LED Flashlight Upgrade

[DaveK]

I can't ever remember an occasion, while camping, when I have not used the flashlight that I wear on my belt, not to mention the various flashlights that I stow in the vehicle and the trailer. For years, Maglights were the torch of choice. The LED revolution has changed many things when it comes to flashlights.

I still use the 3 & 4 D cell Maglights, but they all have been upgraded to LEDs. To say the very least, the light is much brighter and the batteries seem to last many times what they used to. In fact, I have not replaced any batteries yet in over 6 months.

So.......I figured it was time to upgrade the belt light too. There is a truly staggering variety of lights on the market now and it was a tough choice. When I considered bulb life, battery life, brightness, a decent assortment of choices and price, LEDs were the only way to go. Battery choice focused on just one thing - availability. AA batteries are about the most common battery in the world and when combined with an LED, it is a tough package to beat. As an aside, the new super life lithium batteries make this deal even better.

Because my Maglights have been so dependable for me in the past, I thought I would give their new 3 watt, 2 AA flashlight a try. After some additional research, I couldn't resist the Fenix L2D. Just for comparison, I put both of these lights up against my trusty Streamlight Strion (not an LED).

Bottom line - Fenix is on the belt. Brighter, 6 levels of light, relatively small and light, rugged (aluminum case with a real glass lens) and reasonably priced. The pictures below show the difference between the three lights. The brightest is the Fenix.

IMG_0092 (Medium).JPG (106.83 KiB) Viewed 4658 times

Right to left: Fenix - Maglight - Streamlight

IMG_0089 (Medium).JPG (66.58 KiB) Viewed 4660 times

[cruiserlarry]

I can't ever remember an occasion, while camping, when I have not used the flashlight that I wear on my belt, not to mention the various flashlights that I stow in the vehicle and the trailer. For years, Maglights were the torch of choice. The LED revolution has changed many things when it comes to flashlights.

I still use the 3 & 4 D cell Maglights, but they all have been upgraded to LEDs. To say the very least, the light is much brighter and the batteries seem to last many times what they used to. In fact, I have not replaced any batteries yet in over 6 months.

So.......I figured it was time to upgrade the belt light too. There is a truly staggering variety of lights on the market now and it was a tough choice. When I considered bulb life, battery life, brightness, a decent assortment of choices and price, LEDs were the only way to go. Battery choice focused on just one thing - availability. AA batteries are about the most common battery in the world and when combined with an LED, it is a tough package to beat. As an aside, the new super life lithium batteries make this deal even better.

Because my Maglights have been so dependable for me in the past, I thought I would give their new 3 watt, 2 AA flashlight a try. After some additional research, I couldn't resist the Fenix L2D. Just for comparison, I put both of these lights up against my trusty Streamlight Strion (not an LED).

Bottom line - Fenix is on the belt. Brighter, 6 levels of light, relatively small and light, rugged (aluminum case with a real glass lens) and reasonably priced. The pictures below show the difference between the three lights. The brightest is the Fenix.

Where can you get one, and how much does the Fenix L2D cost ?

Also, Maglite offers LED conversion kits for many of their existing halogen flashlights. Most I've seen work very well compared to their halogen counterparts, and might be more economical for those who aren't looking to replace their current fleet of flashlights...

[traveltoad]

I am curious Dave... did you consider any of the Surefire lights?

Also, as one of my truck lights (like you I have many) I like the Pelican 7060:


It has a craddle/charger that can be wired into the truck.

[gon2srf]

Thanks for the write up Dave, good info.

[OLLIE]

So it's Larry for vehicle candle power and Dave for torch candle power...

Great information. What's nice about some of the LED lights is the multiple settings for brightness. It can conserve battery life for that much longer when the brighter settings are not needed.

[DaveK]

I am curious Dave... did you consider any of the Surefire lights?

Also, as one of my truck lights (like you I have many) I like the Pelican 7060:


It has a craddle/charger that can be wired into the truck.

Aaron:

I did research the Surefire lights. They make outstanding products and have a great reputation. For my purposes, I decided on a power source that was both economical and easy to find - AA batteries. I don't have the exact numbers, but from all indications, AA batteries are, by far, the most popular battery on earth. From everything that I was able to learn about the Surefire products (in the size range I was looking for), they all rely on the 123 batteries. For the price of a couple of 123s, I can walk out of Costco with a shopping cart full of AA batteries (well, not quite). Chances are also good that someone else in camp will have some AAs if I run out.

The other thing that I have been able to determine is that the AA batteries (especially the lithium ones) seem to last longer. The L2D is no slouch when it comes to lasting power - (with regular alkaline AAs - NOT lithium) 55 hours to 2.5 hours, depending on the power setting. It can also produce 135 lumens of light - enough to pinpoint most retinas. The light output is controlled by a chip, meaning that you will get the same amount of light power for the entire life of the battery. In other words, it won't get dimmer as the batteries drain.

One quick side note: The L2D comes with a belt holster, a lanyard, an extra switch cover and extra o-rings and is about 1/2 to 1/3 the cost of a Surefire.

The Pelican light that you have mounted is also a great product. For my belt light, I needed something that would not see a recharger as it is with me from the moment I leave on a trip to the moment I return. I have used Pelican lights and they are very well made and reliable. They are also in Torrance, about a block or two from my office, and I can get repair/replacements instantly as well as new products.

[DaveK]

Where can you get one, and how much does the Fenix L2D cost ?

Also, Maglite offers LED conversion kits for many of their existing halogen flashlights. Most I've seen work very well compared to their halogen counterparts, and might be more economical for those who aren't looking to replace their current fleet of flashlights...

Cost is about $55.00, delivered. See http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... 0346673496 . Also see https://www.fenix-store.com/shopping_cart.php

[cruiserlarry]

Where can you get one, and how much does the Fenix L2D cost ?

Also, Maglite offers LED conversion kits for many of their existing halogen flashlights. Most I've seen work very well compared to their halogen counterparts, and might be more economical for those who aren't looking to replace their current fleet of flashlights...

Cost is about $55.00, delivered. See http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... 0346673496 . Also see https://www.fenix-store.com/shopping_cart.php

Thanks - looking forward to checking it out in person...

If you're nice, I'll show you my Acro X990 HID flashlight - great if you are looking for keys you lost....in another state !!!

[DaveK]

Where can you get one, and how much does the Fenix L2D cost ?

Also, Maglite offers LED conversion kits for many of their existing halogen flashlights. Most I've seen work very well compared to their halogen counterparts, and might be more economical for those who aren't looking to replace their current fleet of flashlights...

Cost is about $55.00, delivered. See http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... 0346673496 . Also see https://www.fenix-store.com/shopping_cart.php

Thanks - looking forward to checking it out in person...

If you're nice, I'll show you my Acro X990 HID flashlight - great if you are looking for keys you lost....in another state !!!

You might need a reinforced belt to carry that thing around. I guess that you can also cook with it if the stove fails.

[cruiserlarry]

I guess that you can also cook with it if the stove fails.

Yeah, maybe...but you can only cook "light" meals...