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Need to buy a torch.
its main use will be to live inside a towfloat when Mrs Lunge does her outdoor swimming, but it’ll also be used on dog walks and for general finding of stuff. Likely to live in the car and so being usb rechargeable would be essential.
Small, light and a few different power settings would also be useful as would not spending much
I've owned a lot of torches including some fairly expensive ones. But after seeing a youtube review, I bought one of these, a Wuben G5 and am blown away by the functionality at the price. It does everything you mention and then some, it's solidly built and robust and it's cheap as chips.
Edit to say, I bought one when it first came out direct from Wuben out at £25. I thought that was really good value but now they're 2 for £9.99 on Amazon! That is quite incredible vfm imo.
I have a Nightsearcher zoom 1000R. Small, adjustable, bright, rechargeable. It was a present, but is just generally handy so is usually the first torch to be grabbed for any task.
Olight? S2R is compact and goes from moonlight bright to ‘argh my eyes’ in a few clicks. Also has strobe setting for Hit Girl saving Big Daddy type scenarios. https://uk.olight.com/store/s2r-baton-ii-edc-torch
live inside a towfloat
isn’t the absolute priority that it’s *properly* waterproof? Ie you’ll probably be best off with a dive torch.
not really relevant, but I’ve bought two torches I’m really pleased with in the last year.
a nitecore nu25 headtorch (seem to be lots of versions, mine is the ne that’s half band and half cord). UsbC. Long battery life. Bright. Impressively small and light
And a reylight pineapple mini aluminium. I wanted something to use when I got up at night that turned on super low rather than very bright. tiny, very nicely made, high cri
isn’t the absolute priority that it’s *properly* waterproof? Ie you’ll probably be best off with a dive torch.
No, as the towfloat is waterproof and the torch sits inside the already waterproof float in a waterproof sleeve. So it shouldn’t get wet at all.
I have bought a few torches this year as I have developed a bit of an EDC fetish. I have one of the Wuben G5's that bloke up the road mentioned and it is very well built but overly complex in my opinion. For the price though it is well worth trying.
I have a Boruit V3 which costs £16.99 and is very bright and seems well built. As well as a torch it has "body" lights which can act as a lantern (white) or a backup bike light (red steady and flashing).
I also have a couple of Rovyvon lights which are a bit more expensive but excellent.
The A1 is just a torch but is the one that lives in my pocket at work - £29.95
The A4 is the same size but also has body lights - £49.95 - I got this on a recent deal for less the £40 and I am going to use it when out and about and as an emergency bike backup light.
Torches have progressed massively in the past few years. Of the ones I have the Boruit would seem to meet the OP's needs best and that is mainly due to it's simplicity compared to the Wuben.
I’ve got a bunch of flashlights I’ve aquired over the years, including a couple of Reylights I bought through the Drop program. The reason I’ve got two is only because I thought I’d lost one. According to their website, they don’t seem to do them anymore, or at least, not at the moment, although they sell the lens, tailcap and button.
As you can see, I’ve had them for some time, the name has worn off, but they’ve been absolutely faultless. They also have a facility for fitting Tritium glow tubes, which I took full advantage of.
More recently I bought a Rovyvon H3 Pro, which I think might fit the bill. It has a USB-C charging port, a LiPo fixed battery and a 14500 Li-ion replaceable battery. There’s a tail switch with a ring to hold it between the fingers to use an instant on-off, or a full press for continuous operation, and a small switch near the lens for several low-power functions. The strike bezel’s handy as well - you can stand it lens down with the light on which lets light out through the gaps, a facility I’ve used a lot.
It also has a pocket clip. A really good, well-made light.
Like the other I've had multiple torches over the years, but am loving my Olight Ultra Clip-On EDC Light, dead handy and really nice small size. Three modes, not entirely convince the red is useful but maybe as an emergency rear bike light, clip to hang it off your clothes while you do stuff (also magnetic), wide or beam modes (3 power within each). No idea if it fits your bill, but really happy with mine. Hmmm noticed the not too pricey comment... bit late.. quality costs
https://uk.olight.com/store/oclip-ultra-clip-on-light-with-floodlight-spotlight-uv-light
Colour choice seems limited on the shop but I got a nice metallic orange
I think this is one of those "you're overthinking this" things that will attract loads of torch nerds who will help you to overthink it.
FWIW I use an old handlebar-mounted bike light (a Niterider thing I think) for dog-walking purposes. Torch-sized, torch shaped, a light shines out of the end when I press the button on top.
I think this is one of those "you're overthinking this" things that will attract loads of torch nerds who will help you to overthink it.
Yep, but you have to use the knowledge available to you!
not entirely convince the red is useful
I'd never seen the point of red before (my ancient Petzl AAA Tikka the red LED was only useful as a signal) but I used the red on my Nitecore quite a bit over the EOTR festival. Bright enough to see by but much softer on your eyes and doesn't mess up your night vision or disturb other people
However, the one you've linked to seems to be a version with a UV light rather than red. I really don't see the need/use for that on a regular basis.
I'd consider a head torch instead, just one of the lightweight, basic rechargeable Petzl ones or similar. They have the mahoosive advantage over conventional torches of allowing you to use both your hands at once without holding a metal tube between your teeth. Otherwise I'm with IHN, don't overthink it, just buy some cheap, cheerful LED thing. Or LED Lenser or Fenix (I think) if you want quasi posh. I just use an old Exposure Joystick if I want a handheld light.
the mahoosive advantage over conventional torches of allowing you to use both your hands at once without holding a metal tube between your teeth.
Pfft, live a little! I once managed to drop said tube into the bag of dog poo that I was attempting to tie a knot in, but everyone's life needs a little danger though, right? If you're not living on the edge you're taking up too much room maaaaan!
Pfft, live a little! I once managed to drop said tube into the bag of dog poo that I was attempting to tie a knot in,
Noted. With horror... 🙄
For emergency use why not get a cheap torch powered by conventional batteries? Go Outdoors do a very good, tough LED torch, powered by 3 AAA batteries. For £3!
For that price you can have one in your car, one in your wife’s bag and not have the inevitable problem of it being in the wrong place when you need it. Whilst I usually use rechargeable batteries in most equipment, if you equip the torch with good batteries with a long date you’ll have the reassurance that it’ll work when needed.
Red lights are useful when you want to preserve night vision (as I discovered stargazing yesterday).
For emergency use why not get a cheap torch powered by conventional batteries? Go Outdoors do a very good, tough LED torch, powered by 3 AAA batteries. For £3!
For that price you can have one in your car, one in your wife’s bag and not have the inevitable problem of it being in the wrong place when you need it. Whilst I usually use rechargeable batteries in most equipment, if you equip the torch with good batteries with a long date you’ll have the reassurance that it’ll work when needed.
There does seem an increasing trend for torches to not have a completely physical switch as well, which means they have some minor battery drain and will run flat over a longish period. As a real emergency torch (so long as you keep an replace them before they leak) alkaline is probably still the win.
I've two cateye volts from maybe 6 or 8 years ago used for flying through the woods when I was younger but use them now to blind car drivers if they drive with full beam as I try to walk ahead
Looking inside an engine bay or underneath the car, keep one in my car if I ever have a puncture
Japanese reliability much better than that other Asian lot nearby
I love AliExpress. Some of the shit on there - how about this thing that is so big it needs a shoulder strap and claims to have a 9km range....
I'd just double check that's a flashlight and not a fleshlight