I own, and often carry, a lot of lights. The i1R2 probably hasn't got the most hours on it, but in terms of the number of times it gets turned on, it's by far the winner.
The flashlight mode on my phone camera's flash.
this post was submitted on 27 Oct 2023
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my phones flash light
Yep not the best or the one I like the most but most useful definitely
That's the one you're most likely to have on you I suppose
Yes!
My Zebralight SC64c LE is probably the all-time winner. The Skilhunt M150 is up there too.
By far my Lumintop Tool 2.0 AA. I like it so much, I bought a second one that's sitting in the little tchotchke tray on top of my PC tower, unused, in case something happens to my EDC one so I can put it into service right away.
This light isn't super powerful or fancy, it doesn't run a firmware with a million modes, and it can't cast in a bunch of colors. But it's never, ever failed me and it's got enough high and low range that I basically never use anything else. Much to the disappointment of everything else in my Drawer O' Flashlights, which continue to go unused.
I was thinking this category answer would be the most common - the workman like, reliable, flashlight I've got with me.
Tough. I jacket-pocket-carry a Fireflies E07 2021 (non-pro) and it gets pulled out often briefly at work, but I have another Fireflies light sitting by my front door (E12R) that gets used 3 or 4 times daily for dog walks after dark and moving sprinklers around at night in the summer.
Most hours award goes to a D4Sv2 in my kitchen, it ceiling-bounces for 30 minutes every morning before dawn while I make coffee, feed the dog, make lunch etc. I just recently swapped out a tint-ramper with SST-20 2700k/4000k for a single channel with a boost driver and three 2700k with single 4000k. Good call for this usage, the boost driver lets it sit at top of ramp for said 30 minutes and barely get warm.
Some Gerber flashlight whose model name I have no idea about.
I am not a flashlight person and I got this long time ago to use for astronomy sessions and this was the only one I could find (at the time) that had a red light so my eyes don't scream after 3 hours of looking in the dark. It's tiny and takes one AA battery which lasts quite a while. Output is pitiful but enough for reading charts and maps and walking around the house when needed. Green and blue lights are supposedly for map reading and liquid identification but I have no idea if that works and/or how.
Build quality is okay I suppose, but I already had to fix this as original LED died on me. Well, it broke off. So I modified it with my own and made the whole thing more robust. Metal is nice and has stood the test of time (photos are of some 8+ years). Not great but it works when I need it to and works good enough.
Respect the long term commitment here.
Well, it's not used as much. Only on occasion and I am ashamed to say I have neglected my hobby quite severely. That said, after upgrade it is a reliable little light but that's not thanks to manufacturer. I did, thanks to this post, order Manker E02 II. I liked how small and compact it is.
I'm only just getting into flashlights recently. I'm currently using an fc11 as my edc and have been very happy with it. It is definitely my most used recent light.
fc11
It's a great example of a solid 18650 flashlight. 18650 is where it's at for bright + battery life + pocket-able. There's one in my car, one in the kitchen drawer, and weekends - one in my pocket.
My J5 Tactical Hunter series V1 AA. https://j5tactical.com/collections/hunter-series/products/v1-pro-hunter-orange
I've had it 4 years now an the switch hasn't failed (usually the switch fails from pocket sweat for my EDC).
Coast hx5, the double clip is brilliant, I almost always have one in my pocket
Coast hx5
I carried a 'zoomable' flashlight for a while in the early days of LEDs. It had a really satisfying feel when you slid it from one extreme to the other - smooth but resistant.
OLight Arkfield been my EDC for about a year now. Gotten me out of countless jams has modes for just about every use case including a super useful "moonlight mode" which is just bright enough to see in really dark places without being blinding. I've used it under water, magnetized to various objects, I use it often at my IT job it has been a real trooper. I'm not crazy about the charger for it because it's a bit proprietary but it does kinda solve the waterproofing issue.
I'm interested in this form factor - flat slightly curved is probably the best battery size v pocket real estate trade off. I also have a keen interest in compromising charging for IP water ratings - since I've now killed two Aurora A5's in the washing machine.
I bought it specifically because of it's shape and it lives in my pocket next to my Leatherman (which is why it has so much wear). Battery life is fantastic and using it even while swimming has caused 0 damage.
Can't recommend putting it through a washing machine as the washing machine might suffer some serious damage.
Also people frequently assume it's a knife which leads to some interesting conversations.
This light has everything I've wanted but built-in battery. That's such a downer.
Hard to say, because both are constantly used for low light illumination in the house at night: SP36 BLF and Emisar D4V2 Ti (E21A mule @2000K).
I absolutely love the D4V2 and constantly think about buying another non-mule version with as low color temp as available.
My most used, to my surprise, is my Nitecore EDC27. I just love the form factor.
Runner up is an FC11, naturally.
Sofirn SP36
I love that chonker. I use it as a work light.
My Fleshlight get used more than my Flashlight.
Currently my most used lights are my two acebeam E75's with 519a and my two MH12SE's
Manker EO2II. It's very small, only holds a AAA battery, and is bright enough for indoor use. It's my daily carry because it's very small and light. I have two.
I don't really use flashlights or own specialty ones, to be honest. I just live seeing how passionate all y'all are about them.
I edc the i1R2 from Olight and the Sofirn SP10 Pro. I'd say the SP10 Pro gets the most use both in times on and hours used.
I have a D4V2 dual channel with 519a 5700's for primaries and W1 ambers for secondaries. I love having the 519's for regular use, and the W1's are perfect for not waking my wife up when needing low illumination at night while she is sleeping. Because of this, turbo has an amber nipple 😂 It's my daily carry and has some bruises but I love the thing and always have it with me.
Late to the party but my Streamlight Protac 2L-X. That thing has seen fire scenes and military trips. On a light...er note it was also used as a spotlight for my cousins' makeshift Wizard of Oz play. It also illuminated a tiny disco ball at a party for a few hours!
There's smaller, brighter etc but this thing rocks for many of my use cases.
Love it. It's a bigger carry than what I would take with me outside of work, but the trade-off is that it's much more capable.
Not an answer, but a question.
OP, what do you use the 5 lumen mode on that flashlight for? Isn't that like half a candle?
Not OP, but I use the 0.5 lumen mode on my lights to see with dark adapted vision. I really like to have a 1 lumen or lower mode on most of my smaller lights.
I was wondering the other day how many lumen the 1.5V incandescent flashlights from when I was a kid would have been. Maybe 5-7 on a new battery? If I need to walk around the house at night, the moonlight mode on any of my lights is fine.
Embarrassingly, a common use is reading small print when I don't have, or can't be bothered putting on, my reading glasses - so I guess the answer is to illuminate close up things. The second most common use is finding a keyhole in the dark.
The most common use of the high mode is when people say 'oh wow, is that a torch?' and I immediately blind them with it because I'm cool like that.
Not OP, but same light. If there's no ambient light brighter than a moon or night light, the dim mode is bright enough for about a 5ft distance for me. If I've gone fully night-adapted, the dim mode is good for a large area. It has a relatively narrow pattern (center spot and weak flood) so it has decent throw so the "half a candle" has some reach. Some rough measurements put the spot at a 20deg beam and the spilled flood at 70. The bright mode can show me about a whole garage bay or bedroom. Again, we're talking in very dark situations, not streetlit areas or lamp-lit rooms. If there's that much light around, I'll need the bright mode for areas and use the dim mode for closeups in shadows.
Love all these answers. I get about half an hour's pleasure learning about flashlights I often haven't heard of, and adding several to my wish lists.