Review: Four-way Convoy S2/S3 mini-review

Maybe a small countersunk bolt would fix that problem without having to damage the anodizing? The main question is, would the distance between bolts fit? For the rest I would find a way to make it work.

Now I have S2 with T5 5C and 1,4A driver.
The best EDC light :bigsmile:

Congratulations, nekdo12, that sounds like a great combo.

How do you like the 5C tint? I haven’t used a light with that tint yet, but I sure like the 3C in my C8.

3C is better, but 5C is also ok.
I also sended 3 requests at Fasttech for S2 with 3C. After CNY I will send another :bigsmile:

…but 4C is sublime.

I’m just going to have to buy a couple more lights. My wallet weeps.

Come on, make a request. More requests, faster they will get 3C tint

FWIW, the Solarforce L2 clip works nicely on these lights and provides a good grippy element for cigar-style use. You simply need to add a bit of wire or paperclip inside the tailcap to complete the circuit, since the threads are anodized and the clip will effectively lock out the switch otherwise.

This is how I keep an EDC 18650 clipped to my purse.

… also, I like the GITD boot and lens O-ring. It’s nice being able to find the thing in the dark. I don’t like a 5C tint though; it’s so yellow it hurts my eyes. 3C is about as warm as I can get.

Yes. A Solarforce L2 clip fits nicely, but you must add a bit of wire into the tailcap to complete the circuit. I simply bent a paperclip around an AA battery, widened it a little, and dropped it in. Works great. I had to try two different thicknesses of paperclip to get the right size though.

Here are some pictures of the result:

Sorry for all the dirt/dust in these pics… I’ve been EDCing it and I didn’t clean it first.

Just ordered the Convoy S3 T5 5C with the 2.8A driver. :bigsmile: It’s the super wide spill comment that got me, as a wide spill is very handy for cycling and I was looking for a nicer straight tube with a NW tint compared with my current HD2011. I was considering more expensive options like the Xtar BK-12 or the Jetbeam St Cycler, however price and a lack of a NW tint was the decider. I’m hoping the spill can match a typical bike light for width. Also ordered some black tail caps to replace that horrible cheap looking green one.

I’m anxiously awaiting warmer weather so I can try my Convoy S3s on my bike at night. One of the two I got is specifically for that purpose (XP-G2 1.4A model), but it has been way too cold to go out for long at night. I should be able to get 450lm for ~2 hours or 135lm for ~7 hours from it, and I suspect 135 will be about right. My ZL H51w seems good for biking at 86lm, so a floodier 135lm should be good too.

i suspect 450 will leave a lasting impression

I’m sure you’ll be happy with it, any straight tube light with an OP reflector will produce a wall of light, especially xml’s, the only thing lacking in flashlights compared to bike lights is they don’t usually have as wide a spill for peripheral vision. I’ve got an old XML Titan bike light and I can’t wait to compare spill widths.

whokilledJR, I’ll be interested to see how the S3 works for you as a bike light.

I’m still working on my outdoor beamshot technique, but here’s some practice shots. The camera is set to 1/20 sec shutter, F/2.8, ISO 800, daylight white balance. The lens is a 50mm on a DX sensor body, so a slight telephoto. The shop window in the pictures is about 25m from the camera.

Zebralight SC600:

Eagletac P20C2:

Convoy S3:

Convoy M1:

I went out and tried it despite the cold, and it’s great. In well-lit areas it’s a bit weak (on medium, ~135lm), but then I don’t really need light — it’s only there to make sure others see me. In dark places, it nicely lights up the whole road or trail for a long way in front of me. I can use it on high (~450lm) for a couple hours too, without much risk of overheating, but other bikers will probably hate me.

As for peripheral view, I generally get that from my ZL H51w. There’s no substitute for being able to aim light with my head.

However, I could still use a nice tail light. I just have a cheap 2xAAA red blinker which doesn’t really put out much light.

Thanks for the beam shots rivet62, out of those it does seem the S3 is the floodiest with the widest spill, I’m quite happy with my purchase now. I usually just mount 2 lights on the bar, one floody light and the Shadow JM07 I use as a thrower. Excellent light for cycling is the JM07, similar throw to a C8 but with a much wider hotspot and very usable spill. By those pics I’d say the wide spill of the S3 would match a dedicated bike light.

Sounds good Toykeeper, can’t wait for mine. For a taillight the one I’m using is the Cygolite hotshot:

http://cygolite.com/products/hotshot2W2.html

Very bright on full power, with adjustable brightness and blinking modes and great run time with a lithium battery.

If I needed to get a new one I’d probably go the magicshine:

http://www.action-led-lights.com/collections/bike/products/mj-818-bike-tail-light-set

This thing is even brighter and much more floody, at 24.95 which is a lot cheaper when I was comparing the market a few months ago.

FWIW, the Ultrafire HD2011 is much floodier than the Convoy S3. I went with a less floody light though (S3 w/ XP-G2), so I’d be able to see farther ahead.

I also used a XinTD C8 during my ride last night, but that’s because I was searching for my cat. I heard a cat fight and went out to make sure he was okay, and the C8 worked really well for spotting critters from a distance — just had to hold it in front of my nose for maximum reflection. I found pretty much every living creature in the neighborhood, and fortunately the fight was between two other cats.

I don’t know whether they keep tabs on this, but I put in a suggestion that they ask convoy if they’ll program the lo-med-hi outputs at 5–30–100% (as is the case for the x-power version) instead of having med at 60% as it is now. If it makes a difference put in a vote for it under the “I suggest you” page :wink:
http://www.fasttech.com/community/isuggestyou

Great to see at least someone’s looking out for the night critters! :bigsmile:

I’ve got the HD2011, puts out a great floody beam. How does the spill width compare to the S3? I was hoping the S3 has a larger spill, if less lumens up the middle.