Anyone own a flaw-free flashlight? (Warning: this turned into a mild rant)..

I suppose another way of phrasing the question would be "anyone own the "perfect" flashlight (re your own personal criteria, of course), i.e. nothing about it that you'd change, but that would be to invite endless improvement suggestions, and god knows, THAT list would be endless! So let the post Q stand: Anyone own a torch with nothing about it that you dislike?

I was prompted to ask when I came across this comment from BlueBeam ... "I wish the K20 could use a single cell and the K25 had a clip!"... in this thread re a cheaper substitute for a Fenix LD20: https://budgetlightforum.com/t/-/3019

I actually bought the K25, and although I'm mostly indifferent to the absent pocket clip I can sooo relate to BlueBeams comment as a principle. Before I discovered BLF I was shortlisting higher priced lights, including the Fenix LD20. I may still get one (unlikely) if only because I'd love to find out how it compares to the Saintfire K25, but what put me off at the time was thecompromise tail ring. Button recessed enough to allow tailstanding, but with a big thumb indent in the ring to "facillitate" switching, leaving 2 precarious 1/2 inch crescents either side. Maybe this works better in practice than it looks, but all I could see was gritting my teeth every time the torch toppled over, or those corners digging into my thumb if I missed the indent.

This was actually a factor in my finally pulling the trigger on the K25, although infuriatingly I still ended up with a wobbly tailstand due to the K25's fractionally protruding tailcap. Grrr!

I also came close to buying a Quark AA2. Why not? No anti-roll, not even a hint, might just be the most perfectly cylindrical light I looked at. I also liked the look of the Klarus ST20 and NT20 (not really a budget light but here's a link anyway): http://www.taclight.co.uk/klarus-torches.html I LOVE the mode changing side switch but, according to reviews, if you accidentally press it for just 0.5 sec the strobe comes on, no matter what mode you're in to start with. How often will that happen?? So I didn't buy it.

And the list goes on... My personal deal breakers also include over complex UI via Command Centre tail switch, single mode lights (no low), a light that always comes on in high mode first, finger shredding bezels, non-removable pocket clips... etc etc... Of course some of the above will be someone else's "must have", but you know what I mean.

Not just torches either, of course. Cameras, multi-tools, media recorders, they're all at it, offering umpteen features except the one you really want. Or, if it does have it, it will also come with something else that you just couldn't live with. Or a ton of other features that you would never use in a million years but have to pay a fortune for. And/or an unfathomably and utterly needlessly over-complicated UI..

Sorry to bang on, started out as a simple question. Gues I had to get it off my chest; after all, I'm among friendsWink. Over to you.. and if anyone can tell me how to get rid of the weird blue background I'll be able to die a contented manFrown

Shiningbeam S-Mini. I mod everything I own not just flashlights everything it is a sickness and I can't touch it I have plans to mod it but every time I pick it up I can't bring myself to do it.

If I had one that made me completely happy, I wouldn’t be hanging out at the forums as much. If I could neutralize my V10A, it would be pretty close. The downside is the circuit relatively low effeciency on the uber low compared to a Quark.

Ah,been debating about getting an S-Mini, now I'm sold. Is yours xpg or XM-L?

To the OP, it's kind of a trick question, since with lights, knives, etc, everyone is a compromise in some way.

The ones I like the best that have caused me no issues at all are:

Trustfire Z1

Trustfire T2

TK41

Xeno E03 XP-G

Ultrafire Th-T60

All my Solarforce bodies (though they seem to me to be rather bland)

"The road to mediocrity is paved with compromises".

Can't remember who said that but of course you're right, trooplewis. Can't please all the people all the time etc. Just that sometimes you're left wondering how much customer research manufacturer's actually do...

My S-Mini is the old XPG version and it is only driven at 1 amp I would love to push it to 2 amps or switch it out to am XML but I haven't. It just works really good as is.

haven't touched my Fenix E05 R2 or Xeno E03 WW XML yet. and am happy enough with them that i probably won't. all my other lights have either been taken apart, modded, or sold.

the fact that i'm mostly concerned with tint, beam quality, and build probably help me out a little. don't care too much about clips and the UI.

i thought maybe i was the only one who felt this way about the s-mini.

noone ever seems to talk about it on this site (too expensive for budget, maybe?) in 25 years of night work i have carried a lot of lights and this one is the best of the lot. it has survived several drops of the same kind that killed my romisen rc-29 in one go. no stupid flash. seems to run forever on my AW's. the low could be a little lower but the UI is great. an XM-L would be fun but i use the low 80% of the time, so possibly useless for this application.

big fan of shiningbeam, i general, and would not hesitate to recommend them. (in the u.s. anyway, not sure of shipping expenses, V.A.T., import taxes, etc. for non-u.s. customers)

Also,i have nothing but good to say for my EDC, the nitecore D-10. i wish i had bought five of them. a bit of parasitic drain but i change the batteries often as it is my edc, so, no worries. best UI.

Lose the strobe on the trustfire R5-A3 and it would be my vote in the "perfect for under 20usd" category. might be anyway.

I am perfectly satisfied with my 4 Romisen RC-G2s , my 6 Romisen RC-N3s , 2 Romisen RC-29s , 1 Romisen RV-235 , 6 ITP A3s , 2 ITP A2s , 1 ITP SA2 , all purchased at Shiningbeam . I also am totally happy with my 4D and 3D Mags with Fusion 36 dropins . Also my Solarforce L2 with the 3 mode Ultrafire T6 dropin .

Every other light I own has either had problems on arrival or shortly thereafter and required some modding to function well or did not meet expectations .

Zebralight H51f is as close to perfect for what it is as any light that I have. I can come up with some minor improvement to anything I have however.

The ITP A3 (XP-E) is the only other one in that category.

If we had the perfect light, we wouldn't even be here. (un)fortunately for us, we don't seem to have found the perfect torch yet. Maybe Im just being too picky, but a few of my torches come close, but not close enough to be "perfect". Also this definition of perfect is really a moving target, with my favourite EDC swinging between a few favourites, depending on the mood/tasks at hand.

Here are a few of my favourites, with notable features that don't quite make perfection.

V10R with 4B tint XP-G - Great UI, triple trit tail, awesome output and lowest low of All torches I've ever seen, but.. Crazy high power draw on its low outputs, with an overhead of 17mA!!!

D10 - Various models - Legendary UI, awesome build, great switch feel (when tweaked right), True buck/boost driver, just a great EDC, complaints really just on the fact that the ramping is not visually linear.

EX11.2 - A UI development combining the best of the D10 and D11.1, with well hidden strobes/sos, however the way this is handled means there is a delay in turn on/off. Its a little thing that annoys me, however other than that the UI is practically PERFECTION. A downside? however is that the driver is now boost Only so its ok on NiMH, super bright on Lithium but not regulated (I don't like that, but as far as I've seen, all budget light single cell boost drivers are like this and most people seem to see it as a feature ("pocket rocket on RCRs" type)

120P - This is a different UI to the D10, but in itself it is about the most polished UI I've ever used. 4 modes, programmable, with extra features that set it apart from other programmable torches (lf5xt for example). Only downside is the size!! this thing is HUGE. The beam is a very nice smooth floody beam, but for its size, its almost a waste.

R5A3 - Agreed that minus the strobe, PWM, and o-ring clipping tendencies, this could be the best budget light under $20. Mine is an early generation so I can't mod the strobe out, and the "low" is really a high/medium anyway, so it really doesn't do much in its current state.

Scratch-built compact 18650 twisty - Scratchbuilding is supposed to eliminate all elements of failure, however this light is far from what I call perfection too. Made to be the most compact 18650 torch with 10W of output, it certainly does achieve this being shorter than many of my single AA lights, and an output that demands respect, however the aluminium is wearing away too fast in the threads (black grease within a couple turns), and the parallel connections of the emitters leads to thermal runaways that kills emitters one at a time. UI is also crappy because its using a Nanjg 105c and I haven't learnt programming...

SOOO thats my rant... I guess the conclusion is that the Perfect torch is just a moving target, thats why too many of us have more than one torch.

All my lights are perfect as long as i wear Kevlar gloves, Heat is my only complaint with such small lights running on plutonium for max lumen's. And "low" is NEVER an option!

To me this is a hobby and it my duty to fix and mod the issues i don't like, If for some reason i don't like a light it means i failed somewhere.

My only complaint is blinky modes, I only want that on my home defense shotgun and i don't even have one on their as i went basic with a single mode light for reliability and no fumbling during a high stress situation.

To pick a light thats more perfect than most others i own? SolarForce L2 series and the KD C8 3-mode would be my choices hands down.

the Ultrafire MCU-C88. Beautiful build quality and finish, rugged, more than adequate heat sinking, simple H-M-L modes (no blinkies), and throws to >250m. Only (slightly) let down by a less than brilliant 3AA battery holder.

Well , for me , buying budget has always meant buying something that I expect will have an issue of some sort , it goes with the territory .

For the price of a movie [$15] which = 2hours of your life , what do you really expect ?

I will list some lights that have had 0 issue [ 100% trouble free ]

Akoray AK-16 [ 3 mode programmable ]

Ultrafire M2

Jet Beam BK135A

Nitecore EX10

Trustfire T2

Solarforce L2T , L2X , L2P

Solarforce Skyline 1 and 2

Surefire 6P

That is a very small list of lights that have been without issue [ For Me ] , and we are talking 100% from the packet till today , no need to adjust anything , tweak or repair .

If you buy budget , you need to be prepared to , adjust - tweak or repair , its the price point your buying in at ..

Dont like adjusting - tweaking or repairing , then you should consider entering at a higher price point ..

I currently have 3 boxes [ small ] of spare parts , this after about 3 years of buying budget lights ..

If your not planning on being a flashaholic ! Perhaps you should buy one good AAA light , one good AA light [ single AA ] and then a good XM-L like the Jetbeam PA40 , might set you back $150 to buy 3 Good lights , that wont trouble you , but electronics being what they are , its never a 100% guarantee .. Just better odds .

Once you have 3 Good lights [ brand names ] , be happy !

I enjoy budget lights because they offer a cheap education - offer cheap possibilities for doing mods - and there cheap enough not to cry over ..

I just think , you should not expect perfection when buying into flashlights at such a low price point , though it is nice finding something close to perfection at a bargain price ..

Sure is nice having a $30 or cheaper flashlight that does everything a $120 flashlight does ..

And now you can buy into XM-L at under $14 , will wonders never cease .

[quote=old4570]

Well , for me , buying budget has always meant buying something that I expect will have an issue of some sort , it goes with the territory .

For the price of a movie [$15] which = 2hours of your life , what do you really expect ?

[/quote]

Okay.. I don't mean to be that guy, but I gotta ask: Is Australia the most expensive place on Earth?!! I'd love to live there (and I live in beautiful and barely tamed Montana), but it appears like even entertainment has quite the price tag

typical movie in maine is $15 - 20 for just about any new release... if your at the movie theatre add popcorn, drink, gas.... or you could wait until the movies not a new release and buy it from a movie store for $3-5 pre viewed

popcorn is like $5-10, a drink is like $5, so add that to a new release (closer to $18 now ++ for 3D), were talking a two skyway G6s, or even a nitecore D10 for every movie if you include sweets with that.

Last week:2 movie tickets. popcorn and coke. $62. I was kinda thinking what I could have bought with that.lol

My dqg 11 is close to perfect for a keychain edc.

Yes and No ...

Seriously overtaxed in Australia ..

We pay too much for gasoline - [ since we are 100% self sufficient ] $5 to $6 a gallon depending on what day you buy . [ 80 something % is taxes ]

Food prices are artificially inflated [ too high ]

Most Cars - White Goods - Electronics - and such are over priced

If it wasnt for online HK dealers , I would not be a flashaholic - Not even for cheap lights , as they get marked up 200% to 300% here .

Only some things are comparable - If you look around , you can still pick up a pair of jeans for $10 [ Made in China ] , maybe a $5 T shirt - $10 Polo shirt

18650 cells here = Whoa horseeee! , you can buy Panasonic from HK for $11 shipped , and locally for $45 [ That's per cell ]

Lithium primaries AA , go for $20 a 4 pack ..... [ Testing some HK no brand ATM for 1/4 that ]

I can buy a flashlight [ XM-L ] and a 18650 battery for $20

A lot of the things that interest me - Id be far happier in the USA ...

If you like a Socialist 2 party Dictatorship , Socialist Women [ BAll Breakers ] , Having no rights , then by all means come on down !

Why Australia took part in fighting communism I will never know , its 2011 and Oz is a socialist paradise ....

You know, I´ve had some flashlights and DGQ is the closest one to be perfect for general AAA use.7

I made a mistake and bought R5, maybe should have gone with R4. Otherwise very little to complain at all which was a bit of a surprice to me...