Why I Ditched the CR123 Batteries
As you can imagine, I am quite the avid flashlight fanatic. I enjoy looking up the cool new flashlights that come out from the major brands and what new features they have to offer. Despite all the hype over 18650 batteries I always chose the CR123 batteries. I honestly didn’t use my flashlight often enough that I could justify to myself to spend $10+ on a rechargeable battery plus the cost of the charger. I would use them when it was convenient and to occasionally whip it out and impress (or temporarily blind) my friends. When CR123 batteries were less than $2 each, lasted a good amount of time, and did the job, I didn’t see a reason to purchase a more expensive battery and charger. However, my mind broadened after a camping trip with some friends.
We all brought flashlights and I made sure to pack enough CR123s to last me through the whole trip. I went a little crazy and probably brought more flashlights than necessary which meant more batteries. One of my friends used an 18650 battery in his flashlight and after the camping trip I completely understood why. I was continually switching out batteries and had to keep carrying the batteries that had run out. By the time I got home from the company trip, I had to throw away quite a few of my CR123s that had run out of juice. I felt pretty terrible about throwing away that large of an amount. When I threw away one or two I felt a little bad, but always justified it. This time I couldn’t, though. For the camping trip, I couldn’t deny that buying 18650 batteries and a charger would have been more cost effective and energy efficient than my CR123s.
So, I bought a few 18650 batteries and a charger and haven’t gone back! I’m amazed by how much power these batteries can provide and how long they last. I no longer have to worry about continually buying more CR123s or throwing away toxic waste. Of course, I still keep some CR123s in my EDC bag. They are still good and reliable batteries and come in handy when I can’t charge my 18650 battery. The greatest part is that I no longer have to pack my camping bag with a ton of CR123 batteries when my friends and I take a weekend trip!