I have an SK68 that I use frequently and I have always wondered if there are better ones or some that are the best or are they all pretty much equal? When I look for them I’ll get dozens of returns and lots have different markings and makers. I don’t know if there are differences or not. If there is a best, or higher performing SK68 and SK98, I’d like to know what it is so I can order 1 of each and try them. And since they are inexpensive at about $3-5 per, I’d like to get several and give them out as gifts to family members that often want to borrow my little guy.
Had a few over time, the older ones appeared “better” than the newer ones. Gearbest sold me a few for next to nothing when they still had “flash sales” (they don’t do those any longer).
I read somewhere online about the history of these Sipiks, forgot the details. hope others will chime in so we can all learn.
Yeah, the early ones were clones of a legitimate light, the later ones are clones of clones (… of clones, lather rinse repeat0
If you can get an honest answer out of a reseller, that’s rare good luck…
When I was looking for these, I discovered that Fasttech for example, has nobody who can actually take one apart far enough to find out if it has just a hole in the head, or a shelf for the emitter, or a solid backplate that spreads out the waste heat.
Even if you get a good one and reorder the “same light” from the same supplier, you may get something quite different the next time.
The sk68 is a fairly crap design anyway, the optical path is pretty ok, the thermal path is poor, and it uses more material than needed to perform so it is rather bulky.
I have had many versions and some are worse than others, but they could all be made to perform ok with some modding.
The reason I like the small one, the sk98, is because it works fine for what it is and I can go and buy an 8 pack of AA batteries and if I’m going camping, take an extra 2, and I’ll have a decent light source the whole trip. I can have a tight square of light out to the large circle. And then prolly one if the best reasons, if I lose it in the woods or drop it in the lake, it’s no big deal at all. They’re a $5 light. I can also give it to others that don’t have an inexpensive light to use.
There’s my reasons. I haven’t used the larger one much. It takes the 18650 and when that runs out, you gotta be near an outlet with your charger or have a couple more.
Do you all care to tell what a good, reliable and inexpensive flashlight that takes AA batteries would be? MAGLite? Any others that you all have in your collection that you’d use or take along on a 3-4 camping or hunting trip?