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Survival and Preparations Long and short term survival and 'prepping'. |
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Duracell Durabeam Ultra flashlights (250 lumen LED) @ Costco
Costco is selling these at $19.79 for a 3-pack ($6.60 each) including 9 AAA batteries. It's the same product being sold on Amazon for $28.79.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00D3Y3JEE I only looked quickly at the package in the store, but I didn't see Cree listed, so I don't know the quality of the LED. Any opinions or thoughts?
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"The Second Amendment is a doomsday provision, one designed for those exceptionally rare circumstances where all other rights have failed—where the government refuses to stand for re-election and silences those who protest; where courts have lost the courage to oppose, or can find no one to enforce their decrees. However improbable these contingencies may seem today, facing them unprepared is a mistake free people get to make only once." - Justice Alex Kozinski, 9th US Circuit Crt of Appeals |
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those look like the same Chinese made lights Costco has been selling for years. They started out as 150 lumens, then went to 200, and now 250, this time Duracell probably just had their name put on it. Same price and packaging.
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I believe Duracell acquired Techlite and rebranded the lumen master As a Duracell flashlight.
Or it is the closest imitation / copy that I have seen.
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Rule 1- ALL GUNS ARE ALWAYS LOADED Rule 2 -NEVER LET THE MUZZLE COVER ANYTHING YOU ARE NOT PREPARED TO DESTROY (including your hands and legs) Rule 3 -KEEP YOUR FINGER OFF THE TRIGGER UNTIL YOUR SIGHTS ARE ON THE TARGET Rule 4 -BE SURE OF YOUR TARGET AND WHAT IS BEYOND IT (thanks to Jeff Cooper) Last edited by hermosabeach; 10-07-2013 at 2:45 PM.. |
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All i can say is they work great for their price. I have 6 of them in various places around the house and in the car. None has stopped working yet. I wouldn't mount it on anything that gets recoil because the spring looks undersized but they are great lights.
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Are you suggesting that the light output is the same with only changes to the marketing? A no-name brand may try to pull that off, but I doubt Duracell would be so willing to put their brand name on a deceptively labeled product. Even if they are "the same Chinese made lights", that does not mean that the LED/circuitry has not been upgraded over the years.
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"The Second Amendment is a doomsday provision, one designed for those exceptionally rare circumstances where all other rights have failed—where the government refuses to stand for re-election and silences those who protest; where courts have lost the courage to oppose, or can find no one to enforce their decrees. However improbable these contingencies may seem today, facing them unprepared is a mistake free people get to make only once." - Justice Alex Kozinski, 9th US Circuit Crt of Appeals |
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FWIW, I would never put a low-cost/low-end light on ANY firearm. If I'm target shooting, I don't need a light just for the sake of having a light. If I'm in an actual defensive situation, then I want something I can trust my life with.
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"The Second Amendment is a doomsday provision, one designed for those exceptionally rare circumstances where all other rights have failed—where the government refuses to stand for re-election and silences those who protest; where courts have lost the courage to oppose, or can find no one to enforce their decrees. However improbable these contingencies may seem today, facing them unprepared is a mistake free people get to make only once." - Justice Alex Kozinski, 9th US Circuit Crt of Appeals |
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to me not worth buying a ton of AAAs
plus they wont last as long. I have some CR123 lights and then some 18650 lights that last quite a while.
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2 HANDGUNS STOLEN! 1 RECOVERED READ HERE Chickens Want to get into Ham Radio? Click here http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/s...d.php?t=202581 |
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longevity
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The first generation has a red led in the tail cap... this drained power... It was replaced in the newer generations.... I use these lights all the time and they work very well. Costco also stocks the Sanyo ENELOOP rechargeable batteries in AA and AAA. The manufacturer send out free replacement tail caps for those who ask if one breaks or you want to replace the RED led edition that sucks down the battery. I keep them around the house, car, office desk and garage... They are not a surefire and I do not use them as I use my surefire.... but AAA Duracells are cheap vs CR123 and should an LED fail, i can toss away a $4 light.... The replacement heads on a surefire LED will set you back at least $60
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Rule 1- ALL GUNS ARE ALWAYS LOADED Rule 2 -NEVER LET THE MUZZLE COVER ANYTHING YOU ARE NOT PREPARED TO DESTROY (including your hands and legs) Rule 3 -KEEP YOUR FINGER OFF THE TRIGGER UNTIL YOUR SIGHTS ARE ON THE TARGET Rule 4 -BE SURE OF YOUR TARGET AND WHAT IS BEYOND IT (thanks to Jeff Cooper) |
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Its been my experience that anything in the 6 dollar range is going to be total junk. Also having to use 3 aaa for one light is a pita. I would prefer to have one or two solid built aa or 123 lights. The aaa format is a bad format imo.
I think it wiser to get 2-3 AA lights of know brand and quality. I know its not the same price range but the zebralight sc52 run for 3 months on 1 AA and is a high quality light. http://www.zebralight.com/SC52-AA-Fl...ite_p_100.html
Last edited by problemchild; 10-07-2013 at 4:13 PM.. |
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I don't have these brand but I do have the tech lites brand spread all over the house. Had them for 2 years and they all still work. Costco also has a 2 pack 500 lumens tech lites that takes 3C batteries. It's the same size as the dodger mini bats.
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I agree with what you said. My biggest fear for cheap lights is parasytic drain. You go to use the light and the batteries are dead.
Can any of you with this light run some wires to a multimeter and see if the light has drain? Quote:
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I'll probably pick up a set from Costco to try them out as general purpose lights to keep in the house and truck. For such a low price, they're hard to beat. I don't like spending a lot of money on such GP lights because the LED technology advances so rapidly that in a couple of years, you can get a light that's quite a bit brighter (with better CRI) for less money. My plan is to put AAA Enerloops in these so I'm not wasting alkalines (which tend to leak inside infrequently used flashlights). When I get them, I'll do a test to see if there's any parasitic drain and report it in this thread.
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"The Second Amendment is a doomsday provision, one designed for those exceptionally rare circumstances where all other rights have failed—where the government refuses to stand for re-election and silences those who protest; where courts have lost the courage to oppose, or can find no one to enforce their decrees. However improbable these contingencies may seem today, facing them unprepared is a mistake free people get to make only once." - Justice Alex Kozinski, 9th US Circuit Crt of Appeals |
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I called Techlite today as one of the battery carriers cracked in one of my Techlite lumen masters from costco.
They confirmed that they are the manufacturer of the new Duracell light being sold in the three pack by costco. --- The only issue I had with the lights is the they turned on accidentally as the tail cap is sensitive. The fix is to unscrew the tail cap, remove the rubber cover and snip off about 1/2 of the rubber. Now you have to compress the tail cap button all the way before the light turns on. It keep junk in the glove box and tool box from turning the light on by accidental contact.
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Rule 1- ALL GUNS ARE ALWAYS LOADED Rule 2 -NEVER LET THE MUZZLE COVER ANYTHING YOU ARE NOT PREPARED TO DESTROY (including your hands and legs) Rule 3 -KEEP YOUR FINGER OFF THE TRIGGER UNTIL YOUR SIGHTS ARE ON THE TARGET Rule 4 -BE SURE OF YOUR TARGET AND WHAT IS BEYOND IT (thanks to Jeff Cooper) |
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Yeah I hate keeping nice lights in my car just in case it gets broken into when parked. I tried the cheaper light route and when needed they lasted about 1 minute and died. I never tried the lights in the top link but I did get the bottom ones. I got 3 AA lights from the bottom link and stuck them out for use in needed places. My good lights are in my safe and emp box.
http://www.cpfmarketplace.com/mp/sho...esist-THIS-ONE! These are a great cheaper light and very well made. http://edcplus.com/blue-xeno-e03-with-xml-neutral-white-t6-p-171.html Specs: 1) Anodizied Aluminum (Rose Red, Deep Sea Blue, or Ti-Black) 2) GITD (Glow in the Dark) silicon O-ring and silicon rubber tail cap 3) Waterproof (10M dunk-resistance) 4) Double O-rings and Square threads 5) Battery type: Alkaline, Ni-mh, Ni-cd, Lithium, 14500 Li-ion or Lifepo4 6) Linear driver -- no PWM 7) 3 Modes in this order: Medium, Low, High. (no mode memory) 8) Unique finger grip 9) Size and Weight: 96.5mm x 21.5mm. 48g Modes and Runtime (Aproximate): Ni-mh cell: Low: 20mA, 10 lumens, 20hrs+ Medium: 135mA, 60 lumens, 4hrs+ High: 500mA, 200 lumens, 1hr+ 14500 Li-ion: Low: 300mA, 90 lumens, 2.5hrs Medium: 1000mA, 320 lumens 45min High: 1560mA, 490 lumens, 30min Quote:
Last edited by problemchild; 10-11-2013 at 9:10 AM.. |
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I bought a pack of these (at least I think they are the same) from Costco. Work pretty well and you can't beat the price. The only thing I did not like is you have to cycle through low, high, strobe then off, with the push button on the back.
Other than that I have them in the tool box, gun safe, glove box. (guns have surefire on them)
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#20
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The reason I like to have some cheapies around is for throw aways so I am less likely to loose one of my ~$100 lights that I am really fond of. |
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I have a bunch of the Techlight 200 Lumen lights from Costco. They have been in and around the house for over a year maybe 2 and still run on the same batts that came in the package. They are bright and have worked every time the power has gone out. They are great for stash around the house, car, tool box, safe, work desk etc to have light if the power goes out. I have a better light in my BOB for longer term needs if that occurs. I say for that price get them you can't go wrong for extra light. I may go look at my local Costco and see if they have any.
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NRA Life Member GSSF Member I don't regret burning some bridges. I regret that some people weren't on those bridges when I burnt them! |
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But they are a fine deal for around the house, and car camping. Don't depend on them for serious backpacking or weapons mounting. They can't handle that.
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C'mon man, shouldn't we ban Democracks from Cal-Guns? Or at least send them to re-education camps. |
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C'mon man, shouldn't we ban Democracks from Cal-Guns? Or at least send them to re-education camps. |
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I purchased a pack of these last week and i have to say they are good lights for the money. You can focus them to be long throw or flood. I might pick up another pack or two for Christmas gifts.
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#26
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Problem with eneloops is they are worth more than the flashlight if you put them in the Costco lights... I usually don't worry about wrecking cheap lights so I just put alkalines in them and keep some extra batteries in my car. Some of the new alkalines have ten year shelf lives now for about the same price.
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C'mon man, shouldn't we ban Democracks from Cal-Guns? Or at least send them to re-education camps. |
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The problem with alkalines is not their shelf life; it's that after you start using them and then allow them to sit dormant for a while (like a flashlight in your glove box), they tend to leak and destroy whatever device they are in. I've never had an Eneloop leak, and from what I understand, even if they do leak they are noncorrosive.
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"The Second Amendment is a doomsday provision, one designed for those exceptionally rare circumstances where all other rights have failed—where the government refuses to stand for re-election and silences those who protest; where courts have lost the courage to oppose, or can find no one to enforce their decrees. However improbable these contingencies may seem today, facing them unprepared is a mistake free people get to make only once." - Justice Alex Kozinski, 9th US Circuit Crt of Appeals |
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I have dont this on a old streamlight with the stick battery pack. It landed perfectly flat and split the stick pack in half killing the battery. I have abused the costco flashlights a lot, dropped them, kicked them, dropped from about 8 feet up, dunked them in water (all these happened unintentionally) and it still runs fine. I lost the one I kept in my work truck one night and I went to walmart to buy a new light. Ended up with a colman max and it has seen the same stuff as the techlight and still runs super strong. The colman is also 3 AAA batteries.
That zebra light looks nice will look into it when some extra funds arise.
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I don't remember the time I was human that's why I don't understand anybody. Quote:
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There are going to be naysayers in every bunch, usually made up of people assuming the worst about something without actually owning it. In the case of the Costco "cheapo" techlites, these are some serious bang for the buck. I jumped in at the 200 Lumen stage, and these things work great. So what if they don't work on a firearm - that's not what they're made for. I've used mine several times and have not yet been disappointed. ONe in the car, one in the truck, one on hte bike, one in my bag, one on my desk, yada yada yada. They are well worth the money and are far more durable than old school style flashlights, and definitely brighter than a 4 D cell mag light (I have several of those too).
That thing is INSANE! I can turn my street from night to day with that thing. Does yours have the "zoom" feature that focuses the beam?
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It was not a threat. It was an exaggerated response to an uncompromising stance. I was taught never to make a threat unless you are prepared to carry it out and I am not a fan of carrying anything. Even watching other people carrying things makes me uncomfortable. Mainly because of the possibility they may ask me to help. |
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I have some of these lights. They are "kitchen drawer lights". Family uses them, but I hate them. Hate the 3 AAAs. Hate the cheap quality. Hate the modes and mode order. But yeah, they're really inexpensive. But that is irrelevant to me. I'm a flashlight geek and always carry at least 2 high quality lights. Last edited by MudCamper; 10-19-2013 at 3:09 PM.. |
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I buy these whenever they go on sale. I've had them from the red end cap 1st generation. They have replaced all of D cell maglightz. My only complaint is they don't come with the serrated edges anymore.
Also it's Costco, you can always return them for 90 days. The C cell lights very bright |
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Agree with PC about AAAs not being the best choice in these lights, but they're good enough for glove boxes, power outages, and giving to the kids on sleepovers and campouts in the back yard. I have a couple of nice, really bright Fenix lights and I don't give those out because nobody appreciates how much they cost. When somebody asks "Daddy/Honey, you have a flashlight I can use?" that's where the Techlites come in... Last edited by xrMike; 10-19-2013 at 2:03 PM.. |
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I bought the 500 lumen c cell lights from Costco about a week ago, they are very bright. Are they 500 lumens as they advertise? Probably not, they will be used as utility flashlights, not tactical so it doesn't matter. For the price it is worth a try.
Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk |
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These 3 cell lights are definitely good to go. I had them for about 2 years and sometimes use them as back up bike lights.
I use them with 14500 lithium batteries that I buy from China ($3.5/pc) and they lasts slightly over an hour on high (200lm). The 14500 is about the size of one AA battery and I made an adapter from toilet roll cut and rolled onto the 14500 to bulk it up until it is fat enough to fit into the tube. Then I tape the roll down to keep it in place and the 14500 can be removed and installed easily. 2 years now and not a single problem. Like many others or nicer lights are for critical applications and these are day to day beat around lights. May the light be with you! |
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These make great "stashlights" to keep around the house and in every car.
- Affordable - Durable - Uses common battery size - Will tail stand - BRIGHT The only real downside is the switch, it forces you to go through strobe mode when turning off (unless you hold down the switch.) But there's also a fix for that if you're into hacking: take the switch from the "free" Harbor Freight lights and install into the Costco light. Youtube will show you how, it's almost a drop-in modification once you learn it. The newer lights don't have battery drain issues. For SHTF/Camping/Hiking/EDC I'd still get a light with more features (notably low power mode), but for occasional use these Costco lights can't be beat. |
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No government deprives its citizens of rights without asserting that its actions are "reasonable" and "necessary" for high-sounding reasons such as "public safety." A right that can be regulated is no right at all, only a temporary privilege dependent upon the good will of the very government officials that such right is designed to constrain. |
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