I received three packets today, this cheapo http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/220894394485?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649 and two different three mode Sipik 68 clones, one each from topicshop and ntxmas. The cheapy is to use the tube as an extension for the 68s so as to run them on 2 X AA; there's a thread about this somewhere. But it was the three mode 'Sipiks' that I was excited about, and they're quite different to each other. Hmm..
To begin with, one of them is unbranded. I would say it's almost certainly the exact same model as Dimlux has reviewed above; it matches the pictures and description precisely, right down to the awol O ring at the bezel. I like it a lot, though you're right about the thinner tail boot Dimlux. Luckily I was able to swap the tailcap with one from a single mode; works perfectly and feels much nicer now. I'm slightly disconcerted by the absence of any logo, but so far no issues. I'll give it a proper test run as soon as I have time.
I would order several more of these right now, but there's a problem.. The other model that came today is different from the unbranded one and also from its single mode siblings, and I don't like it as much. This one is branded 'Ultrafire', like all my single mode versions bought from 365digital, (although the logo is slightly different) and the difficulty is that I don't know which torch came from which seller! I added a note specifically asking both to enclose the company name just in case something like this happened and (of course) neither seller did this. Sigh. The packets are the grey polythene type rather than yellow padded envelopes and there is nothing on either to enlighten me. One is stamped Hong Kong, the other Singapore; strange since the Paypal recipient is the same name for both, but this discrepancy doesn't help since both Ebay sites state that the item location is Hong Kong..
As to the differences, for a start, the Ultrafire version only just tailstands, but it leans at a perilous angle because the boot protrudes (I hate this). And I can't swap this one with a tailcap from a single mode 68 because the UF tube diameter is slightly wider than all the others. The switch mechanism is buried beneath a hard plastic bung, so doing the O ring tailstand mod would be difficult. The switch itself is also slightly less pleasant to use; stiffer in operation, but with the same flimsier, slightly squishy boot that came with the unbranded one. Despite this, I must add that the tail ring does screw in more smoothly than on the single mode versions.
What else? Well, the lens diameter of the three mode Ultrafire appears the same as the single modes, i.e. not quite as wide as the unbranded three mode. The bezel ring is a bit thinner on the non-brand, perhaps to accomodate this extra couple of mm of lens, which makes it feel less robustly built. With both three mode lights, unlike the single mode, the lenses are not fixed to the bezels, which makes it more likely that you'll lose a lens if you want to use mule mode. Also harder to keep fingerprints off. I may try to do some glueing here, if someone can tell me which type of glue to use. The UF has an O ring at the bezel where 'Brand X' doesn't, and, interestingly, the UF 3 mode is the only one out of all my Sipik clones that carries the Cree logo, although like the 'UltraFire' logo, it looks slightly different here; fainter, and with the diamond composed of tight, thin white lines rather than solid white.
Both 3 modes seem to work fine with comparable output on AA in high (haven't tried 14500 yet) although Brand X seems to have a slight edge. This may be because its tint is decidedly cooler; the UF looks almost golden in comparison. Also it zooms a bit tighter and sharper, which adds to an impression of greater brightness. In low mode, however, the UF is noticeably lower than the unbranded version, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. All three models (single mode and both 3 modes) have a slightly different feel to the zoom action with the unbranded being marginally nicer than the UF 3 mode, which in turn is just a bit smoother and tighter than the single mode.
Has anyone else bought from either of these two Ebay outlets? I'd sell my soul to the devil to know which of them supplied the unbranded light, although I guess there's no guarantee that both ntxmas and Topicshop don't sell both models; it could be just pot luck which they send. And to be fair, unless you hate wobbly tailstand as much as I do, the UF torch doesn't seem a bad purchase. A final word on the cheapy extension tube torch: it fits the unbranded 3 mode perfectly, but not the UF version due to the latter's wider bore tube. It's also nowhere near as badly made as I was expecting for the price, just don't expect Romisen quality or output..