The DIY2AA-B sells for $15, and is one of Rayovac's products in their "industrial grade" line, and the package sports the word "INDESTRUCTIBLE." Both words are meaningless, so let's look at some objective specs:
This is a dual-mode impact- and water-resistant LED handheld weighing in at 5.28 ounces, and is about 6.5" long and 1.5" in diameter (at the torch end). The light is activated only from a thumb pad, which also toggles between three settings: click the first time for a 100 lumen beam which will last for 15 hours, click the second time for an 18 lumen beam which will last for 35 hours, and click the third time to turn the light off. You also have momentary-on and toggle by softly depressing the thumb pad and stopping before the click. There is no beam intensity memory. Any errant review you read of a strobe feature is incorrect for this model, but may apply to a different one. The soft rubber thumb pad is lightly stippled for a slightly less slippery surface, and its use produces a satisfying click.
I do not have a light meter, so I cannot verify the manufacturer's lumen rating for either setting. However, I have some subjective tests. I turned on the light on 'high' mode in a closet, and it hurt my eyes. I turned it to 'low' and it was bright enough for full illumination of the small closet and good enough for reading. It illuminated my dark 2-car garage better than my Surefire G2 (120 lumens). And it throws across a yard far better than my bulky Streamlight 3C (50 lumens at more than double the weight and a far larger body).
It's 30-foot drop tested, due mainly I presume to the hard rubber permanently affixed to each end. The water-resistance rating is IPX4, which means you'd be advised not to drop it in a shallow puddle and let it rest there, but you can have it rest on the street for 5 minutes in the horrible driving rain and you'll be just fine. It also comes with a lifetime manufacturer's warranty from defects, and I've read their customer service is quick to replace defective goods without a receipt. I also found out after the purchase that CandlePowerForums like these pretty well, too.
In the hand, it feels like a beast, especially compared to the 2AA Mini Maglite I'm used to. It has real heft to it without being heavy.
I bought it for under $15 at the big orange box, and it comes with two batteries - which I admit are the low point of this purchase. Rayovac batteries are, according to reviews, still hammered shit. However, are they going to explode? No. Use them until they burn out, and then replace them with your favorite national brand!
So, why did I buy this light, what do I intend on using it for, and what would it not be good for?
I bought this flashlight after much fruitless searching because I needed a set of 4 flashlights for natural disasters and power outages in the moderate climate of inland southern California. I wanted to standardize the flashlights for the people in my home. I wanted the kind of light you use when the bulb goes out in the garage, or you grab when you need to re-set a breaker outside in the middle of the night, when you hear a noise in the house at night... that sort of thing. I needed it to be usable one-handed by a 10-year old girl (my daughter). And I wanted to take a step up from a Mini Maglite. And how much did all this set me back? $15, including tax.
I would not take this light on a backpacking trip (too heavy), I would not trust my life to it for military or law enforcement work (though it would make a good 'trunk-only light' for a cop), and I wouldn't use this light if you'll probably drop it in puddles due to your climate. But none of that's me, and to have a high-quality budget item, well-reviewed, for $15? It's a no-brainer for me. I'll be buying more.
