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Like many of you I suspect, I am often drawn to a light amidst the darkness, so maybe that's why I have such an attraction to flashlights. One of my most recent purchases was a Coleman Max LED from Walmart. The price was right, just under $25, which is a condition I have, and it runs on three AAA's, another condition. This way I won't have a huge feeling of woe if I lose it, or to pay a small fortune every time I have to replace the batteries, and have difficulty in finding them to boot.
The light itself, at 75 lumens, can focus between spot and flood and throw the beam a decent distance, about 150 feet where I would describe the illumination as usable, although certainly not spectacular, and quite small in diameter at that distance. That tends to be how I primarily judge a flashlight, by the quality, distance and size of the beam it can throw.
The flood produces a distinct black hole, and is only suitable, IMO, for very close quarters. The focus ring, which I always leave on 'spot', needs to be adjusted back to spot every time I turn it on. The body is about an inch in diameter and made of some form of alloy which feels reasonably robust and is described by the manufacturer as, 'water resistant'. In my experience, that description is very vague and I have not tested the theory. The end of the flashlight is also scooped as some flashlights are for self defense in close quarters. The on switch is an end cap, a rubber 'clickie' with short travel. A wrist lanyard is also attached to the end cap, and the light can be turned on and stand on its end. The surface of the metal is smooth and almost completely round, so it will likely roll easily.
All in all, for a 'budget' light that uses AAA batteries, I'd describe the Coleman LED as acceptable, and worthy of typical around the house use or short camping/hunting trips. Fair value, but if I had to buy another, I might look for an alternative as there is a lot of room for improvement.
The light itself, at 75 lumens, can focus between spot and flood and throw the beam a decent distance, about 150 feet where I would describe the illumination as usable, although certainly not spectacular, and quite small in diameter at that distance. That tends to be how I primarily judge a flashlight, by the quality, distance and size of the beam it can throw.
The flood produces a distinct black hole, and is only suitable, IMO, for very close quarters. The focus ring, which I always leave on 'spot', needs to be adjusted back to spot every time I turn it on. The body is about an inch in diameter and made of some form of alloy which feels reasonably robust and is described by the manufacturer as, 'water resistant'. In my experience, that description is very vague and I have not tested the theory. The end of the flashlight is also scooped as some flashlights are for self defense in close quarters. The on switch is an end cap, a rubber 'clickie' with short travel. A wrist lanyard is also attached to the end cap, and the light can be turned on and stand on its end. The surface of the metal is smooth and almost completely round, so it will likely roll easily.
All in all, for a 'budget' light that uses AAA batteries, I'd describe the Coleman LED as acceptable, and worthy of typical around the house use or short camping/hunting trips. Fair value, but if I had to buy another, I might look for an alternative as there is a lot of room for improvement.
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