Gander Mt. Tac Lights?

[fightingquaker13]

I got my Gander sale circular today. It advertised a house brand 220 lumen flashlight for $30. Worthwhile? Their "tactical" model, which is $235 (amazing the power of the T word ford for the bottom line) is $50. Any experience with these? 220 lumens seems like a lot of light for $30.
FQ13

[Big Frank]

For $30 I might buy one and see if they're any good. If it's not made in China.

[m25operator]

If it is really 220 lumens, and does not take weird expensive batteries, I would take a chance, is it an LED, or Xenon?

[fightingquaker13]

If it is really 220 lumens, and does not take weird expensive batteries, I would take a chance, is it an LED, or Xenon?

Its LED and uses cr123 batteries (whatever those are, I'm hoping basic lithium but am ignorant of this stuff).
FQ13

[Pathfinder]

Its LED and uses cr123 batteries (whatever those are, I'm hoping basic lithium but am ignorant of this stuff).
FQ13

123 batteries are shorter and a tad squater than AAs, and I believe they are lithium. My Surefire uses them, bought a case fo 30 from All-Batteries.com for about $1 each battery.

[Sponsor]

[Big Frank]

If I'm not mistaken CR 123 is what most tactical lights take. They're short like a half a AA battery.

[sledgemeister]

Problem with CR123 batteries is they are expensive and dont last near long enough, if you can find a torch like a wolf eyes sniper (260 lumens) or similar that take both (cr123 x2) or 1 x 18650 battery, the latter lasts a lot longer.
I have both the woldfeyes sniper 260 and a Solarforce Lm2 very similar in perfomance and both use this type of rechargeble battery, they excellent. The solarforce can be had for about 50.00 US including battery and car charger and free shipping off ebay, the wolfeyes is about 2x the price.

[Kid Shelleen]

Problem with CR123 batteries is they are expensive and dont last near long enough.

Bingo. Run time is way too short and they quit too suddenly. From bright to night in a blink.

[alfsauve]

220 Lumens is bright.
It's not just the 123's but that's the drop off curve for Litium, like NiCd, rather sudden.   One advantage to the old carbon cells was a more gradual decrease in voltage.   Also, as a ROT, most rechargeables have shorter shelf life and less capacity than non-rechargables.

I just reviewed some Streamlight and really like them.   They've got a wide range of models and are reasonably priced.  They have models that take 123 as well as AA (and other sizes).

http://streamlight.com/

[Badgersmilk]

http://www.opticsplanet.net/streamlight-n-cell-battery-64030.html

Nearly all the high power flash lights I've ever used or seen take N cell, 3 volt batteries.  They're newer than things like AA, or D cell, but not hard to find at all.  Most anyplace you find the others, you'll find N cells.  They do cost more than the others, but out perform them in every way.

As far as their life, gotta pay for performance. "The light that burns twice as bright burns half as long" kinda thing.

CR 123's are BIG, flat, watch style batteries.  Go in lots of stuff to.  Why I know about the CR 123's?  I've got one of these that eats those batteries like a fat girl go'n through Cinnibon's.