One of the first things on my list is finding the right flashlight for the job. I've done enough research to realize those crank flashlights are about as worthless as a cow pie and would never trust one with my life. There are too many reports of the crank breaking, winding them too much and breaking them, winding them not enough, the built in batteries going bad, etc. etc. A company called NightStar does make a better solution to the crank flashlights where a magnet is placed in a cylinder and as you shake it, the magnet passes through a coil and charges a capacitor. This is good because there are no battery cells to go bad, and they're pretty indestructible. Here's what one looks like:
I'm pretty sure you can buy these at your local Target and they can be found online for around $30 like from here. While this would be a good "final resort" candle (the true flashlight addicts refer to them as 'candles'), I think I have a better solution.
The main pitfall of NightStars is 1) you have to shake them, and 2) they are about as bright as the moon. Please direct your attention to this little gem:
The Fenix E01 is my choice for emergency flashlights for several reasons. First, this little guy runs on a single AAA battery and will net you 21 hours of use (11 full power, 10 hours of dimmer light). One little AAA battery gets you that much candle light! Second, these guys are nearly indestructible, are 100% water proof, and can easily fit in your pocket, be hung around your neck, or securely packed away with minimal space and weight. The third reason I love these things is they are far brighter than any crank or NightLight and are dirt cheap! If you click on this link, you'll see they run $15 a piece and come in a variety of colors. That price includes shipping so no worries about getting nailed with outrageous shipping costs (that's a whole other blog entry for another day).
Now before you go out and order 4 of these babies like I did (got one in black, olive, blue, and purple), I need to inform you of your battery choice. Since the purpose of these lights are for long term storage, do not, I repeat, do NOT put some run-of-the-mill alkaline AAA in one of these things. Alkaline batteries (these are your normal Duracell and Energizer) will leak after a year or so and becomes a pain to switch them out in order to avoid ruining the light. Instead of alkaline, buy lithium batteries like these Energizers (4th one down on the list). Lithiums will store a lot longer (my vehicle has a single AA flashlight that has 4 years on the same lithium battery; remember that's 4 AZ summers), give you a brighter light, and can power your light longer than an alkaline. Keep a few of these in your 72 hour bag and you'll have more than enough light to suit your needs.
I hope this has helped you learn a thing or two about flashlights. For $15 a piece, you should not only have one in your kits, but also have one in every car that you own.
