Does anyone has this light? I've searched for it but nothing came up.
For $13, looks like much better build quality compared to other "plastic" models. Nice and thick alu wall. And yet still relatively small, hardly looks much bigger than AA.
Given the R5 rating - I'm thinking either XP-G or XP-E.
Very tempting, but I'd like to see if anyone ever had this - and how does it hold up in real life.
That's a Trustfire Z2 clone. For about the same price I'd opt for the real thing (see link)
I saw it on DX a while ago. It even has a little bat in the O.
http://dx.com/p/mini-m6-cree-xp-g-r5-280lm-5-mode-angle-white-flashlight-black-1-x-14500-190086
Ah… you’re right, it’s quite close to the Z2 but not exactly the same. Too bad about that fixed clip on the original. That would have sealed the deal.
The thing is, I kinda like the swivel clip this “Moon M6” clone has - it allows the light to be placed on the side/hip and still face forward.
How’s this one holding up? (My Z2 switch failed after 10 months, so I’m looking around).
Any info on whether it can be taken apart?
If that question was to me, I don’t know, coz I didn’t buy either. 
I think I’ve seen some mod regarding angle light or T50 (should be close). So I believe it can be opened. Try to dig around.
So far nothing, except one Russian language site showing a Z2 taken apart, but I can’t tell how. Lost the link (sigh).
There’s this: Review: TrustFire Z2
Well, since I’m the first one to jump, I’ll post about the Moon M6 once I get it.
OK, I’ll compare the M6 to my “Z1 head on Z2 AA battery”
(I really like the Z1 setup — high/low/strobe, and it remembers the mode)
and also compare it to to a new Z2 I’d bought and not used
(My original Z2 switch died, after daily use — clicking through five modes frequently)
EDIT — the M6 arrived today.
Description at the “buyincoins” page is:
Mode: 3(High/Low/Strobe)
Battery: 1xAA or 1x14500(not included)
Voltage: 1.5-4.2V
Actual:
Mode: 5 (high/medium/low/strobe/SOS)
Battery: Does not light at all using any of these:
— fully charged NiMH rechargeable, Alkaline AA primary, Energizer AA lithium primary, or NiZn rechargeable
Lights up OK using a 14500 Li-ion
Black paint, not anodizing, no surprise.
Head is a slightly different shape than the Z1 or the Z2 — four flats with rounded corners; reflector on one of the flats; white painted labels on the sides:l “Cree R5” and “M6 M [icon] on”
Reflector cover unscrews just like the Z1/Z2 (part that holds the lens and a green glo-ring)
Actual reflector is either screwed down very hard or has threadlock glue, unlike the Z1 or Z2, with a white o-ring
LED looks exactly the same.
Clip is strong enough to feel secure over a belt, and its ‘grip’ spring arms hold tight around the groove.
It would probably pop off with some leverage and could be moved to the back or other side of the light easily enough,
but I like it where it is so am not moving it (not entirely convinced it’s springy enough not to bend if I pry it loose)
Verdict — ask me in a year or so. I was hoping it would be the promised 3-mode and alkaline-capable light.
My guess is, assuming I carry it like the Z2, the switch will wear out like the Z2 switch did, with daily use often in crosswalks.
The battery contact at the bottom of the head looks exactly like the Z1/Z2 — white plastic press fit or glued in.
The switch cover is the same green material, held down by the same threaded ring as the Z1/Z2, which unscrews easily.
Switch button looks exactly like the Z1/Z2 — black button in a white plastic ring coming up through the metal.
Seems assembled the same way, I guess the innards are all put in from the bottom of the head, press-fit or glued.
So, another non-repairable non-moddable light.
M6 and Z2 both weigh 70 grams, without battery.
The M6 has a thicker battery tube, but no tailcap magnet (and no little holes in the black plastic ring that holds the tailcap spring in place, it’s not easily removable (press fit?) — maybe that evens out the weight; could be there’s less metal in the head piece, I didn’t weigh those separately.
Tailcaps are not interchangeable.
M6, at least this one, has no mode memory— starts on high every time.
(Z2 and Z1 have proper mode memory, staying at the same setting)
Light produced:
M6 is a bit warmer and bigger hotspot; Z2 may be slightly brighter at all 3 levels, but that may just be the blue seeming brighter.
Z1’s low is quite a bit lower than either the M6 or the Z2.
Verdict: the Z1 remains my preferred light (on the Z2 battery case, with either NiMH or Li-ion).
Mode memory, and only high-low-strobe, so lots less clicking (and I haven’t worn out a Z1 switch yet).
So, I emailed to tell them — since this doesn’t work at all with AAs, it could be just one bad driver.
On the other hand since it’s 5 modes not 3, could be they got a batch built with wrong drivers that won’t do AA at all.
I’d complain about the next-mode-memory but I know better.
I wonder if they have any idea what they’re selling.
Hope springs eternal.
You’re too quick (grin). I realized it’s no-mode-at-all memory — it always starts at high.
I’ve corrected it above, but you saw it first.
Still not ideal, but not the worst kind. Yeah, I’ve seen several people mention trying to open these.
I’d guess digging out the plastic and being prepared to replace it is the only way to get into the head.
Subscribed.
I like the model and it’s not too expensive.
Jerommel, is yours 5-mode or 3-mode? You’re talking about the M6 specifically?
Where did you get it? Will yours work with alkaline 1.5v AA?
No, I haven’t got it yet.
I’m waiting for my next paycheck…
Also, I’m still looking around, but this M6 I like best up to now.
Looks nice, not too expensive
The 90° head models out there are rather pricey…
Can hardly imagine it can’t be taken apart though.
But these 90° constructions are not as straight forward (literally) as usual…
I just don’t understand / like the mini optics on them. Looks a bit silly i.m.o.
I had one Z2 spare, so I did open it. It involved drilling a hole in the plastic driver retaining ring and use brute force to pry the ring out. If I remember well (more than year ago) behind that is a contact-PCB on which the battery spring ends, behind that is a floating driver (with small inductor, so it does boost an alkaline battery). I never managed to get the switch out, from the inside or the outside, I tried both.
Two things I did not like about the Z2 is the unreachable switch (I had a faulty one right from the start) and the wacky way the head is screwed into the body with just a few tiny threads on the reflector, that also prevents using a thicker led-board.
I like the Spark design best actually…
But I don’t understand the purpose of the carbon fibre, it has no use but to look expensive i.m.o.
It doesn’t even conduct well…
Zebra’s look too slick, also too expensive for Jerommel…
Can’t you heat the head, so all plastics melt and you can scoop it out?
a bit rigorous…
Seems like Hank confirmed it’s an Always-start-High driver. I don’t mind these at all.
Normally all similarly sized lights would allow both AA/14500. Don’t know why yours does not. The one review in BIC also mentioned the same - 14500 only. Not good as many would prefer NiMH as well.
The switch - was it a normal clicky?
M6 I received has:
— an “always start on high” driver
— five modes: high/med/low/strobe/SOS
— switch on from dark, push down til it clicks, and the light comes on high.
— when the light is on, a half-push (without a click) advances the light to the next mode.
That’s the same as the Z2.
(The M6 I got may be defective —- so far no reply to my email
It doesn’t match the web page description — won’t light up at all with NiMH, or alkaline, or Energizer Lithium primary, or NiZN cells — only with Li-ion.
(If anyone has an M5, I’d like to know if it’s like the Z1 (three modes with mode memory) — I prefer that setup.
(The M6 is advertised as a three-mode light — but that wasn’t what I got).
> Can hardly imagine it can’t be taken apart
None of these — Z1, Z2, M5, M6 — can be taken apart, only broken apart.
Since djozz found the switch won’t come out either way, I guess these amount to disposable lights.