What flashight do you recommend?

[sixdogs]

Do you have a particular flashlight you like? I need to buy some new flashlights to replace my old bulb style Maglights and the sheer number of them is confusing.

What I would like is an LED that's bright enough to see in the barn at night and takes AA, C or D batteries. I'd like it to be a major brand so I can get parts if I ever need them and I don't want to spend $75 on it because I would like to buy several. Less is better but I'm not a cheapskate.

A couple months back I picked up some flashlights at Costco that take three AAA batteries and have three clicks on the switch. Dim, bright and flashing. It's sort of a hassle to go through the clicking cycle every time you use it. I bought three of these flashlights and so far one is broken, one doesn't work all the time and one rarely gets used. So I'm not happy with those. My Harbor Freight freebies have worked better.

What do you have and do you like it? Any ideas appreciated.

 

[MrWhippy]

Depends on what batteries you want to use. With AAs, there a lot of choices. Maglite makes an LED light. The minimag pro or pro+ tha are solid performers. There's an online site called Countycomm.com that stocks a very good 1xAA light too. Maratac

 

[newbury]

I go for the HF freebies and if I need recommendations (for example when I was buying green laser pointers) go to candlepower forums. But it can suck valuable time away from TBN.

 

[oosik]

I used to go thru flashlights here like a kid goes thru candy. Then I found Makita rechargeable - but when you get the flashlight, rechargeable battery & charger, you're into it right at $200.

Recently, I've got a rechargeable LED flashlight. It comes with rechargeable battery & charger for $55. You should check it on their web site - - I got the Nebo, Redline, RC. I had this Nebo for about 6 months now and so far its great. On high, it will shine from my front porch and illuminate the ground across my little lake - 900 feet away. I use a flashlight every night when the dog & I go out for his final business.

 

[jimmyj]

I have a thing for flashlights. Get an LED, aluminum and get the max # of lumens you can. The Maglite LED is a very good flashlight, the batteries last forever and it's reasonably bright. I recently got a "store brand" light that is almost 800 lumens, takes 3 C cell batteries and you can adjust the beam from narrow to wide for about $30 bucks. It is smaller than the Maglite and eats the batteries a bit faster. Lee Valley Tools has about the nicest LED super bright flashlights I've ever seen - you can look them up online.

Note: Most of the new (if not all of the new) flashlights have those silly 3 step switches for low, high and strobe. Happy hunting.

 

[General Lee]

Dang six dogs, I was gonna recommend the little ones at Costco but it seems they're not working for you. I have about 9 of them and everyone has been flawless. I find them very bright for the money and keep one just about everywhere.

For my serious duty and work lights, I use streamlight but those are out of the price range you want to spend.

 

[downsizingnow48]

I've got some 2 and 3 D cell Maglites, some 2 AA cell Maglites, and a couple Surefire lithium LEDs. In different places for different uses. All do the job reliably. Flashlights have come a long way since the old tin jobs.

 

[Parkanzky]

I know you said AA, C, or D, but I would recommend the Maglite XL200:

Maglite XL200 LED 3-Cell AAA Flashlight - Compact - Flashlights

I was given one as a Christmas gift a few years ago and have since purchased another for myself and a couple as gifts for my friends. It has motion controlled brightness and strobe rate, which means that you can set the light level to whatever you actually need. That means that you can crank it up when you're outside but dim it if you're using it indoors or for up-close work. The motion-sensor is also used to lock the light. It's a nice feature that keeps it from getting turned on accidentally when you toss it in your coat pocket. And that gets to another reason I recommend the AAA light instead of something that takes bigger batteries. These lights fit nicely in a jacket pocket. I'm a lot more likely to have one with me when I want one.

 

[Parkanzky]

I know you said AA, C, or D, but I would recommend the Maglite XL200:

Maglite XL200 LED 3-Cell AAA Flashlight - Compact - Flashlights

I was given one as a Christmas gift a few years ago and have since purchased another for myself and a couple as gifts for my friends. It has motion controlled brightness and strobe rate, which means that you can set the light level to whatever you actually need. That means that you can crank it up when you're outside but dim it if you're using it indoors or for up-close work. The motion-sensor is also used to lock the light. It's a nice feature that keeps it from getting turned on accidentally when you toss it in your coat pocket. And that gets to another reason I recommend the AAA light instead of something that takes bigger batteries. These lights fit nicely in a jacket pocket. I'm a lot more likely to have one with me when I want one.

I know it says they're $65 on Maglite's site, but they're $40 shipped on Amazon.com:

Maglite XL200 LED Flashlight, Black - Basic Handheld Flashlights - Amazon.com

 

[tman1020]

I have had tons of flashlights was a junkie for the rechargeable LED'smost of them are made in China. Came across a mag light XL 50. They cost around $25 it is definitely one of the best ones I've ever used. I have tried many different LED mag lights and I am happy with everyone. They are also one of only flashlights still made in USA.