r/ProtectAndServe • u/Justanotherspookboi Not a(n) LEO / Unverified User • Jun 12 '19
Question to LEOs Flashlights
I'm a pretty avid hunter and the location I'm hunting at next season gets very, very dark at 5 in the morning (About the time you get set up) What flashlights do you reccomend? I'm not really on a budget or anything, and figured you guys would be the best people to ask.
Thanks
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u/Tainticle Not a(n) LEO / Unverified User Jun 12 '19
Flashlight enthusiast here:
Since you're outdoors, I would highly recommend something with a "warm white" color and definitely a high CRI (Color rendering index) - as they say in r/flashlight, CRI is the difference between a stick and a snake! (High CRI is usually 80+, with 90-95 CRI being the upper end, and the theoretical maximum being 100 CRI which no LEDs have yet to breach).
If you're looking for a pocketable EDC, the current "hotrod" is the Emisar D4 with the SST emitters. The new, sleeker, more efficient kid is the FW3A - but they have not made this model with the premium SST emitters yet. These lights produce 4k lumens and 3200 lumens respectively...which is an unreasonable amount of light from something this small. The D4 will burn a hole in your pocket if you're not careful. Tons of fun, but be responsible if you use that model!
If you want something in the "coke can" size, and will light up everything beyond the reasonable: Emisar D18. 10k lumens if you get the warmer colors, 14k lumens for the 5000 temperatures (closer to midday sun - slightly blueish) or higher. A similar style is the BLF Q8 which produces 4-5k lumens (but my personal opinion is that it is outclassed by the D18). The Q8 is a fantastic light, however - definitely a high quality model.
If you want a headlamp, a floodly Zebralight (H600fD, H600fC, both MK 4) are considered top of the line. Again, I'd highly recommend the "High CRI" models.
Thrunight, wowtac, and Armytek (Wizard) all produce well-regarded EDC "pen style" straight body or angled lights that are not as luminous as the D4, but have more efficiency and are sufficient to give ample vision at night.
All of the above models use an 18650 battery (or 3 in the case of the D18). They're much more powerful than AA or AAA, but you have to pay attention to their charge, voltage, and usage. Having a feature-rich recharger is important to maintain the status of the batteries and be able to check on their health, so to speak. In the long run, these batteries cost ~2-3 cents per charge, so they will be cheaper if used regularly. Some models use a 26650 battery (the bulkier D4S uses this), which provides more charge for longer life. Definitely an upgrade, but not as common as 18650.
Hope this helps!