Arbitrary List of Popular Flashlights - Winter Solstice 2024 Edition
In honor of Winter Solstice, I’ve made an updated list of popular flashlights. Today is the day you’re most likely to need a flashlight in the northern hemisphere, and I have some good candidates here.
I’d add Wurkkos TS10 or TS10 SG, both seem more attractive than SP10 pro by now. They are 14500 while SP10 Pro claims to support 1.5V but at least in mine, 1.5V doesn’t work, so I discount the claim.
Change Sofirn SC13 to SC13A, which uses Anduril.
Add Wurkkos/Sofirn/Boruit(?) H25LR and H25S, these are really good 1x18650 budget headlamps. I reviewed H25LR here recently. I don’t see much reason to buy any other 18650 headlamp unless there is one with Anduril and you want that.
Wurkkos HD10 Mini seems worth adding: right angle 1x14500 with USB-C charging and Anduril. I’d always take an Anduril light over non-Anduril. BLF review of earlier version. It would be great if they did ths light in other formats too (16340, 18350, 18650). The BLF review complains of several issues (no flash pads, no removable bezel, firmware bugs) that are all fixed now. The product page, the current version does have flash pads and a threaded bezel. Weight is 46g (no battery), 65g (with battery), headband weight unknown.
For Nitecore Tube, I’d mention explicitly that it uses micro USB. Maybe they will eventually do a USB-C version.
Maybe dubiously, add Home Depot Defiant 3AAA cheap headlamps. They are functional and reasonably sturdy and ridiculously cheap. Main drawback is horrible UI where you have to advance through all the modes to turn off, plus the 3AAA format which is nonetheless popular. Currently $10 special for a 3-pack, shipped (in US), including batteries, just crazy. They seem to do this at the end of each year. The rest of the time they are $16 for 3-pack, still cheap. They are great for leaving in glove box, tool bag, etc. I got a pack last year and might get another pack:
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Defiant-200-Lumens-Headlight-3-Pack-90651/320076177
People wanting random cheap flashlights for their cars should be told to get headlamps instead, of whatever kind. They are way more useful if you have to fix something in the car or even read a map (if anyone still uses paper maps).
Added: TS10 Max is still of interest I would say, despite recent price increase. It’s cheaper than a D4v2 and can handle button top cells including the type with built in charge ports. That is a significant advantage imho, especially since I have several lights with 18650 button cells and interoperability is nice. I’d restore it to the list and maybe drop some other random 18650 lights instead.
@solrize The TS10 is already on the list, in the enthusiast section. I think that’s the right place for it because it trips USB-charging 14500s, doesn’t have onboard charging, doesn’t take AA, throttles hard on max, and uses Anduril. I don’t have a hard set of criteria for it, but that’s a lot of non-mainstream traits in one light. My SP10 Pro runs on Eneloops, and it’s one of the highest output lights I’ve seen on 1xAA with 403 lumens and good regulation.
The SC13A is mentioned as a variant of the SC13. Currently, it’s priced quite a bit higher, which diminishes one of the most compelling things about the SC13.
I’ll think about something from the DL25 series. I see there’s a version with deep red now, and there’s some merit to that.
Added HD10, enthusiast section for now. The USB charging might get it moved to mainstream later.
Noted about the Tube.
I’m not adding a 3xAAA headlamp with a bad UI no matter how cheap it is.
I’m hoping they’ll do a bit work work on the TS10 Max. I believe a buck driver was part of the original plan.
Thanks for the fixes. Ok for TS10 because of batteries, though I’d say Anduril makes a light more mainstream-friendly rather than less, since it makes the simplest UI’s possible (1 level on-off has gotten ridiculously hard to find). I’ve somewhat lost interest in the TS10/TS10 Max because of the HD10, or HD10 Max if they do one, because of the USB. It helps that both TS’s can accept cells with USB charging. That makes them more mainstream than D4v2 which requires flat top unprotected. I wonder whether D3AA can handle a USB cell.
D25LR (the one I have, called H25LR in Wurkkos naming) has 660nm. Tbh I’m not sure I’d buy it again instead of D25S (white only): both have their attractions. I reviewed the D25LR a few weeks ago, https://lemmy.world/post/22928160 . I’d call both of these very mainstream. Nitecore HA11 by comparison is more enthusiast–its UI is almost as bad as those Home Depot lights, it has that fiddly shock cord headband (saves weight), and its high mode is marginal (shuts down quickly) on older Eneloops and on alkaleaks. I need to buy some new Eneloops to try but if that doesn’t work I think I will use L91’s in my HA11. For occasional use they will last long enough that their ridiculous cost won’t be too troublesome. The D25LR is my goto headlamp now and I use it all the time. HA11 will be tucked away in my pack.
I emailed Wurkkos suggesting an HD10 Max and they said hmm maybe. I also suggested a 16340/CR123A version which (if CR123A is supported) would require a boost driver. A buck driver in the TS10 Max / HD10 Max would possibly allow use of 2xCR123A which could be useful.
I defer to you about the 3aaa headlamp. Below, however, is the most mainstream of all flashlights: 60 lumens, 3AAA, 1 level clickie, the one light my mom can use:
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Defiant-60-Lumens-Aluminum-Flashlight-8-Pack-90652/320076174
It is $15 for 8 lights (last year $10 for 8) shipped including batteries (“heavy duty”, even worse than alkaleaks, lol). I can’t believe I find myself buying Anduril lights just to recreate this UI. I wish they would do a 1AA version. The three AAA’s are in a little caddy so it might be possible to use an 18650 instead.
One more suggested addition: Countycomm glow tape and glow rings. These are great as flashlight locators, almost as good as tritium and better in many ways (cost, durability, etc.):
I have one or the other on most of my lights now.