Recommend me a torch please

[sniper69]

I'm another fan of the fenix LD25, as that is the torch I use the most. The other torch I use frequently is a surefire E2D, but at the price point those have risen to, I could have a couple of Fenix LD25's. There are still places that sell the LD25.
Also the eneloop's are great batteries and coupled with a LaCrosse BC1000 charger, I can keep the batteries charged (plus it comes with AA to C and AA to D adapters plus some rechargeable AA batteries). I like the charger so much that I bought a second one when Amazon.com had it as part of its cyber Monday deals last November.

 

[hog]

LED Lenser make some fantastic torches.
http://www.ledlenserusa.com/
http://www.ledlenser-store.co.uk/?gclid=CKSuyb6-lMACFc3LtAodx0cAbg

 

[Oakleaf]

At risk or reopening 'torch war' / 'battery battle'/ 'Lumen Lambast'

I've had a few various makes over the years and recall ( defn signs of a. old age and b. having no social life ) travelling the length of Derbyshire in the 1980's to get a 4 D Cell Maglite - which ( aside from thumping people with it ) is out classed on most every level by torches only slightly bigger than a pen.

There are many good makes I dare say, through no particularly scientific method I've gravitated toward Fenix and since that first one - possibly pushing ten years ago - have never had reason to change. So caveating my experience is limited, but equally shows how well Fenix have done for me.

Original torch still working and still used - though near brushed aluminium finish from use. Think it was the LD20 - 2x AA size. Only failure was the carry holster gave up after 8 years. Now carry a LD22 daily - though to be honest not sure it give me personally much over the LD20. Picked up a Fenix headtorch off here earlier in the year - love it. Finally have a TK41 - night to day time!

All with AA batteries for commonality - just works for me.

So far, so samey! The bit I wanted to put forward is about sourcing. Hong Kong and E bay will always be there to flog whatever it is for 99p including postage. What you get may or may not be what it is supposed to be, but for 99p why worry?

Well from the start I bought from Rob Balzan ( then traded as The Photon Shop ). The guy knew his stuff, gave great advice - even if it resulted in a 'cheaper sale' and did a great deal to promote the Fenix brand in the UK. Any problems at all - even if it was actually down to a dopey operator ( me ) - and he was there and got things sorted. All of this uphill as the Hong Kong crowd swept up sales after he'd shown the way. Such is global capitalism er I mean free enterprise.

Then Fenix added one of the 'big boys' as a distributor - with a bit of respect ( cant generate more than that ) to them, I know for certain that the level of customer/ product care cant touch Rob.

So really the rant is just to say, I think Fenix a good choice ( there may be others ), but if you do go Fenix, please keep Rob in mind and if you can ( I fully appreciate sometime it simply isn't possible ) put other matters ahead of just the price and keep Rob in mind for your purchase.

No direct link to Rob - I buy from him when I can.

 

[Swallow]

No, you can buy good quality lithium disposables.

However I do agree - buy some Sony Eneloops - they hold a charge for years (literally) and pay for themselves by the third recharge. I am a convert.

I'm finding Sanyo Eneloops and Sony Cycle Energy but no Sony Eneloops?

 

[Swallow]

I'm finding Sanyo Eneloops and Sony Cycle Energy but no Sony Eneloops?

Sorry. It's been a long year. I didn't realise there was a 2nd page to this thread.

 

[sniper69]

I'm finding Sanyo Eneloops and Sony Cycle Energy but no Sony Eneloops?

Sorry. It's been a long year. I didn't realise there was a 2nd page to this thread.

It's been a long year for a lot of us.

There are Sanyo Eneloops, and with Panasonic acquiring Sanyo - the 4th generation Eneloops are called Panasonic Eneloops. The earlier eneloops made by sanyo are some great rechargeables, I haven't tried the Panasonic branded Eneloops yet.


Maybe sony was a typo.

 

[Jack Bounder]

I recently bought the Klarus XT11. This was for my wife to use while she was running at night....the strobe and the glass breaker extension providing an element of self defense. It wasn't cheap but is very well made. It runs off 18650 batteries. As a vaper, I happen to have a few of these already.

 

[Robson Valley]

Just wait a little while. There's a new transparent but mechanical surface/top coating for LED which can
coax 43% more light out of the same LED array. Apparently looks a lot like the zig-zag roof lines of many factories.
Sciencedaily.com

I'm running 18W LED lights, hard to imagine the device could be 40+% brighter.

 

[Adey]

No love for Nitecore? MT2A is a great 2xAA that does a wopping 300 lumens. And they do a little version for 1xAA if you want even smaller. Heinnie price was good too

Works perfectly on Eneloops, though it does gobble them at full power. Got a bunch of Panasonic Emeloops recently and they seem just like all the Sanyos I already have so far - lets hope Panasonic didn't/don't do some cost cutting and they end up leaking like all the Duracells do these days

 

[OldJimbo]

There are Sanyo Eneloops, and with Panasonic acquiring Sanyo - the 4th generation Eneloops are called Panasonic Eneloops. The earlier eneloops made by sanyo are some great rechargeables, I haven't tried the Panasonic branded Eneloops yet.

I'm using the Panasonic branded enerloop pro's and they are great so far!

The big issue is that while enerloops were once made by a few factories in Japan and were all of consistently high quality, now some are made in China, and it seems to be taking some time to get the consistency of quality in those. So it's worth checking the both the part number and "Made in Japan", since you'll be paying a premium for any enerloops and the pros in particular.

I have lots of regular (non low self discharge) rechargeable AA's made in China and sold under the "Tenergy" label here in Canada, and those have been consistently good in both regular and fast charge varieties - in regular use and as tested on a Powerex charger/tester. Note that these are the branded variety, not some grey market or eBay stuff, but they were great value, and so I'm happy with those being made in China, as the QC seems great for regular cell technology.

The trouble with any commenting on cells is the small number owned by a single person and their actual use.
Years ago when I did lots of photography, I used fast charge Chinese RayoVac AA cells in flash units, and those gave incredible results, some having lasted far over ten years. While used incredibly heavily, the important part is that those were fast charge cells and so only the tiny integrated current limiting circuit built into the cell stopped the things from venting or exploding during recharge. I have far less luck with recent RayoVac cells made in China, and Energizer and Duracells which are made in Japan, and the only conclusion that I can come to is that those were made to a price point.
Here I'm now moving to higher capacity LSD cells and so have the choice of getting Duracell Ions which are supposedly just re-branded second generation enerloops made in Japan - for $18.99 in Walmart, or getting Panasonics shipped in. I decided to go the latter route after finding Panasonics on sale for $19.99 (rather than the regular $25+). Every time I was in the next town at Walmart, I'd pick up a pack of Ions and then remember how many Duracells had failed for me..

 

[sniper69]

The trouble with any commenting on cells is the small number owned by a single person and their actual use.
Years ago when I did lots of photography, I used fast charge Chinese RayoVac AA cells in flash units, and those gave incredible results, some having lasted far over ten years. While used incredibly heavily, the important part is that those were fast charge cells and so only the tiny integrated current limiting circuit built into the cell stopped the things from venting or exploding during recharge. I have far less luck with recent RayoVac cells made in China, and Energizer and Duracells which are made in Japan, and the only conclusion that I can come to is that those were made to a price point.

I still have some of those Rayovac rechargeable batteries in use. They say 15 minute rechargeable on the side of the battery. When the rayovac charger stopped doing a good job charging them, I found the LaCrosse battery chargers I have do a great job in charging them. I also use the LaCrosse charger with some energizer rechargeable batteries that the energizer charger wouldn't charge correctly. Now since I've had the rayovacs since around 2001-2002 time frame, I think they have done well. Originally I used them in some digital cameras, but now one of my children uses them in his wireless video game controller. The energizers are used for that purpose too. For my torches/flashlights - I use the eneloops, and in my current digital camera I use the eneloops too.

 

[OldJimbo]

I still have some of those Rayovac rechargeable batteries in use. They say 15 minute rechargeable on the side of the battery.

Yep those are the ones, and mine are from that date too, as that's when my grand-daughter came out to live with me for a while. I found them incredible for camera work, since there were no failing cells and so no interruptions. And the digital camera of the time was the Sony Mavica which stored pics and short video on floppy disks so that ate batteries too. I guess looking back, everything ate cells with wild abandon, even cordless mice and Maglights! So it is amazing to hear of so many still doing well after so long.

Now lots of us have the high end chargers like the LaCrosse or Powerex which will quickly identify failing cells. I didn't have anything like that back in 2001, just a voltmeter. The problem with a failing cell when used with other cells in series is that current gets pushed through it and things go "paws in the air" fast. These days when I use a 4xAA Fenix LD41 in the truck, it better work as listed, because if I need it then I'll really need it! Thus the interest in high end chargers and enerloops.

I had just decided to get an Armytek Wizard Pro and high end li-ion charger and some Panasonics to ease my way into the li-ion world. Although I have lots of stuff with that tech, like a cellphone, so far I don't have anything with the power of an 18650 in a metal case strapped to my forehead... Then I hear of the low temp problems with the Wizard - and winter with low temps is when I'd need it. I liked the Wizard because of its low lumen range - which is what I can get out of my AA lights now.

 

[Tonyuk]

Have a look at the cybalight range by Ring. You can also find many decent torches in supermarkets now that LED's are getting cheaper.

 

[ProjeKtWEREWOLF]

I love my 4Sevens Quark 123 Tactical (despite its inability to run on anything other than CR123s...but *does* have great shelf and usage life), My Fenix lights and my Balder (£20 ish 3 stage clicky takes Li and regular cells......). I also have a Thrunite TK11 which is pretty versatile but BIG.
Buy a reputable make. That's my only advice. Don't buy cheap (as in £3 amazon job).