Posted: 5/4/2017 10:45:54 PM EDT
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Do we have a flashlight forum?
I've been over to candlepowerforum, but not finding what I'm looking for. I want a 18650 powered light that gives the most bang for the buck. I don't care about different brightness modes, or strobe, or SOS. I just want crazy bright at the push of a button. I bought one on Amazon for a few dollars that was advertised as having a billion lumens, but later found that the LED and drivers couldn't possibly be overdriven past 300 lumens. I just ordered a Fenix PD32 2016 because it had good reviews, but it seems there should be something better. What do YOU recommend? As in, if you broke your favorite flashlight, what would you replace it with? |
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Check out zebralight.Â
Their various models are sorted by battery type. I have a headlamp and the hi output flashlight. Both use 18650's and they are great!! Very small too. A good bit shorter than the fenix you bought. (I have a couple of those also) i forgot to say. These can be programmed otherwise, but come on at crazy bright when turned on. |
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Someone posted a link to this one a while back on ARFCOM and I bought it. Very happy with it. Lots of bang for your buck. Seriously.
Amazon Flashlight |
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I have a PD35 tac that I really like. Ive only used the CR123 or whatever batteries with it. There is one other type of battery the manual says I can use, but I havent gotten to it yet.
eta my only complaint with it is the button to change the brightness is smooth and low profile and really hard to feel. |
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I really like the Eagletac D25LC2 Clicky. I have been using one for years. It is a little less bright than some of the other single 18650 lights, but only by 100-200 lumens. It is not noticeably less bright to the eye.
It is a little shorter than something like the Nitecore P12, which makes a big difference when it rides in a pocket. I like the clicky tail cap because you always know where to turn the light on, instead of struggling to find a side switch like on an Olight S30. The ability to tail stand the light, despite the tail cap switch is nice. It does have the modes, but you can leave it on high with the head twisted tight and it will stay on high when you turn it back on. If you want to turn it in on in low you can just turn the head slightly before you hit the switch and you won't lose your night vision as much. It does also have the ability to cycle low, medium, and high modes with half presses on the switch, but you can completely ignore that and use the head turn function if you only desire high. That being said, there is nothing wrong with the light you just bought. |
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Quoted:
Someone posted a link to this one a while back on ARFCOM and I bought it. Very happy with it. Lots of bang for your buck. Seriously. Amazon Flashlight I'm looking at the other suggestions too. |
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The most bang for the buck in 18650 lights are probably the Convoy line, since they're easily configured with various output board currents, come in a lot of sizes and colors and have a choice from a plethora of tints.
All for under $25 and they're well put together, not UltraFire melted beer cans and paper clips inside. Zebralight SC600w Mk III with XHP 35 emitter, if you want a killer U.I. and a bright freakin' light that fits in one's pocket, easily. Chris |
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Are you asking for our favorite light or whats the brightest money can buy?
Personally, the brightest I've ever handled was this: http://www.batteryjunction.com/olight-x7-kit.html |
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Are you asking for our favorite light or whats the brightest money can buy? Personally, the brightest I've ever handled was this: http://www.batteryjunction.com/olight-x7-kit.html Attached File Noctigon M43 |
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It's really hard to beat this one.
Yes that website is banggood.com...  It's legit.
I have four of them. BLF A6 XPL 1600Lumens 7/4modes EDC LED Flashlight 18650 $18.95 currently. Not only that, I never thought a 10 minute review of a flashlight would have me laughing:  Flashlight Review: BLF A6 Astrolux S1 (1200+ Lumens) Budget $30 LED Torch (Brightest EDC size 2016) You can also buy a shorter body barrel and use a smaller battery (with less run time) that makes it VERY compact to carry. Not that the normal one is large by any means. Comes in 3 color temps. I recommend the coolest (bluest), but that's a personal preference. If you're looking about budget lights, funny enough there's a forum for that.. |
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Zebralight SC600
I have three of the Mark 2s, and it looks like the Mark 3 is even brighter. Handy little flashlight. Also doubles as a handwarmer if you leave it on high for a few minutes. |
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Zebralight SC600 I have three of the Mark 2s, and it looks like the Mark 3 is even brighter. Handy little flashlight. Also doubles as a handwarmer if you leave it on high for a few minutes. A 1500LM wall of flood in a small package, for sure, but one isn't going to use two CR123As in the ZL SC600 XXX lights and one needs pick a 10A 18650 cell to use in the above light (and perhaps your own Mk. IIs?) so people need to read the instructions, stickers and be into lithium-ion high current cells. Chris |
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Zebralight SC600 I have three of the Mark 2s, and it looks like the Mark 3 is even brighter. Handy little flashlight. Also doubles as a handwarmer if you leave it on high for a few minutes. ETA - you need a high quality battery or turbo mode kicks out in less than a second. |
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Quoted:
Are you asking for our favorite light or whats the brightest money can buy? Personally, the brightest I've ever handled was this: http://www.batteryjunction.com/olight-x7-kit.html |
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When you get a Proper Flashlight, you will be wishing there was a "dim" mode.
What do you have in mind for brightness? Portable sun to Plastic Ray-O-Vac C cell halloween kids light? If you are going to use it to look at stuff feet away, stay under 500-ish lumens or you'll go blind, if your looking at stuff yards away, then it changes to field of illumination and distance of clear brightness desired. |
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I ordered one of these just to see what they are like.
Can't beat them for the price. |
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I ordered one of these just to see what they are like. Can't beat them for the price. Quoted:
Can't beat them for the price. I have a basic S2 with 2.8A driver board (highest output) and warm LED, I have an S2+ with 2.8A driver board and a neutral white LED, I have a custom S2+ triple XP-L HI with white emitters, an M1, an M2 and their C8 patterns and they're all, but for the custom jobbie, under $24. They don't run on CR123As and the custom needs a high drain 18350/18650s, but if you're into li-ions and you should be, you can buy an 18350 body and shorten the light up substantially, at the sake of runtime. I use the custom blaster with an 18350 and for around town, it's the cat's meow. You can even buy SS pocket clips for them, for $2 and go that route, from places like Mountain Electronics. Good luck. Chris |
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Another vote for Mountain Electronics.
Fast shipping and a US vendor, you will get your order in a few days instead of a few months like some of the Chinese companies. Plus you can make requests for custom firmware and software . MTN |
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I own this one. It's bright.
http://www.batteryjunction.com/nitecore-tm06.html |
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http://www.gopjn.com/t/2-215656-43737-137077?sid=j2cbg58syh00zk8a02lk7&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tractorsupply.com%2Ftsc%2Fproduct%2Fjobsmart-tac-360-led-weapon-light%3Fcm_vc%3D-10005
$25 at tractor supply. Comes with 2 tailcaps, pushbutton and remote pressure switch. Rail mount included. |
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The first 18650 flashlight I bought off Amazon was a USB rechargeable Vansky.
I bought two of them and gave one to a coworker. He used his over the weekend while chemically cleaning a piece of equipment. He got his gloves wet with chemical, while holding the light. Glad it was only $18. 
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It is hard to take photos to compare light beams/intensities because the camera compensates.
So I'll just say that the $18 Vansky, the $17 ThorFire C8s, and the $63 Fenix PD32 all have similar brightness. Instead of a round beam, the Vansky projects a horrible image of the LED element, but at least it is bright. When adjusted for more flood, it smooths out and isn't too bad. (slide focus) The ThorFire has a bright center spot, but the light has a much larger head than the others. The Fenix is the best of both, at three times the price. The Convoy S2+ that was suggested... only slightly smaller than the Vansky, but much dimmer. |
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Quoted:
Are you asking for our favorite light or whats the brightest money can buy? Personally, the brightest I've ever handled was this: http://www.batteryjunction.com/olight-x7-kit.html |