Does also the FW3A count as pocket hot rod too? At the moment Im considering it together with D4 and D4S. Just not a big fan of any frosted floody lenses. If you had to choose between D4 and D4S, which one would you go for?
I just got my FW3A and it was immediately clear that my D4 will now have to leave my pocket after 8 months of daily EDC use. The FW3A has a better switch (tail), easy lockout (4 clicks instead of 6), is a bit safer to use in pocket, slides better in and out of pocket, almost as bright and the clip is better.
I will probably from now on only use my D4 with short-tube only. With 18350 tube it is super-tiny and still #1 pocket rocket. Only need to find a good clip for the D4 for hat lamp use.
For EDC, the FW3A takes the throne.
The only downside for me is the frosted lens with FW3A, as I dont need another BLF A6 beam profile. If there was chance to choose other optics, It would be a no brainer.
I daily carry a D4S or a FF E07. All my D4S lights are green ano but the aux are either blue, green, red, or orange, and the E07 is purple. All the lights have Cree emitters HI or HD and different tints except one with the SST20 3000k. The SST20 was the least expensive and my favorite tint and has the most throw off all of them.
I also picked up a D18 SST20 3000k and love it. I’ve carried it a few times as well. Even though it’s slightly longer than a M43 it feels much smaller since it is 3 cells and is way brighter and more throw.
Optic replacement is very easy. The bezel unscrews easily, and you can pop the old optic out easily and pop a new one in. Should take two minutes, and at most you might need a pair of tweezers to grab the old optic.
There are also a optics that have been drilled for trit tubes 
I wouldn’t call the FW3A a hot rod ,it does get hot but it don’t like it.
The Nitecore TM10K Tiny Monster 10K lumen light would be my definition of a pocket hot rod.
Wellp, I’ve been EDCing a Nitecore MH20 (get the MH20GT if you prefer Greater Throw vs a more general-purpose beam). Great little light.
It kicks ass as far as its UI. 2-stage sideswitch, press’n’hold halfway for moonlight, press’n’hold all the way for turbo, simple click for last-memorised level, selectable on/off “beacon” LED in the switch for finding it at night, battery-level indicator, blinks out the voltage when first powered up (unscrew then rescrew anytime to see it). It displaced my UT20 as my EDC.
And it’s hella small, about the same exact physical size as a Wuben i332 which is a 16340 light, and the MH20 takes an 18650!
Oh, did I mention the MH20 is usb-chargeable as well?
I get the feeling my ’20 is going to be my EDC for a loooooong time. (And there are assloads of new codes bringing it down from 80bux to 50.)
Oh, and fwiw, yesterday poking around outside, I was pocketing a DC7 (Q8 lookalike) in shorts. Was halfway expecting my shorts to end up around my ankles doing so, but they held up. So it depends what you consider “carryable”.
I’d stick with a tubelight at any rate, at least a light that doesn’t have an outsized head (C8, VG10, etc.). A decent 21700 or even 26650 light would do nicely.
Some kids around here appear to be carrying one in each pocket……baggyass seems a trend
and then the other trend with the pants shoehorned on…no edc unless in their earlobes
FW3A is a good, small, bright light - for a minute or so before it gets too hot to hold
I don’t think the FW3A should take the throne for anything. It comes on entirely too easy when carrying it and it’s wickedly slippery with anything but super dry hands. Yes you can lock out the FW3A but why should I have to? I don’t take the blades off my knives and put them on only when I need them. My FW3A’s are relegated to house duty. I do have a holster I am thinking about trying to use with it though. Guess I will see how that goes. Other than those two deal breakers it’s a mighty fine light. UI is fine and the design is on point. It’s a great value for what you get but, A D4 or a DQG will keep finding a way into my pocket everyday.
I have the earlier mentioned MH20GT and agree that it is a great light. The downside for me is that it has cold white tint, which I no longer prefer. And I would not call it a hot-rod, with 1000 lumens it is quite conservative for todays standards.
BTW which D4 LED type and which DQG model do you use?
I have 5000K XP-G3’s in the D4 and the DQG is the tiny 18650 in NW. Love that little light. I carry ZebraLights around too, kinda of have a rotation of my favorites.
I haven’t used the MT03, but I do have the MT09 R. It’s got much larger reflectors than on a MT03 and is probably my favorite very high output light because it’s one of the few lights that’s around 18k Lumens, good throw, and relatively compact. I’ve carried it in a big down parka, but it’s about the upper limit of what somebody would put into a pocket.
I have a couple of the M43s, the MF01, and the D18. In comparing them the M43 is obviously the shortest and you can hide the whole light in your hand behind the lens. It’s also the lowest turbo output, but really good regulated output in the lower modes. But it also has the most quality feel to it. The switch is a little soft and mushy but the rest of the light is super solid. The Astrolux MF01 is next level floody brightness, but it’s bigger and has a pretty basic sequential UI with instant access to Turbo. It’s a good value light, but I’ll pay the extra for better quality and better UI. The Emisar D18 takes only 3 cells and feels the most compact because the barrel is the smallest diameter. It’s only slightly longer than the M43. Quality is right up there with a D4s, meaning really meaning really good. It has better throw than the MF01 with higher output so it seems significantly brighter. Also with all the features in the UI on the D18 you can tune it to exactly how you want to use it. There is no question the D18 is the way to go in my opinion.
Actually since I first bought a side switch Emisar D4, i never bought a tail switch again because side switch flashlight is much more natural to hold, i don’t have to raise my hand or bend my twist to click. The tail switch is more suitable for tactical flashlight
Tiny lights are such. None can hold a decent output for long with the small battery in them.
I carry Either a S41 on 4 or 5. Going up to 7 for short periods for looking further.
On longer walks.
My Imalent DN35. (sometimes 70) with favourite,
sensible use battery 26650.
Both give full ranges from dim to super long/bright with decent spread.
I have absolutely NO problem carrying either in shorts pockets. (I don’t wear trousers.) and they both give decent output.
Anyone mention the C8F yet? 3500 lemons in basically a C8. What’s not to like?
The C8A and C8T are damned fine lights, at 1700 and 1300 or so, but 3500 in a C8 form-factor? Kicks ass…
All flashlights are “carry-able.”