Is there a "BEST" SK68 Light or are all of them basically the same?

Hey all,

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.

Which SK68 and SK98 is the best to get?

Thank you all.

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 trouble with this ‘kind of ’ light is that, as one person said already, you never know what you are really getting

one on amazon, aliexpress whatever, might get good reviews
even legimate reviews (another problem is fake reviews)

but you try to order it a week later and the seller has already changed suppliers and now it is crap

wle

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.

yeah i agree, i don;t see why it is so popular

unless maybe chinese clone makers produce it in such high volumes and crappy implementations, that it is irresistible to resellers and ‘drop shippers’

wle

Thanks for the thoughts guys.

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.

I like all sorts of inexpensive lights.

Have a good weekend all.

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?

You might look at Xtar WK007, I have only had good experiences with it.

Search for the thread on AAA/AA flashlights here, there are quite a few mentioned.
As noted above the SK68 isn’t the best design.

https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-element-cse&cx=003594287766108315333:rh7nbidoobo&q=https://budgetlightforum.com/t/-/26860%3Fpage%3D5&sa=U&ved=2ahUKEwiS0oPItf3qAhUQIzQIHRAXBIIQFjADegQICRAB&usg=AOvVaw1V-hqNjcf1WgBkUMw8HKhV