Would you purchase a 14500 version FW1A "mini" if it existed?

I said “yes” :wink:
I’ve been thinking about the possibility to have a 16650 light (slimmer than the FWxA), but a 14500 would definitely be better :stuck_out_tongue:

Couldn’t agree more djozz. In the case of a truly scaled down FW or KR the signal tube adds at least an extra 1.5mm to the diameter that isn’t otherwise necessary. IMO, 19mm is the largest diameter that I would bother EDCing a 14500 based light for the same reasons you mention. I feel like with the elimination of the neck-down tube design, 20mm should easily be achievable for this setup. I’ll see when I get time to draw these up in full detail how it looks.

This poll doesn’t really make sense. Sure, I’d buy one of those lights, but only if the design and size we’re done well. And a 4 LED KR4 would mean a flared head on a 14509, whereas the Lumintop designhas obvious reliability issues.

I think you are thinking too hard about this. The FW/KR examples are just familiar examples of tail e-switch lights. I find it interesting that there have been so many FW and GT variations (materials, colors, 21700, quads, minis, micros…) yet no mention of a “mini FW”. As much as Lumintop is squeezing all they can out of these BLF designs, it seems they missed an obvious opportunity.

I threw in the KR4 in the title to broaden the thought and commentary here since there are some issues with the Lumintop switch design and I would personally rather support a Noctigon product. I thought it would be obvious that the 14500 version wouldn’t be a 28mm diameter quad… maybe that was an oversight. Sorry

Only if it could accept AA as well.

Maybe they’re waiting for BLF to design a 15 mm Anduril boost driver for them :slight_smile:

Sounds about right… :person_facepalming:

Biggest advantage of 14500 is it would enable a much slimmer light than 18650.

As such, I think it would make more sense with a small reflector single-emitter light than with a Quad emitter. A Quad would have a wide head and would lose the advantage of being narrow.

I’ve edited the title if that helps make the idea a bit clearer…

Yes. Smaller light might have a smaller button activation area. Would hopefully prevent accidental button presses when clipping it in pocket. For smaller size it might be time to start putting the driver in the tailcap so they can ditch the extra complexity of the additional signal path.

I voted yes (multiples depends on price). While I like AA compatibility in my 14500 lights (my preferred EDC size), it’s not a deal breaker for me. Size though… yes, I agree with what’s already been said.

Agreed on all fronts regarding size, it’d have to be quite smaller than a typical Zebralight or other very compact 18650 light in order for it to be competitive.

What would be excellent in a light this size in my opinion, is the option to use either a reflector or commonly available single emitter TIR so one can choose to have a slightly throwier light or have it with a floodier, smoother beam without purchasing a separate light or head, assuming a reflector designed to fill the same space as a TIR would provide a drastic enough change in beam profile.

Yes I buy one, not that I need one but I like them and they all have great tints.
That said, with 18350 and 18500 tubes I don’t feel I need it as much, you can get sssooo much more power into the 18mm cells.
My fw3a/fw1a lights are just so perfect with the 18500 tube and a 2000mah cell.

That would depend largely on the build quality. And this time I won’t be a pre-order buyer/testpilot.
Currently, my S41 is my walk-the-dog-at-night light. There is more than enough juice to last 20min.
But only after I took it apart, bypassed the springs, and put in thicker and shorter leads.
Gave it some plastic shims for the screws that hold the leadboard, and now it is a really reliable light.

My late mother used to say: if you only have negative comments, please shut up.
So (apart from the few wow moments) this is what I have to say about the BLF A6: …………

The FW3A is a mixed bag of feelings. I’m pretty happy with it.
Build quality could be better. In the design area I think reliability is sacrificed for one mm less size.
It has not let me down (yet) but I would not carry it as my first and only light.
IMHO the driver needs to have a retainer ring with left threads, for now it always comes loose.
And who needs loose pieces of metal, waiting to cause disaster.

Biggest no-no for me is that, given the double tube concept, it won’t be the slimmest light on the block.
I’ll be waiting to be convinced otherwise, but not as a buyer from the first wave.

Convoy will have a 17mm AA driver soon with Biscotti-ish software. I asked if Simon would consider a 15mm version, he answered that he will not do that as Convoy does not have a flashlight that takes a 15mm driver.

Conclusion: convince Simon to develop a slimmer version of the Convoy T2, with 15mm biscotti boost driver :wink:

Although I get your point of getting the T2 “slimmer”, I guess I’d rather have the driver “shrinking” up to 15mm, and leave the rest as it is: strong, sturdy, impact resistant :wink: The Convoy T2 and the Jaxman E3 have two incredible hosts, that I’d rather keep that way.

I’d say that Acebeam Tk16 (16340) flashlight would be a better example on how to do this. The way that light is built is probably more reliable than the FWxA lights (for those concerned with that). Actually, if Acebeam did a 14500 version of that light, I’d call it a day!!!
It has 2 tubes inside as well, but you cannot “mess” with them, nor with the driver.
BTW, I guess that a 14500 “mini” version of the FWxA should be a single emitter, so that it doesn’t get bulky!

Also, other options such as strategies adopted by CRX, KawiBoy and others could be contemplated to make the inner contacts work, and still get a reliable flashlight.

Im not a fan of how “fragile” the tube alignment has been with the FWXX series lights. I would however bend over backwards for a side e-switch, high CRI single emitter (OP or TIR) 14500 light running Anduril on a boost driver or even a FET/FET+1 driver.

Yes… assuming it was well proportioned and reasonably priced (no more than the FW3A).

AA compatibility would be amazing. I think it would highly unlikely, but if there’s an SP10A Anduril version…

In the meantime I’ll be happy with a Biscotti-clone T2. If djozz can convince Simon to make a slim version with a15mm driver that would be even better.

I dont use 14500, would only be interested if it can use AA Eneloop.

Since there seems to be quite a few concerns about reliability and size…

In the FWXX series, demand exploded for Anduril on a compact, stylish 18650 flashlight. And so coming on the heels of the FW3A, Lumintop created the EDC18 - a compact 18650 side-switch running Anduril. It eliminates any problems of the dual-tube layout, and gains button LEDs. For this, it sacrifices the sleek FW3A styling and the idea of having a tail e-switch.

Lumintop already has a compact 14500 / AA light similar to the EDC18, the EDC05. It just doesn’t run Anduril. What if we convinced them to make a version that runs Anduril? That shouldn’t be too far of a stretch. Sure, it wouldn’t have the iconic FWXX styling.

I guess that’s the question… are we after the styling? Or is it more about having a nice, compact 14500/AA running Anduril?