Review: Convoy C8 XM-L U2 1B 1x18650 8x7135 Flashlight

Convoy C8 (1x18650, XM-L U2)

Reviewer's Overall Rating: ★★★★★

Reviewer's Mod Host Rating: ★★★★★

Summary:

Battery: 1x18650
Switch: Tail, Reverse-Clicky
Modes:

G1: H 100%, M 30%, L 5%, Strobe, SOS, with memory

G2: H 100%, M 30%, L 5%, with memory

LED Type: Cree XM-L U2 flux bin, 1B tint bin
Lens: Standard Glass
Tailstands: Yes
Price Paid: $15.68
From: Fasttech
Date Ordered:

Mar 4, 2013, , shipped mar 7, 2013, received Mar 14 2013.

Pros:

  • Compact format, comfortable to hold, good grip
  • Excellent finish, immaculate
  • Excellent machining, great threads
  • Excellent workmanship, attention to detail
  • Good heatsinking
  • Nice pill, great retention ring for driver
  • Excellent reflector, aluminum OP
  • Perfectly centered emitter
  • Works with flat-top, raised top, and protected cells
  • Excellent mod host, not that it needs any real changes

Cons:

  • Head is a bit bulky for a pocket EDC, jacket pocket OK

Features / Value: ★★★★★

Design / Build Quality: ★★★★

Battery Life: ★★★

Light Output: ★★★

Overview

Fasttech introduced the Convoy line of lights and gave us flashaholics tons of options to choose from. Essentially you can pick your host, emitter, and driver current. It's up to you; even a host only if you like. Everything from the familiar tubular EDC right up to a 2x26650 thrower. I introduced myself to Convoy with one of the lowest priced models; the trusty C8. I have owned three of these before, with mixed quality. This gives me a good basis to evaluate them. Hands-down, this is the best built C8 I have ever seen. (Note: I haven't seen the famous XinTD C8, which is reported to have excellent build quality too; at almost twice the price).

The machining and finish on the entire light is immaculate. I could not find a ding, scratch, sharp edge, or machine mark anywhere. The anodize is great, it may be HA-III; it looks as good as my EA4W's finish.

This review is mostly pictures; there's not much to say really. It speaks for itself.

As a 1x18650 side-by-side light, the handling is fine. It fits in the hand well, maybe a bit thin for larger hands. There is enough of a groove near the tailcap to provide for an OK cigar grip. The knurling is light and provide a little bit of extra grip.

The light comes apart at the tailcap, and between the body and head.

Unlike many of the other models in the COnvoy line, this does not include brass inserts on the body tube ends. Understandable, as the lowest priced model in the line-up.

The laser etching is even and sharp.

The threads are nicely cut, smooth, were adequately lubed (I didn't need to add more), not anodized (no lockout), trapezoidal, and large enough to stand up to lots of battery changing.

The tailcap has a large plunger with lots of travel. Protected and unprotected cells should work fine.

Digging into the tailcap, we find a nice aluminum retaining ring and the usual items; plunger gasket, switch with a long but heavy spring, switch holder, and a GITD switch boot.

Moving on to the head, I found something new to me; a C8 pill with a driver retaining ring. And a very nice one at that (more in a bit).

In here, we find the head components. This is the typical C8 head design, and it is well executed. The pill is removed through the reflector end. The reflector seats onto the star with a plastic emitter centering gasket. The lens O-ring is slightly smaller than is needed, so when reinstalling, I had to stretch it slightly to get it to stay in the bezel groove. other than that it works well, as do all of the O-rings on this light.

The pill itself was not easy to open. The driver retaining ring was fixed with thermal adhesive. I needed to use a rubber glove, needle-nose pliers, and a lot of force to break the bond. What I like about this design is how the driver is firmly pressed into the pill and makes very good electrical contact.

On the other end of the pill sits the emitter which is attached with thermal adhesive. The workmanship and attention to detail in this area is quite nice.

Beamshots

Smooth as butter. Coming Soon.

Measurements

Dimensions:

  • Overall Length: 150mm
  • Bezel Diameter: 44.5mm
  • Neck Heat Sink Diameter: 33.5mm
  • Body Diameter: 25.3mm
  • Tail Diameter: 29.5mm
  • Reflector Inner Diameter: 37.6mm
  • Reflector Outer Diameter: 41.5mm
  • Reflector Depth: 31.7mm
  • Reflector Emitter hole Diameter: 7mm
  • Lens Diameter: 41.7mm
  • Lens Thickness: 1.9mm
  • Emitter star diameter: 16mm
  • Driver diameter: 17mm

Weights (without battery):

  • Overall: 148g
  • Head: 84g
  • Body Tube: 32g
  • Tailcap: 32g

Performance (stock, 4.2V supply, uncalibrated measurement equipment):

  • Light Output: ~725 lumens
  • Beam Intensity: ~21.2kcd

Power Source Options: 1x18650, unprotected or protected cells, flat or raised positive caps.

Switch type: tailcap, reverse-clicky

Modes: High (2.8A), Medium (1.39A), Low (0.16A), Strobe*, SOS* (* in group 2 only)

Mode Memory: Yes

Conclusions

The Convoy C8 is an excellent example of the classic pocket light. I like just about everything about it. The only mods I did; add copper braid to the tailcap spring and thermal compound on the pill threads. Both of these are entirely optional; it's just part of my standard routine.

Relic Recommended, for anyone looking for a well built light at an excellent price.

Thanks for reading! searchID8934

Reserved

Great work! Nice review!
You may want to take a quick look at the first words in the headline and edit them.

Nice review and great pictures. That is a great light for the price. Seriously, it should be the one that everyone gets first.

It looks like youve found yet another fine example of the venerable C8 at a great price. The driver retaining ring is a great touch and should make those fancy 4A boost drivers a breeze to install. :bigsmile:

Thanks for the great review. I’ll grab one on my next order.

What do you think of this light with the OP reflector as apposed to one with a SMO?

Thanks RaceR86, missed that :slight_smile:
18sixfifty, agreed. This is the C8 to get. Plus, you have options when you order. Cheap C8s on eBay are $11 or so… for four more the quality goes waay up.
FlashPilot, I like the OP better. It throws less, but I prefer more flood anyway.

Thank you for the great review relic38!

I like the Convoy product line .

Nice review, Relic. Looks like the entire Convoy line is the bomb!

That’s right JohnnyMac, so far every model that’s been reviewed has done well.

Minor addition to review: This model does not have the brass inserts on the body tube ends. As the lowest price model in the line-up, it’s understandable.

Convoy C8 vs KD C8?

I do not have the KD C8 either. I’ve been tempted to go for the XM-L2 version they have listed. I already have three C8s though…

I would say the Convoy C8… Great review. I know I really like mine.

If it is better than the KD, it is one of the best, after XD.
What do we know about Convoy, I cannot find something about them on net.

Great review relic, thank you.

For some reason I was under the impression that the C8 was quite a bit larger than it is. After reading your review, it seems that it’s actually quite small.

That’s a really nice light for the price too, value for money wise, this even beats the A60 ? looks like it.

Thanks Spasmod, I appreciate it.
The Jacob A60 will outthrow the C8, even an XR-E based C8. I prefer the C8 because of the size and a little more flood. Having the OP reflector balances it perfectly for me. Probably not for everybody though.

i have the convoy and kd, both are almost identical besides reflector.
i prefer the kd, it throws further and have a nicer warm tint. flood/spill equally the same.
if you dont mind paying about $5 more, id go kd, but if your on a tight budget, the convoy is super nice. one of the better lights out there for that price.

Finally! A review of Convoy C8! Thank you :slight_smile:

My Lightmalls C8 with U3 emitter has been arrived and I am very satisfied with it. Before I ordered Lightmalls C8 I was doubting whether I should went for Convoy, but at last I prefered the smooth reflector more.

Next, I am hoping someone will order the KD XM-L2 C8 and post a review about it :stuck_out_tongue:

In Hand shot added to the review:

BTW, there is one Convoy C8 SMO; with a T6 3C (5000K) emitter.