I have a fever for flashlights. The fever started 25 years ago when I bought my first Mini-MAGLITE, it jumped a couple of degrees a few years later when I got a high-intensity police flashlight (a Streamlight SL-20X Halogen) and it began to rage out of control when I saw my first quality LED flashlight.
The LED (Light Emitting Diode) is the best thing to happen to flashlights ever. LEDs have many advantages over other types of flashlight bulbs. LEDs are almost unbreakable, they are much more efficient in their use of battery power (more light for less power, so batteries last longer with LEDs), and they can deliver almost as much light for lower cost.
Every home, every car, and every keyring should have a good quality LED flashlight. Here are some flashlights I have used and can personally recommend:
- Photon II LED Keychain Light
- Coleman Max Cree XLamp XR-E (2″AA”)
- Rayovac Sportsman Xtreme (TM) 3W LED
- MAGLITE 3-D Cell LED Flashlight
A friend has asked me to recommend a flashlight for home/tactical use, so I’ll be writing more on flashlights in the days to come.