Convoy S2 or Convoy M1.....Your Pick?

LED Flashlights – General Info
1

Hey all,

I’d like to get your thoughts on this comparison. I’ve had an S2+ and was set to get the S2 until I saw some recommendations for the Convoy M1. It too looks like a really nice light and it is also about the same money as the S2 is.
Of course they look like they are made for different purposes, kinda. I had the S2+ on my night stand to use in case I heard a noise in the house or back yard. I think it worked well in that duty. It felt great in hand and was made really well too. I have no reason to think the M1 from them wouldn’t also be made just as well.

I just got an XinTD version 5 so if the M1 is a thrower like that, I don’t want to do double duty and get another one. Should I stay with the S2 as a nightstand and general use light or go with the M1 or something else?

Thanks for the help.

Nalajr

2

I’ll be the first to say get both. :bigsmile: the M1 is a tweener, better than a p60 with nice thermal path but not as good a thrower as a C8.

3

I have my Convoy M1 with me today. I have to say it is probably my favourite wintertime EDC light.

It’s physically similar sized to a Solarforce L2 p60 torch and is about as big a light as I like to carry in my jeans pocket.

Build quality is bang on with other Convoy lights.

My M1 is an XM-L2 T6 4C, which is a warm to neutral white. It’s a lovely general purpose tint. The OP reflector means it’s fine for close up work, but the larger reflector diameter means it has good beam distance, it’s certainly no thrower, but will light up a bigger longer area than a tube light, like the S2.

If you don’t mind the size increase over the S2, then the M1 is well worth it.

The M1 is a lot smaller than a C8 and nowhere near as throwy in the beam profile.

Convoy also do the M2, which is very similar to the M1, just a tad smaller in head and reflector size, so maybe slightly more comfy in the pocket, although I find the strainless/shiny bezel on the M2 to be slightly sharp while the M1 alloy bezel isn’t.

I know judging physical size is difficult over the net, hopefully these pics will help:

M1 on the left, M2 on the right

M1, and note the L2M Solarforce far right and the C8 behind:

M1 and M2:

M1 compared to a C8 and a BLF special edition Eagle Eye X6.

This is quite a good comparison. The X6 and C8 are brilliant and while they both would physically fit in a jeans pocket, I find them too big to EDC like this, so they go in a coat pocket. The M1 however is just small enough to comfortable carry in a jeans pocket.



4

I think you should get the M1, its the best all purpose light i have ever used.

5

@chicken drumstick.: if the edges on the M2 Bezel are a little rough, you can use the shaft of a screwdriver to dull the edge in about 5 minutes.

A round shaft should be used and the hardened tool steel of the screwdriver will be harder than the stainless bezel. The same technique can be used as an Improvised steel for sharpening a knife.

6

I ordered the S3 (from Simon at Aliexpress) because it is smaller and floodier than the M1. I don’t really know what the difference is between the S2 and the S3, so I went with the one that is (a little bit) more expensive.

7

Every time I think I’m settled on a light I come here and happen upon a thread and then have to change my mind. I guess that’s what happens when you spend too much time here.

I really like the looks of that M1. Seems to have the details that I like in a light although this would be my 2nd really nice light. I really liked the S2+ though.

I like the suggestion earlier to just get both!!!

I might do that and forgo getting a really nice $50 light later this month like the Dipper D19 that I have on my list.

Next question about the M1 is what specs should I get? I’m sure when I go to Fasttech to look at these, they’ll have about 25 different versions of the M1 to pick from and I don’t know beans about picking these things.

Thanks all.

nalajr

8

I would buy it from Simon at Aliexpress , he has great service and Fasttech has their M1 listed with the old generation XM-L. In the order comments, I would ask for XM-L2 T6-3B and 7135*8. That will give you a neutral white tint and 2.8A current.

9

If you were happy with the S2+ output, I would get the S2+ over the M1. The M1 is larger and if you don’t need the bigger head, then you shouldn’t bother with the added bulk. I would make sure to get the new S2+ too.

S2+ is 76g with a head of 24.1mm
M1 is 110g with a head of 35.6mm

10

Every time I go to Aliexpress the site never seems to be working fully or right. When I click on that link posted above, on the picture of the light pops up, nothing else. It just looks like it continually loads, but nothing else appears. Then I go to the home page and when I was clicking to look through all their lights, I couldn’t get to the full list, it too just acted like it was running and running. When I searched for the Convoy M1 I got a return of probably 5 or 6 and there were more to load, but once again nothing else loaded and it just kept on running and running.
What’s going on with that site? It’s been like that for me the last day or so. Its the only site that I have ever came across that acts like this.

Doesn’t exactly inspire a lot of confidence in buying. If they can’t be bothered to find and FIX their source of income….how much care are they gonna take filling your order with the right products and shipping them to you in the way that you ordered?

Nalajr

11

I assume that you are running a browser add-on which interferes with the site. I’ve just visited to ensure that I’m not having any trouble - and I’m not. I use Google Chrome, I also checked in Internet Explorer 11. (“They can’t be bothered” is flawed thinking… it’s something on your end.) EDIT: The link appears strange because it’s a link the the mobile (cellphone) site. Scroll down the very bottom and there is a link to the “classic site” in blue, or click here for the same product listing on the normal/classic site.

The S2+ is a pocket carry light. I figure you can go as big as you want for your “bump in the night” flashlight, right? 0:) Gotta keep that back yard secure!

So you could do an M1, but why stop there? The bigger the reflector the more light you’ll get out the front, as you get down into those 18mm reflectors like the tube lights (S2 etc) use losses start to become fairly high. The M1 sounds like fun, but you could go significantly bigger for the same money… (Convoy C8, Eagle Eye X6, etc?).

12

what lights do you have now?

13

Oops, my bad on the link, I forgot about that. Fixed now.

14

> buy it from Simon at Aliexpress … In the order comments, I would ask for XM-L2 T6-3B and 7135*8.

Wait, it’s described as ” XM-L2 U2-1A …AMC7135*6 …”

I can just ask in comments for Simon’s attention , to get a different emitter and driver, and they’ll send that?

EDIT - thanks for the explanation, I’d missed that part

15

Once you get to the listing on Aliexpress scroll down to “How to customize your flashlight: ” and start reading from there. AFAIK Simon intends that phrase to read as “What we are willing to change on the light for you”… they’ve got 4 different drive currents and 5 different tint bins in the listing. And they solder stars for you if you want.

16

I have a regular s2 and love it. it replaced my fenix pd30 q5 as my edc. I carry it in pants pocket but if you have deep pockets, I would recommend a deep carry clip. I
am ordering an m1 as it could be pocketed easier than a c8. If it is going to be an edc pocket light, I recommend the s2, but if it will be on the nightstand and general purpose plus some carry, m1. you could put it together yourself too. order the m1 host, qlite 7135*8 driver and xml2 from mtn electronics and you won’t have to wait. otherwise simon at aliexpress probably has the best overseas reputation

17

You can’t go wrong with either the S2 or M1 as a compliment to your S2. While the S2 has a similar tube design as your S2, the S2 has a smaller hotspot that throws a little better. The S2 also tends to have a slightly brighter spill beam than the S2. In tube lights, I have four S2 lights, one S2, and one S3. The S2+ and S3 have identical beam profiles. I definitely prefer the S2. By the way, the S2 works really well with an XP-G2 emitter. Three of my four S2 lights have XP-G2 emitters. My favorite tints for this light (in XP-G2) are 5A1 and 2B.

The M1 really is an awesome light for general use. I have two of them. I found there was little difference in perceived brightness between 6*7135 and 8*7135 with the M1. You can see the difference in a side-by-side comparison, but difference is small enough that I prefer the better runtimes of the 6*7135 light. My favorite tint for this light (in XM-L2) is 3B.

If you can only get one light right now, I’d get the M1. You can always place another order for an S2 in the near future.

18

I need to get an S2. Does the S2 have the best throw of the tube lights?

19

my pick:

:stuck_out_tongue:

20

If you put one of these in it, it most-definitely will!