The Down Range Forum
Member Section => Down Range Cafe => Topic started by: dj454 on June 09, 2009, 08:15:12 PM
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I have been looking at this light every time I go to Lowes. The price came down to 40.00 so I got one. I love this light it has 2 brightness settings with a tailcap switch. It has the "skull thumper" on the front and looked better the Surefire they sell for 60.00. I really like it and I think is a lower cost alternative to other "tactical" lights. I needed a good carry light since I am getting my CCW next month. I think this will fit the bill.
http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=300030-50584-TAD3V3W&lpage=none
Sorry I had the link ready and forgot to post it. It is 90 lumens in high and 15 lumens in low. It has a 3 watt LED.
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What's the Model name or number? How many lumens? What type of batteries?
Thanks
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Kid, did you check the link?
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What the heck, I am heading for Lowe's next trip to town. For $40 that is worth looking at, as well as consideration as a backup light.
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I would be corious as to how it stacks up to the $30 Coleman Kid reccomended. Frankly, I would like to see a head to head test of a surefire vs mini mag in terms of brightness. All I've gotten are arcane terms about lumens vs candle power. That doesn't really help. I don't care about the science, I just want to know which will light up a room better, and by how much.
FQ13 who really didn't think that buying a flashlight should be this hard
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I would be corious as to how it stacks up to the $30 Coleman Kid reccomended. Frankly, I would like to see a head to head test of a surefire vs mini mag in terms of brightness. All I've gotten are arcane terms about lumens vs candle power. That doesn't really help. I don't care about the science, I just want to know which will light up a room better, and by how much.
FQ13 who really didn't think that buying a flashlight should be this hard
That's what tacticool means - take something really simple and non-descript, and make it really really hard to understand! ;D 8)
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I refuse to pay more than $1 or $2 for my dead battery holders.
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I still have my 4 D cell Maglight and my Mini that I bought for Hurricane Bob in 1991. They will have to do. Total expenditure, about twenty bucks and they more than accomplish the task.
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My 4 D cell mag lite was a Christmas gift from my employer in 99, original Batteries and they still work. (I just checked ;D )
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My 4 D cell mag lite was a Christmas gift from my employer in 99, original Batteries and they still work. (I just checked ;D )
Plus, being able to use it as a more than pretty good club beats the hell out of the "tactical" bezel as far as I'm concerned.I would still like to see that head to head comparison in terms of brightness though.....
FQ13
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Never buy a flashlight that takes an odd number of batteries. Seems like I'm always 1 battery short or have one extra for my 3 cell Mag lite.
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Kid, did you check the link?
Just saw the link this AM and checked it out. Nice looking light and I like the carry clip. Still wasn't specific about what batteries it uses or runtime. It will be worth the trip to find out.
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Never buy a flashlight that takes an odd number of batteries. Seems like I'm always 1 battery short or have one extra for my 3 cell Mag lite.
I've also had the old trusty 3-D cell Mag Lite forever. Recently found a Mag Lite LED upgrade bulb at Wally World. It was a bit pricey, around 20 bucks if I'm remembering right, but dang the old Mag is brighter than ever. Still a great light when you can carry or need something bigger and now she's a real flame thrower. The LED should also hold up better if someone needs a good knock on the noggin and I've still got a standard replacement bulb in the tail cap.
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I'm actually something of a flashlight junkie.
I have 3 2D cell maglites in different colors, each with LED upgrades and glass lenses. I also have a mini-mag - ditto the big ones plus with a tail switch and flat bezel so it stops rolling off the damn nightstand!
Plus, Surefire, micro-mag (AAA), a couple of headband and cap front lights, plus the cheapos. And a single-battery 6V lantern. And a gazzillion candlepower spotlight in the pickup. And . . . .
well, you get the idea.
The Kobalt light says N battery and 3V, so I am guessing 2xC123 batteries, Tom.
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I'm actually something of a flashlight junkie.
I have 3 2D cell maglites in different colors, each with LED upgrades and glass lenses. I also have a mini-mag - ditto the big ones plus with a tail switch and flat bezel so it stops rolling off the damn nightstand!
Plus, Surefire, micro-mag (AAA), a couple of headband and cap front lights, plus the cheapos. And a single-battery 6V lantern. And a gazzillion candlepower spotlight in the pickup. And . . . .
well, you get the idea.
The Kobalt light says N battery and 3V, so I am guessing 2xC123 batteries, Tom.
Congrats on all of the light toys. I'll bet you're right on the 2 C123s....Still makes me wonder about run time. My other lights with Lithium batts are bright but run down in a hurry.
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[I'm actually something of a flashlight junkie./quote]
I know what you mean Pathfinder. I have 3, 3 D-cell maglites, 1 2 C cell Mag, 3 AA mini mags. Came across the Element K2 at Sam's Club and bought 8 of them. For only taking 3 AAA batteries it can outshine my maglites. Plus small to do any house clearing if need be.
I may need to check into that LED replacement bulb that Kid Shelleen mentioned cause I still love my faithful maglites. One of my mini maglites and 3 D-cell I have had since 1989 while I was in the Air Force. Just had to replace the bulbs and batteries over the years.
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Sorry it takes 2 123 cell batteries.This joker is bright. I have spent more on a light I have a Magcharger I paid 100.00 for but I have had it 10 years and it still works. I paid 35.00 for the led upgrade back at Christmas and it was worth every penny. It is as bright as the halogen bulb but the batteries stay charged for over 4 hours, 1 hour with the halogen bulb. I bought the Kobalt for a carry light I have 2 led converted mini mags I was going to use but they are not always reliable. I think if you guys try the Kobalt you will like it. But I love flashlights almost as much as guns. I have probably spent over 1000.00 on flashlights over the years and they keep making new and better ones I have to have.
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Never buy a flashlight that takes an odd number of batteries. Seems like I'm always 1 battery short or have one extra for my 3 cell Mag lite.
…with the exception of single-cell flashlights. That's my favorite thing about my Surefire. If I have any batteries, I'm set.
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Sorry it takes 2 123 cell batteries.This joker is bright. I have spent more on a light I have a Magcharger I paid 100.00 for but I have had it 10 years and it still works. I paid 35.00 for the led upgrade back at Christmas and it was worth every penny. It is as bright as the halogen bulb but the batteries stay charged for over 4 hours, 1 hour with the halogen bulb. I bought the Kobalt for a carry light I have 2 led converted mini mags I was going to use but they are not always reliable. I think if you guys try the Kobalt you will like it. But I love flashlights almost as much as guns. I have probably spent over 1000.00 on flashlights over the years and they keep making new and better ones I have to have.
Thanks DJ,
I like all kinds of gear too. Lights, knives, guns, survival gear and gadgets. I'm not the light pro that you are though. I'm no where near the 1000 dollar mark on flashlights. That makes you the expert in my book. I'll be getting a Kobalt for carry.
Thanks again.
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I think I have over 20 flashlights but I keep buying them when one grabs my attention. I wonder if they have flashlights anonymous. ;D
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As for the C123, I got tired of paying $10 for 4, and found places online where you can get them $1 a piece in bulk 25 packs (25? The lights take 2...). Here's the one I use:
http://www.all-battery.com/index.aspx (http://www.all-battery.com/index.aspx)
Their page for the CR123As - I got the Tenergy brand for $1 each, these are 1300mah; they also have a new brand that is 1400 mah
http://www.all-battery.com/cr123alithiumprimarybatteries.aspx (http://www.all-battery.com/cr123alithiumprimarybatteries.aspx)
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We have a local place that started up a few years ago that I use for specialty batteries. They have a small showroom with some cool stuff including some mag lit accessories. I don't know how their prices compare to others, but It's less than a mile from my house so it's convienent. They have always been friendly and helpful so I thought I would give them a plug.
http://www.zbattery.com/
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I am a bit of a flashaholic... One of the other forums I am a member of is the Candle Power Forums. Guy on there known as 4sevens has some pretty good deals on some insanely bright flashlights. One of my favorite lights is made by Fenix. Called the P2D Premium Q5 (http://www.4sevens.com/product_info.php?cPath=22&products_id=361). It's a little bitty light so it is easy to carry. Not worth anything as far as a striker weapon is concerned but as bright as it is, 180 lumens, you may not need to actually hit them with it.
I have several styles of the Fenix light as well as a multitude of Mag-lites (nothing like a 6 D-cell club when you need it). That and some Surefire lights, but they don't see much on time. One of them has a 200 lumen bulb in it that will eat 3 -123a batteries in 20 min. Not matter which light I have at the time, they are all intensely bright. Get hit in the eyes with them and you'll have a nice little "life-saver" image burned in for a few min.
Nice find on the Kobalt light. Even includes a lifetime warranty. Can't beat that...
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I used to carry a Cyclops tactical light but couldn't go spending the $ on batteries (even at $1 a pop when I bought 50) so I bought a Nite-Ize 3led conversion for my old mini-maglite, it came with a tail switch which I don't like (I like 'em in general but the Nite-Ize seems a bit cheesy, though it still works) and I haven't looked back) I now have 2 mini's with 3-led's, 2 4-D Maglites with 1-Led lamps and I plan to get a drop-in Led for my micro-mag in the next few weeks ( http://www.tek-tite.com/src/product_info.php?id=2958 )
I don't bust down doors and I question the validity of trying to blind an attacker in a self-defense situation outside of that, I just want to see where I'm putting a bullet in the jackass.
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I don't bust down doors and I question the validity of trying to blind an attacker in a self-defense situation outside of that, I just want to see where I'm putting a bullet in the jackass.
That's true. I just carry bright 'blinding' lights to give me the little, if any, extra time to decide where the bullet in the jackass is going. That whole Force Multiplier deal.
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For the last 2 years I have used a Surefire G2 Nitrolon that I normally carry on my belt with the Surfire plastic holster when I work my Security job on the weekends.
My initial impression of the Kobalt was that the clip made holding the light uncomfortable and the tail switch was too difficult to activate easily (the switch is protected by the Tailcap). The belt pouch that comes with the light is very big and bulky, the clip is a simple leather wrapped metal clip that slides onto your belt. I don't like it, I feel that it would fall off your belt under stressful situations (ie: trying to grab your light quickly, running/climbing). The lanyard that comes with the light is very handy though, and I plan on leaving it on the light. So far, I have gotten used to the light after using it for a few days. The beltclip is very useful for wearing the light, I have worn it while driving and it does not seem to be uncomfortable and I don't really notice it when walking or sitting. I just wish it was reversed so the business end of the light was facing up, so it would be a natural grab to employ the light from my belt. As it sits now, I have to change my grip when pulling off my belt to use it.
I really like the 2 power settings of the light, the runtime for 90 lumens is 2-3 hours, for 15 lumens - 20 hours. It uses the same C123 batteries like my G2 and it does fit into my nylon Surefire sheath without any problems.
When I bought this light, on the rack next to it was a G3 LED (80 Lumens) for $60, and a 6P LED (80 Lumens) for $82! I couldn't see any reason other than brand loality to buy either of the Surfires.
As of now, I think it will serve my purpose just fine. I just need to pick up one for everyday use, something I can stick in my pocket. ;D
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Good report Bryan,
You answered all of my questions, Thanks!