Best flashlight for cost?

[em9sredbeam]

Alright so it seems I lost my Klarus xt11, and am lookong for a replacement. It was a great light for the 100 dollar price range of the time, and I know technology changes. Id like to find something sinilar in size, bright and strobe would be good. What is out there that is good? Preferably avoiding the price of a surefire.

[Librarian]

Doesn't cover all brands, but battery junction is a place to start. I've bought a few from them.

[tradecraft]

PD35 (whatever the newest version is) is a pretty safe bet across the board unless you're needing some sort of special-purpose light. You'd have funds left over to buy some 18650s as well.

[sonofeugene]

I probably have a dozen of these around the house and in my vehicles. One hanging on every doorknob. Don't let the price fool you, these are seriously good lights that have never let me down. And the beam pattern is the best I've seen. Plus, they take conventional AA batteries.

https://www.amazon.com/TerraLUX-TLF-3002AA-BK-LightStar300-Aluminum-Flashlight/dp/B004VMWAKQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1510034262&sr=1-1&keywords=Led+flashlight+300+TerraLux

http://lightstarproducts.com

[XDJYo]

PD35 (whatever the newest version is) is a pretty safe bet across the board unless you're needing some sort of special-purpose light. You'd have funds left over to buy some 18650s as well.

Flashaholic here.

Another vote for the PD35. The PD35 Tactical pushes out 1,000 lumens.

Brand-wise, I am a Fenix loyalist. They have very good output, excellent construction and a decent price point. Not the cheapest (go to Harbor Freight if shopping price), but in my opinion, the best quality and lumens per dollar. Go to the fenix-store.com. If you sign up for the newsletter, you get $20 off your first order. They have free shipping and a lifetime warranty (I think). Most of my flashlights are AA battery driven. I have a whole bunch of rechargeable Eneloops. Jumping into that helped ease my decision for which flashlights to get. The PD35 is my lone alternative battery source flashlight (CR123A). https://www.fenix-store.com/fenix-pd...tical-edition/ That is on my AR-15 for HD.

The LD22 is also another workhorse. That resides in my wife's purse and an E11 is in my pocket for EDC. Also have headlamps for working on the car, camping etc and a larger LD41 (not too happy with that one. It has a greenish tint to the light).

All Fenix come with a lanyard and extra gaskets/O-rings.

If you REALLY, REALLY want to take a trip down the rabbit hole, check out the candlepower forum. But, don't say you weren't warned. They're nuts over there!!!

[XDJYo]

Another thing, especially since it is getting darker earlier, make sure your loved ones are 'armed' with a good strong RELIABLE flashlight. This will help them in dark parking lots after work/shopping/gym etc. It should be worked into their EDC routine to pull it out and use it at all times after the sun goes down. My wife is good when I'm not around, but not so good when I'm around(?). Weird I know.

Same with pepper spray/mace. Especially since a lot of us live in virtual no-issue counties (Contra Costa/Alameda/SF etc).

Be safe out there.

[Ed_Hazard]

I'm a big fan of the inexpensive, not cheap, COAST HP1.

https://www.amazon.com/Coast-HP1-Focusing-Lumen-Flashlight/dp/B00IEMUOWU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1510035318&sr=8-1&keywords=coast+hp1&dpID=31J3uBCsgqL&preST=_SX300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch

Small, rugged, runs on a single AA battery.

I've used one as my EDC for over a year now. It's been dropped in and fished out of a water truck, mud holes, concrete floors. And has kept on trucking.

It's plenty bright for normal tasks, has a sliding focus feature that works well. And it's small and light enough that you will carry it.

The ultimate selling point is it's low cost. Typically under $10 on Amazon, and can be had cheaper when it pops up as an "Add On" item. You can afford to buy several, and even give them away as te need arises.

[WalterTheDogC@t]

PD35 (whatever the newest version is) is a pretty safe bet across the board unless you're needing some sort of special-purpose light. You'd have funds left over to buy some 18650s as well.

Another vote for the Fenix PD35. Have been carrying one around on my duty belt at work for five years. Nice and light to keep the load down. Have dropped it quite a few times, had it in extreme conditions well below freezing to around 115 degrees, dropped it in water and snow. The tac tail cap works great and has a forward mounted pressure switch to control intensity. My light is looking a little banged up but no worse for the wear. All around great light.

[WartHog]

Convoy C8 XP-L HI V2 1A with Guppydrv Firmware Upgrade from Mtnelectronics.com. For $25, this little light is a absolute steal and the Guppydrv Firmware gives you 22 modes that should satisfy anyone. It easily illuminates out to 250yards but still has good spill illumination close in. I honestly think it outperforms similar lights costing 3-4 times more.

http://www.mtnelectronics.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=80&product_id=709

[StuckInTheP.R.O.Ca]

Doesn't cover all brands, but battery junction is a place to start. I've bought a few from them.

^This or goinggear.com. Thrunites are also hard to beat for the price.

[StuckInTheP.R.O.Ca]

Convoy C8 XP-L HI V2 1A with Guppydrv Firmware Upgrade from Mtnelectronics.com. For $25, this little light is a absolute steal and the Guppydrv Firmware gives you 22 modes that should satisfy anyone. It easily illuminates out to 250yards but still has good spill illumination close in. I honestly think it outperforms similar lights costing 3-4 times more.

http://www.mtnelectronics.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=80&product_id=709

I have a similar version. The interface is a pain in the a**. I think they do offer versions with a separate mode button nowadays but having a combo power and mode button is a pita. They do throw pretty good. 1.8" dia head.

[StuckInTheP.R.O.Ca]

Alright so it seems I lost my Klarus xt11, and am lookong for a replacement. It was a great light for the 100 dollar price range of the time, and I know technology changes. Id like to find something sinilar in size, bright and strobe would be good. What is out there that is good? Preferably avoiding the price of a surefire.

Klarus XT12 GT. 1600 lumens, 90902 candela ( excellent throw /long distance) Heads a bit larger than XT11. 1.8". $95 at battery junction

[em9sredbeam]

Klarus XT12 GT. 1600 lumens, 90902 candela ( excellent throw /long distance) Heads a bit larger than XT11. 1.8". $95 at battery junction

I notice its a lower rated lumen but longer rated distance. Are you happy with yours? Mine was the original 800 lm. got my old man the 2nd gen. 900lm

[StuckInTheP.R.O.Ca]

I notice its a lower rated lumen but longer rated distance. Are you happy with yours? Mine was the original 800 lm. got my old man the 2nd gen. 900lm

I haven't got that one yet but have the old version XT12 with the 1.3" head. 930 lumens. Awesome light. I also have a XT15 (1050 lms) which is the predecessor to the new XT12 GT. The XT12GT has the same head size as my XT15 but with about 60000 more candela and 500 more lumens and my XT15 is pretty ridiculously bright and has significant throw. I can only imagine how much brighter the 12GT is.

If extreme throw is really important then XT12GT. If not and you want a more compact package then XT11GT. If for EDC then I would go with with a single 18650 light with a 1"head dia.

[ExtremeX]

I like the selection of lights at http://goinggear.com/

I like, and have lights from Fenix, JetBeam, Klarus, Olight, 4Sevens...

They all have their own pros /cons and merits but Fenix lights have worked out very well for me for what I use them for.