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Old 16-03-2012, 15:13   #1
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Best Hand Held Spotlight ?

Looking for suggestions for a good handheld spotlight....

I was looking at the STREAMLIGHT Waypoint LED but have not see it in person.

Thanks in advance!
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Old 16-03-2012, 15:35   #2
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Re: Best hand held spotlight?

I agree, LED is the way to go, good lumens, long lamp and battery light. Here is a flashlight billed as the world's brightest, uses a 100 watt halogen bulb, so don't expect much life from batteries or bulb, but be happy in knowing your flashlight could cook eggs.
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Old 16-03-2012, 15:37   #3
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Re: Best hand held spotlight?

I'm not sure it is worth it to spend a lot of money on them. My current one is just an ordinary WalMart rechargeable I think. Has lasted for more than five years with no problem and one charge seems to last me forever. I also have a plug in 12-volt one in case the rechargeable dies, but the rechargeable is much handier. You can carry it up to the bow, or way aft, or wherever you need it.
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Old 16-03-2012, 15:51   #4
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Re: Best hand held spotlight?

I have found that the best light is a dive light. Too much light is just as bad as too little. Many of the high power lights are too powerful and reflect off the water in the atmosphere and make sightings difficult.
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Old 16-03-2012, 15:55   #5
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Re: Best hand held spotlight?

Not what you are asking, but I have found a little laser pointer is handy at times as it will pick out a buoy or something else reflectorized at great distances. Something else to have around in addition to the spotlight.
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Old 16-03-2012, 16:02   #6
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Re: Best hand held spotlight?

Quote:
Originally Posted by cbcat View Post
Looking for suggestions for a good handheld spotlight....

I was looking at the STREAMLIGHT Waypoint LED but have not see it in person.

Thanks in advance!
Have a look at iTP A6 Polestar. Approx. 700 lumens output, uses common AA cells (can be a plus in faraway places), well waterproofed, three continuous light levels (and a useless strobo mode - unless you are law enforcement). Have one and like it.
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Old 16-03-2012, 16:06   #7
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Re: Best hand held spotlight?

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Originally Posted by deckofficer View Post
I agree, LED is the way to go, good lumens, long lamp and battery light. Here is a flashlight billed as the world's brightest, uses a 100 watt halogen bulb, so don't expect much life from batteries or bulb, but be happy in knowing your flashlight could cook eggs.
Probably not such great advertising for these guys if they stopped and thought about it for a minute -- if it will scramble eggs then it is grossly inefficient. By contrast, the efficiency of today's LED technology is absolutely amazing -- almost no heat generated from wasted energy.
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Old 16-03-2012, 16:10   #8
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Re: Best hand held spotlight?

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Probably not such great advertising for these guys if they stopped and thought about it for a minute -- if it will scramble eggs then it is grossly inefficient. By contrast, the efficiency of today's LED technology is absolutely amazing -- almost no heat generated from wasted energy.
My point exactly. The new focusing systems and variable brightness and beam width controls make the new LEDs the way to go
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Old 16-03-2012, 17:06   #9
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Re: Best hand held spotlight?

I won't claim they're the best, but these LED flashlights with the Cree bulbs are pretty amazing. The 3800 lumen ones throw at least as much light as a regular spotlight, but with a somewhat wider beam. They have high-medium-low setting, plus a strobe and a Morse code SOS flasher. And they're waterproof.

About $40 on EBay. (Search "Trustfire 3800 lumen flashlight.") You do need to buy the 18650 batteries and a charger for those.

The smaller 1000 lumen models can be kept in your pocket.
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Old 16-03-2012, 17:12   #10
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Re: Best hand held spotlight?

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Originally Posted by Jentine View Post
I have found that the best light is a dive light. Too much light is just as bad as too little. Many of the high power lights are too powerful and reflect off the water in the atmosphere and make sightings difficult.
I agree -- too much light, especially when reflected off white deck and white sails, is useless. Dive lights are great because they are totally waterproof. I also really like the MAGLITE products. I have a number (home & boat) of the two D-CELL LEDs that are very rugged and plenty bright.

The problem I have with most standard flashlights here in the tropics is that the switches don't last very long -- the salt, humidity, and temp corrode them very quickly and almost none of them are designed to be serviceable. The MAGLITE switches hold up very well -- have yet to have one fail after several years of use.

I load mine up with 10,000mAh NiMH batteries and they last months between charges with daily use.
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Old 16-03-2012, 18:59   #11
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Re: Best hand held spotlight?

The best spot light is one that works and is in easy reach.
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Old 16-03-2012, 19:16   #12
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Re: Best hand held spotlight?

Not hand held but really bright. LED Spreader Lights and LED Deck Lights I have 6 of the SOLO lights on my spreaders and its like daylight on deck. They have deck mount spots up to 4800 lumens; 5 amps at 12 V. Operates from 10 to 60 volts. All are LED.
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Old 16-03-2012, 20:36   #13
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Re: Best hand held spotlight?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Kettlewell View Post
I'm not sure it is worth it to spend a lot of money on them. My current one is just an ordinary WalMart rechargeable I think. Has lasted for more than five years with no problem and one charge seems to last me forever. I also have a plug in 12-volt one in case the rechargeable dies, but the rechargeable is much handier. You can carry it up to the bow, or way aft, or wherever you need it.
I agree. With the money you save you can buy 3, just in case one breaks.
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Old 26-03-2012, 23:10   #14
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Re: Best hand held spotlight?

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Originally Posted by Cormorant View Post
I won't claim they're the best, but these LED flashlights with the Cree bulbs are pretty amazing. The 3800 lumen ones throw at least as much light as a regular spotlight, but with a somewhat wider beam. They have high-medium-low setting, plus a strobe and a Morse code SOS flasher. And they're waterproof.

About $40 on EBay. (Search "Trustfire 3800 lumen flashlight.") You do need to buy the 18650 batteries and a charger for those.

The smaller 1000 lumen models can be kept in your pocket.
These are new to me, I know they have been around for awhile, but just bought it last week and received it today. The battery for it, ordered from a battery vendor, came in last week. The LED flashlight is custom built by Wayne in Oregon. Uses Three Cree XM-L LEDs, 1000 lumens each, a total of 3000 lumens, and it is bright. Uses one 26650 or 26700A LIMN battery rated at 3600 mA/hr 3.7 volts and the light pulls 12 amps, so run time is around 22 minutes. But here is the math 3.7 X 12 = 44.4 watts. Now I know your thinking a 60 watt incandescent isn't so bright for a household bulb, but your forgetting lumen output for LEDs are 10 times that of incandescent, so now those 3000 lumens is around what a 444 watt (500 watt if you will) shop light puts out. And it is directed light instead 360*.


Notice the heat fins on this Big Bruiser? That is its name. Milled from a solid chunk of aluminum.






This is home lightning by some globed CFs.



This is with the older power light, the good old 6 volt lantern with a 20 watt quartz bulb.



And the LED Big Bruiser.



Just porch lights



The 6 volt lantern style beam light.



The Big Bruiser LED
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Old 26-03-2012, 23:31   #15
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Re: Best Hand Held Spotlight ?

Glad you are putting out the message. A good torch is not only helpfully it's an essential piece of safety gear.
The new LED torches are incredible, throw away your 12v halogen spotlight and get a good led torch.
Something with a single Cree XM-L from a good manufacturere like Fenix or Thrunite is a good starting point.
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