Which ones to get - General, Thrower, EDC? Budget it is

Match · January 10, 2011, 10:09pm

[quote=Nautic]

RC-29 take li-ons here: http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.50679

The g2 is a very good light on AA, so it should be considered too.

[/quote]

I should have wrote "My RC-29 can't take li-ions...." It's the one from shiningbeam with a different emitter and driver.

Nautic · January 10, 2011, 10:45pm

A 5-mode AA S1? Where have you seen that??

jekostas · January 10, 2011, 10:54pm

I like the Sk68. Great light, you really need 14500s to get the most out of it, though I think it's a step head of both the C78 (bad tailswitch) and the Romisen you listed (no support for 14500s).

As for EDC, the ITP A3 EOS Upgrade is nice, I also like the Mr Lite KC-05 from Lightake - similiar form factor though slightly larger. Somewhat frustrating UI, though.

old4570 · January 10, 2011, 11:29pm

Budget AA , Trustfire F20 , the one I got from LT was very nice .. [ Still is ]

Just picked up a Tank007 566 . also nice , DX

Mr.Lite J4 or Y4 [ maybe not so budget ] LT - Manafont

ITP A2 3 mode [ must get one myself ] I have the Maratac .

skulless · January 11, 2011, 12:43pm

Thanks for all your inputs guys. It's been a crazy 24 hrs for my area. It's flash flooding everywhere, nearly all roads out/in nearby are closed due to floods etc. I'm not affected yet, praying hard not, but all those people, I feel for them. Heard on the radio that electricity will be cut off tomorrow morning.

Nautic · January 11, 2011, 3:07pm

You´ll badly need some flashlights and many bateries then.

xP.1337 · January 11, 2011, 10:55pm

i prefer the trustfire R5-a3.

tons of light when u need it, and a great low!

also has great threading and feels uber solid in your hands!!!!

it has good throw too, so that could cover your throw category.

and its size and weight (not to mention ability to run on AA in an emergency, tho i prefer the sheer output on 14500) make it a perfect EDC. its durable, and your not gonna beat it for the money

hands down, for the money, the R5-a3 is the BEST flashlight in that list.

its bright, its usable, its got great throw AND spread. and on low, it would run for DAYS!

at least the ones i got lol

fishinfool · January 12, 2011, 5:58am

Do you get a commision from the sales of the TrustFire R5-A3? After reading your post, I'm about ready to buy a dozen of them. Just joking.

sb56637 · January 12, 2011, 12:17pm

Hi xP.1337,

I'd like to know where you bought the R5-A3. Mine definitely does not have a great low mode, rather it is blindingly bright on low and lasts barely 1 hour.

fran82 · January 12, 2011, 12:42pm

Earlier versions came with Hi Med Strobe. Latter with Hi Lo Strobe

skulless · January 12, 2011, 1:33pm

Thanks guys. This will be handy to newbies on the forum as well I guess.After much consideration, I've decided to go for

UniqueFire AA-S1
TrustFire R5-A3
SIPIK SK68

For 14500 batteries, are these the best on DX and they should work fine?
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.26124~r.43033281

I think 3 is more than enough for me at this stage, my next purchase should be the li-on batteries, chargers and brighter and better lights

p/s Don - I forgot to reply to your post, SB does ship to Aust for $6 flat.

fran82 · January 12, 2011, 3:05pm

That 14500 are the best

jekostas · January 12, 2011, 7:03pm

Good choices! I would ask though, do you have a charger for your Lithium-Ions? That's something to take in to account.

xP.1337 · January 12, 2011, 7:09pm

i got all 4 (1 was a gift, 2 were for sale, but then ended up selling mine, havent had a chance to buy another but will be buying another for sure!)

from DX, love it to death. tho my custom XM-L in an Aurora V6 is by far my new favorite EDC!!!

if you can do it, get the XM-L, a good driver, and a solid 18650, and the Aurora V6 body of course :-D

problem is some light is lost by the reflector, oh well! still twice as bright as my modded P7-C from Aurora. (replaced with shining beam driver)

worth the loss of light if you ask me!!!

skulless · January 13, 2011, 3:03am

Thanks Fran82.

I don't have a charger yet for Li-on cause I don't have any Li-on batteries yet. I'm inclined to order everything in 1 order from DX given their shipping reputation, plus CNY coming up soon, I hope mine will be delivered before then, if not, it'll take forever.

sb56637 · January 13, 2011, 4:42am

Ah! Thanks Fran, I didn't know that. Who sells the Hi-Lo-Strobe version?

xP.1337 · January 13, 2011, 4:53am

DX does now

skulless · January 28, 2011, 2:00pm

I got the lights today. Took 2 weeks from DX, pretty quick I must say.

UniqueFire AA-S1 - Nice smooth beam but the least bright among these 4.
TrustFire R5-A3 - Definitely the brightest of all.
SIPIK SK68 - Good throw.
Tank TK-703 - This little tank is so bright. Brighter than S1.

Amont the 3 AA lights, do you guys recommend to use it on 14500? Would it burn out the led over time?

Don · January 28, 2011, 2:05pm

Don't know about the Sipik, but the other AA lights only see 14500 use with me. They don't seem to suffer from it. I've had the R5-A3 since it was announced, and the AA-S1 for several years so if they were going to burn up they would have by now.

Boaz · January 28, 2011, 2:19pm

UniqueFire AA-S1 - Nice smooth beam but the least bright among these 4.
On a 14500 this guy gets very bright .. the numbers a lot of times look like that .. older lights didn't take the higher voltage and were set up to run hard on a AA at 1.5 v when they made them run on both AA &14500... lots of people started whining about the light wasn't the same and wasn't as strong ..BUT when they put the 14500 in it tore it up .. so in some cases it's give a little take a little .. try the 14500 in the aa-s-1 .. it's alot brighter .. like twice as bright .