C9 is only $8.99 but has a plastic reflector. I have confirmed with seller.
C8 is only $10.99 description says it has an metal aluminum reflector and body but says plastic battery holder? Contacted seller, have not received reply.
They both seems o.k for the price.
Be-Seen Triker does the V-Shark have a plastic reflector? In your review it does no say where plastic or metal.
In one of the photos there flashlight has a OP refletor in the other photo has a SMO reflector.
I have 1st hand experience from this flashlight. I recieved 2 few days ago. The reflector is indeed plastic and makes some rather ugly rings even for XR-E emitters which are prone to with smo reflectors.
The switch assembly is also rather poor but works. The major drawback is the pill. Both driver and emitter star are press fit! The pill is entirely drilled through and the star relies on edges to conduct heat to the pill. Worst pill ever seen. This is the major drawback for thsi flashlight.
On a positive note the seller is very nice.
I opened one and damaged it because it was made pretty lousy.
Sent a polite compalint to the seller and he agreed to send me a whole new pill. I asked for a bezel too because it came with a nasty dent. He agreed to that too.
I bough two with norml airmal shipping but the seller decided to ship them together (decent packaging) and made it tracked.
Bottom line:
Pill sux, otherwise good (for the price) and seller is decent.
The skyray 1jc8 at manafont is slightly superior in build quality (pill, switch, orings, threads).
Tried with an osram warm white emitter but the refelctor was not collaborating nicely with an osram led. OP is required (will try the Don's special tactic with hair spray). I wish the reflector was made from aluminium and a better pill stock. Are better pills of this type even available around?
Is the C8 built like the C8 from KD?
Its not the most robust thermal setup, But it works really well once you add thermal compound everywhere and roll some foil up covered in compound to make the pill fully contact the body 100%.
Id like to have one if this Ebay light is built like that as it will handle the heat from the XM-L 3A drop-ins i have coming.
XR-E's are getting throw-away cheap.
Unless you have an XP-G or XM-L emitter to replace it with, it is not a great buy IMO. Except in very small lights like AA or Cr123 bodies, I'm done with Q5
Blah!