New designs from Maxtoch - what lights would you like made?

LED Flashlights – General Info
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A number of members - (myself/manualman/Tom E/gadgetman etc) have helped Maxtoch to improve product performance. This is no business relationship - rather its a bit of fun working with a company genuinely interested in listening to clients. They have incorporated several suggestions and the resulting lights - the SN6X-2X, M24 and M12 are now seriously high performers - very good quality too. The question is… what further lights would BLFers like to see made? Let’s hear yr ideas. Here’s some thoughts - possibly dead wrong - after brief discussion with Tom E:

  • What about a hi performance aspheric zoomie somewhere in between the T20/C10 and the XSearcher. Can be a 25mm tube, slide zoom (no problem for hunting if the O rings on which it slides/seals are firm), maybe 1 or 2 18650, 40-50m head, and strong output led. Not sure on using XML – aspherics simply don’t catch enough of its 120 degree emission. What else could we use? XPG2? Create versatile 1 or 2 cell light with very serious throw but also good flood output. Then maybe hotrod it a bit with AR and copper etc also – works real good in the other maxis.
  • Or a high performance C8 – could add e-switch with good mode ratios, and Maxtoch build quality, but even with the copper/XML2-U2 and AR what are we going to get out of it stock. 40-45k lux? C8s I’ve bought were a lottery ranging from 15-33k stock. 40-45k would be good – wd make for a powerful and versatile wee hunter/outdoors/carry light, and would dedome to 90kcd or so – and that’s seriously useful for everything. Round 600 yards.
  • Re headlamps – maybe a 2 × 18650 pack with say 30-40mm head running an XPG2. A 3 mode zoomie for aiming for serious throw plus flood - versatility?
  • Also wondering about a variant on the TN31 – a bigger head, parallel batt performer now that the TN31 is going – and under $100. Can one readily improve on a great light?

Maxtoch did a neat job with the little M12 – lifting an HD2010 type platfrom up with v good build quality and doubling original’s output to 98kcd. Qualiy and alot of power. Am thinking about he same type of thing for a hi performance aspheric and C8. Keep both in their low to med market price position – $40-75.

What lights would people like made? Let’s hear some ideas - anything with a ready market considered…

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How about a side switch zoomie?

Probably not big demand but I only know of one other and its a POS.

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A light like the EagleTac TX25C2 with similar size and throw, with an infinetly variable control ring like the Sunwayman V11R, side switch, steel crenelated bezel, 2 position clip for bezel up or down carry, removable tailcap glass breaker, 3 to 4 amp driver from 1.2v to 12v and battery tubes for 1, 2AA, 18650, and 123A’s, black HA 3, and titanium editions, copper heatsink, waterproof 2meters, AR lens

And a USB head to charge USB devices, if they could incorporate a waterproof micro USB in the design would be even better

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Any comment is welcomed. Come one everyone. :slight_smile:

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Still no update for higher amps version of DX21 ?

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I like the high quality zoomie idea, it has to be 1xli-ion, and with slider, I suggest to make the slider very smooth with a side screw to fix it in any position. The lens diameter about C8size (~40mm), and with short focal length. Not that I think it improves the performance dramatically, but I love that AR-coating on that LAX-light aspheric lens... Pill is brass, and why not standard C8 dimension?, but accepts 20mm board.

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I was about to suggest a side clickie 26650 flashlight with anodized threads, then I saw the Maxtoch D01. I also like how you made the button easy to feel even with gloves on.

Here's the thing though, I don't want the switch mounted on the driver because that makes modding more complicated. So if you're doing more side clickie lights, please do it with switches that don't mount on the driver.

Okay, here's my idea.

Battery: Single 26650 or 3x18650.

Switch: Side clickie, not mounted on driver. Big bulge around the switch so it can be easily found with thick gloves without looking at the light.

Emitter: Quad XP-G2

Optics: 24mm diameter Carclo 10624, or at least has the same dimensions for the mcpcb with optics that are readily available.

Threads: Anodized, even on extension tubes.

Battery tube: Able to accommodate protected batteries up to 71mm long. If you make it a 26650 flashlight, an extension tube to use 2x26650 would be better for some people.

Bezel: Use internal threads that can accommodate DSLR camera filters like this or this, or offer a bezel ring that can have camera filters attached. This is an inexpensive way for colored filters to be used.

Pill: Direct thermal path with a thick solid shelf for the mcpcb, and lots of space for the driver.

Tailcap and lanyard hole: Light must tail stand without the lanyard under the tailcap. This requires either two holes next to each other, or put a lanyard hole on the side like the Sky Ray King or Solarstorm K2.

No glued threads anywhere. If you want to go one step further, offer it as a host.

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A simple light with

  • HD2010 sized head,
  • body long enough for 2x26650 in series,
  • with an MTG-2
  • and suitable driver.
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No matter what size, plenty of decent fins (not just shallow grooves) for heat dispersal, means a cool standard light for efficiency and some headroom for those of us that just have to release the lights full potential J)

Cheers David

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I would like large head reflector and aspheric lights in single and/or dual battery configuration with deep driver cavities and good cooling. I modify almost all lights I get now because I am happy to push mine a lot harder than a manufacturer will because I’m far less concerned about reliability. So essentially I want mod friendly lights or even better, offer some good hosts for sale!! I am happy to spend up to $50 on just a host if it is worthwhile. I sold my DX21 recently, purely because it wasn’t as mod friendly as some of my other lights and the performance was not at the level of my modded lights.

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I'm definitely in agreement with almost all of these suggestions - djozz, leaftye, LSX.

djozz - you about nailed it - I'm in total 100% agreement

Suncoaster - I just did that with a Yezl Y3! Smile - really like the way it came out so far, but needs a little more tweaking/TLC...

AlexGT - wow, this is an ultimate wish list, all-in-one kind.

I think a super C8 has sort of been done already. If anything in this form factor, I'd like to see a return to the old school C8 reflector (shorter is better!), and an e-switch added - not driver mounted like leaftye said - mod friendly: easy dis-assembly, sound fundamental design of perfect flat pill top, easy access to pill area, standard size reflector hole, very low profile LED alignment piece (produces more output), good amt of heat sinking in the right areas, and the reflector flat bottom must be small and tight to the LED hole.

Also, take a lesson from the extreme popularity the Eagle Eye X6 is enjoying - again, high qual, simply elegant, compact design, high performance, low cost. I seem to measure relatively high lumens output of this light at a moderate levels of amps, and considering the stock one I have is a NW tint. I believe it's because of the reflector design, very low profile LED alignment piece so doesn't block any output, and the bezel is very low profile, fading away from the lens

I also like the compact size of the SupFire A6 - more pocketable than a X6. SupFire sort of ruined the latest A6 with the finish/anodizing issues - I'd like to see a better choice, hopefully in that price range -- important to keep the O.D. of the reflector the same size as an A6 because it fits XML quad optics perfectly!!

Again to re-iterate what's been said - you can't make everyone happy, so availability of just the hosts would be great.

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Drivers seem to be the big deal around here lately. What about lights with an easily re-programmable driver?

The idea of the flexguard was good in theory, but not so good in execution. And a wireless flashlight…in my opinion…was kinda silly.

Nevertheless, I would like a light with a programmable driver via USB or other WIRED connection. The computer program/interface should be simple and not require programming skills to operate.

I think it already exists out in the world. The HexBright crowd-sourced light comes to mind. I believe it is open-sourced. Perhaps someone around here has/is already working on one a project like this, and I just haven’t seen it yet.

Would it be too costly? Maybe too goofy? :Sp I bet somebody around here has the skills to pull it off…BLF got skills.

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Definitely. The X6 shape/design is very simple and appealing. I would like to see the same concept ‘up-sized’ to a 26650 with MT-G2. A somewhat pocketable barn-burner. Sorta like the MT-G2 mod DBCstm is doing on the X6, but with a proportionally larger host/reflector.

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I think Armytek makes about the best headlamps around. But there user interface is overly complicated. How about a tough 4 or 5 mode electronic headlamp with a simple “Spark-type” interface. Something waterproof. I took my Wizard Pro swimming a while back, and it held up fine. The only problem with making a 2x18650 lamp though is the fact you’d have to compromise it’s water resistance by making a separate battery back. I don’t see any problem with making a single 18650 battery headlamp, what’s it matter if you have to change the battery- you’re carrying a second battery no matter what anyway.

Absolutely no visible PWM though.

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(I remember there were pictures of it as well, but they seem removed, the driver never came further than this thread and PilotPTK unfortunately does not post anymore on BLF)

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I think one thing we’ve learned is that the community here builds better drivers than about 80% of the actual manufacturers.

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I’d like a lightweight headlamp with nichia 219 - 16340 or 18650 is fine.

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I second this. Double Nichia would be fine too.

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I would like to see the DX21 taken upto 5 amps. Or the same platform with twin triples like a DQG26650 head. Or a scaled up twin MT-G2 with a two-three 26650 body tube. Thinking “Mjolnir” Thor’s hammer. Yes I’m on a dual LED kick. Singles not bright enough and triple get to fat for the pocket or holster.

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