Imalent DN12 for $30.99 from Amazon. I once carried the DX25C, however it did not have USB charging and it ran out of battery when I needed it.
USB charging on the flashlight itself so it can be kept full is a must on these RCR123 XPL-HI rockets. They are a one-shot use light between charges. So easy USB charging is a must.
I don’t have any of the mentioned lights, so I will have to go with the Convoy S2+ with XP-L Hi.
Not crazy output or throw, but it’s performance is great and it’s price is even greater.
A pocket rocket could have been anything until recently, now it simply is the Emisar D4, it is small with a 18650 battery, but with short tube and an Aspire 18350 battery it is even smaller. Everything is good about this light, but can you believe that this little thing below puts out 4000+ lumen? (it does, on a 18350 battery, I measured it, for 14 seconds and then it automatically steps down to prevent overheating).
(ok, I cheated a bit, I put in Luxeon V leds, but with XP-L Hi leds it is still well over 3000lm on an Aspire cell)
They are both direct drive quads but everything is better designed and built in the D4 (it is way brighter too) and the user interface is a few generations newer and really a few steps better. Just one example: the D4 has a great thermoregulation so can have its great output without destroying itself.
Everything except the negative contact of the driver and tailcap MCPCB made without tightening rings but directly on the MCPCB trace. It’s the cheapest and least durable type of contact.
My favorites are the Emisar D4 and Astrolux S41.
What I like about this primitive design of tightening directly on the trace is that if you are concerned about wear, you can just apply a thin layer (or a few dots) of solder on the trace that takes years to wear, and if it is eventually gone just re-apply for the next 10 years.
Isn’t this a design choice? Wouldn’t retaining rings add total length to the design? And although I do enjoy a durable design, one can question how long it will take to completely wear the traces. If you look at the original Skyray King, then the button top cells would even rub against the positive trace when tightening the battery tube. You don’t even have that kind of wear sensitive action in the D4.
If it works, don’t fix it and it seems to work fine in the D4, and when the trace is almost gone (in 1 year, or 5, or 100, who knows?) you can still add some solder.
You are right, that still is a great pocket rocket, especially now it can be upgraded with an Aspire 18350 battery!
I still build lights with the BLF-A6 driver because it is an affordable well-proven well-working driver with a fine user interface. It works good with a lighted tail as well (unlike the BLF X6/X5 driver)