Given that people are always chatting about lights, perhaps you could advise me.

I need a really powerful torch for walking my dogs. I'm often deep in the woods at 5.30 in the morning, and my new dog likes to run off in the distance. Current torch (one of those AA cell Tesco LED ones) is good but just not powerful enough.

Any recommendations? Oh, and before you mention something from Hong Kong for £2.70, I really need solidity and reliability. Happy to pay for something good that will last several years.

I picked up a 3D cell LED maglite at Costco for £28, with a 2AA one in the pack too a few weeks ago.

(doesnt appear to be fully regulated or owt, but its bright as you'd like, bombproof and has a good beam pattern!)

Although really if you want brighter than a bright thing for running dogs…

http://www.cluson.co.uk/productsMain.aspx?CI_ID=5

How good a torch do you want? I bought this Dealextreme MTE torch 2 years back for biking (this will be it's third winter), it's as bright as the magicshine bike unit but obviously a torch. I keep it in the car otherwise, as it's ace, yes the flashing modes are annoying but the 3 low/med/high make it very useable. It's been used for biking in all sorts of crap weather, so I'd suggest it was very rugged & reliable, and the batteries seem to last a good 2hrs (originally 1.5) on full beam & have not died with age. Throughly recommended but maybe slightly overkill @ around 500-600 lumens.

http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.16500 – MTE M3-2 Cree MC-E 8-Mode LED Flashlight
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.05790 – TrustFire Protected 18650 Lithium Battery (2500mAh 2-Pack Blue)
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.06105 – Digital Li-Ion 18650 Battery Charger
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.02709 – Universal UK Travel Power Adapter Plug

Clulites are very powerful, but by christ you've soon had enough of carrying them.

I'd go for some sort of LED special that runs off rechargeable lithiums. Candlepowerforums is the place to ask about these things.

The thing is, if you get a lamp with a massive throw for finding dogs off in the dark, it won't actually be that much cop for walking about with. If you get one with a broad beam, it'll be good for walking about, but no cop for finding dogs off in the distance. I don't know how many decent focusable LED torches are around – the optics are different to old incandescent bulbs.

Might sound daft, but have you thought of attaching lights to the dogs – maybe the sort joggers etc. use? A really poxy little lamp is visible from miles away, whereas my experience of looking for our dogs with a torch suggests it's a bit needle in a haystack 😆

Flashing LED collar works well with our dog (who is all black too!).

Anyone got/used a Lenser P7? Seems like a good, fairly compact torch with 200 lumens. Not keen on the Chinese made imports everyone is buying.

This will throw a decent spot of light 200m. I use it as a (slightly heavy) head torch on murky nights on the bike.

http://www.fenixtorch.co.uk/led_torches/fenix-tk11-r5.html

Not keen on the Chinese made imports everyone is buying.

I reckon most things will be chinese made imports

The issue for me with DealExtreme is that you need a BSc in Torchology to have any idea if you're buying a decent torch or not.

tron – true as you say, it seems an Electronics degree appears to be needed to get these running properly.

Just want something that works – got a couple of Tesco AA crees and a nice looking but not very powerful Ring one. Wouldn't mind something with a bit more oomph but that doesn't weigh tonnes and can be stuck in a pocket.

At the moment the Lenser P7 seems to be the only one that fits the biil.

+1 for Fenix, I've got the TK11 that I use as a head torch (so nice and light). I'm never out at night for that long so just run it on the high setting which is plenty bright.

It's built like a tank and come with spare for the stuff that is likley to wear out (the rubber buttons and o-rings). Only drawback I've found though is that there's too much of a drop between high and low. As I say though if you're out for <2hrs not a problem.

+1 for fenix i got one recently – rk11 the 285 lumen torch – and so far am very impressed with the quality and brightness. 200metre range, they are also used for hunting (although I am not suggesting you hunt your dog, that would'nt be very nice)

sorry – TK11

If you've lost it, arguably, you are hunting it!

Surf-Mat – I've got the LED Lenser Police Tech Focus Torch and the quality of it is great, as is the brightness.

I got one for her indoors for her job, but was so impressed with it I got myself one to use as a helmet mounted light….but in reality it isn't quite bright enough so it's now 'just' used as a torch.
The quality of it is great, although the people on the CandlePower forums tend to rubbish LED Lenser, as they don't use constant current driver's in their torches, just a resistor (as I understand it).

I did notice the LED Lenser P7, which puts out a claimed 200 lumens. It has a push-pull focus mechanism to allow spot or flood beam. For use as a torch, I reckon it would be very good, but am not convinced by the battery life – 200 lumens from 3AAA batteries…!
Amazon do it for a good price, if you are thinking of getting one.

For the OP, I reckon one of those illuminated collars, combined with a decent LED torch should do the job…

Does the TK11 come with rechargeable CR123 batteries then? Do they provide a charger for them? Do the 18650 batteries add much more run-time?

you want one of these .

the worlds longest throwing led torch and probably the most expensive too

Avoid any torch that runs off AAAs is my advice. The AAA has about a third of the capacity of an AA, for not that much of a space saving.

I think an 18650 is roughly AA sized – the name is based on the dimensions – 18mm x 65mm. So you'd expect it to pack a bit more in than a 123, which I think is about half the size of an AA. Been a while since I used a CR123 though.

well i bought mine from the photon shop in wales (over the phone) and they threw in a pair of 123's. the 123's are not rechargable though.

i wanted to buy the re-chargeables (as you say 18650) + charger as anyway so forked out for those also. not sure about the run time, but the brightness certainly didnt seem drastically different between the 2…

i would recommend the photon shop by the way, all items were delivered next day from my over the phone on friday afternoon order, although they are not the cheapest around obviously.

(some of my bad grammer now corrected)

Troutie – LOL! WTF is that?! WW2 searchlight?!

Flebby – cheers.

Trout – That should be renamed the x-files torch – they always had a ridiculous pencil beam cutting through the dry ice.
I guess it's useful if it's paired with an equally high powered rifle scope.

I really rate the Fenix PD30 R2 – decent torch and Fenix quality is excellent. I use mine as a helmet light too.

I considered the LED Lenser but was put off by the lack of regulation so as the batteries run down so does the output.

Also use an ITP A6 Polestar – 6 x AA powered beast putting out a very floody 700 lumens on high. This light is great for lighting up large areas but still has enough throw for your purposes. They can be found for about £55 in the UK and come with a decent belt holster too.

For the basics of how torches work, Dans Data has some good info in the reviews. Really you want a regulated lamp and lithium batteries so that you get constant light output.

The best torches have a sort of limp home mode when the batteries are nearly dead – otherwise you very quickly go from nice and bright to no light at all.

Flashing dog collars work well. I use one for walking a friends dog that isn't trained too well.

warning geek content
it this http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=270118

but its a long post

yes as a rifle light it would be awesome
paddy the dog loves it as the rabbits stay still long enough for him to give chase still hasnt caught one but has fun trying .

have shone it on the underbelly of a plane questimated at 2000 feet .

Anyone else find a forum dedicated to torches slightly odd/amusing?!

Yep I do but not as amusing as me reading them and buying one of the beasts.

Thanks all, for the comments.

I don't have a degree in physics, and O level was a long time back, so a lot of what's been said about regulated this, lithium that makes only minimal impact.

18650, CR123 batteries….I'd rather use AA or perhaps C or D cells, so that I can always chuck in spare set if/when the rechargeables fail. Unless other batteries are noticeably better, obviously.

A bit of trawling has brought up the Fenix LD20 Premium Q5 – worth it, or is there something better which is in the same size and price range?

There are some real belters here
http://www.4sevens.com/

the quark and quark mini are excelent

18650, CR123 batteries….I'd rather use AA or perhaps C or D cells, so that I can always chuck in spare set if/when the rechargeables fail.

Some torches will take 18650s and AAs – dimensionally, they're quite similar. Rechargeable lithiums are the way to go though – any decent LED torch will burn through standard AA batteries like crazy and cost you a fortune to run. The issue is that alkaline batteries can't supply the current needed.

I've got a Fenix LD20 Q5, works fine, plenty bright enough. I usually only use it on medium power for walking etc. Lasts a few hours on NiMH AAs.

Note there's now a Fenix LD20 R4, which is a newer version and a bit brighter (the Photon Shop have them).

Who makes good 18650 batteries and chargers then? Most ebay hits seems to be Ultrafires from Hong Kong.

Smudge has some in stock now

Now if I knew who Smudge was, I'd be doing well……

He does indeed! Thanks Troutie.

"Who makes good 18650 batteries and chargers then? "

photon shop have them. the batteries say 'surefire' on them.

edit: the 18650's are 'Trustfires', my mistake

Smudge ace battery guy for all you replacement batteries

www dot mtbbatteries dot co dot uk

the worlds longest throwing led torch

Are you sure? What you want is one of these:


http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=178130

Not that you actually NEED a torch to walk a dog ( whistles are cheap and dog training is just a bit of time) but what Zippy said

Yes aracer but is that actually a torch?!

dont think there is a trainer on earth who could stop a terrier when its off after a rabbit they go deaf

so the torch is a good way to find them in the undergrowth its the eyes you see first

There are some real belters here
http://www.4sevens.com/

the quark and quark mini are excelent
I like the look of these troutie, especially the mini aa2. However, I am wondering if it is bright enough to deal with a Magicshine on the bars. Also I read somewhere that it would need to be a bit throwier to be particularly suitable for mtb'ing. Is the normal Quark better in this case?

I recently got a LED lenser P7 from Blacks for £30 (also included a P3). Impressed with the torch (seems better than my Hope Vision 1) and the focus would be ideal for dog walking – like others have said though, I don't think run time will be very good on high (output on low isn't great) but I got a 12pk of 1000mAh AAA for £10 from Maplin so I'll see how it goes.