Quote:
Originally Posted by DaveM55
I'm kind of a flashlight junkie, but no where the connoisseur that watchmaker is.
Excellent thread!!!
Which one is the best and brightest flashlight for under $100.00? I just can't afford the $200.00 Black Bear Flashlights.
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Thank you for your appreciation of my thread.
Lumen output is not all that is important for a BRIGHT light, reflector diameter and configuration have a great influence in how the beam is projected and how intensity is perceived.
As your parameter is bright, let's start with 200 lumens minimum, there is a few Surefires that using 123's batteries and upgraded lamps will be "bright", but the price will be over the $100 and the cost of the batteries will be high.
Enter rechargeable lights.
Maglite have the Magcharger, it is 200 lumens and will cost about $100 or so, street price.
Streamlight have the Ultra Stinger it is about $130 or so, it is billed at 295 lumens, but caution here, it is a little exagerated as they quote "bulb" lumens from the bulb factory, not lumens measured out of the flashlight with the loses from reflector and reflection of the lens factored in.
And Black Bear have the Bear Cub at $130 shipped, 220 lumens for 90 minutes on Lithium Ion batteries (the Lithium Ion stay charged for months and don't need to be near the charger). This light is 9 inches long and weights 13 oz.
It is also apprantly brigther than the Ultra Stinger even that the later is billed with higher lumens, reflector configuration is THAT important.
ULTRA STINGER
BEAR CUB
All the best
Wartchmaker