Surefire or Streamlight. 200+ lumens, prefer strobe capability.
As for cost, you need to look at it as for any piece of gear that you’re using when you’re putting your life on the line - you look for quality, durability, company reputation, made in USA, etc.
The bottom line is: how much is your life “worth” to you?
Are you going to trust your life with a “proven” tactical light, or are you going to carry the 3-pack of flashlights you can buy from Costco for $20?
—Are you going to trust your life with a “proven” tactical light, or are you going to carry the 3-pack of flashlights you can buy from Costco for $20?—
I bought the old three pack of these a couple of years ago. They were slightly larger and, I believe, only about 100 lumens. They had a serious flaw: They would suddenly stop working, even with fresh batteries, and I’d have to unscrew, twist the batteries in place and retighten. It was a major pain and, as you say, I could not trust them.
So far, one of the reasons I love the new ones is that that problem has completely vanished. I love these things and use them all the time and they have simply NEVER let me down.
Frankly, because of the low battery use, I use them a lot more than I ever used my old flashlight. I’d trust my life to these. Yes. At any price.