First post Whohoo!

I need to replace my MiniMag AA. It has served me well, but is inadequately bright, among other things.

Flashlight Recommendation Checklist

1) Short Essay Question:
General purpose illumination. I need to read a map, and see a trail on a cloudy night. It would be nice to dazzle, have a defensive weapon, and make me sandwiches.

2) What Region/Country/State will the light be purchased in?
[x] I will be mail-ordering or buying online, so this doesn’t matter.
[x] I am in USA (country) and CA (state/providence).

3) Price Range: An easy question, but you may change your mind after answering the rest!
[x] $15-30
[x] $40-60 This is a hard limit. If it really does make me sandwiches, I’ll consider increasing my budget.

4) Format:
PART A
[x] I want a flashlight.

PART B
Length:
[x] 4-9 inches. (Holster carry) MiniMag AA Size

PART C
Width:
[x] I prefer a long narrow light. Once again, MiniMag AA

PART D
Weight:
[x] Medium, slightly heavier than a AA MiniMag
[x] Heavy Medium, can of Coke

5) What kind of “bulb”.
[x] Don’t care, just want the best fit for my needs.

6) What batteries do you want to use?
[x] I want common Alkaline batteries. (AA, AAA, C, D) The AA’s in my MiniMag have been replaced once in four months.
[x] I want lithium batteries. (coin cells, CR123, AAA, AA…)

7) How much light do you want?
[ ] I want to read a map, find a light switch/keyhole, or get around the house at w/o disturbing anyone. (5-10 lumens)
[ ] I want to walk around a generally paved area. (15-20 lumens)
[x] I want to walk unpaved trails. (40 lumens)
[ ] I want to do Caving or Search & Rescue operations. (60+ lumens)
[ ] I want to light an entire campground or dazzle an intruder. (100+ lumens)
[x] all of the above

8) Throw vs Flood:

Throw (distance)—————–x—-|———————-Flood/close-up (50/50 is just fine)

9) Runtime:
[x] 60-240 min. (1-2 hours)
[x] 240-360 min. (4-6 hours)

10) Durability: This is
[ ] Very Important (Camping, Backpacking, Car Glove-box.)
[ ] Critical (Police, Fire, Search & Rescue, Self-defense, Survival.)

11) Switch Type:
[ ] I don’t care.

12) Switch Location:
[x] I don’t care. Either of these
[ ] I want a push switch on the back end of the body.
[ ] I want a rotating end-cap switch.

13) Operational Modes: Check all that apply.
[x] I want 2 light levels. (Brighter/short runtime and Dimmer/long runtime.) most important
[ ] I want multiple light levels. (some lights have 5-16 light levels.) not terribly important
[ ] I want a strobe mode. (blinks to show location.) nice to have
[ ] I want a tactical strobe. (Flashes rapidly to disorient an opponent.) nice to have
[ ] I want S.O.S. flashing nice to have

14) Is it important whether the body is metal or plastic/composite?
[X] I don’t care. whatever works

15) Special Needs: Is there anything else you want or need that hasn’t been mentioned? Circle any below or write in your own comment(s).
[ ] Red (night vision preserving) filter
[ ] Other filter colors (Amber, Green, Blue, _________)
[ ] Waterproof – how deep: 2m
[ ] Non-reflective/dark finish (stealthy/hard to find)
[ ] Corrosion resistant or hard-anodized finish
[ ] “Hybrid” light (bright incandescent combined with long running LEDs)
[ ] Built-in second (or spare) lamp or filament
[ ] Belt/Jacket clip
[ ] Holster
[ ] Kuboton/self defense features
[ ] Non-sparking Intrinsically Safe (IS) for use in explosive environments

All of these would be nice. Most important are waterproof, tough finish, and self defense. Least important are holsters, color filters, hybrid, and explosive safe.

So, in summary, a heavy duty MiniMag for under $50 is what I want. I don’t use a light terrible often, or for a long time, but when I need it, i am always glad to have it. I do not want a complicated UI. This is probably the most import point, aside from budget. I will gladly sacrifice sos and dazzle flash for off-low-bright-off or on-off with variable brightness, if it means a much simpler UI.

I have looked at the Quark AA2, but is there a cheaper option? (or a cheaper place to order from?)

Rob