slim 1x14500 lights that use optics? (MOVED to main 1x14500 forum)

I've been trying different x14500 lights to be a shirtpocket thrower. It must be 24mm or slimmer. Among lights that use a reflector, the winner (for now) is the XTAR WK26 (23mm). What about these zoomable lights on eBay? Might any of them outthrow the WK26 on an 14500 cell?


saik sa-502
What do you think? Can any of these outthrow the XTAR WK26?
What about these three reflectored 1x14500 lights?
  • Dereelight CH2 XPE-R3 or R4, smooth reflector (23mm)?
  • Tiablo TL1 (23mm)?
  • Nitecore NDI (20mm)?
  • Olight i15 (23mm)?

The last two are crap, but I have no experience with the others.

Most versions of the Sipik SK-68 are driven hard (Manafont version anyway). I don’t think you will beat that in that form for throw.
If you want a fixed version you can do as I did and buy any one of the Sipik light and take the aspheric out and put it in an Ultrafire BJO8A which can use a 14500.
It’s not driven as hard as the SK-68 however but it is a nice light with the aspheric. If you like forward switches it can take a forward switch easily from Shiningbeam (which is what I did as well).
Basically, I was looking for a slim pocket thrower (throw being relative to that size) to use along with a floody headlamp.
I wouldn’t get any of those versions on ebay that you’ve listed that look like the last one or two. They are knock-offs of the Sipik SK-58 and 78 and in general aren’t made very well.

With a 14500 the TomTop sipik sk68 clone I got throws pretty well actually. I was impressed. With a trustfire flame 14500 it pulls 1.85A at the tailcap. Being such a small light, it does warm up pretty quickly though. The flood mode is nice as well.

Thanks, Chicago X and gcbryan, for sparing me from buying the latter two lights. I still need someone to talk me out of--or into--buying the first two.

gcbryan, I'm intrigued by your thread explaining how you modded the Ultrafire BJO8A. Unfortunately, for me, that light, like the Jetbeam Jet-1 Pro, measures 25mm at the bezel and the body...a bit too wide to live my shirtpocket.

At 26mm, the SIPIK is too wide. I've seen clones that claim to be just 24mm, but for my shirtpocket, my upper limit. Maybe I'll try one of those.

If you can catch a sale for $6 shipped, its worth a look, even if its not for your intended purpose.

I just noticed, in the eBay listing, that the first light shown above is too wide; its bezels measures 40mm (1.57 inches). With three candidates eliminated, only one candidate remains: the 300LM Adjustable Focus Zoom CREE LED Flashlight Torch. At just $10 shipped, maybe I'll try it.

I can't fathom a shirt pocket light without a clip. Unless all your shirt pockets have a buttoned flap over them I imagine that light will be hitting the floor every other time you bend over. I can't keep a damn thing in my shirt pocket unless it's clipped there.

I should clarify: The light shares a shirtpocket with my Blackberry. The Blackberry uses a week-long battery that makes the phone about 23mm thick. There's just enough room for the phone and a 23mm light. In fact, without the light, the phone used to fall out!

I also should reveal why I want a shirtpocket thrower: So that when I'm walking downtown in the evening, I can quickly signal a driver that his headlights are off, or signal such a driver emerging from, say, a parking lot as I'm sitting at a red light.

That's also why I want the light to be on the long side--at least 105mm: Any shorter, and it takes too long to free it from my pocket when it's wedged against the Blackberry. That's why I may try the Tiablo TL1; at 115mm, it's one of the longest slim lights.

Recently the strobe mode returned on my XTAR WK26, and I think I'll keep it, as long as the XTAR serves this signaling role. A strobe is more likely to be noticed by a driver's peripheral vision.

I think he means it .. He's said it before ..

the saik sa-20 looks tempting but truth be told I know what it means ..bad tint odd artifacts ringy,bad threads ,lame tailcap , no modes ,bad pwm if you did have modes ...etc ..

Sounds like it's better to buy a sipik58 or a body you like and mod it