Small 18650 budget light?

I highly recommend the Utorch Ut-01. with a 14500 battery, itā€™s around 800 lumens and will run on AA batteries at around 400 lumens. With a coupon code you can get it for $10!
Second, if you wanted an 18650 light, the Jetbeam E40 is pretty small and light. Itā€™s 1100 lumens and cost with a code is $36.

Yup, that is the smallest/shortest 18650 light I know, and even then, while I did use to walk with it attached to the brim of my hat, you can definitely feel its weight, which makes it problematic.

Nowadays I walk around with either UT-01 or OTR M3.

Why donā€™t you fix your light?
Replace the driver and emitter?
If there may come a time I canā€™t order a new Convoy S2+ Iā€™l fix it :).

Astrolux E02 should do you good. $21.53 at FastTech.

https://www.fasttech.com/product/7028901-astrolux-e02-led-flashlight

The lightest 18650 light that I own is skillhunt h03 (angle light).

No chance of talking you into an actual headlight? Not to crow about it again, but the RJ02 is dirt-cheap, you can replace the TIRs from spotlight to wide-angle in a minute or less, and it gets pretty good runtime.

With a 60Ā° TIR, itā€™s perfect for me, niceā€™nā€™floody.

Plus, you can swivel it up/down with those nice rubbery rings (ie, no discrete hinge that can break oh so easily) so you donā€™t have to constantly crane your head in the preferred direction.

Just today a thread has started about a new light that fits your requirement, the Ultratac S20

The way the clip is placed, when you reverse it, I think it will make it difficult to carry on the brim of a hat. It will be sticking pretty far out, thus making its weight more noticeable.

After considering the possibilities, I think Iā€™ll look for a good price for the On The Road M6. It is remarkably similar to my old light with almost twice the lumens. At the same time, Iā€™ll contact Olight and see what they say about fixing my old S20R. Thanks for all the input, folks. What did I ever do without you guys? :slight_smile:

Seems like an appropriate place to tout my fave EDC 18650 light - Nitecore HC30.
Same claimed lumens as the OTR (so probably more in reality).
Shorter.
Lighter.
More throw, yet still has 100 deg beam (ie decent flood).
1 lumen low (vs 10 for OTR)
Great headband.
Removable clip.
Great mode spacing.
CW/NW options.
Available for around $35 with coupon.
In general Iā€™d expect quality to be a notch above OTR.

nothing beats the EMISAR D4 for price output size UIā€¦ might want to buy thatā€¦

If you donā€™t have a headlamp Iā€™d buy the skillhuint h03 for like 30$

The OTR M6 is very similar to the Olight S20 (like your S20R without the charging dock feature) but itā€™s definitely not off the same assembly line. I have both and although similar there are very slight differences.

The successor to the S20 is the S2, and it has nearly double the output. (950lm vs 550lm)

Thereā€™s two currently on ebay, the first one (if no one else bids) will cost you $33.59
The second one has one bid, currently at $27.49 shipped.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/olight-s2-baton/222889443686?hash=item33e53f0166:g:pRQAAOSwOy1arzx7
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Olight-S2-BATON/222889477058?hash=item33e53f83c2:g:eIQAAOSw2CJar0gC

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Or why not just buy an OTR M6, itā€™s under your $30 budget:

Gearbest:
(1A) $28.45 with code GB2017LED (Dispatch: Mar 21 - Mar 23) https://www.gearbest.com/led-flashlights/pp_423440.html?wid=21
(5C) $29.84 with code GB2017LED (Dispatch: Apr 2 - Apr 6 ) https://www.gearbest.com/led-flashlights/pp_423441.html?wid=21

The 5C was on sale for $25.00 but just ended yesterday (I replied to you about that in this thread: ā˜¢ [Bilakos10 Premium Deals] ā— Astrolux FT03 SST-40 ā— Astrolux A01 UV ā— Seeknite X6S ā— JCD 8898 Hot Air Station ā— SQ-D60 - #2160 by beam0 )

Also in stock at Fasttech:
Complete kit w/ charger and 2600mAh battery, (1A CW version) $31.38 shipped w/code BLF for 5% off: https://www.fasttech.com/products/4206301
Unfortunately just missed the Fasttech St.Patrickā€™s Day Sale for 10% off Site-wide (ended 3 days ago)

The 3C NW version is discontinued at Gearbest and I canā€™t find it anywhere else.

The OTR M6 is also sold on AliExpress on OTR official store!
Within 1 week there will be a sale and maybe you can get it with a nice discount if you opt for that light :wink:

BTW, the OTR store has new lights as well :wink:
https://ontheroad.aliexpress.com/store/3081046?spm=2114.10010108.0.0.780220bfWoR3Vi

Thanks for this! I slightly remember seeing this store one time but totally forgot it!

When the sale begins M6 will be only $22.95 - $23.95ā€¦ but they add shipping charge ($4.55) So $27.50-$28.50 total, still not bad!

Thanks for keeping me in mind. I think Iā€™ll be jumping on one of these deals. :+1:

Skillhunt H03 is the one I would recommend for small 18650 light. I donā€™t use it as headlamp.

I have both the HC30 and the OTR M6, both in NW. I keep both within reach at home and with me in the car everywhere I go, every day. Iā€™ve been using/abusing both daily for several years and theyā€™ve both held up great, havenā€™t skipped a beat, you can see theyā€™re quite ā€œroad wornā€ now. :smiley:

With my Xeno E03:

I clip the HC30 anywhere I can on the front of my body when I want to go hands free. Front pocket, front of jacket zipper, shirt collar, front of pocket/pants/belt etc. Bushmaster wants to clip the light on his hat, the HC30 could be clipped on to a hat brim from the side, but youā€™d have to skew your hat to one side to have a centered beam.

Both have magnetic tail (A must for me). On turbo the HC30 is a slight bit brighter than the M6, but I canā€™t notice any difference in throw. The HC30 has a slightly better neutral tint and some might like the UI better:

Turn on: HC30 one click instead of long press for the m6
Quick access turbo: HC30 long press instead of double click for the M6

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Iā€™m looking at the new Rofis R3 to replace both. 1250lm 5000K NW - just released, available soon
(Amazon next week 3/28, other sales platforms April 1st)

The end cap from the H03 will fit nicely onto a Astrolux S42 and take about 7mm off the total length, making it 10.3cm long in 18650 configuration or a measly 7cm long as an 18350 light.

With USB charging built-in, a 1200mAh IMR and 1600+ lumens, this for me is a awesome little pocket light :slight_smile:

USB charging is indeed a plus, easier to top up for smaller lights.