsense warranty. A quick phone call and your address and you get sorted out real quick.
 
The entry $70 6PX isn't bad if 200 lumens is the name of the game, but I mean basically anything by Eagletac ( also US made) , Fenix, or 4Sevens will whip it for like $10 less plus you get type 3 hard ano.. which is like a $20 premium to have on a light I feel.

 

[Penarin]

Just did some reading on the Jetbeam PA40.  Sounds like a really nice light for $80.  6 hours in 220 mode from 4AAs is impressive.  468 lumens for 2 and a half hours- that is just crazy

 

[yliu]

Quote:

Just did some reading on the Jetbeam PA40.  Sounds like a really nice light for $80.  6 hours in 220 mode from 4AAs is impressive.  468 lumens for 2 and a half hours- that is just crazy

I own the PA40, and it's a great light! The carbon reinforced plastic body help a lot of cold weathers. The beam is very floody, which I really like and it still manages to throw quite far with its 460 lumens.
 
The Olight S65 also seems like a great light (although I don't have it) if you like the Maglite feel. It uses 6xAA putting out 700 lumen.

 

[Penarin]

I think I am going to grab a PA40.  I can't image what nearly 470 lumens would look like in a cave.    My current brightest light- Fenix HP10 at 225 lumens- makes me look like a train blazing through a subway tunnel. 

 

[Penarin]

Just an FYI- Eneloop has a new battery out- the XX.  At 2500mah, it's more powerful than normal Eneloops, but the XXs can "only" be recharged 500 times.   

 

[yliu]

By the way, the PA40 is not going to run for 2:30 hours at max output. The brightness will start to slowly drop once you get to the 2:00 mark (estimate, depends on battery).
 
Don't be surprised if the PA40 does not look twice as bright as your Fenix HP10. The human eye perceives luminance on a logarithmic scale, that means that while the PA40 is actually twice as bright as the HP10, we only see it about 40% increase in brightness. Furthermore, the beam pattern of the PA40 is quite diffused, and given the fact that humans are really bad at sensing the total "amount" of light but are better at sensing the "intensity" of light. It can make the PA40 look rather dim compared to it's specification.
 
It's like, speaker put out way more sound than headphones, but headphones can sound just as loud as speakers. This is because headphones sends almost all of it's sound into our ears, while speaker fill an entire area with sound. Same goes to flashlights.

 

[Audio-Omega]

My Surefire Fury has finally arrived, it's a bit smaller than I thought.  The finish is in matte black rather than gloss.  Included is a Surefire sticker.  

 

[Stockbox]

 
From Left to Right
 
SmileSun Cree
4Sevens Quark MiniX123
Solarforce M8
Pentagon Light LM1-BK Molle
Klarus ST10

 

[wolfen68]

Quote:

 
The entry $70 6PX isn't bad if 200 lumens is the name of the game, but I mean basically anything by Eagletac ( also US made) , Fenix, or 4Sevens will whip it for like $10 less plus you get type 3 hard ano.. which is like a $20 premium to have on a light I feel.

 
Eagletac is actually made in "designed in USA" but made in China now.

 

[ferret141]

Since you guys are on the topic of high powered electromagnetic emmiting devices. Do any of you have recommendations for high powered laser pointers?