A gift in the mail!

Friend of the Blog Commander Zero sent me a gift! A tactical gift, of course…

This is a really nice flashlight, (as far as I know) up to date with the latest fashion.

Ol’ Boomer Joel has continual trouble wrapping his mind around the concept of flashlight fashion, but really has long since abandoned any hope of keeping up. When I moved here I was more into the “tactical” thing than I am now, but my idea of a good flashlight was an LED Maglight with fresh batteries. I only gradually became aware that flashlights not only have fashion, there’s a veritable flashlight subculture driving it. Okay, everybody needs a hobby. And it’s all for the better. I may think some of the bells and whistles are a bit silly but this really is a very nice light, and it has one twist I didn’t see coming…


Separate but directly rechargeable batteries! This is new to me but seems a splendid idea: no need for a charger, you stick the cable right into the battery itself.

This is fun! A newfangled gadget I can actually deal with. On the brightest setting it’s at least as eyeball-melting as the one on my rifle, and I don’t have to deal with maintaining a CR123 supply. Thanks, CZ!

About Joel

You shouldn't ask these questions of a paranoid recluse, you know.
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10 Responses to A gift in the mail!

  1. Worth noting, if you don’t have a charged battery handy, you CAN drop two CR123’s in there and it’ll work.

    If anyone is interested, more details here: https://www.commanderzero.com/?p=9691

  2. Anonymous says:

    I have the same device, my beloved edc. ComZ did you a solid! Careful buying replacement 18650’s, make sure to get the good ones….they are the most mature and efficient lithium cell, but widely copied. My electrodealer helped me get 3400maH ones of excellent quality, but was unprofessional enough to retire recently, the lazy old geezer. I also have a Fenix headlamp, same battery, same power….a benefit with that one is the lowest illumination is a pair of red led’s, perfect for nighttime scrounging of urgently needed objects without blinding oneself. That is my default setting. At max power you may notice a small oscillating bright spot in the lower part of the shadow of the poor sap you’re irradiating. Don’t worry, he won’t be seeing anything other than a painful purple blur for several minutes. Tie his shoelaces together in the meantime.

  3. Anonymous says:

    You can get rechargeable 123’s.

  4. Anonymous says:

    While I like the idea of a flashlight that has a good beam throw, the problem with these tactical flashlights is their power source. Rechargeable batteries have a limited amount of charge/discharge cycles and, if you use them until they are flat, the battery may be damaged which further reduces their lifespan. Replacing these batteries is pricey and, while you can use CR123 batteries, these batteries are pricey too. A 12 pack of decent CR123s runs about $20 US, whereas a 12 pack of alkaline AA’s costs close to half that. And, then there’s the issue of availability, both types of battery are not that readily available in the sticks.

  5. Anonymous says:

    “.. the problem with these tactical flashlights is their power source”
    There is trade-off with everything. AA alkaline batts are handier to source locally but they don’t pack the horsepower of the other batteries. CR123 are lithium batts, so they can be stored for a rather long time (by battery standards) with less self-discharge than other batteries. What this means is that Joel could, were he so inclined, Amazon himself a 20-pack of CR123 and theyd be good for the next decade. They are more expensive than alkaline AA-batts, you are correct. But Glocks are more expensive than HiPoints. You’re not comparing apples to apples. Of course alkaline batteries are going to be cheaper than lithium batts. Compare lithium AA-batts to CR123 and its a different story. Energizer lithium CR123 are approx $2.25 ea., Lithium Energizer AA-batts are about $2.50 ea. But by switching to lithium batts you get temperature insensitivity (lithium batts arent degraded by high/low temps), a better shelf life, and lithium batts tend to puke their guts out less than alkalines.

    Also, the package I sent Joel included a spare rechargeable battery, so even if battery #1 craps out in a couple years he has a spare. AND he can use the CR123 batts if necessary. If living in the boonies is truly a hardship towards scoring CR123 batteries, which I doubt it is, Amazon is one click away to land himself a lifetime supply of CR123’s before the world descends into Mad Max.

  6. Joel says:

    If living in the boonies is truly a hardship towards scoring CR123 batteries, which I doubt it is, Amazon is one click away…

    Believe it or not, CR123 batteries have proven almost unobtainium locally. Since my Surefire uses them, I did indeed have to resort to Amazon for a supply. Between that and – now I’m up to three – red dot sights, I’ve had to add quite a few (what I used to consider) odd batteries to my usual stash of AA and AAA batteries.

  7. ka9vsz says:

    Anon@922:
    “18650’s, make sure to get the good ones” Good ones being…?

  8. ka9vsz says:

    Ugh. That should be Anon @ 922.

  9. If you stick with those that are branded the same as your flashlight, you won’t go wrong. You may spend more money, but you won’t have to worry about a crappy battery.

    Joel, as I’m sure you know, be careful where you charge any lithium battery. Best practice is to have it one something very fireproof. They rarely go up in flames, but when they do, they make the world’s best firestarter.

  10. Anonymous says:

    I’m likely to pick up a Surefire EDC1-DFT, long range thrower.
    Has one of those plug-in batteries that Joel likes.

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