Costco Auburn NSW 29.99 for two of these super bright flashlight. Good built, aluminum.
$35 USD on amazon
3 modes, low high strobe
Zoom lens
http://www.amazon.com/Duracell-Durabeam-Intensity-Tactical-F…
Disclaimer: I do not own the picture on link
Here's the Costco USA link (note they sell it in a 4 pack which is not available in Australia): http://www.costco.com/Duracell%C2%AE-Durabeam-Ultra%E2%84%A2…
The reviews tab at that link suggests it's an awesome torch.
The light on this thing is ridiculous and it is not Lithium powered. It is brighter but not as lethal as the 3D maglite deal from CoTD.
How do these compare with the $5 cree lights for brightness?
Cree is like your low beam. This is like your high beam. Big difference.
Cree is a manufacturer, like Holden or Billabong, not a model or design. The link in the post below has a list of Cree chips. I doubt highly that these Duracells out perform the Li Ion torches out there (using 18650's etc) and plenty of sub $5 lights run 18650's. But it will likely be better than most of the AA, or AAA cheap Cree torches. All the supermarket battery style have the same 1.5v, these C cells will have better run times than the AA/AAA. (AA/AAA C D are all 1.5v, most (if not all) Li Ion torches are 3.7v)
Modifications excluded.
To answer the original Q. Hard to say. Depends on the reflectors (size, clarity) and the type of led used. But claims of lumens are generally overstated. Very few manufacturers use practical meaningful numbers. But its probably a safe bet it will be pretty bright. skysky seems to think so.
These Duracell flashlights have a CREE LED in them as well. Most likely it's an XM-L.
I have purchased a few of the cheap Crees that have been advertised on Ozbargain. I have also purchased this Duracell flashlight from Costco. It was asked which is brighter. This duracell is brighter hands down. I have compared both side by side.
No-one is saying that its not brighter than a $5 light that has a Cree XR-E LED in it (which most of the really cheap ones do). What's being said is that it is incorrect to characterize Cree as a low power flashlight, because 1) as above, Cree make LEDs, not flashlights and 2) Cree make some exceptionally powerful LEDs which when driven correctly would leave even this Duracell flashlight in the dust (which again also uses a Cree LED anyway).
I was only making a comparison with the cheap $5 Cree deals that have appeared on Ozbargain from time to time. I was not referring to the Cree brand as a whole.
I was not referring to the Cree brand as a whole.
Whether you meant to or not, it was clearly implied as a consequence of the wording you chose. So a correction was indeed warranted.
Quite right. However I do not see many $15 flashlights beating this in output or build quality
Theres literally hundreds if not thousands of led torches running 18650 Li ions for under $15. Of those hundreds if not thousands, those running the likes of a Cree XML or XPG will kick this thing sideways, even if it runs the same Cree led in it. The Li Ions drive them at 4.2v (compared to 1.5) and can push far more amps into the chip to get magnitudes more from it. I only paid $30 for a 26650 DQG torch, running triple XPG leds fitted into optics, not a simple reflector. $2 more and I made it into a pipe bomb with an extension for a second 26650.
Build quality at sub $15? Ill probably give you that one as I havent seen the Duracell but some of the cheap Li ions are as good as any non specialist made light in quality. You can pay as much as $400 for a specialist handmade torch. Now they have build quality.
A cheap cree Q5 is around 250 lumens on a full 4.5v Li batt on a good day. If it has a good driver which it would probably not.
These things are awesome. I bought 2 sets when they were on $5 off before christmas.
Sadly I dont have a costco near me so I wouldnt get anything out of the membership fee, otherwise Id buy one of these just to compare it to my LED Maglite. That and I like buying torches.
Should put the price in the title :)