On another thread, the topic of LED flashlights came up and seemed to get some interest. Since I am flashlight guy I thought I’d share my thoughts.
Led flashlight quality vary significantly. The ones that are solid and waterproof can be found discussed here. And they aren’t cheap.
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/content.phpThe link below is a very good source for reasonable and high-quality flashlights based on the 18650 Li-Ion batteries
https://www.solarforceflashlight-sales.com/Stay away from Amazon generic flashlights.
Batteries are the key to LED flashlight and the Panasonic NCR18650B with protection circuit is king. Take a look at the chart.
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?330236-2012-Battery-test-review-summaryLots of Chinese fakes out there messing with the price. My Genuine Panasonic NCR18650B cost $14 each 3 years ago. The internet price has come down considerably but I fear it’s because many are chinese fakes. I don’t have a current reliable source for My Genuine Panasonic NCR18650B but they are out there, just be diligent. Be leery of a $6 Panasonic NCR18650B
On chargers - Nitecore makes a super versatile 4 slot that charges just about any size and chemistry flashlight battery but it really shines on the 18650 Li-Ion
http://charger.nitecore.com/CHARGER/D/D4/For the real geeks among you, watch this Charger comparison video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQJaumozgj4Follow this advise and you'll only have to buy once