Red (or Green) and White LED Flashlight

SoCal 182 Driver

SoCal 182 Driver

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SoCal 182 Driver
Looking for a reasonably priced flashlight for the cockpit that has both red (or green) and white LEDs. Recommendations appreciated!

Thanks!
 
I have this (I think this is the model). I can't remember how much I paid, I think I had a pretty good coupon code.

Quad Tactical – Princeton Tec

princetontec.com princetontec.com

It has a slide-up color filter - there's no issue with trying to remember which button to press or how many times to press it to get the color you want. As long as you have that filter snapped up or down to the position you want, you'll get the right color. I've had it a long time, that waterproof rating is also nice when I use it for overnight BBQ cooking since I can wash it off with no problems.
 
Matthew said:
It has a slide-up color filter
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That is a very poor way to do things with LEDs. Most of them create white light by blending blue and yellow. Not a lot of red and green to pass through the filter.

SoCal 182 Driver said:
Looking for a reasonably priced flashlight for the cockpit that has both red (or green) and white LEDs. Recommendations appreciated!
Click to expand...
How bright does it need to be? This might work for you: https://www.amazon.com/Multifunctional-Zoomable-Tactical-Flashlight-Batteries/dp/B07KJMFH47/
Or this: https://www.amazon.com/WAYLLSHINE-Multicolor-Flashlight-Outdoor-Activities/dp/B0829LK5GK/
 
New private pilot without much night experience but I really like This one that I also use at work. White, red, blue, and IR. I believe they have other color combos. I don’t have a ton of night experience but it lives on my knee board and easily clips to my shirt collar or seatbelt to illuminate whatever I need it to.

Edit based on other replies. It can be used handheld or clipped but it is small for handheld.
 
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Why do phones not yet have RGB LED flashlights? :dunno:
 
 
I use a Cabela's RGB headlamp. Not fond of hats or hat clip lights, still have hair I want to flaunt. I just have to remember to take it out of my hunting bag. You'd think Id buy another.
 
SoCal 182 Driver said:
Looking for a reasonably priced flashlight for the cockpit that has both red (or green) and white LEDs. Recommendations appreciated!

Thanks!
Click to expand...
probably not quite what you're looking for, but maybe...
I've got one of these
choose between green and white light
they also have lots of other color combinations, red, blue, and others I think....
I haven't used it for flying, I bought it as a lightweight minimalist backpacking light. I don't know that it would be great for flying since the switch is tiny
and it's not extremely bright.... I'd want a much brighter and tighter beam for pre-flighting, but the illumination is perfect in-cockpit sorts of uses that need a short range and broad illumination at a low level
Maybe it's good enough as a back-up sort of light...
It took me a while to remember to switch left for green and right for white... but it's better than having to cycle through the different colors!
 
I like this:

Similar to the one someone posted above, but this is the version that uses 2 AA batteries. I like it because the red beam is dim, as to me it should be, and the white it bright, and the push on/off button by default just turns it on or off. To change color you have to pull and rotate a knob, so you won't accidentally blind yourself with bright white light if that's not what you want. A little expensive, but built well.

You can use it like a handheld flashlight, but also clip it to stuff or set it down.
 
I know you wanted handheld, but this is what I use.

My experience in an actual lighting failure was a handheld didn't work well. The best I could do was try to secure the flashlight on the passenger seat with the seatbelt in a reasonable position, but still couldn't see all the instruments I needed.

This headlamp is very comfortable, I can and have worn it on a long nighttime XC. The red works very well and can be turned on and off with the push of a button.

www.menards.com

Energizer® Vision Ultra 450 Lumen Headlamp

Energizer Vision Ultra 450 Lumen Headlamp has the latest LED technology and patented optics, delivering exceptional vision an dup to 15x brighter than standard LED technology.
www.menards.com www.menards.com
 
What I recommend you don't buy are any Smith & Wesson flashlights with the white/red option.
I had 2 of them, both were total trash. Not cheap and terribly unreliable. Only reason I got the 2nd was the first one was so bad that Sportys sent me a replacement for free. Replacement was just as bad as first.
 
ArrowFlyer86 said:
What I recommend you don't buy are any Smith & Wesson flashlights with the white/red option.
I had 2 of them, both were total trash. Not cheap and terribly unreliable. Only reason I got the 2nd was the first one was so bad that Sportys sent me a replacement for free. Replacement was just as bad as first.
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Actually, that's what I'm replacing!
 
SoCal 182 Driver said:
Actually, that's what I'm replacing!
Click to expand...
How was your luck with those?
In both cases for the 2 I had, mine would randomly fail to turn on. It would turn off while lit. It would allow 1 light mode but not the other (e.g., it'll run the white light, but not click over to red).
I was certain I got a defective unit until the second arrived and after a day of usage I was having the same issues. For the 60$+ price tag I was appalled.

Now I have Black Diamond headlamp with red light (my primary), and I have another head lamp one where I disconnected the headband from it and use it like a normal flash light.
 
Back when I flew more night flights I carried a small chem light in my bag just in the case of an EMP that wiped out everything else, I guess.
 
I have a red LED AAA maglite with a red filter, and a silver LED maglite with no filter, so "white" light.

Together, they are smaller than my old D cell flashlight. And brighter. So I feel like this is kosher for any situation that needs a "d cell" flashlight.

Is a D cell flashlight still a requirement?

Also, I love the Princeton Tech headlamps like the other guys above. I use the one with the rotary switch that goes OFF--Red--Brighter Red--white--blinding white.

I love gear-nerding with all of you!
 
Matthew said:
Back when I flew more night flights I carried a small chem light in my bag just in the case of an EMP that wiped out everything else, I guess.
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I have one of these too! Mostly because I wanna drop one out the window some night.....
 
midwestpa24 said:
I know you wanted handheld, but this is what I use.

My experience in an actual lighting failure was a handheld didn't work well. The best I could do was try to secure the flashlight on the passenger seat with the seatbelt in a reasonable position, but still couldn't see all the instruments I needed.

This headlamp is very comfortable, I can and have worn it on a long nighttime XC. The red works very well and can be turned on and off with the push of a button.

www.menards.com

Energizer® Vision Ultra 450 Lumen Headlamp

Energizer Vision Ultra 450 Lumen Headlamp has the latest LED technology and patented optics, delivering exceptional vision an dup to 15x brighter than standard LED technology.
www.menards.com www.menards.com
Click to expand...
That's a good point. A headlamp makes a good handheld light source. A regular flashlight makes a lousy headlamp....

I have one of those Mag Lite AA headbands...my head doesn't like them apparently.
 
I know the OP was about flashlights, but switching to headlamps, all the ones I bought broke. Mostly fancy ones, name brand. So I figured they were all disposable, and bought an everready one. The cheapest I could find. And guess what, it's the most reliable headlamp I've ever had. $15. I think it's only white, and I don't use it for flying but home repair stuff. Kinda eats batteries, and that's probably the point, but I don't care.

 
Albany Tom said:
I know the OP was about flashlights, but switching to headlamps, all the ones I bought broke. Mostly fancy ones, name brand. So I figured they were all disposable, and bought an everready one. The cheapest I could find. And guess what, it's the most reliable headlamp I've ever had. $15. I think it's only white, and I don't use it for flying but home repair stuff. Kinda eats batteries, and that's probably the point, but I don't care.

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Same headlamp I recommended, but I have the version that does have a red light as well. Relatively cheap, comfortable, works well.
 
The rogue said:
A headlamp makes a good handheld light source. A regular flashlight makes a lousy headlamp....
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It's not that bad if it has a 2-way clip, which many small flashlights have these days.
3404099845.jpg
 
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