Trying to decide what light to get. (So much for “have enough flashlights”)
Light will probably get a bump to slightly overdriven on noctigon.
Ideas, pointers, opinions, suggestions, recommendations?
That Courui looks great. If I could go back in time, I would pick that one. Larger reflector and holds 3 cells. I want one.
EDIT: I guess the T08 is more pocketable and I do like cigar holding it sometimes. Not sure they are comparable, but I'll stick with the above statement.
Well i like the option to use batteries in series with the zy-t08(mt-g2). I also dislike the 3x18650 on the courui, would be much better if it was 4x18650. But then again, i only own the small sun.
How do these two (the courui & hd2010) compare in stock form in throw, hotspot, and spill? I have a t08 in route, would I be better off getting a hd2010 or this courui next? Im not into modding, plan to leave them stock, at least for now.
You can’t leave such lights stock, it’s a sin! 
From what I’ve read most consider the couri as just a host, very weak stock. A stock hd2010 should be better than a T08 stock.
If you’re not into modding I’d assume an hd2010 would serve you better.
COURUI in series.
I saw that series mod, very cool.
_
Still having difficulty deciding. Thinking more towards the Courui but idk.
_
I’ll open it up to anything between $25-50, and on DX.
Feel free to recommend anything that meets those 2 criteria (Used as a host or great stock; either is fine.)
The T08 from DX seems a bit expensive, I would suggest you to order it from Fasttech or Wallbuys as they have lower price at around $25 if you have finally decided to buy one.
However just be careful with the Fasttech service now, make sure that all of your orders with them have tracking numbers. I’ve had bad experience with FT recently as few of my orders still have not arrived yet after two months of waiting, not sure if they will ever arrive anyway. Wallbuys’s customer service is more responsive as for now, just a word of reminder.
Well after about an hour sifting through pretty well every single light on DX, I "narrowed" it down to a few lights that looked interesting based on asthetics, battery config, size, and a few with their cooling fins. Feel free to pick apart any of them, or suggest others. I'll start weeding through breakdown reviews where available.
Multi 18650
http://dx.com/p/couru-l2-cree-xm-l2-t6-600lm-3-mode-white-flashlight-black-1-3-x-18650-279608
http://dx.com/p/ultrafire-bqh001-cree-xm-l-t6-860lm-5-mode-white-flashlight-black-2-x-18650-189400
1x18650
http://dx.com/p/uitrafire-wf-504b-cree-xm-l2-t6-led-500lm-5-mode-white-flashlight-1-x-18650-240582
http://dx.com/p/smallsun-zy-a38-cree-xr-e-350lm-3-mode-white-light-flashlight-black-1-x-18650-154130
http://dx.com/p/ultrafire-uf-2190-xm-lt6-1-mode-900-lumen-white-led-flashlight-w-strap-1-x-18650-100446
http://dx.com/p/palight-sid-900-cree-xm-l-u2-860lm-5-mode-white-flashlight-black-1-x-18650-195154
16340
http://dx.com/p/new-10b-cree-q5-3-mode-310lm-white-led-flashlight-w-strap-black-1-x-cr123-or-1-x-16340-123406
26650
http://dx.com/p/ultrafire-xl-7003-cree-xm-l-u2-800lm-5-mode-white-flashlight-black-1-2-x-26650-241155
http://usd.dx.com/product/small-sun-zy-t16-cree-xm-l-t6-860lm-5-mode-white-flashlight-black-2-x-18650-26650-cr123a-901192650#.Us32dp5dXNk
Edit: Yeah, I was considering the T08 from DX because of the coupon I've got that knocks it down to $3.50 expedited from the US warehouse.
You don’t want the XL-7003 (JM26 clone) unless you’re going to mod it. You have to cycle through all five modes to turn it off. I’d go with T08.
Just found your thread; Bummer.
re-Updated and Narrowed List:
Multi 18650
http://dx.com/p/couru-l2-cree-xm-l2-t6-600lm-3-mode-white-flashlight-black-1-3-x-18650-279608
16340
- Tiny Form factor with 16340 which I currently have none of.
- Looks like a nice, inexpensive clone of an L2M. I can't fault it by the pictures. Having difficultly finding info on this one.
So... yeah. That was an exercise in futility. After about 3 hours I'm right back to where I started, with a tiny tag along.
was playing around at dx and just found this:
UltraFire XL-U2 CREE XM-L U2 800lm 5-Mode White Flashlight - Black (4 x 18650)
I search from some kind f review about it, but didn’t find any unfortunately
In my experience, that perception is absolutely wrong , I have had three go through my hands (they came from KD) and all of them have been good out the box. Not much work has made them outstanding for the money.
So much so that after I have finished my present project, a Couri MT-G2 will be next on the list as a keeper. And that is very unusual for me, as normally I only keep one version of a particular light.
If I had a stock T08, Couri and a 2010 and I had to grab one to use the Couri would be my choice every time.
IMV Only if one is lucky with the hd2010, there seem to be so many variations as to what one actually gets, the only way I would get one would be through OL’s GB after his endorsement.
Looks like a Nage, I think someone has reviewed a similar light. I’ll see if I can find a link.
Found 4x18650 70mm thrower-UltraFire JS-8054 after a quick search; not enough time atm to dig deeper.
The Ultrafire and NAGE are the same lights. I have both in single and triple emitter models. The driver is a big AMC board with room for eighteen 7235 chips.
Nice solid host.
Interesting… You may have pushed me over into couri territory. What do you do to make them outstanding? I’ve read through the huge mod threads, and they got great results, but it took a lot of work.
It takes very little time and not a lot of work, The size and quality of the reflector in such a cheap light, is one of the main attractions. Really a poor man’s TN31/2. in JMs review of the 32 the reflector 69.56 x 65mm, the courui’s is 70.5mm x 47mm (in LH’s thread), not as deep but look at the price difference.
The work is easy, replace wire on contact tailcap board. Remove driver which is very very easy remove 200 resistor and bridge the contacts. Replace emitter wires to thicker gauge . Unscrew emitter mounting disc, on one light I used some copper square wire, another I used a strand of copper from a 16mm multi core cable between the disc and shelf,wall of the light screwed down the disc tight. This raises the disc to help with focusing and on one light stops the disc rattling around… The third one I made a copper disc, as a spacer.
I then replaced the compound under the star, removed the centring disc. Glued the reflector to the star (just enough) so it keeps centered while the bezel is screwed down. On one light I ‘sanded’ the back of the reflector to help with focus. I also use the the copper strip (trick) from the stars terminals to keep the profile low.
With what I have described one gets a very useful throwy light for very little work. Add a sinkpad and some PFs For more improvement. I found it so much easier than modding an original drivered srk clone.
If you want it to go over 300kcd or MT-G2 then it will take a lot of work as in the relevant threads but basic mods give very good results.