What Flashlights Are You Using

[Hand and Steel]

What flashlights do you folks carry for everyday use? What do you keep around for emergency use?

I carry an incandescent Mini-Maglite and an incandescent Maglite Solitaire. Incandescent lights tend to illuminate an area with greater spectrum fidelity I find, even if they run batteries down quicker. My compact first aid and survival kit which I keep in my car, close by at work, and on my belt when out in the woods also has a LED Maglite Solitaire in it. For the survival kit, I use the small LED in case it has to be used for longer durations.

For general emergency use, I keep a 4 cell incandescent Maglite handy - again, the more natural light of an incandescent just seems to make it easier to see in clear detail in the dark, and Maglite products have always proven themselves to be extremely reliable and durable in my experience. I also keep a large number of magnetic or ambient LED units around for long duration area lighting during an emergency.

[samuelrp]

I too use maglight. Four cell by the seat in the truck, and three two cells in the house/basement, and a small one near the bed. Love the maglight!

[Tye]

Streamlight Protac2 AAA rides with me every day for a couple years now. Best flashlight I've ever purchased. It mostly finds a home in front shirt pocket along with a pen and cell phone (business attire). Only 2 AAA batteries, this thing shines and has great battery life. Its developed a nice patina during those days where no shirt pocket forces it to share a pants pocket with my EDC keys. Missing for a couple days while hiding in the seat cushion (slipped out of PJ pocket) I went out and bought a new one that now serves standby duty in the travel bathroom bag. I'm considering a custom belt holster for this light combined with a magazine or 2. It is now the standard that all other EDC lights will be judged!

[hkguy]

i have condor tactical light and a couple small ones from gander mountain around for investigating things that go bump.

inforce APL on the house gun

and i will be buying a surefire light here soon.

cant have enough lumens

[Nathan]

PRODUCT LINK

Dewalt 12v rechargable. 130 lumens. Always wear it everywhere I go, work and play. It uses the same rechargeable batteries as does my impact driver, my no contact thermometer, and several other tools that I use daily. I've gone through six of them in the last few years (either lose them, run over them and even melted one) and continue going back to them every time I need a replacement.

[Hand and Steel]

Streamlight Protac2 AAA rides with me every day for a couple years now. Best flashlight I've ever purchased.

I've recently switched over to a Streamlight ProTac 2AA and a MicroStream AAA. I still prefer incandescent lights to LEDs but the Streamlights are so handy I'm willing to use them instead. Really liking the Streamlights. I still keep my Maglites around though. I doubt there's much that can beat their long term durability.

[yankeejib]

Someone here turned me on to those little cree superLED Chinese flashlights for $10 (that they sell everywhere for $40). I bought a couple first to abuse them, then got four more. I bought a package of 8 of the 18650 Ultrafire Lith-ion batteries and 2 chargers for $40 to keep them burning. They are nice little lights. Outrageous bright, focus, 3 brightness settings, pocket clips, button on the back, easy to handle with a pistol.
I also have a couple of UTG lights. These fit any gun mount. I've left one on my 12 gauge just to see if I could ruin it. As long as the batteries have springs on both ends to absorb the shock, most LED lights will survive the percussion of a shot gun or rifle.
I also still have a couple of 4 cell DD Mag lights. One in the truck. One by the back door. Multipurpose is everything when you want to positively ID your target before you knock them out. Shine them with the overhand cop grip and you're only one flip away from swinging for the bleachers.
Also, never underestimate the utility of emergency road flares. 3/$10 at the autoparts store.

[Stoble]

Maglite story: I got a three D cell light for a brother-in-law one Christmas. He drove a Dodge truck. The family had an awful wreck on the interstate when they hit a big rig truck that crossed the median into their lane. They hit so hard their engine mounts tore loose and set the engine back into the firewall. He went to look at the wreckage after some surgeries and being laid up with mouth wired shut, etc., etc. He was surprised to find the Maglite not showing any damage and, yes, it still worked. Much praise went out to that light for being so tough.