If you’ve been shopping for a good LED flashlight, you’ve probably realized how expensive some brands are. Not everyone can afford to spend 100’s of dollars on a flashlight and even if they could afford it, they might not want to. Duracell, the same folks that bring you the copper top battery, have introduced a new LED flashlight called the Daylite. Priced less than $35, let’s see if it’s worthy…
Flashlight Specifications
Light type: High powered LED from Seoul Semiconductor
Bulb: 4 watt 160 lumens LED
Lens: Polycarbonate
Reflector: TrueBeam Optics
Beam type: Spot to flood
Case type: Aluminum
Powered by: 2 CR123 batteries included
Water resistant?: Yes
Size: 5.75 x 1.44 in
Weight (with batteries): 4oz
Package Contents
Flashlight
2 CR123 batteries
The Daylite LED flashlight is available in 3 types. One that is powered by 2 AA batteries, one that is powered by 3 AAA batteries and one powered by 2 CR123 batteries.
I was sent the CR123 version of the Daylite. Besides the difference in battery power, it is also more powerful than the other two, with more watts and lumens.
The body of the flashlight is made of aluminum with a crosshatch grip on the barrel and head. In hand it has a nice balance and weight that makes it feel relatively rugged.
The Daylite is styled after a Duracell battery and has a familiar copper top. This is actually the battery compartment cap, that unscrews so that you can load 2 CR123 batteries into the barrel. There’s a small lanyard strap hole in the cap, but a lanyard is not included in the package.
The end of the cap is recessed and holds a rubber power switch, which is stiff, but not too hard to press.
On the opposite end is the lens and reflector head.
You can twist the head to focus the light beam from a spotlight to a floodlight. Six settings are silk-screened on the barrel.
Here is a picture of my office with no lights on, at night, with the door closed. You can barely make out the glowing LEDs from some of my electronics and my 24″ iMac’s screensaver. I’m standing in the corner of the room focusing on the opposite corner approximately 16 feet away.
Now let’s power on the Daylite and see what it can do…
This is what the beam looks like with the lens head turned all the way to the left to the spotlight beam at setting #1.
Here it is turned to setting #2.
Here it is turned to setting #3.
Here it is turned to setting #4.
Here it is turned to setting #5.
Here it is turned to setting #6; all the way to the floodlight beam. As you can see, there really doesn’t appear to be that much of a difference in the range of settings. Regardless to the setting, the light beam that the Daylite throws is pretty wide. Indoors, it throws a beam that can light up a good portion of a small room.
I also tested this flashlight outdoors.
Here is a picture pointed out at my backyard, with no flash.
Now here it is with the Daylite turned to setting #1 for spotlight.
Here it is with the Daylite turned all the way to setting #6 for floodlight. Again, not much difference between the two extreme settings. At least I really can’t tell much of a difference…
All in all, I would say that the Duracell Daylite LED flashlight makes a good general use inexpensive LED flashlight. I’d probably be more likely to use it indoors rather than outdoors though. I think it works better for navigating rooms in the dark, than for wandering around in the woods at night. For outdoors use, I prefer a flashlight that has a more powerful true spotlight mode – like the LED Lenser P7. Of course the P7 costs almost 3.5 times as much as the Daylite… The Daylite is a worthy flashlight for budget minded people.
Product Information
| Price: | 34.99 |
| Manufacturer: | Duracell |
| Pros: |
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| Cons: |
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Julie,
I have a Maglite mini, and love it. Have you seen the Maglite mini LED?
Tyler:
No, I’ve not seen one yet. I’ll have to try.
Sticker Shock Alert!
While this is a nice and useful LED flashlight, you must know that a pair of CR123 batteries, which this flashlight needs, cost an average of $5 EACH!
And I don’t know how long these expensive batteries will last over cheaper AA, and easier available, batteries.
BTW, where can you get a lanyard for this flashlight?
Thank you for reading.
RJ
How long do the batteries last in the light before you have to replace the battery?
I was looking for a good floody light for outside use, so I picked up one of these. I got the 2 C-battery version at Rite-Aid, and I’m very happy with this light.
I like a good floody light for walking at night. From what I can tell, adjusting the light from flood to spot gives me about 20 to 40 more yards of visible light (yes this light is that bright). But at 10-20 yards I like to keep it on flood.
My only complaint is that the 2C version is awkward to hold onto. It’s design would be fine for AA and Cr123’s but when you get into the 2C and 2D versions it feels odd in the hand.
As a patrolman I wouldn’t be looking to use this light as a weapon, I have lights that make much better kubotans, but this light is so brutally bright, just shining it on a person at night would leave them blinded.
For lights available at bricks-and-mortar retail stores, this is easily one of the brightest. Most retail lights have no where near the lumens they claim, but this one does. Off the top of my head, I can only think of two other lights that compare… the lowes Task Force 60x, and the Dorcy 220 lumen rechargeable…. both of those lights are all throw with little flood.
If you want a floody light, that is very bright, this is the one for you. Grab the 2C version if you can find it. CR123s cost waaaaay too much!
Fro the CR123 batteries, go to Surefire’s website. Usually you can get a box of 20 batteries for a very inexpensive price. I use them and they hold up just as long as the Duracell brand. The CR123’s are geared more for shelf life than operating life. But they are handy.
just bought one yesterday afternoon at radio shack.
i have the 2AA Cell model and it is very dark in my house right now, but my new Daylite is lighting up the room so i can see my computer keyboard, but not disturbing others who are sleeping. 3 Watss and 80 Lumens can’t be beat for under $15 dollars after sales tax.
i would also like to get the 2C Cell model if I can find it at a fair price.
How do I open it to change battery?
I have 5 of the c cell one’s in thy lite up the outside of my work shop abought 150 feet from my house
It looks like Duracell is phasing these out so, if you can find one for cheap (some Big Lots stores have them for $10), despite the flaws (mainly the high-price, short-lived CR123 batteries), it would be an okay buy. I use mine as a bicycle light and for that use, it works out great (although I haven’t had it used it for very long so don’t know how long the batteries will last).
Where is it made? If it is from China, I am not interested.
I bought this flashlight but after batteries ran out I am not able to figure out how to replace the batteries. Can someone help how to open it to replace the batteries? Does the front section open or the back golden colored ring?
I bought several Duracell 300 mini flashlights. Sometimes they work and sometimes they don’t. I was just replaced the 4 batteries with 4 new Duracell AAA batteries, and it didn’t work. So I doubled checked that the + and – poles were correct, and it still didn’t work. Checked over every part, and everything seemed in order, but still does not work. This is not the first time this has happened. And I also noticed that the batteries don’t seem to last that long–certainly not as long as the long 2 A batteries of the old long flashlights.
I’m in the same boat as two other posters – I can’t open the copper top end to change the batteries. I’ve used grips and pliers and NOTHING works. It’s like someone super glued it shut. Going to have to trash it if I can’t open it.
I have the three AAA battery type. It will no longer light up, even with new batteries. Should I just throw it out or are there other parts that are worth replacing?
Thank you. Carol