March 6, 2009

NiteCore and ZebraLight Flashlights

This is a new low for us. Usually on days where we don't have any time to post something up, we glom onto the work of our fellow tool bloggers or we do a quick youtube search for something like "excavator mishap." But here, we're going to take a reader's comment, add some photos and some links and voila, insta-post!

Reader Joel, who is obviously flashlight obsessed and knows far more about the tools than we do, left this comment on our review of the AltusLumen PAD-L:

Flashlights are actually one of my favorite tools... I own quite a few. I have one clipped to my pocket at all times, along with my pocket knife... can't tell you how often its come in handy.
My main, EDC light is a NiteCore SmartPD D10 - it takes a single AA battery and has about 20 different brightness levels that can be accessed through an intuitive clicking method. They also make a the EX10 (a cr123 based light#, and The D20 which is a 2x AA light #about the size of a mini-maglight#. All of these lights would rival the brightness of a huge 4D maglight on high #but throw or distance wouldn't be as far b/c of a smaller reflector#

For the shop/and working other places, I often also use a headlamp. The best headlight I've ever found for close-up work is the Zebralight H30. It has three brightness levels, and a flood coverage #no bright hotspot)

Both lights are a bit more expensive than this at about $60-70, but If you want a quality tool that is durable, stand up to daily use in bad conditions, and still work every time, you need to spend a bit more $$$... I put my lights through hell + they keep working.

Joel, your commission check is in the mail.

NiteCore D10 at Amazon
NiteCore EX10 at Amazon
ZebraLight H30 Headlamp at ZebraLight