A flashlight to rule all other flashlights

I don't know, it must be a geek thing, but I can't ever visit a hardware store, warehouse store, etc without making a trip to the isle that has all the flashlights. I'll carefully study any new flashlight's packaging (its claims) and if possible try out the flashlight if they are packaged in such a way for you to do that.

A few weeks ago I was at Lowes and I came across the Coast LED Lenser V2 Tactical Power Chip Flashlight and the Coast TAC Torch V2 Dual Color LED Flashlight (apparently not available on Lowes website.) Both are small and compact and use AAA batteries as their power source and include two sets of batteries. Each also includes a nylon belt case, lanyard, and a carabiner clip.

The Dual model was about $13 less and appeared to be about 60% as bright as the Tactical version. But the Dual model features 6 white LED lights and also a single red LED, which is to be used when you don't want to blind yourself with white light. I opted to purchase it since it costed less and it seemed to have more bang for the buck. After a few weeks of use I still have to say that its a great little flashlight; designed very well and is built tough. Its also very bright for its size and it doesn't go through batteries fast.

On the other hand the geek in me just couldn't stop thinking about the Tactical version. When I tried it at Lowes it literally blinded me...I saw a round sun like spot whenever I closed my eyes for a few days! When Coast says not to look directly in the light they bloody mean it!! I've seen similar warnings before on other flashlights' packaging and never saw one that was so bright the warning was justified...until now. So on my last trip to Lowes I just couldn't resist it despite its high price tag.

While the Tactical model only has one LED it is super bright and is surrounded by a very highly polished reflector that tightly focuses its light. The LED light is a much purer white light when compared with all Xenon or halogen lights and is much brighter than most I encountered, none of which are as small. By bright I mean, its like a car's high beams! It is amazing.

If you don't have a Lowes near you, both are available on Amazon at varying prices from various third party resellers:
Coast LED Lenser V2 Tactical Power Chip Flashlight
Coast LED Lenser V2 Tactical Power Chip Flashlight
Coast LED Lenser V2 Tactical Power Chip Flashlight
Coast LED Lenser V2 Tactical Power Chip Flashlight
Coast LED Lenser V2 Tactical Power Chip Flashlight
Coast TAC Torch V2 Dual Color LED Flashlight