LED flashlights - more than a gimmick!

[lowkee]

Over the past year I've read the news on how LED's are beginning to replace incandescent bulbs in a variety of applications and heeded no mind to it, as I've toyed with LEDs for decades and know they aren't that bright.

Well technology has very much changed! I bought a 6 pack of pretty darn nice metal cased LED flashlights at HD this past weekend and I have to admit, these things are AWESOME! They will frickin blind you instantly looking directly at the beam of six pure white LEDs. The blue hue they give off takes some getting used to (when you are used to the soft white of light bulbs), but oh man are these things great. I now have one in each vehicle and building on my property. For $9 (for 6 flashlights and 2 head [as in cranium] lights) you can't go wrong and if you are like me, a small (but not small enough to lose all the time) flashlight is handy at least once a week. I'm interested to find out how much longer the batteries last (these take 3xAAA). All in all, I can't wait to work on my car and go fishing using the head light, as it has both white and red lights.

I can't believe I'm raving about an LED flashlight, but there it is.. I'm not easily impressed, and I'm impressed.

 

[izoomie]

Re: LED flashlights - more than a gimmick!

LED technology has taken a giant leap in the last couple of years. That's why you see them more and more on cars, and have you see the flashing lights on cop cars? Man you can see those 5 miles away.

 

[jcsercsa]

Re: LED flashlights - more than a gimmick!

OOOHH yea I agree !! I got a head bandone and it is great !! I take it hunting and fishing, I dont think I have changed the battires in the 2 years I have had it !! I am going with leds in the boat !!they draw nothing for power !! John

 

[skargo]

Re: LED flashlights - more than a gimmick!

I'm waiting for the household bulbs to get better. We have some in our shop as display lights in the windows, and they are nice, but pricey and not super bright.

We built a new house 3 years ago, and I put CFL's in most fictures. I truly believe they save a ton of money, I can only imagine how little electric the LED lights will use.

 

[HVAC Cruiser]

Re: LED flashlights - more than a gimmick!

I had seen them on sale at HD last week wanted to get the pack for hunting.
I have a little 3 AAA one I use on the job and in the woods all the time, the batteries last me about 2 months, I was thinking of switching to lithium to get a longer life out of them.
Question- how bright is the headband light, is it as good as the hand held? I thought it might be easier using that than trying to hold my flashlight and gear as I stumble through the woods in the dark to get to my tree stand

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: LED flashlights - more than a gimmick!

I have a cheap multi led flashlight in each vehicle and I also have a red/white led headlamp..... Works great for the woods since it keeps your hands free......plenty of light

 

[tallcanadian]

Re: LED flashlights - more than a gimmick!

I bought a gooseneck shaped led flashlight for the cabin 3 years ago. It has 16 led lights in it and you can either have it on low beam (8 lights) or high beam. It takes 3 c cell batteries, and I still have the original batteries in it that it came with. The light is awesome. I've also mentioned this before, mosquitoes and most other bugs cant' see led light. So get some for your yards as well.

 

[surge006]

Re: LED flashlights - more than a gimmick!

I bought the same pack yesterday at HD, and was a little upset after i bought it because i had previously left Dicks and bought 1 headlamp there for 15 and when i got home after HD the headlamp in there package was almost as bright as the one i bought from dicks which for the price diff you cant go wrong with the quantity for 9 bucks

 

[HVAC Cruiser]

Re: LED flashlights - more than a gimmick!

From the sound of it looks like I'll be going to HD to grab a set for myself.
BTW I forgot to mention, my batteries only last 2 months or so because the push button on my current one is three position, on, SOS signal, and off. jerky me keeps forgetting bout that SOS position, so lots of times it winds up sending SOS signals through my pants pockets :redface:

 

[Gary H NC]

Re: LED flashlights - more than a gimmick!

I have been using them for a couple years.I keep one in each vehicle and have 3 more on my work bench.
I will have to look at the ones at HD...the ones i have were under 3 bucks each but work fine.
A 6 pack for 9 bucks...cool!

 

[WIMUSKY]

Re: LED flashlights - more than a gimmick!

I have an LED stick light(for lack of a better term) that I use to work on my car, snowobile or whatever. I received it for Christmas a couple of years ago. It's from Sears. I noticed that half the bulbs are burnt out already. It has a total of 60 bulbs. Also, it emits a concentrated beam as opposed to a wider beam like a fluorescent bulb. Basicaly, I have to point the light right at the piece I'm working on to get a good view of it. Has this changed at all with the new ones? Or, are they still more of a tight versus a wide beam?

 

[kenmyfam]

Re: LED flashlights - more than a gimmick!

Not got one but you guys are making me want to investigate and get a pack.

 

[vegasphotoman]

Re: LED flashlights - more than a gimmick!

Im not a fan of the color of light they produce, but admit I do like them LEDs!

I get 5 or so LED clip lights from the 99cents only store nearby...the kids play with em...they last forever...got em all over the place cause I seem to lose EVERYTHING....cheap and lots of em around = I got a flashlight.
and they have a hat clip/shirt clip etc

The LED versions for car lamps (1157/1156) work well in the RV too....I put my LED lights in the RV when we're on battery power so we get the most out of our RV batteries.........if it wasnt for the heater blower motor and the poprtable DVD player we would have 200 years of light

I got mine at SuperbrightLEDs.com aveaged $8 each
similar to this bulb but the reg 24 led kind not these super led kind

 

[marlboro180]

Re: LED flashlights - more than a gimmick!

I have to admit it too-

Hello all , it has been 2 hours since my last flashlight.

Hello , Marlboro.

Well, I have a weakness for INOVA leds.

Glad to hear you can share. Welcome....

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: LED flashlights - more than a gimmick!

i have them as courtsey lights on my boat, many flash lights. ceiling light for the tent, and canopy.

 

[jkust]

Re: LED flashlights - more than a gimmick!

Funny how they have been around as long as I can remember but all the sudden they are everywhere. Now even all my LCD TV's are obselete since the LED TV's are available. If I need a flashlight and if there is a incandescent next to my LED light, I still grab the incandescent since I just can't get used to the light color.

 

[WizeOne]

Re: LED flashlights - more than a gimmick!

I have found that LED light color has improved in recent times. It seems for years they were always very bluish. I've purchaced several different lites from Costco and they are now very white.

Another thing to keep in mind is that the cheaper the lite fixture, the faster the battery consumption and drop in lite output. The more expensive flashlights, etc, are electronically regulated so they give off a more consistant light over the life of the battery. Unregulated LED's have a battery consumption graph that, from the first time you turn it on, runs downward at about 45 deg's. Regulated ones have a battery life graph that runs horizontal for quite a while before it starts to drop.

 

[scipper77]

Re: LED flashlights - more than a gimmick!

Lets not forget led x-mas lights. Awesome because the colors just pop so bright. In my opinion you don't "really" save much energy with the led's indoors because the extra energy traditional x-mas lights use just goes towards heating your house (when used indoors).

 

[CheapboatKev]

Re: LED flashlights - more than a gimmick!

LED's are just a fad...

 

[Subliminal]

Re: LED flashlights - more than a gimmick!

OOOHH yea I agree !! I got a head bandone and it is great !! I take it hunting and fishing, I dont think I have changed the battires in the 2 years I have had it !! I am going with leds in the boat !!they draw nothing for power !! John

My dad bought me a Princeton Electronics headband about 4 years ago.

I had to change the batteries for the first time a week ago.

It has two settings. One with 3 very low power LEDs which works great most of the time, but they're very blue, and one powerful LED in the middle, for those occasions when I need something really bright.

My most common use for the headband is when grilling outside in the dark...invaluable.

PS - Autozone has the little metal LED lights, 2 for $5 right now.

Also, the technology for the LCD tvs is pretty awesome. With a standard LCD TV, you have fluorescent tubes behind the screen, so blacks often get washed out. With the LED technology, it can turn the backlight off where the screen should be dark. Pretty snazzy.